The School of Tourism became a delicious destination as culinary students displayed their inventive new food dishes at the Food Product Development Showcase on 27 April 2009.  Neven Maguire, well known TV chef , was among a panel of judges who had the ‘tough’ job of tasting and then putting the young master chefs through their paces about their products.

“A big part of our programme is to encourage students to look at the commerciality of the food products,” explained Deirdre McCole, Head of Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts.  “It’s important to link the skill and creativity, with the marketplace.  This Showcase gives the students a chance to present their own product ideas but also get some valuable feedback, so they can see if their ideas are viable.” 

The Food Product Development Showcase is part of the assessment toward the Bachelor of Business in Culinary Arts Degree.  Many of the products on show catered for the ‘allergy’ and health markets, eg, healthy children’s lunches, local honey preserve, diabetic chocolate , cheesecakes suitable for coeliacs, but there was also a spread of gorgeous traditional brown bread, original soups and tasty wholesome take-away meals such as Irish stew.  Numerous local food businesses came along to review the products and all gave a resounding approval to the diversity and quality of food on display.

Neven Maguire, award winning chef and owner of the renowned MacNean House & Restaurant in Blacklion, Co Cavan, was very impressed with the students’ efforts, “Events like this show that culinary talent is very much alive in the North West.  The standard has been very high and the students have put a lot of work into researching and developing these unique and delicious food products.  I better watch my back!”

“It’s a real pleasure to see the range and quality of very enjoyable and creative food.  The students have put together an impressive showcase of innovative mouth watering products as well as focusing on how they could be introduced to the market,” said Paul Hannigan, President.