Brought to you by Taste of Dublin
Taste of Dublin, brought to you by JYSK, is celebrating its milestone 20th anniversary from the 12th - 15th of June 2025 in the beautiful Merrion Square and here at Lovin Dublin HQ, we've been cooking up something special of our own.
This year, we're going beyond bites.
Welcome to Food for Thought; a stage born of the collaboration between us here at Lovin Dublin HQ and the greatest Taste minds across the country.
This year, our lineup of talks and demos features chefs, bakers, mixologists and food nerds who know what they’re doing. We’ve handpicked some of the most exciting food heads in Ireland and asked them to talk shop: from foraging like a witch to deciding once and for all if stew or coddle would win in a fight (we’re saying coddle has more edge, sorry stew).
From the casual home cook to the seasoned pro, there's a talk for every guest with Food for Thought, and you'll be in good hands too. Our Lovin Dublin team Alanna Burke and Shamim de Brún will be on hosting duties all weekend alongside Sharon Noonan MC and host of the Best Possible Taste podcast.
2.45pm: Behind the Recipe with Trisha Lewis
Trisha Lewis has made a name for herself by pulling back the curtain on the emotional labour behind professional kitchens and home cooking alike. Expect honest talk, not just about how to cook, but why we cook in the first place and for whom.
3.30pm: Talk and Taste Dublin's Bakery Boom with Dublin's Best Bakeries
This panel tracks the new bakery wave in Dublin through the creations of some of the industry's most respected bakers. We’ll be talking and tasting all things doughy with the people who have changed the fabric of our fair city one cardamom bun at a time.
8.45pm: Sip and Whip it Good: Shanky's Whip Cocktails
If you haven’t yet encountered Shanky’s Whip, imagine someone distilled a bouquet of edible flowers and made it alcoholic. This demo is worth it for the pure curiosity of what makes a whiskey liqueur and how it can be used in cocktails.
2pm: Fat Tomato Tasting: Try Tomato Cordial
Tomato cordial is wild. It’s obscure, and because it’s made by the man himself Anthony O’Toole, it's organic and properly tasty. Don’t believe me? Well, then, come and taste it for yourself at this talk and tasting event.
3.30pm: Learn How to Make Mussels with Sake, Soy and Sea Herbs with JP McMahon
JP McMahon continues to push the conversation on Irish ingredients into more ambitious territory. Hit up this talk and learn about exploring seaweed, koji and fermentation in a way that challenges the very idea of local flavour.
8.45pm: Explore Alternative Alcohol Pairings: From Crisps to Jellies
Forget wine and cheese. This is a deliberately whimsical session interrogating what we snack on when we drink and what happens when you reverse-engineer the pairing. It’s part food science, part fun logic. If you like Whiplash Beer, and Mighty Munch and just a touch of silliness, this is the taste and talk for you.
2pm The Simpler Life with William Murray of Currabinny
Murray, one half of Currabinny, has always dealt in reworking Irish staples into something softer, brighter, and more curated. This session reflects on what “simple” means now that Murray and partner James Kavanagh have chucked in the city lifestyle for a farm in Kilkenny.
3.30pm The Ultimate Broth Wars: Coddle vs. Stew
It’s coddle vs stew in the ultimate showdown of Irish classics. Join local legends Ciaran Kavanagh from The Gravediggers and Rick Higgins from Higgins Butchers as they debate die hard loyalties. Plenty of laughs to be had in this spirited tribute to Dublin’s most divisive dishes.
6.30pm Talk and Taste Basque Cheesecake: Trending Foods and Flavours
Basque cheesecake was memed into the mainstream but unlike most food trends, these guys have been doing it since before it was cool. This talk will unpack all the intricacies of the dessert while getting to taste the very best Dublin has to offer.
1.15pm From Stage to Page: The Taste of Dublin Cookbook including Eric Matthews, Kwanghi Chan and Mama Shee
Cookbooks have become cultural artefacts. This panel features contributors to the Taste of Dublin Cookbook, reflecting on what gets left out of recipes and how you translate kitchen energy into print.
2pm Foraging for Flavour with Glendalough Distillery's Forager Geraldine Kavanagh
Foraging has long been filed under twee lifestyle content, but Kavanagh brings serious ecological and flavour literacy to the practice. She’s leading the way with her seasonal selections and has all the tips the foraging curious masses could want.
2.45pm Documenting the Delicious with Gabriel Martin of Leviathan Food
Food media is in flux, and Martin, known for his precise food photography, is part of the next wave. Expect insight into visual culture, content strategy, and how to make a plate of food pop on a page.
Daily Extras
Between these headline talks, you'll also find practical demos in the How to Make & Create zone with Uber Eats, and ethics-forward chocolate conversations from Tony’s Chocolonely.
Be one of over 30,000 food enthusiasts to enjoy an eclectic mix of cookery demonstrations, top restaurants, over 70 signature dishes, artisan food innovators, hands-on masterclasses, live musical entertainment, and food-inspired experiences.
View the full Food for Thought with Lovin Dublin schedule and book your tickets now on tasteofdublin.ie
