Ireland's Top Chefs and Restaurants will be at the Irish Derby This year, the 40,000 people who attend the Curragh for the Irish Derby Festival (26th-28th June), featuring the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby on the Sunday, will have even more reasons than normal to go racing. For the first time, the stars of racing will be joined by the stars of the culinary world when 15 of Ireland's top restaurants and chefs bring a Taste of Ireland to the The Curragh in association with Horse Racing Ireland. Taste of Ireland will be this summer's most exciting food festival, combining the thrills of Ireland's premier flat race meeting with the delights of the country's top restaurants serving a range of their signature dishes for only €8 each. Situated in the heart of the action, Taste of Ireland will be located in a specially designed tented enclosure beside the main parade ring, and on the Saturday and Sunday will offer food from such celebrated restaurants as L'Ecrivain, Bon Appetit, Chapter One, Harvey Nichols, The Shelbourne Hotel, Mount Juliet, Town Bar and Grill, Ananda, Wineport Lodge, Dunbrody House and Via Veneto. If that wasn't enough, the celebrity chef line-up includes TV favourites Nevin Maguire and Kevin Dundon, the Michelin starred Oliver Dunne, Derry Clarke, Ross Lewis and Richard Corrigan. As part of the weekend some of the chefs will be cooking up a storm in the Miele demo kitchen in the company of MC Paolo Tullio who commented: "The Taste of Ireland event at the Irish Derby Festival will be a fantastic opportunity for everyone to enjoy the culinary expertise of Ireland's Michelin star chefs at one very special and unique event." Evan Arkwright, Commercial Manager, Curragh Racecourse said, "We are delighted that Ireland's Top Chefs and Restaurants will be with us at the Irish Derby Festival, presenting a unique opportunity for both regular racegoers and food lovers to enjoy a fantastic day out at the Curragh. In addition to the wonderful food on offer, The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Lounge located in the Taste of Ireland Enclosure will serve a delicious range of wines and cocktails including the new Bollinger Irish Derby Cocktail." The Audi Pretty Polly Stakes takes centre stage on an exciting programme of racing on the Saturday with admission to the races €20, while Sunday is Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Day with admission €40. Access to the "Taste of Ireland Enclosure" on both days is Free. There is a 20% discount off these admission prices if tickets are pre-booked on-line at www.curragh.ie, while a special half-price admission offer for Saturday is available on www.tasteofireland.com.
