Ancient East gets a food champion
A WEXFORD man has become one of eight emerging food champions for Ireland’s Ancient East.
Failte Ireland said Anthony O’Toole, from Ferns, will ‘represent the importance of food to tourism and visitors to Ireland’.
Anthony and his fellow Ancient East champions will join 14 food champions located in Dublin and the Wild Atlantic Way as part of the Food Tourism Network Development programme.
The group will work together with their local community to help build Ireland’s food tourism reputation, sourcing and activating ideas to encourage visitors to stop more, spend more, and stay longer.
Anthony is the eldest of five children. From a young age he was to be found helping his mother and grandmother in the kitchen with cooking and baking; his mother was a great baker and made occasion cakes.
His granny, to whom he was ‘ like an adopted son’, grew tired of his experimentation in the kitchen and pushed him towards a kitchen job. He embarked on his cookery career in earnest at age of 13, learning quickly and eager to take on the responsibilities of running a kitchen.
Anthony went on to study a degree in Culinary Arts and then a Masters in Culinary Innovation and New Product Development in 2012 at Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT). He has also completed an Advanced WSET ( Wine & Spirit Education Trust) certificate in Wine and Spirits.
After his degree, Anthony spent four and a half years as Food Business Developer with catering company KSG, creating and managing a variety of culinary projects and business development strategies. Since then Anthony has worked as freelance chef and consultant, as well as a cookery tutor, caterer and event organiser. A familiar face in Ireland’s food community and a ‘fervent food advocate’, Anthony has played an active role in the Theatre of Food team at Electric Picnic and as Chairperson and Kitchen Director of Skillet - a social programme setup by the Irish food community to give training and support to those at risk of long-term unemployment or encountering barriers to gaining employment. Anthony is a cookbook and menu collector and will soon have his own food book to add to the collection.