Over the last year Dublin City has seen the closure of restaurants that have been the cornerstones of city’s vibrant food scene. Now more than ever, it is important that we have a conversation about feeding our city. We all need to eat; vitally we need to eat healthy food. How do we a grow a healthy food sector when climate change creates precarious growing conditions here and beyond, when conflict and politics cut off supply chains and all compounding by an affordability crisis. How does the Irish food system adapt to be resilient and be the solution for a just transition?
Guests are:
James Burke, Dublin Food Chain: James started his food and retail career working part-time in Supervalu Bantry. He subsequently studied Retailed Management in DIT and joined Superquinn in 1984. He spent over 20 years in Superquinn, the last 10 of which were at Board Room Level. His Superquinn executive roles included Business Development Manager, Group Purchasing Manager and Trading Manager. In addition James served on the advisory board of AMS €1 billion European buying group and was a director of the Irish Purchasing Company Aontas. He holds a degree in retailing and wholesaling from Stirling University in Scotland
Aisling Rogerson, The Fumbally:
Emer McGrath, Spade Enterprise Centre: Emer is the Community Development Manager at SPADE Shared Kitchen. She became obsessed with food and cooking from a young age, which led her to build a career based around all things food! Her roles have included Fresh Food Operations Manager, speciality food retail, sourcing, procurement, catering and kitchen management. She has worked with a variety of food businesses to review and develop particular aspects of their company and has a particular love of working with Irish producers and suppliers.
Iain Connolly, Croga:
Samantha Forrest, Fussy Food Plates: Samantha, founder of Fussy Food Plates, a Dublin-based business that is transforming mealtimes for families. A passionate advocate for creating inclusive, fun, and engaging dining experiences, Samantha has made it her mission to support children, including those who have sensory challenges, in developing positive relationships with food. As a mother of three and a qualified nutrition coach, her expertise and innovative products have help families by making mealtimes both stress-free and enjoyable. Today, she joins us to share her insights on making food fun & tackling fussy eating at home.