Ireland’s Local Food Revolution—Lessons from a Week of Symposiums

This week’s dual symposiums illuminated the crucial crossroads at which Ireland’s food system stands, challenging conventions and opening new pathways for collaboration, equity, and sustainability.

With passionate contributions from pioneering farmers, determined advocates, chefs, and industry thought-leaders, these gatherings mapped the contours of a food culture striving to reclaim its agency, authenticity, and resilience in an age of export-driven agriculture and ultra-processed diets.

At the Local Food Symposium in Trinity, Siobhan Hubbard took center stage as a renegade leader, championing roadmaps that unite isolated farmers and revive collective spirit.

Alison Grogan’s work on strengthening local food communities underscored an emerging belief: food sovereignty must precede food security. The symposium utilised the “Three Horizons” framework to ask: Where are we currently? What changes are essential for transformation? And how do we plant seeds for the future today?

The stark realities of Irish agriculture surfaced—90% of beef and dairy are produced for export, while the majority of food consumed is imported and ultra-processed. Industrial farming practices, chemical fertilisers, and nitrogen runoff are degrading waterways and raising alarms about long-term public health. The rise in colon cancer, persistent chronic diseases, and the slow disappearance of small fruit and vegetable farms amplify the urgency for systemic change.

Speakers advocated for new economies of care, cooperative models, and the revival of vital infrastructure—like local abattoirs and community gardens—to anchor sustainable, local food networks. As Siobhan proposed, embracing resilience means recentering Irish identity around authentic voices, viable livelihoods for farmers, and collective agency. Ruth Hegarty’s vision for a new school food mission highlighted the necessity of supporting both farmers and children in a coalition for healthier food and more robust local economies.

The Food on the Edge Symposium brought fresh perspectives from across Europe and beyond. Chefs such as Fadi Kattan and Mike Keen spoke on cooking as cultural resistance and the imperative to “eat our environment,” urging a direct, sensory connection with the land.

Anna Nordstrom and others called attention to pervasive gender imbalances in restaurant culture, demonstrating that real change demands deliberate role-modeling and empowerment of overlooked voices.

Biodiversity—a recurring motif—was championed as the foundation of both flavour and nutrition. Speakers like Tom Hunt and Dan Barber explained that sustainable food systems thrive on adaptability, regional appropriateness, and direct grower-chef relationships. Industrial models focused on profit and scale were decisively rejected in favour of networks that prioritise health, landscape stewardship, and regenerative practices.

Mental health came to the fore as Alberto Landgraf described the “silent crisis” affecting hospitality workers: irregular hours, low pay, and constant stress. He and others advocated for structural support, therapist access, and a cultural revolution that places wellbeing at the heart of food creation.

The symposiums also showcased innovative projects, such as Sasu Laukonnen’s “agri-culinary” initiative in Helsinki—joining chefs-in-training with farmers-in-training to bridge the knowledge gap between field and kitchen.

Olivia Duff and Ella Ryan’s celebration of Irish heritage illustrated why the preservation of tradition and craft is critical for shaping food’s future.

Throughout both events, the message was clear. Ireland’s food future depends on sharing knowledge, restoring equity, strengthening local initiatives, and designing systems that support human and ecological health. Cooperative economic models, school food missions, and chef-grower networks offer blueprints for change. The evolution of Irish food culture is not just a revolution of technique or product but a transformation of mindsets, priorities, and relationships.

As we move forward, the task is to join the dots—to listen, innovate, and persist—so that Ireland’s food system not only feeds its people but also uplifts communities, regenerates the landscape, and inspires joy and belonging. In this vibrant push and pull between tradition and vision, every plate, every conversation, and every act of collaboration becomes a vital ingredient in a more resilient tomorrow.

Remember, cook from scratch, celebrate local grown and reared food and march with your feet to farmers markets because 70% of what is in Irish supermarkets is ULTRA PROCESSED.

Tracie Daly

How to cook from scratch?

Start with making a soup and a loaf of bread and you will eat incredible well.

RECIPES to get you started:

Darina Allen’s Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 50g butter

• 450g potatoes (Golden Wonders or Kerr Pinks), peeled and cut into 1cm pieces

• 1 small onion, diced to match potatoes

• 450g white parts of leeks, sliced

• 850ml–1.2 litres (1½–2 pints) light chicken or vegetable stock

• 142ml whipping cream

• 125ml full-fat milk

• Finely chopped chives and a little extra leek for garnish

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the potatoes, onion, and leeks and turn in the butter to coat. Season generously.

2. Cover with parchment paper, put on the lid, and sweat vegetables gently until soft but not coloured (about 10 minutes).

3. Discard parchment. Add the stock and bring to a boil, then simmer until vegetables are just cooked.

4. Puree the soup (optional). Add the cream and milk, taste and adjust seasoning.

5. Garnish with chives and a little finely sliced leek sautéed briefly in butter. Serve hot.

Darina Allen’s Wholemeal Brown Soda Bread (Loaf)

Ingredients:

• 400g wholemeal flour (about 3 cups)

• 75g plain white flour (about ¾ cup)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda (sieved)

• 1 egg

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil

• 1 tsp honey (or treacle/soft brown sugar)

• 425ml buttermilk (or 600ml milk with 2 tbsp lemon juice mixed in)

Method:

1. Grease a loaf tin and preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).

2. Mix flours, salt, and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl. Make a well in the centre.

3. Whisk the egg, then add it together with oil, honey, and buttermilk (or soured milk). Pour into the well.

4. Mix quickly to form a soft dough. Transfer to loaf tin and level.

5. Bake for 45–50 minutes until firm and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

6. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

These are genuine classics from Darina Allen—simple, nourishing, and perfectly suited to Irish kitchens.​