IT Tallaght develop unique honours degree in Botanical Cuisine
By Mary Dennehy
A NEW farm-to-plate culinary degree programme at IT Tallaght, which is the first of its kind in Europe, aims to bring chefs to the root of cooking, with the support and patronage of a number of world-renowned chefs.
IT Tallaght in partnership with Airfield Estate has developed a unique Honours Degree in Botanical Cuisine, which will enable chefs to grow their own produce and “creatively and confidently” innovate in line with current food and dietary trends.
The one year, part-time programme is the first of its kind in Europe and is aimed at chefs with extensive experience in the industry or those who have previous culinary qualifications.
Due to the uniqueness and need for the programme, three chefs JP McMahon (Aniar restuarant, Galway), Matt Orlando (Amass, Copenhagen) and Sasu Laukkonen (Ora, Helsinki) have become patrons of the programme – all of whom work with plant-based, wild and seasonal ingredients and support a network of farmers and local food producers.
As patrons they are ambassadors for the programme while also ensuring the programme continues to focus critical attention on best practice and excellence, innovation and creativity in line with industry trends, and industry practice.
Underpinned by the theory and practice of fruit and vegetable production, the programme gives chefs an experimental hands-on learning environment in Airfield Estate, where they can grow their own produce to use in plant-based restaurant menus.
According to Annette Sweeney, Culinary Arts Programme Co-ordinator: “Creative food production has rarely focused on plant-based cuisine but rather classical cuisine and global cuisine.
“There is a need for a greater understanding by chefs of the natural ingredient, how it is grown, when it is grown, what influences the finished plant, natural flavours from ‘home-produced’ plants, and creatively using plants on menu and plating for a customer experience.
“In all our culinary programmes in IT Tallaght, we believe in using an applied approach to learning.
“What makes this programme unique is its applied nature, the focus being on linking fruit and vegetable gardening with plant-based menu production, applied culinary nutrition and culinary events project management.”
The programme is designed as a one-year (add-on) honours degree programme (Level 8) for chefs working in the industry for some time or those that have previously completed a Level 7 equivalent in Culinary Arts.
New applicants onto any of IT Tallaght’s culinary programmes have the potential to progress to the BA (Honours) in Botanical Cuisine as part of their career path.
Applications for the programme, which starts in September, are now open.
For details please contact Tom Meaney at IT Tallaght on 4042830 or Tom.Meaney [at] it-tallaght [dot] ie
TAGS Tallaght
