Filmmakers Daniel Klein and Mirra Fine of the James Beard winning online documentary series The Perennial Plate, whose work has been seen by more than 10 million global viewers, are in Ireland to shoot 10 short films on the Irish food scene.
Klein and Fine are among the speakers at Food Connect, a Fáilte Ireland food tourism conference being held at Tankardstown House in Slane, Co Meath on Monday and Tuesday, at which the most popular attractions for those visiting Ireland to experience its food culture were revealed.
Visiting food producers, distilleries and micro-breweries; going on food walking tours, or following food trails, and attending food festivals were the activities that visitors most enjoyed.
The US filmmakers' project, The Perennial Plate, explores "socially responsible and adventurous eating" and the couple say they are "travelling the world exploring the wonders, complexities and stories behind the ever more connected global food system".
They will spend eight weeks here and plan to screen the first film in the series at the Food on the Edge symposium in Galway (October 24th-25th), before releasing fortnightly instalments on their website theperennialplate.com. The project is sponsored by Fáilte Ireland and the duo's itinerary includes Ireland's Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way, and Dublin.
“Food, people and stories are why we travel, and film is the perfect way to share culture and inspire others to partake in the adventure. With its stunning greenery, rich history, world renowned chefs and natural beauty, Ireland is the perfect backdrop for our documentary series,” says Klein, who is a chef and activist as well as filmmaker.
Research being presented at Food Connect reveals that although satisfaction levels are high among visitors to Ireland in relation to the food they encounter, more could be done to promote the reputation of Irish food in international leisure markets.
John Mulcahy, head of food and hospitality with Fáilte Ireland, said: ""It's clear that Ireland has a lot to offer when it comes to food. There is quality produce on the ground and a great many experiences on offer for visitors when they come here. However, what is also clear from the research is that while people are pleasantly surprised by our food offering once they get here, perceptions beforehand may be lagging."
The results of the World Food Travel Association 2016 Food Travel Monitor, which are being presented at the conference, reveal that 77 per cent of holidaymakers were satisfied or very satisfied with Ireland's food offering. This rating increased to 83 per cent among those whose prime motivations for selecting a destination are food and drink related.
The research identified the top five food experiences for holidaymakers in Ireland and those are:
Visiting a local producer or processor (for example farm, smokehouse or oyster farm).
Visiting a whiskey distillery or micro-brewery.
Going on an urban walking food tour.
Attending a food festival or food related event.
Following a food trail.
Erik Wolf, founder of the World Food Travel Association, said: "Ireland has tremendous potential to promote its food and beverage resources to visitors. Many destinations have stunning landscapes, history and cultural activities, but an area's cuisine can be a unique lure.
“Visitors only need to experience the quality of Irish products to be hooked. Foodies are always looking for the ‘next big thing’. Given the chance, Ireland could indeed be the next big destination for foodies in the know.”
The tourism and hospitality industry in Ireland employs 205,000 and generates an estimated €5.7 billion annually, according to Fáilte Ireland, with approximately 35 per cent of the spend, or close to €2 billion, on food and drink.
