With little stars twinkling on its midnight-blue walls, and much bigger ones dazzling their way up and down the long demonstration counter, the rather grandly named Celebrity Theatre is the place to be at the Great Food and Wine Show which continues at the RDS this weekend. It costs almost as much as the price of general admission to the show to attend each of the special events scheduled at hourly intervals - but with showbiz cooks like Gary Rhodes, Rick Stein, the Rankins, Darina Allen, Antony Worrall-Thompson and other members of the frighteningly deft Ready, Steady, Cook team in the programme, it's probably worth it.
Gary Rhodes was the first to hot things up, soon after the show's opening on Thursday. With his usual sizzling enthusiasm ("I promise you, you'll be dribbling - it's that good") he held a masterclass on seasonal food with a new edge which had most of the crowd eating - literally in some cases - out of his hand. One gentleman muttered that he had already observed Gary cooking the same recipes - Seared Salmon with Black Treacle Dressing, Stuffed Chicken Legs Wrapped in Bacon and Clotted Creme Brulee - on television last week: something, perhaps, to bear in mind as the masterclass runs again on Sunday. But television can't transmit the enticing smells or allow you to prod and taste afterwards - let alone chat with the super-chatty chef. There are three more Rhodes demos over the next two days, and four instalments of live Ready, Steady, Cook, the show that puts such a clever gloss on the concept of fast food. Again, this is much more fun to watch in the flesh, with pans colliding and panic rising, than on screen. Rick Stein and Darina Allen are special Saturday attractions, while Oz Clarke, entertaining as ever, matches wines to Jeffrey Hyman's spicy food on Sunday. Things seem a little tamer, somehow, out in the main hall. If exhibitors are sprinkled around rather less liberally than might have been hoped, it is no doubt because this is the third Dublin fair to feature food and wine in a matter of weeks. However, unlike the last one, where food was very much eclipsed by wine, this one is the reverse. And although there are a few big stands for big brands, these are vastly outnumbered by more interesting showcases for smaller producers. Ardsallagh Goats' Cheese, the Clonakilty Black Pudding Company, Cooke's Cafe breads and other goodies, Seafresh Express with its nifty smoked salmon canapes . . . these are just a small sample of the foods you can expect to nibble as you weave your way around.
There's also some pretty delectable equipment on display, from small electrical goods in hot new colours to the drool-inducing Neff ovens and monster American-style Ariston fridges on the Kitchen Accessories stand. A book stand splendidly stocked with food and wine books is another worthwhile stopping point - especially with so many author chefs on hand to sign copies only feet away. Close by, you see, is the Tesco Theatre for Chefs' Question Time, where many of the star guests can be buttonholed and quizzed at specific times - at no extra charge.
The Great Food & Wine Show continues at the RDS Simmonscourt today and tomorrow, 11 a.m. 6 p.m.