CULINARY entrepreneur Richard Corrigan has confirmed a second instalment of his Homegrown festival will take place this year.
The restaurateur, who owns Corrigan's Bar & Restaurant, Bentley’s Oyster Bar and Grill, Daffodil Mulligan Restaurant & Gibney's Bar in London, also has the Virginia Park Lodge in Cavan.
Virginia Park Lodge is owned by celebrity chef Richard Corrigan (Pic: Haydon Perrior)Last year the Meath native launched the new festival, which saw him open up the countryside retreat to paying customers who wished to enjoy the ultimate foodie getaway where some of the world’s best chefs do all the cooking.
This month Corrigan has confirmed the festival will return for a second offering in October 2025.
From October 10-13 the 18th-century, 100-acre hunting estate, which is set on the banks of Lough Ramor, will host the event once again.
Guests enjoying Homegrown 2024And this year’s event sees Corrigan welcome a collection of award-winning chefs and food personalities from Britain and Ireland to join him.
They include Mark Hix, who is one of Corrigan’s oldest friends, the Scottish-born, London-based chef and restaurateur Jeremy Lee, Irish culinary star Darina Allen and the restaurant critic Tom Parker-Bowles.
Richard Corrigan has confirmed Homegrown 2025 will take place in OctoberPurchased in 2014, Corrigan spent a decade painstakingly restoring Virginia Park Lodge its former glory.
The Taylour Room at Virginia Park Lodge“I’ve thrown everything into restoring this glorious place since I took it on 10 years ago and it fills me with such joy to be able to share it,” he said as tickets went on sale for Homegrown 2025.
Darina Allen will take part in this year's festival (Pic: Daniel Callen)“The estate sits alongside the beautiful Lough Ramor and is home to some truly brilliant produce,” he added.
“I invite guests to step into this wild land, taking part in some of my favourite country pursuits and enjoying some brilliant food prepared by some of my dearest friends and me.”
A series of dinners, workshops and activities will showcase the very best of the veneu over the course of the festival, as well as the visiting chefs’ work - from cooking masterclasses and chef Q&As, to oyster and wine tasting sessions, foraging tours and cold water swimming.
Mark Hix has been announced among the festival's culinary line-up (Pic: Matt Austin)Friday night will see a fireside feast in the Lodge’s Jacobean style dining room, followed by drinks in front of a roaring seven-foot fire.
On Saturday night the chefs will collaborate for a dinner which "showcases their individual styles and love of fun and flavour" the event organisers explain.
"The entirety of the event will showcase the estate in its autumnal splendour, with produce grown and reared on or around the estate informing everything that is served," they add.
"A number of live performances from some of Corrigan and family’s favourite musicians will take place too and the weekend will end with a wrap party at the chef’s award-winning pub down the road, The Deerpark Inn."
