Attitudes towards food in Ireland have changed significantly in the last twenty years. Yes, we still love our bacon and ham and our hearty beef stews, but the world’s a smaller place now; we can’t help but know more about foreign produce, cooking techniques and dishes. And that’s a good thing as we now have access to a richer, more flavoursome and varied diet.
The enthusiasm for new cuisines is reflected in the increasingly diversified and sophisticated menus in our restaurants and cafes, the surging popularity of cooking shows on TV and the sustained presence of cook books on bestsellers lists.
It all goes to show that there is a widely blossoming interest in Ireland for organically sourced gourmet cuisine.
And it is just this market that Independent College Dublin’s part-time Diploma in Food Culture is aimed.
In just twelve weeks (two evenings per week), food enthusiasts will be given a full introduction to the story and evolution of food – from the prehistoric campfire to the atomic wonders beloved of Michelin-starred restaurants.
Students will learn about the birth of food culture in France, Italy, Spain and Central Europe – the diversity, complexity and allure of European regionality in food culture – as well as examine the different paths taken across the Asia-Pacific Basin. They will also look at the history of food culture in Ireland and discuss how that culture is likely to develop as it comes under the increasing influence of localism (as a reaction to globalism) and social media.
