Bring an appetite to BITE

A smorgasbord of cookery demos and discussions, drinks masterclasses and artisan food stands, are on the menu for the second annual BITE food festival which takes place at the RDS in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, on November 18th-20th. More than 20,000 visitors are expected to attend the three-day celebration of artisan food and drinks.

The Irish Times zone will host cookery demonstrations by top chefs, and panel discussions and talks by leading lights in the food and restaurant industry. Chef Audrey McDonald and broadcaster Tom Dunne will recreate the popular Vinyl Brunch they host at Cookbook Cafe in Glasthule. This will take place in the cookery demo area on the first morning of the show.

TV presenter, cookery tutor and writer Catherine Fulvio will talk about food and travel on the Saturday, and Cork's Takashi Myazaki will be making noodles by hand in the demo kitchen on Sunday.

You might not be able to eat in their restaurant until August 2017, but you will be able to ask Damien Grey and Andrew Heron about winning a Michelin star when they are interviewed by Catherine Cleary in The Irish Times zone on Sunday afternoon, and Conor Pope will also be on stage that day, talking to some of the artisan food producers at the festival about their products and their plans.

There will be a chance for adults and children to take part in free hands-on cookery classes at the Cooks Academy kitchen, and the drinks area will host masterclasses, tasting sessions and talks given by experts on wine, spirits, coffee brewing and juicing. If all that talk of food brings on hunger pangs not completely sated by the free samples on offer, Caffe Comino will have food from the Lazio region of Italy for sale, and Klaw Crabshack will offer seafood and cocktails.

Admission is €10 for adults (OAPs €8, children under 16 free if accompanied by a parent or guardian). bitefoodfestival.ie