Avril Bannerton, Picknicker-in-chief
Organising Ireland's biggest picnic brings the usual outdoor-eating concerns, but on a much larger scale than usual. Wasps, rain and tantrums could all blight Taste of Dublin, but with luck there'll be nothing that a few acres of marquee canvas and a dollop of restaurateur's bonhomie can't solve.
Avril Bannerton, who is organising the festival, expects more than 13,000 people to attend this "grazing event", which is modelled on Taste of London. Starting on Thursday, 15 restaurants - from Roly's to the Cellar Restaurant at the Merrion - will gather in the grounds of Dublin Castle to offer three signature dishes each. So you could have a starter in L'Ecrivain, main course in Chapter One and dessert in Diep Le Shaker.
Unlike some London chefs, who reportedly prefer not to appear together, Dublin's restaurateurs so far seem a co- operative lot. "It's an amazing line-up. People will be able to sample Rhodes D7, Gary Rhodes's new Dublin restaurant. There's Richard Corrigan and Antony Worrall Thompson, too. We were amazed at the Dublin chefs, because they don't seem to be competitive at all. They're more like a big team."
As managing director of Synergy Project Management, Bannerton has been a key player in ventures such as Christmas on Ice, at the RDS; she is also involved with MPH, a new motoring exhibition due to be staged later this year, featuring Jeremy Clarkson.
She hopes that in future years Taste of Dublin will outgrow the castle. Taste of London should attract about 40,000 people to Regent's Park this weekend, compared with 15,000 in its first year, she says. "Food is really the new rock'n'roll, and I think the time for this event in Dublin is perfect."
Thursday's opening has sold out. Tickets for weekend sessions cost €25-€75. See www.tasteofdublin06.ie
Interview: Catherine Cleary