Return of the Taste the Atlantic Young Chef Ambassador Programme for 2024
Open for Applications 1-30 April
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Irelands Seafood Development Agency & Chef Network are seeking five ambitious young chefs, aged 18-24, who are passionate about Irish seafood to take part in an exciting journey of learning and exploration along the Wild Atlantic Way.
Through the programme, spread over a four-month period, the five selected chefs will benefit from on-site learning with Taste the Atlantic seafood producers and training in social media, culinary and fish handling skills with experienced industry mentors. Each chef will be teamed up with a Taste the Atlantic producer to learn in-depth about their process and collaborate to create recipes with their product.
Through the programme, spread over a four-month period, the five selected chefs will benefit from on-site learning with Taste the Atlantic seafood producers and training in social media, culinary and fish handling skills with experienced industry mentors. Each chef will be teamed up with a Taste the Atlantic producer to learn in-depth about their process and collaborate to create recipes with their product.
ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
Taste the Atlantic – a Seafood Journey is a collaborative initiative between BIM, Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency, and Fáilte Ireland. A food tourism trail promoting the fantastic seafood producers and their products along the Wild Atlantic Way, from wind swept Malin Head in Co. Donegal to beautiful Kinsale in Co. Cork, passing some of Ireland’s most breath-taking seascapes and landmarks.
The Taste the Atlantic Young Chef programme brings together the producers in the Taste the Atlantic network with young chefs who can bring their culinary creativity and enthusiasm to showcase their produce at its best.
Chef Network is committed to the professional development of chefs and to bringing chefs together with our food producers to support them and ensure we bring the best quality produce to the plate. The programme combines these aims with BIM’s mission to promote sustainable Irish aquaculture and fishing, and Failte Ireland’s development of food tourism potential along with Wild Atlantic Way.
The Taste the Atlantic Young Chef programme brings together the producers in the Taste the Atlantic network with young chefs who can bring their culinary creativity and enthusiasm to showcase their produce at its best.
Chef Network is committed to the professional development of chefs and to bringing chefs together with our food producers to support them and ensure we bring the best quality produce to the plate. The programme combines these aims with BIM’s mission to promote sustainable Irish aquaculture and fishing, and Failte Ireland’s development of food tourism potential along with Wild Atlantic Way.
WHY TAKE PART
Over the period of the programme, from late may to September the young chefs will
Benefit from Mentoring & Learning on:
Benefit from Mentoring & Learning on:
- Seafood production and aquaculture along the Wild Atlantic Way: spending time on-site with the seafood producers discovering the entire production process;
- Fish skills: a hands-on workshop learning in-depth skills with Hal Dawson on fish species, quality, handling and storage, filleting and prep;
- Seafood Cookery: 1 day of culinary mentoring
- Social Media Training: social media training with Food PR to support you to share your Taste the Atlantic journey.
- three 2-day Wild Atlantic Way excursions which will incorporate producer visits and culinary/fish training workshops,
- Social media and communications workshop
- and full days on-site with the producer you are paired with for the programme.
WHO CAN TAKE PART
Chefs aged 18-24 currently working in a professional capacity as a chef or studying/training to become a chef, can apply to take part in the programme. Applications will be reviewed and interviews will be conducted to choose the final five chefs to take part in the programme.
This is a chance for a group of young chefs to build their professional network, learn a broad range of skills, from digital to culinary, gain new knowledge working with a master fishmonger and artisan food producers, showcase their culinary creativity, and build their own profile, as they go on the Taste the Atlantic Seafood Journey.
While we will be looking for some culinary experience and knowledge, the emphasis will be on finding Young Chef Ambassadors who are passionate about Irish seafood, and its culinary and tourism potential, who are enthusiastic, ambitious and eager to learn, and who can communicate effectively.
This is a chance for a group of young chefs to build their professional network, learn a broad range of skills, from digital to culinary, gain new knowledge working with a master fishmonger and artisan food producers, showcase their culinary creativity, and build their own profile, as they go on the Taste the Atlantic Seafood Journey.
While we will be looking for some culinary experience and knowledge, the emphasis will be on finding Young Chef Ambassadors who are passionate about Irish seafood, and its culinary and tourism potential, who are enthusiastic, ambitious and eager to learn, and who can communicate effectively.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU?
Through this programme our aim is for the participating chefs to become champions of seafood and food tourism along the Wild Atlantic Way and to use the knowledge you gain and your culinary skills and creativity to inspire, educate and inform other chefs and a wider audience.
You will be expected to do this by:
Please see further details below regarding criteria and commitment.
You will be expected to do this by:
- Actively and regularly using your social media platforms to document your journey in the programme and to support and promote the Taste the Atlantic producers you are working with.
- Create and take part in creating content (imagery, videos, webinars, written) to inspire and pass on their learning to other chefs and seafood producers
- Collaborating with the producers to create recipes/dishes with their product (which they can feature on their website, promotions etc) and advise/inspire them around culinary uses of their product, accompaniments, flavours etc
- Being open to taking part in other events/activities/opportunities that may arise during the programme (subject to your availability).
Please see further details below regarding criteria and commitment.
FINAL DEADLINE
The final deadline for applications is Tuesday 30 April 2024
You are encouraged to apply as early as possible, and applying is a very quick and simple process, via a short online form.
You are encouraged to apply as early as possible, and applying is a very quick and simple process, via a short online form.
SELECTION PROCESS
- Candidate Submissions – all interested applicants must apply via the online application form. The latest deadline for submissions is 30th of April, but candidates are encouraged to submit as early as possible, applications will be processed as they are received.
- Interviews – based on written submissions, candidates will be shortlisted for interview by a panel via zoom. You must be available to take part in an online interview on the 13 of May.
- Selection – following interviews, five ambassadors will be selected to take part in the programme. You must be available to take part in programme activities starting with an in-person induction and communications training workshop on 28 May.
CRITERIA & COMMITMENT
*Important information for candidates and nominators*
- Candidates must be professional/trainee chefs aged 18-24 years resident in the Republic of Ireland.
- Candidates should have some social media presence and be willing to use their social media platforms to record the activity of the programme and promote what they learn throughout the programme.
- Candidates must be prepared to commit a minimum of 10 days over 4 months (late may to September 2024) towards active programme days (and additional time for social media activity, recipe creation etc)
- You will need to be willing and able to take part in activities which may include boarding boats, visiting shorelines, participating in physical tasks on aquaculture farms and facilities.
- Candidates must be wiling to commit to and fully participate in the activities of the programme as outlined.
- Participation will include travel to areas that are not easily accessed by public transport. Candidates must be able to travel to meeting point locations in the West of Ireland.
- Selected ambassadors will have all costs associated with travel, accommodation, and meals on programme activity days covered by the programme.
Taste the Atlantic is a joint initiative of Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency and Fáilte Ireland.
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