St Angela’s College, Sligo is the venue for five major competitions during the upcoming Só Sligo Food and Culture Festival from 18^th to the 20^th of May 2012. The World Irish Stew Championships, which attract worldwide publicity, along with the Sligo Signature Dish, the Mystery Basket, the Family Challenge and Junior Chef Competitions will be taking place at the College during the week of the Festival.

‘This is an opportunity for the College to open the state-of-the-art food laboratories and College expertise to the community,’ explains Amanda McCloat, Head of Home Economics who is involved directly in the planning of the Festival, as are many of her colleagues, ‘The competitions will attract professional chefs and amateur cooks along with teenagers and families to showcase their culinary skills and celebrate the extensive range of high quality food, from seafood to produce, available locally.’ She also notes as hosts for these high profile events, the College is able to reinforce the principles of making informed food choices as a part of a healthy diet and overall well-being.

The entry for all three food competition categories is now closed. For more information on the competitions please visit the Só Sligo Web site: www.sosligo.com

The Só Sligo Competitions will be taking place in the Food Laboratories, Áras Bhríde at St Angela’s College, Sligo. The competitions include:

• PAT O’CALLAGHAN IRISH STEW COMPETITION
  (Professional and Non-Professional Categories)
• PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY  - SLIGO SIGNATURE DISH
• THE RADISSON BLU GREAT FAMILY COOK-OFF!!
• MYSTERY BASKET
• CONNACHT GOLD JUNIOR CHEF COMPETITION
  

The schedule of events, all taking place in Food Lab 1 (Áras Bhríde Building):

Wednesday 16^th May 2012

·        10am – World Irish Stew Competitions (professional chefs)

·        12pm: Mystery Basket (professional and non-professional chefs)·        2pm Sligo Signature Dish (professional and non-professional chefs)

Friday 18^th May 2012

·        10.30am: Connaught Gold Judge Chef Competition (post primary students)  

Saturday 19^th may 2012

•  10am: Family Cook Off (one adult + one child) – the committee are still taking entries!

For more information on the programmes at the St Angela’s College, Sligo with a food component (including through the Lough Gill School of Culinary Arts) please contact

Ms Amanda McCloat,

Head of the Home Economics Department

071 91 43580

Contact for Media: Dr Maria Gallo, 071 91 95503 mgallo@stangelas.nuigalway.ie