The Final Draft > Smithwick’s at Savour Kilkenny 2025

Smithwick’s at Savour Kilkenny 2025

Savour Kilkenny, our city’s beloved annual food festival, has been celebrating Ireland’s rich culinary heritage since it first set up its stalls back in 2007. Over the years it has grown into one of the city’s best and most anticipated events, drawing foodies from near and far to savour the flavour of Kilkenny’s culinary culture.

This year, we are thrilled to be sponsoring an event with highly acclaimed chef Paul Flynn as he puts together a range of recipes on the Savour Stage. This will be complemented with a beer tasting and food pairing segment for each recipe assisted by one of Smithwick's beer specialists, who will take to the stage with him. Get ready for a delicious and delightful showcase of modern Irish cuisine, elevated by the distinctive flavour of Smithwick’s.

An Irish culinary icon

Paul Flynn, a true giant in Ireland’s culinary world, is renowned for his innovative yet always approachable take on Irish cuisine. As the chef and co-owner, along with his wife Maire, of the much-loved Tannery Restaurant, Tannery Townhouse, and Tannery Cookery School in Dungarvan, County Waterford, Paul has spent his career elevating local, seasonal ingredients into mouthwatering masterpieces.

Since co-founding The Tannery in 1997, he has become a key figure in Ireland’s food scene, with TV appearances, food writing and teaching all cementing his position as one of our biggest culinary influences. An accomplished author he has penned several cookbooks, including An Irish Adventure with Food, and Second Helpings, Surf and Turf which he co-authored with Martin Shanahan. He also more recently published Butter Boy, a collection of his popular food columns from The Irish Times.

His work as a culinary educator through The Tannery Cookery School has inspired countless home cooks and aspiring chefs to embrace Ireland’s bountiful produce, and to carry forward his commitment to simplicity, quality, and bold flavours.

Savour the Smithwick’s flavour

Speaking of bold flavours… Paul Flynn will take to the Savour Stage at 11am on Sunday 26th of October, for a captivating cooking demonstration wherein he’ll showcase a range of exciting recipes inspired by excellent Irish produce and designed to pair beautifully with our beers.

Known for his ability to craft dishes that marry understated elegance with robust flavours, Paul’s creations are always a hit, so take this opportunity to watch him create them right in front of you.

Joining him on stage will be a Smithwick’s beer specialist, who will guide event attendees through expertly curated food and beer pairings, highlighting how the unique profiles of Smithwick’s brews complement each of Paul’s dishes, in a true celebration of Irish produce.

The Paul Flynn event is just one highlight of the Savour Kilkenny food festival. In fact, the whole weekend is going to be a literal feast for the senses, with lots of free events and special offers running. You can check the 2025 programme here.

Savouring the Barrell Yard

If you fancy enjoying a pint after you’ve enjoyed the cooking demonstration and Smithwick’s food pairing, come and find us at the festival! We’ll be located in the craft brewers and distiller’s marquee.

A little later on in the day, you can also keep the festivities going with one of our famous live music sessions at the Barrel Yard. We’ve got a fantastic full weekend lineup of great bands playing great live music, with performances from Raindogs, Burnchurch, and Up She Flew scheduled. Admission is free, as always, and the fun kicks off from 5pm. In the spirit of Savour, sample some gourmet street food from The Sausage Experience, our resident food truck for the weekend.

It’s always a good time at the Barrell Yard Sessions, but the weekend of Savour is always that little bit more festive, with so many happy (and well-fed) people enjoying the city. In fact, we recommend you get here in good time to ensure you secure a seat for this weekend’s gigs. Better yet? Book into one of our beer brewery tours in the afternoon and make your way straight to the Barrell Yard from there.

It’s a great weekend to enjoy our brewery tour, with the festival offering a special opportunity to tour the Smithwick’s Experience at a discounted rate. Just use the promo code SavourFest25 when you book, to get discounted admission to the standard Smithwick’s Experience Tour. The offer is available exclusively from October 20 to November 3, 2025, so grab your chance while you can!