IRELANDChef-Guided Community tRavel

OPEN KITCHEN TRAVEL

September 19-27, 2017Join us for nine days of chef-guided, food-focused travel in Ireland. Experience a lesser-known side of the emerald isle as we explore the rich culinary traditions of Ireland. Chef Brian O’Malley, Executive Director at the Institute for the Culinary Arts, will guide you beyond the plate into the kitchen where you’ll meet cheesemakers, chefs and teachers; on tours where you’ll discover brewing, distilling and tasting; into the wild where you’ll experience sea salt production, salmon fishing, and mussel harvesting.

COOK 208N 70 - Travel: Ireland

Nondiscrimination and Equality Statement—Metropolitan Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, age, disability, or sexual orientation in admission or access to its programs and activities or its treatment or hiring of employees.

COSTS:$1749 + Airfare

$2749 Estimated Total$500 due upon registration

Package IncludeS:Chef Guide, Irish Guide, private transportation, exciting culinary tours, spectacular hotels, local

food experts, hands-on cooking, and 13 meals.

TO REGISTER: mccneb.edu/ce orcall 531-MCC-5231

Day ONEDepart Omaha for a distinctively culinary experience in Ireland. Meet your group at Eppley Airfield with a late afternoon flight. After a short layover, board your overnight flight into Dublin.

Day TWOArriving in the capitol city of Ireland, meet your private motor coach and Irish guide! Not wasting any time, see Dublin on a best-of-the-best tour including sights such as St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trinity College, and the Guinness Storehouse! Check into your hotel and freshen up before your first taste of true Irish cuisine. Meet the chef of Chapter One, discover his style and view his kitchen! A visit wouldn’t be complete without a fantastic Irish dinner! (D)

Day THREEThis morning grab a bite to eat for breakfast, then head west to Tullamore! Here, visit Tullamore Dew, for a fantastic tour and tasting of their famous triple-distilled Irish whiskey. Your afternoon stop is a tour of Marty’s Mussels! View the farm and meet the family that owns the mussel farm! Tonight, you are in for a real treat—Delphi Lodge! Set on 1000 acres of spectacular scenery, this 1830s country house and fishing lodge is known for its amazing food, made from local seafood, game and produce. (B)

Day FOURThis day begins with pick up by powerboat at Delphi Pier and visiting mussel and oyster farms along the fjord with guides explaining and demonstrating what is involved, and sampling fresh oysters with a glass of Guinness or white wine. Then follow a scenic walk to a traditional farm to watch a demonstration of sheep shearing, working sheep dogs and turf cutting. On returning to the boat, travel along the fjord to a scenic spot to enjoy a special Delphi picnic lunch before returning to Delphi pier. Spend some time relaxing before a special group meal, featuring Chef Brian! (B, L, D)

Day FIVEEnjoy breakfast and one last stroll around the grounds before heading off to Achill Island Sea Salt! Meet the owners and hear their fantastic story as they explain how sea salt has become such a popular and tasty alternative to table salt! Heading south, take an extended lunch in Westport! Cheerful, multi-colored shop fronts jostle for attention with an attractive selection of shops, pubs, cafés and restaurants. Your final destination tonight is Galway, a vibrant city with a rich culinary tradition! (B)

Day SIXAnother beautiful day awaits you as you wake with a splendid breakfast and ferry over to the Aran Islands! The rugged Aran Islands lie just outside Galway Bay. You’ll find ancient forts, chuches and monuments! Plus, visit Aran Islands Goat Cheese! Here you will learn their original cheese making process, enhanced with a tour and of course, a taste of their cheese! Tonight, experience Ireland during the late medieval times! Bunratty Castle is the original structure from the 15th century! (B, D)

Day SEVENEnjoy breakfast with your group before heading south, continuing your taste of Ireland! This morning, tour Rathbaun Farm while bottle feeding the baby lambs and viewing a sheep dog demonstration! Next, learn to make Irish scones and finish the visit with a farmhouse lunch! After a short drive to Cork, you will visit the world famous Ballymaloe Cookery School! Arrive to a cup of tea or coffee, then tour the gardens and farm! View a demonstration of a full-three course meal in their demonstration kitchen, then into the kitchens to cook some of the items the teachers demonstrated! Finish your visit to Ballymaloe with a sit-down supper featuring all of the delicious traditional Irish cuisine you have cooked up! After a full day, rest up in your beautiful hotel in Cork. (B, D)

Day EIGHTToday begins with a hodgepodge of Ireland “must do’s”. Perhaps you’ll visit the Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney stone for good luck, or you’ll want to visit the Jameson Experience, the original Jameson Whiskey distillery in Midleton! Meet the rest of the group back at the hotel before heading off to enjoy your farewell dinner at the award winning Market Lane! Meet the Chef and learn how they use ingredients from The English Market and local artisan producers to make their menu! (B, D)

Day NINEYour Ireland tour heads back to Dublin this morning with thought and memories of all the amazing food you tasted and people you’ve met. Saying goodbye to your local guide, arrive at the terminal to get checked in and off to Omaha!(B)

Chef Brian O’Malley grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, immersing himself in the culinary industry from a young age. By the time he graduated with Distinction from the prestigious New England Culinary Institute in Vermont, O’Malley knew he wanted to spend his professional life cultivating meaningful culinary experiences for others. He gets to do that often as the Executive Director and impassioned chef-instructor at the Institute for the Culinary Arts at Metropolitan Community College. After cooking professionally in Greece, travelling solo through Europe and visiting Ireland with his family, he was inspired to find a way to share Ireland’s rich culinary culture with others. He is beyond excited to join you on this once-in-a-lifetime trip to discover and share the food-centered experiences awaiting in Ireland.