GIY (Grow It Yourself) founder Michael Kelly and the GIY Head of Community Development Karen O’Donohoe are set to showcase a whole new set of skills as their brand new RTE TV series ‘GROW COOK EAT presented by both Karen and Michael is set to air for the first time on Wednesday, March 14th at 7.30pm on RTE 1.
Ireland’s newest TV stars are taking it in their stride, commenting on the new TV series, Michael Kelly says, “GIY as an organisation is now 10 years old, and this year we will support over 8,000 community food groups across Ireland and the UK, but we’re hoping the new TV show will inspire even more people to get growing, cooking and eating their own homegrown food. During the show we very much wanted to show how really accessible growing your own food can be – so, don’t expect any weird horticultural terms or Latin names.”
Karen says, “It’s was brilliant to travel across the country and meet the people behind some of the most incredible GIY projects in communities, workplaces and schools all across Ireland. We’re delighted to have this platform to showcase their work, energy and enthusiasm for food growing and to show the positive impact it has on their lives. The whole series is about food and each week we focus on a particular veg taking viewers on a plot-to-plate journey to show just how easy it really is to grow and cook with it. GROW COOK EAT is unashamedly about food, growing it, cooking it, loving it.
The show was anchored at the home of GIY, at Grow HQ in Waterford City and each week the TV show also sees presenters Michael Kelly and Karen O’Donohoe travel to meet and visit expert food producers, chefs, and community food growing projects all across the country, including Airfield Farm in Dublin and Grantstown Nurseries in Waterford, a visit to Bloom, the Clonakilty Friends of Asylum Seekers community garden and VoxPro’s 3 acre workplace garden in Cork, a trip to Conn Trass’ Apple Farm in Tipperary and St. Brigids School Garden in Stillorgan plus delicious menu ideas will be shared each week by Jessica Murphy of Kai Restaurant in Galway and Jack Kirwan owner of the Sprout and Co. food chain in Dublin.
In the first episode the presenters visit and meet the people behind Mud Island’s Community Garden and share the inspiring story of the community garden they built on a derelict site in Dublin, and the focus on growing cooking and eating will be placed on Ireland’s most popular vegetable – the potato.
