HOMEGROWN Activities

10 - 13 October 2025

What to expect, at this year's country house gathering from Richard Corrigan and friends.

 

Action-packed and better than ever - the line-up for this year's Homegrown festival is filled with some of our favourite hospitality heroes, Irish legends and more.

With just a few final spots remaining, book your space for Homegrown 2025 here.

Tickets

Oyster Masterclass

Bentley's own and World Oyster Opening Champion 2023, Federico Fiorillo is a master of his art. Joined by special guest Diarmuid Kelly of Kelly's Oysters in Galway Bay, the pair will enlighten you on all things oysters while tasting some of our favourites with a glass in hand.

Valentine Warner and Mark Hix go head to head

With an ability to think on their feet, Val and Mark want to show the Homegrown crowd that what grows together goes together. They'll be given a surprise box of produce from the gardens (and some carefully chosen local suppliers) and off the top of their heads, they'll create as many dishes as they can with a decent amount of heckling! 

In conversation with Tom Parker Bowles, Darina Allen and Jeremy Lee - Where are we now? 

Hear what these three culinary heavyweights have to say about the state of cooking in this rapidly changing world. The conversation is sure to explore the current state of restaurants, cooking schools, cook books and more.

Richard Corrigan

Guests can join Richard in the Piggery for this session about the importance of the pig. You can expect a lively discussion covering history and politics , alongside expert and farmer Michael Maguire. From butchery to black pudding - enjoy a deep dive into the world of swine, and their impact throughout Richard's career.

Darina Allen on bread    

Learn some essential soda bread recipes with Ireland's best loved cook. Darina will demonstrate a variety of techniques and recipes to illustrate the versatility of the traditional soda bread technique - you'll never need to buy bread again...!

Valentine Warner    

Join Val for 'Life On Toast'; a whistlestop tour of some of his favourite recipes, all presented on toast. You can expect many a tale between cooking ingredients such as pigeon, chanterelles, crab and kidneys.

Taco masterclass with Lily Ramirez-Foran

From corn to taco. Lily will teach guests about the most quintessential element of Mexican cuisine: a good corn tortilla. During the workshop, guests will learn to make tortillas from scratch as well as try a few fillings and a salsa. Lily's energy is infectious and her knowledge extensive so this is one not to be missed.

Kombucha class with Daphne Shackleton

A firm favourite at last year's event, these garden based workshops are lead by the Lodge's head gardener, Priscilla, and the hugely respected botanist and gardener Daphne Shackleton. This year the potting sheds will transform into a fermentation lab for a kombucha making session using the Lodge's harvest of apples, damsons and other Autumnal fruits.

Foraging with Jack Ball

Learn the art of eating wild with Jack who will guide you across the stunning Deerpark to discover how to confidently identify, gather and enjoy wild plants and mushrooms. Jack is an absolute fountain of knowledge and we can’t wait to see what he discovers.

Whisky tasting with Redbreast 
Experience the distinguished world of Redbreast. An exclusive opportunity to sample five exquisite expressions: Redbreast 12 Year Old, 12 Year Old Cask Strength, Lustau Edition, 15 Year Old, and 21 Year Old. Each one embodies the heritage of single-pot-still craftsmanship, delivering a unique yet harmonious progression of flavour. A journey through depth, tradition, and exceptional Irish whiskey artistry.
Darina Allen's Quintessential Dishes
Darina will demonstrate a variety of quintessential Ballymaloe dishes that have stood the test of time. She'll highlight the simple approach to home-cooked food and strong connection to seasonal Irish ingredients that has made Ballymaloe famous.
Walking tour of the estate 
Head Chef of the Lodge and long term member of the Corrigan team, Eoin knows the estate inside out. Join him for a tour starting at the house and taking in the lough, orchards, gardens and pigs and a glimpse into the deerpark. Exactly what the doctor ordered after a long weekend in the Lodge. Approximately 5k.
Art tour with Richard Corrigan
Returning for a triumphant second year, Richard will lead a group around his beloved art collection, telling the tales behind the artworks.
Smoking with Sally Barnes
Who doesn't love hot smoked wild brown trout on a Sunday morning? And who better to guide you through the traditional art of smoking fish than Irish legend Sally. You'll discover her techniques for preparing, curing and smoking which you can easily do at home.
Bloody Mary Masterclass
Join us for an enlivening session of creating and drinking the ultimate Sunday pick-me-up, lead by the Lodge's cocktail connaisseur, Peter Moore and a few other very opiniated personalities on this most essential of topics.