IRELAND’S CULINARY HEARTLAND
A deeply local food tour with Chef Joseph VanWagner
AUGUST 13 - 21, 2026
$
JOIN ANN ARBOR CHEF JOSEPH VANWAGNER ON THIS EXCLUSIVE SMALL GROUP GUIDED CULINARY TOUR OF COUNTY CORK, IRELAND
LIMITED TO JUST 12 GUESTS
Join us as we go behind the scenes in County Cork, Ireland’s gastronomic capital region. Accompanied by acclaimed chef Joseph VanWagner, we’ll spend a week in some of the places in Ireland meet some of the country’s artisan legends as well as Cork’s emerging culinary superstars. A balance of food history, outdoor adventures, and culinary delight, this chef-led culinary tour will begin at the legendary Ballymaloe House Hotel, in East Cork before heading to the wilds of West Cork, where we’ll rest in our own little haven on a private island retreat. This is the Irish landscape of postcards: fresh air, dairy farms, grazing sheep, and rolling green hills.
Together with our co-host Joseph VanWagner, we’ll go behind the scenes in the lush Irish countryside, indulge in countryside culinary experiences, and then follow the produce from the farms into the best tables in the big city. We’ll have a truly farm-to-table experience as we get to know top chefs and the farmers that supply them.
W H O I T ‘ S F O R
For lovers of traditional foodways, County Cork is in many ways the center of Ireland. Possibly nowhere else in Ireland are so many artisan cheesemakers, fish smokers, sausage makers, and more working in such close connection to the land. If you want to eat amazing food in a beautiful wild setting, and learn directly from some of Ireland’s most skilled and experienced artisans, this is the tour for you. We’ll have the opportunity to visit private workshops, dine at a Michelin starred restaurant, and have some of the country’s best chefs host exclusive off-site meals for us.
You’ll travel with Bog & Thunder and acclaimed chef, Joseph VanWagner (Echelon Kitchen & Bar, Ann Arbor) on an intimate, bespoke culinary adventure to explore the Irish countryside and sample the best ingredients alongside legendary artisans. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the bounty of Ireland from the perspective of its best chefs and artisans.