Santina Kennedy is a Food Consultant working with Irish food, drinks and hospitality businesses. She is passionate about showcasing the best of Irish produce through experiences and cultural events. Santina specialises in pairing Irish artisan foods with Irish drinks,  incorporating Irish folklore, culture, regionality and history to create evocative and memorable dining experiences. 

She has curated and hosted events in iconic Irish venues such as Lismore Castle, Powerscourt Estate , Russborough House, and Mount Congreve. One of her favourite projects has been at  The National Gallery of Ireland where she is the co- creator and host of the Art Plate ‘Plates and Palettes’ series, which combined bespoke tours of Irish art at the gallery with dining experiences that showcased Irish produce. 

Santina is deeply committed to the promotion and development of Ireland as a food tourism destination. She has worked with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism NI, as well as many hotel and hospitality venues on developing food tourism projects which keep local food produce central to a destination’s offering. 

 She is a regular contributor to media,  and she has been featured on RTÉ, BBC World Travel, PBS and ITV. Her work has also been featured in Forbes Magazine, The Irish Times, The Irish Independent, Food and Wine Magazine and the Irish Farmers Journal. . Santina is the Food and Drink Researcher on the PBS Ireland with Michael Show. 

She is the coordinator, ambassador and former Board member for Wicklow Naturally, Wicklow’s Food and Drink Network, where she has spent many years working with the county’s food businesses She regularly hosts and contributes to panels at food events nationwide, including Taste of Dublin, Savour Kilkenny, f-East Cork, and Taste of Wicklow, and Taste of Sligo and Blas na hÉireann.

Santina holds an MA in Gastronomy and Food Studies from TU Dublin 

‍