AN ACCOMPLISHED culinary team from Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board’s College of FET were serving up the recipe for success at the 2025 CATEX exhibition.
The team dominated the Chef Ireland National Culinary Competition at the annual exhibition, Ireland’s largest food service and hospitality gathering.
Over three days of the competition, the team from the hospitality campus took home 12 gold, 17 silver, and 12 national champion awards, along with the Food Safety Personal Hygiene Award.
The college has had historical success at the annual awards, added to further this year by Apprentice of the Year winner Freddie Cullen.
An ETB spokeswoman said that “this remarkable achievement is a demonstration of the exceptional standards of training and preparation at the campus, which is part of Limerick and Clare ETB’s multi-campus offering throughout the region”.
Director of Further Education and Training at Limerick and Clare ETB, Paul Patton, commented: “Our College of FET Hospitality Campus has earned a stellar reputation for culinary excellence, and this achievement further underscores the dedication and effort involved in preparing for a prestigious event like CATEX. It’s also a true testament to the passion, talent, and commitment of our expert instructors and apprentices, whose hard work has made this success possible.”
This year is particularly significant for both the team and the event itself, as CATEX celebrates its 60th anniversary as Ireland’s premier gathering for the Hospitality and Foodservice sectors.
Organised by the Irish Foodservice Suppliers’ Alliance (IFSA), CATEX has long been a cornerstone of the industry, drawing thousands of visitors each year. The event brings together professionals from the foodservice and hospitality sectors to network, share the latest innovations, and discuss solutions to industry challenges.
Speaking from the CATEX exhibition, Hospitality Campus Manager Bernadette Enright added that the college is “delighted and proud of this result. Our team put in a huge effort with hours and hours of preparation and dedication and I am thrilled at the standards we achieved.”
