Local film maker Declan Cassidy’s six-part television series, Fusion Kitchen, is set to air this April, with strong roots in Drogheda’s people, produce, and growing food scene.
Broadcast on DCTV (Virgin Media Channel 802) and streamed on dctv.ie/live, the series begins on 13 April at 8pm, running for six consecutive evenings, with a daytime repeat from 20 April at 2pm.
The Fusion Kitchen concept is simple - to bring together people from different cultural backgrounds who are now part of the Drogheda community, and to explore their stories through food. Each episode sees participants create a meal featuring recipes from their homelands, but working with local ingredients, where possible.
The series is presented by well-known local TV chef Tara Walker, whose work has long championed seasonal cooking and accessible recipes.
"It was a pleasure to host such a brilliant group of people throughout the series,” she said. “As a chef, it was incredibly interesting to learn about the different cuisines and cultures we featured - there is always something new to learn! I also felt very lucky to enjoy a delicious feast at the end of every episode."
A particular focus of the programme is the use of locally sourced produce, highlighting the quality and diversity available across County Louth. From fresh vegetables to locally produced meats and artisan goods, Fusion Kitchen places Drogheda’s food producers at the centre of the conversation, helping to showcase the region’s rich agricultural offering.
Local eateries and food businesses also play an important role throughout the series, reflecting the town’s evolving food culture and the influence of its increasingly diverse population. By connecting these businesses with new audiences, the programme aims to support the local economy and to celebrate the creativity already present within the area.
Produced locally, Fusion Kitchen is a collaborative effort involving community participants, regional organisations, and independent media. The project has been supported by Coimisiún na Meán, Louth Local Development’s SICAP, and Drogheda-based non-profit community media organisation EurAV team.
“The series was destined for Dublin community television, but it was important for me to highlight what we have here in the wider Drogheda area,” said series creator Declan Cassidy. “Between the energy crisis exposing how fragile our supply chains are, and the environmental and economical benefits of choosing local, Fusion Kitchen highlights how fortunate we are to have producers and outlets offering the very best of food and ingredients.”
Fusion Kitchen offers something both familiar and new - a celebration of food as a shared language, rooted firmly in Drogheda, but with a very global flair.