10th - 13th OCTOBER 2025
Enjoy the Autumn harvest bounty at HOMEGROWN - a long weekend celebration of dining, entertainment, music and more.
Back for its second year, get ready for the ultimate foodie getaway in the heart of the great Irish countryside. A full weekend of masterclasses, talks, dinners and once in a lifetime experiences awaits.
Guests will be immersed in an autumnal landscape, feast in the Lodge’s beautiful dining room and join numerous activities over the weekend to inspire and enliven. There's something for everyone, from cooking masterclasses with the chefs, tastings, workshops, foraging, lough swimming, live music performances and plenty more to be announced.
RICHARD CORRIGAN
Bentley's Oyster Bar, Corrigan's Mayfair, Virginia Park Lodge, Daffodil Mulligan, The Portrait Restaurant
Richard Corrigan’s expansive career has seen him open numerous restaurants, gain Michelin stars, write recipe books, and even cook for the Queen and Barack Obama. He regularly makes appearances on radio and television, notably winning Great British Menu three times, and also being a regular judge on the popular BBC series.
Richard is well known for his generous hospitality, as well as his passion for seasonal produce sourced in Britain and Ireland from small and independent suppliers.
MARK HIX
Mark is frequently lauded as one of Britain’s most eminent restaurateurs with an unrivalled knowledge of ingredients with provenance. He is an award-winning author and food writer with 12 cookbooks to his name, the latest of which, Hooked, regales stories of fishing from his childhood through to the present day. He has a weekly award-winning recipe column in The Telegraph Magazine, as well as contributing to Dorset Magazine and Marshwood Vale. He has previously been a regular contributor to City AM and GQ, Mark was previously the food writer for The Independent on Saturday for 14 years.
Also known for his love of fishing and foraging, Mark offers bespoke Catch and Cook Days and Wild Food Experiences in his home county of Dorset.
DARINA ALLEN
Ballymaloe Cookery School, Shanagarry, Co. Cork
Darina is the co-founder of the famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in 1983 and more recently the Ballymaloe Organic Farm School in East Cork, Ireland. Students come from all over the world to hone their culinary skills at this sustainable, biodiverse Farm-to-Table project.
She's the author of 21 bestselling cookbooks and André Simon Award winner, and has received a number of prestigious awards, including the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award from Listowel Food Fair and Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the year in 2001.
JEREMY LEE
Quo Vadis, Soho, London
Jeremy Lee joined the Hart brothers at Quo Vadis in Soho in early 2012, becoming Chef Proprietor of this Soho stalwart. Jeremy had previously manned the stoves of Blueprint Café on the first floor of the Design Museum, which Sir Terence Conran created on the south bank of the River Thames near Tower Bridge. He's has worked with such distinguished restaurateurs as Simon Hopkinson and Alastair Little, who all played a considerable part in the great resurgence of modern British cooking.
Jeremy, originally from Dundee, Scotland came from a family where home cooking of a high order was daily fare. His parents and grandmother taught him the mysteries of finding good produce through good shopping. Having been brought up thus, Jeremy applies this to the menus at Quo Vadis, where the cooking is bright, fresh and quintessentially British in a manner most modern.
TOM PARKER-BOWLES
Tom Parker Bowles is Restaurant Critic for The Mail on Sunday as well as a food columnist for Country Life and a regular contributor to Harpers Bazaar, Esquire and Town and Country. He is the author of 9 books, a regular Judge on BBC's Masterchef and co-host of the Intoxicating History podcast.
VALENTINE WARNER
Valentine is a cook, food writer and broadcaster. He worked in some of London’s most influential restaurants and ran his own catering company before finding himself on TV.
More recently, he has launched Kitchen In The Wild, the much talked about international culinary event series, as well as co-founded the Northumbrian gin distillery Hepple. A brilliantly charismatic host, we look forward to welcoming him back to Homegrown.
LUCA DUSI
Originally from Verona, Italy, Luca’s deep connection to wine began in his youth, frequenting wine bars and immersing himself in the traditions of viticulture. His love for artisanal, low-intervention wines and his dedication to showcasing the best of Italy’s undiscovered wine gems led him to establish Passione Vino in 2003.
Whether he's pouring a rare vintage, sharing anecdotes about winemakers, or leading a lively tasting event, his presence is magnetic.
LILY RAMIREZ-FORAN
Lily Ramirez-Foran is the founder of Ireland’s Mexican boutique grocer and cookery school, Picado Mexican in Dublin and author of the award winning book, TACOS by Blasta Books.
She’s a woman on a mission to showcase Mexican food and culture beyond its clichés and misconceptions. When not busy with work, Lily can be found in her kitchen experimenting with recipes, writing on her kitchen table and learning to grow food in her tiny urban garden.
FRIDAY
Guest arrivals from 4pm. Stretch your legs, explore the estate and the Deerpark Forest.
Sink into a comfy sofa and tuck into our traditional Lodge tea.
Settle into your Lodge room, cosy Cabin or Shepherds Hut in the forest.
Join us for a welcome drink (or two!) and meet the chefs.
Jump into a demo or masterclass from our line up of brilliant chefs, suppliers and artisans.
Enjoy a sumptuous feast to round off the evening.
SATURDAY
A bracing swim in the Lough for those who dare.
A gentle start with a hearty breakfast in the Lodge.
Morning workshops and activities including; cooking masterclasses with the chefs, fire cooking, Lodge gardening workshops, foraging, oyster or wine tastings.
Lunch in the Dining Room featuring the best of the Lodge's produce.
Your choice of afternoon activity (see above)
A special collaboration dinner with the chefs.
SUNDAY
Kickstart the day with a cold Lough dip - or an extra few hours in bed.
Feast on wild Sheelin trout, or our own Lodge bacon with eggs at breakfast.
Let the morning unfold as you wish; with some surprise activities, taking a tour of Richard's art collection on display around the Lodge with the man himself or enjoy some fresh air on the estate.
Assemble for a very long and late Sunday lunch - the grand finale.
Bid us a fond farewell or keep the party alive, joining us at the Deerpark Inn for our wrap party with the chefs.
What's Included?
Included in your ticket price: all breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks over the weekend, accommodation, all workshops and activities, entertainment and performances.
For those adding on the Sunday night, enjoy our Chef's Wrap Party at the Deerpark Inn - a night of live music and celebration with the team.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
HOMEGROWN is a communal event for a maximum of 80 guests.
Guests are encouraged to mix and get to know each other. There will be no tables for 2!
The event is all-inclusive, with the exception of drinks which will be paid for on departure.
100% of the ticket price is due at the point of booking.
The activities, chefs and contributors are subject to change.
Guests will be filmed and photographed during the event, and the Corrigan Collection will have the right to use the content in connection with promoting future events.
Different ticket types are available depending on your accomodation preferences, and the length of your stay with us.
You can choose to join us Friday to Sunday for the main event, or extend the festivities, and stay on till Monday morning.
Those staying until Monday will join us at the exclusive Chef's Wrap party at the Deerpark Inn, as well as staying Sunday night and breakfast on Monday morning - for an additional €325 per person.
The Sunday night is bookable only in addition to a weekend ticket.
All guests can attend up to three workshops or activities over the weekend.
On Friday, the activities are on a drop-in basis.
On Saturday, the activities will be pre-booked.
After you have booked, the HOMEGROWN team will get in touch to confirm your weekend's itinerary.
There will be set menus for Friday and Saturday evening and for Sunday lunch, for which pescatarian and vegan options will be available.
Guests will be able to choose from a range of options for breakfast and lunch.
Please alert us to any allergies in advance of the event.
Rooms in the Main Lodge, Cabins, Shepherd's Huts or Deerpark Inn accommodate up to two guests.
For larger groups, the Gate Lodge or Courtyard Cottage are available for up to four guests. They are bookable by email.
Please note that Virginia Park Lodge is a country estate, rather than a hotel, and that there will not be daily housekeeping over the weekend.
Please discover our accommodation here, and get in touch with the team if you have any questions.
Please pack for an Autumnal weekend.
Some activities will be outside so boots and warm, waterproof coats will be necessary.
We encourage all guests to explore the estate.
There is wild swimming in the Lough for those who are keen.
HOMEGROWN is for over 18s only.
Virginia Park Lodge is located an hour from Dublin, with regular public transport links. It is two hours from Belfast. Find us.
If you have a Virginia Park Lodge gift voucher you would like to use against this event, please get in touch with the team to book your place directly on homegrown@virginiaparklodge.com.
Tickets are non-refundable but they are transferable. If you are unable to attend you may transfer your ticket to someone else. Please get in touch with us to discuss on homegrown@virginiaparklodge.com.