Image Caption: Award Winning Kerry Chef TJ O’Connor, MTU will take to the stage at the forthcoming Listowel Food Fair.
Image Accreditation: Courtesy of Listowel Food Fair
Listowel Food Fair is delighted to welcome Award Winning Chef TJ O’Connor to the ‘Cooking Demonstration’ event on Saturday 7th November 2026 at 3pm at the Listowel Arms Hotel. TJ O’Connor is an Award Winning Chef, Senior Lecturer and Head of Section in the Department of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism at Munster Technological University (MTU), primarily based at the Kerry Campus in Tralee.
With over two decades of experience at the institution (dating back to 2001), TJ O’Connor is a leading voice in Irish hospitality education, culinary arts apprenticeships, and regional industry advocacy. TJ O’Connor heavily champions “earn and learn” degree models, coordinating work placement partnerships, the BA in Hotel Management, and advanced culinary progression tracks like the Chef De Partie Apprenticeship.
TJ O’Connor frequently advocates on public platforms and local media regarding Ireland’s hospitality staffing crises. Notably, he has publicly urged the Irish government to include hospitality roles on the critical skills occupations list to combat chef shortages. Alongside fellow tutors, he helps run the ‘Kookability’ initiative at MTU Kerry in partnership with Down Syndrome Kerry, focusing on training, independence, and culinary employment skills for individuals with Down Syndrome.
In May 2024, TJ O’ Connor received the prestigious ‘Outstanding Achievement Accolade’ at the Irish Restaurant Awards for his lifelong contribution to the Irish hospitality sector.
Welcoming TJ O’Connor to the festival line up Jimmy Deenihan said:
“TJ O Connor has amassed considerable experience and culinary skills both nationally and internationally since he graduated from MTU back in 1987. He has been a vocal supporter of the use of locally produced food by the hospitality sector over the years. During my time as Chairperson of the Governing Body of MTU from 2021 to 2026 I witnessed firsthand the commitment and dedication that TJ has given to the University and his students.”
Tickets for the ‘Cooking Demonstration’ at the Listowel Arms Hotel on Saturday 7th November 2026 include both events, with Celebrity Chef Rory O’Connell at 2pm, followed by the popular Award Winning Kerry Chef TJ O’Connor at 3pm.
Tickets for the ‘Cooking Demonstration’ can be purchased on EventBrite.ie and on the festival website – www.listowelfoodfair.ie.
The 2026 Listowel Food Fair is supported by Kinisla, Fáilte Ireland, Kerry County Council, Kerry Local Enterprise Office, FBD Insurance plc, Garvey’s Supervalu Listowel, John J Galvin & Son Ltd, Listowel Credit Union, Media365, Buckley Agri and Tipperary Crystal.
FBD Insurance plc is the Preferred Insurance Partner of the 2026 Listowel Food Fair.
Information on the 2026 Listowel Food Fair is available at www.listowelfoodfair.ie.
Tickets can be purchased at www.eventbrite.ie
