In Donal's Feasts, Fasts and Festivals, TV chef Donal Skehan immerses himself in the lives and kitchens of people of various faiths around Ireland.
Famous for his delicious Christmas dishes, the Dublin man is on a mission to discover how different communities express and celebrate their beliefs through the food they serve up and the meals they avoid.
In this two-part documentary, Donal will his pursue culinary enlightenment by spending time with Ireland’s Hindu, Jewish, Orthodox Christian, Sikh, Muslim and Hare Krishna communities.
This week will see Donal visit Hare Krishna Island in Lough Erne for the Radharani Festival, where food offerings to the deities are central to the celebrations.
Continuing his journey to understand the connections between food and faith, Donal joins the Jewish community who show him how to shop and cook while keeping Kosher. He’ll also learns how to make Challah bread in preparation for a traditional Sabbath meal.
Finally, Donal takes part in the Sikh Vaisakhi Parade where he gets a little too close for comfort to a Sikh Martial Arts performance.
Episode two will see the chef break fast with a Muslim family during Ramadan, and joins a charity soup run at Dublin's GPO.
He will then prepare a lavish Easter feast with the Romanian Orthodox community and join in the joyous atmosphere of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, as he celebrates and feasts with a Hindu family in the Temple and at home.
Donal’s Feasts, Fasts and Festivals airs on Thursday at 10.15pm on RTÉ One.
