skip to main content

A LONG WEEKEND IN…WITH RORY O’ CONNELL

(20)A Long Weekend in...with Rory O'Connell. (New series, programme two, Thursday May 16th, RTÉ One, Vienna) Rory with winemaker Rainer Christ Image Name: (20)A Long Weekend in...with Rory O'Connell. (New series, programme two, Thursday May 16th, RTÉ One, Vienna) Rory with winemaker Rainer Christ
(20)A Long Weekend in...with Rory O'Connell. (New series, programme two, Thursday May 16th, RTÉ One, Vienna) Rory with coffee roaster Oliver Go Image Name: (20)A Long Weekend in...with Rory O'Connell. (New series, programme two, Thursday May 16th, RTÉ One, Vienna) Rory with coffee roaster Oliver Go
(20) A Long Weekend in... with Rory O'Connell. (New series, programme two, Thursday May 16th, RTÉ One, Vienna) Rory in Cafe Sperl, in Vienna Image Name: (20) A Long Weekend in... with Rory O'Connell. (New series, programme two, Thursday May 16th, RTÉ One, Vienna) Rory in Cafe Sperl, in Vienna

Rory O’Connell’s brand new series ‘A Long Weekend in…with Rory O’Connell’ on RTÉ One, sees the popular Cork chef enjoying the culture as well as the cuisine of eight European cities – Palma de Mallorca, Vienna, Lisbon, Madrid, Bath, Nantes, Copenhagen and Edinburgh.

This new eight part series sees Rory visiting a different city in each episode, and while the primary focus is on food, Rory is a knowledgeable guide to so much more, with art and design being particular interests of his.  

“Food becomes much more interesting when seen in context – the culture it is part of, the landscape it’s produced in, the history that has influenced it”, he says.

“We’ve chosen eight very different cities and the series has been exciting for me because it’s the first time that I’ve visited many of them, so there’s a genuine sense of discovery.  We film each city in two days, but it’s amazing what can be packed into 48 hours if you set your mind to it.”

In Palma de Mallorca, Rory is thrilled to find an exhibition of Picasso’s ceramics in a railway station, and he visits a factory where the traditional Mallorca fabric is made.  In Madrid, he eschews the expected trip to the Prado Museum and looks instead at the street art and graffiti that’s been painted on the walls of an old tobacco factory. 

From visiting the oldest restaurant in the world to learning how to bake Portugal’s best custard tarts in a Lisbon cookery school, Rory takes viewers on a journey through eight European cities showcasing the best of local cuisine and art in each one. 

At the end of each episode, Rory makes a delicious dish with the local produce which he sources on his travels.

Programme two: Vienna

In programme two, Rory takes a Long Weekend in Vienna, Austria, to explore the city’s celebrated cuisine and cultural attractions. 

Vienna is famous for its traditional coffee houses and Rory starts his weekend at Cafe Sperl, founded in 1880 and once frequented by the city’s artists, musicians, aesthetes and philosophers. Rory tries Sachertorte, a type of chocolate cake which is one of Vienna’s culinary specialities. 

Vienna was home to artist Gustav Klimt, a painter from the Vienna Secession movement. Klimt’s painting “The Kiss’ is internationally renowned and one of the highlights of Vienna’s Belvedere Museum. Rory visits the museum and discovers why it continues to capture the imagination of visitors from around the world. 
As an unexpected treat, he is offered a glimpse of the Franz Xaver Messerschmidt exhibition of busts before it opens to the public. 

Next, Rory visits Vienna’s famous Naschmarkt, a colourful city centre market where the mixture of foods and flavours, typical of Austrian cuisine, can be found. 

A lesser-known fact about Vienna is that it is acclaimed for its vineyards. Wine-making in the area dates back over 3,000 years. Rory heads to the outskirts of the city to meet winemaker Rainer Christ, visit his vineyard, and taste wine which has the distinction of being produced in a capital city. 

Although Vienna is famed for its historic coffee houses, a more contemporary, artisan approach is offered by coffee roaster Oliver Goetz. Rory calls in at Oliver’s coffee house to try one of the 50 varieties of coffee roasts and discover how Oliver has reinvented a Viennese tradition. 

Continuing his search for authentic Viennese cuisine Rory visits a typical “Gasthaus” or tavern, where he enjoys a Smoked Trout dish, followed by a delicious Beef Schnitzel (not to be confused with Wiener veal schnitzel, another Viennese classic). 
Rory heads to Schönbrunn Palace and walks through the spectacular gardens, resulting in a severe case of garden-envy!

Rory’s final stop is the Hofburg Palace to learn all about Empress Sisi – the Jackie Onassis of the Victorian era. Rory is keen to see Sisi’s incredible silverware collection, and he also hears the surprising story of Sisi’s secret trips to Co. Kildare. 

This week Rory bakes a delicious chocolate cake inspired by Sachertorte, a type of chocolate cake which is one of Vienna’s culinary specialities. 

A Long Weekend in…with Rory O’Connell is produced by David Hare of InProductionTV for RTÉ and sponsored by Neff

Press enquiries: 
TVPR
Ann Coughlan 00 353 87 6778045
Pauline Cronin 00 353 87 2629967