Mitchelstown Student Ciara Walsh Wins Silver in Healthy Home Chef 2025 as Finalists Cook-up a storm at the ATU St Angelas Campus

 Cork Student Wins Silver in Healthy Home Chef 2025 as Finalists Cook-up a storm at the ATU St Angelas Campus

Dr Eileen Kelly Blakeney, Lecturer School of Home Economics, ATU St Angelas, Derek Gallagher, Head of Dunnes Stores Simply Better brand, Teacher Colaiste Fionnchua, Chef Neven Maguire, Senior Silver Winner 2025 Ciara Walsh, Colaiste Fionnchua, Cork, Dr Amanda McCloat, Head of ATU St Angelas, Dr Helen Maguire, Head of School of Home Economics, ATU St Angelas, Dr Elaine Mooney, Director of National Centre of Excellence for Home Economics, ATU St Angelas

The food labs at ATU St Angelas Campus, Sligo were heating up recently with the All-Island Finals of the prestigious Healthy Home Chef Cookery Competition taking place recently.

Sponsored by Dunnes Stores, MacNean House and the National Centre of Excellence for Home Economics at St. Angela’s, the competition was open to junior and senior secondary school students, Youthreach centres and special schools across the island of Ireland.

The finalists in each category battled it out across two days creating a tasty, nutritious, and affordable meal to win a prize fund of over €10,000 worth of vouchers and equipment for themselves and their schools.

Hundreds of students from across the island of Ireland submitted their culinary ideas with 32 selected as finalists in both junior and senior categories who were invited to ATU St Angelas Campus to recreate their dishes before a panel of judges including award winning chef and TV presenter, Neven Maguire.

Derek Gallagher, Head of the Simply Better brand in Dunnes Stores said “We are delighted to sponsor the Healthy Home Chef competition again this year with the support of our Simply Better brand ambassador Neven Maguire. It has been fantastic to see the inspiring dishes the students have created using Dunnes Stores products”.

Dr Amanda McCloat, Head of ATU St Angelas, noted “this competition showcases the very best of Home Economics education, where students had to display their healthy home food skills whilst promoting the importance of healthy eating”.

And it was no easy job to select the winners as Chef Neven Maguire describes “these students show a real gift in what they do, their knowledge and skills shines through their love of cooking and it’s a real pleasure to be a part of the experience”.

 

Chef Neven Maguire, Katie Keogh, Senior Gold Winner 2025, Mungret Community College, Limerick,  Derek Gallagher, Head of Dunnes Stores Simply Better brand

The winners were announced as follows:

· Senior Gold winner: Katie Keogh, Mungret Community College, Limerick

· Senior Silver Winner 2025 Ciara Walsh, Colaiste Fionnchua, Cork

· Senior Bronze Winner 2025 Molly Carr, Presentation Sec. School, Tipperary

 

· Junior Gold Winner 2025, Heath Moore, St. Louis High School, Dublin 6

· Junior Silver Winner 2025 Ilia McArdle, Our Lady's Sec. School, Monaghan

· Junior Bronze Winner 2025, Aoibheann O'Malley, Holy Faith Secondary School, Dublin 3

On the craft trail with Mescan and Wide Street. A couple of very enjoyable saisons

On the craft trail with Mescan and Wide Street 

A couple of very enjoyable saisons. 

Saison: a brief overview

Saison is a traditional farmhouse style from Wallonia, a French-speaking region in the South of Belgium. It was originally brewed in the winter to be enjoyed by the farmhands during the hot sunny months. We don’t get much of either saison or sun here! 

Wide Street say theirs is a classic representation of the Belgian Saison style while Mescan founder Bart is a Belgian national.

Mescan Westport Saison 5.8% ABV, 330 ml bottle Bradleys

full of concentrated flavour and refreshing

Beautiful gold colour, soft white head, clear body and crowds of bubbles. Aromas include clove and citrus notes. There is immediate engagement on the palate. It is dry and light, effervescent and full of concentrated flavour. It is refreshing, and also very well balanced, with the New World hops matched by the earthy spicy yeast flavours. 

Not just an excellent saison but also yet another superb beer from Westport's Mescan and Very Highly Recommended. It is the kind of beer that, once it hits the palate, makes you take notice. You may also want to note that it has an ABV of 5.8%.

With its slightly bitter finish, Saison goes well with spicy dishes such as curries or chicken wings. "Our Saison is a real thirst quencher!”, say Mescan. For more pairing ideas check their Food Pairing Wheel here. 

* If you'd like to visit Mescan at their brewery between Westport and Louisburg, they are open to visitors most Friday afternoons through the summer - online booking is required here.

Wide Street House Saison 5.5% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

Their yeast plays a key role in this Highly Recommended beer.

Light orange, quite hazy, with a soft white head that sinks slowly. Aromas include clove and citrus notes. It is dry and light on the palate, effervescent, full of concentrated flavour and with a touch of pepper. It is refreshing and also very well balanced. Highly Recommended 

Their yeast plays quite a role in the two-month fermentation, and it is the Saccharomyces cerevisiae var diastaticus saison strain (don't know of any abbreviation!). They have also employed their favourite hop, Saaz, in the process, and that provides a medium bitterness backed up with the citrus and clove.  The punters obviously like this one, and it has been “promoted” to their core range.

Where do you find Wide Street? They are based in Ballymahon, Co. Longford, on the edge of the Royal Canal Greenway. “If you are cycling around or holidaying in the area, please drop us a message and we would be delighted to show you around the brewery.” If you come by car, you should easily find parking. It is a wide street. Really!

Caroline Hennessy, Santina Kennedy, and Anthony O’Toole. Three Blas na hÉireann Producers’ Champions 2025 as voted by Irish food producers

Caroline Hennessy, Santina Kennedy, and Anthony O’Toole

Three Blas na hÉireann Producers’ Champions 2025 as voted by Irish food producers 

Caroline (centre) with Santina and Anthony

Blas na hÉireann, the Irish Food Awards, is delighted to announce not one, but three exceptional individuals as this year’s Producers’ Champions — a trio of advocates whose work consistently shines a spotlight on Ireland’s food makers and artisan producers. Caroline Hennessy, Santina Kennedy, and Anthony O’Toole are Blas na hÉireann Producers’ Champions 2025. 

Each has their own unique voice and perspective, and their collective impact across Irish food writing, curation, hospitality, advocacy and sustainability is both significant and impressive. 

Chosen directly by Irish producers from every corner of the country, the Producers’ Champion title is awarded each year based on nominations from within the Blas na hÉireann network. It celebrates those who go above and beyond to support, elevate and promote Irish food and drink.

“We are thrilled to announce these three unique supporters of Irish food as this year’s Producers’ Champions,” said Artie Clifford, founder and Chairman of Blas na hÉireann. “Each of them in their own way has shown a serious and ongoing commitment to the people behind the produce. They share a deep understanding of what it takes to grow, make, market and champion Irish food having all had a background in production, and therefore an understanding of the challenges that producers can face. We couldn’t be happier to celebrate them as they have so often celebrated our producers.”

Caroline Hennessy has been a steadfast voice in Irish food for over two decades. As an award-winning writer, author, MC, and editor, she has consistently used her platforms — from her regular columns to her widely read site Bibliocook — to tell the stories of local producers. With a sharp focus on sustainability and regional food systems, her work weaves the story of Irish food into media, events and podcasts, helping producers reach new audiences and communities.

Santina Kennedy is a food consultant and curator whose work brings Irish food to life through unforgettable experiences. Whether creating immersive dining events at the National Gallery of Ireland or developing food tourism strategies with Fáilte Ireland, Santina places Irish produce centre stage. Pairing food with art, place, history and storytelling, her focus is always on keeping local food, ingredients and their narratives central to a destination’s offering. 

Anthony O’Toole, chef, writer, Slow Food advocate and lifelong champion of seed sovereignty, is behind some of the country’s most forward-thinking food initiatives. From launching Fat Tomato, his organic edible garden and horticulture project in Wexford, to co-founding Taste Wexford and #thisisirishfood, Anthony’s work connects chefs and producers through sustainability, education, and celebration of heritage ingredients. He is a sought-after advisor and an advocate for food as a tool for cultural connection and ecological resilience.

All three now join the prestigious roster of Blas na hÉireann Producers’ Champions — a list that includes Darina and Rachel Allen and Rory O’Connell, John & Sally McKenna, Neven Maguire, Jess Murphy, Kate Ryan, Conor Spacey, Brian McDermott, Laura Bradley & Johnny McDowell from Indie Füde, and Simon Coveney — as part of a community that celebrates excellence and advocacy in Irish food.

www.irishfoodawards.com

Myrtle Allen Memorial Lecture to examine if food can be both tasty and healthy Lecture next week in UCC The late Myrtle Allen

One of the world’s leading experts on gut health will give a free public lecture in University College Cork (UCC) at the annual Adult Continuing Education’s Myrtle Allen Memorial Lecture. This lecture celebrates the legacy of Mrs Allen and her contribution to Irish Food Culture. On Saturday May 9th 1964, Myrtle Allen opened the Yeats Room Restaurant in her home in Ballymaloe in East Cork. From that time onward, the space, named after the Allen's collection of Jack B. Yeats paintings that hung in the restaurant room, would come to symbolise a remodelled food culture that valued what we now recognise as the vocabulary of sustainability: local, seasonal, and regional foods with a tangible and meaningful connection to people and place. Professor Jens Walter, one of the world’s leading experts on gut health, based at APC Microbiome Ireland, a world-leading research centre at UCC, will deliver the 2025 Myrtle Allen Memorial Lecture. Professor Walter will present on the subject ‘Can Food Be Both Tasty and Healthy? A Scientific Take on Myrtle Allen’s Food Philosophy.’ Professor Walter’s research focuses on nutrition and gut health in traditional societies where the consumption of processed and industrially produced foods is typically very limited. Jens will align his recent research findings with the food philosophy of Myrtle Allen. In this presentation, Jens will discuss the effects of industrially processed foods on the gut microbiome and human health. He will speak about his team’s research evaluating the health and microbiome impacts of a diet modelled on traditional, non-industrialised dietary patterns. These findings underscore the relevance of several core principles central to Mrs. Allen’s food philosophy.  ‘Myrtle Allen recognised that healthy food should be delicious—and delicious food healthy—and by providing practical means to realise this vision, Mrs. Allen was a pioneer whose insights remain pertinent to current efforts to promote healthier eating” states Professor Walter “For anyone interested in Irish food culture, food and health and wellbeing, and how we might design future approaches to consumption and dietary behaviours, this event is not to be missed” comments Regina Sexton, Food and Culinary Historian at UCC. The lecture occurs on Tuesday, 27 May 2025, 6.00 to 7.15 p.m. in the Hub in University College Cork. Booking is essential at this link. Media release

Terras Gauda Abadía De San Campo Albariño. "a very juicy and fresh wine"

Terras Gauda Abadía De San Campo Albariño Rías Baixas (DO) 2022, 12.5%

RRP: €20.95. Stockists:  64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

a very juicy and fresh wine.

This bottle is bursting with brio, is fresh and fragrant, and immediately engaging. The colour is a clean green-tinged yellow with definite citrus traits on the nose. The palate is filled with citrus and mineral sensations. Yet it is very well balanced, with quite a persistent and pleasant finish. Excellent overall, it shows the magnificent qualities of this increasingly popular grape. Very Highly Recommended.

Aging is not recommended. Or is it? You will see some experts, such as Hugh Johnson, giving this the DYA designation, meaning drink youngest available! The producers concur. 

But there is at least one contrary opinion. Finest Wines of Rioja (2011) debunked a “popular misconception” that these wines are meant to be drunk within one year of the vintage. “..a quality Albariño, bottled during the first spring after harvest, with a balanced structure relying on fresh acidity and a good mineral character, will be at its best after its second spring and will continue growing in bottle for some years.”

Le Caveau tells us it works brilliantly when served with tuna steaks. It is also ideal with seafood, shellfish (Percebes!), fish... “or almost anything coming out of the Atlantic.” The winery recommends serving it at a temperature between 10°C and 12°C and adds that it can also be enjoyed with Asian cuisine. It is best appreciated chilled on a hot summer day.

Thought to be related to Riesling and presumably brought by Cluny monks to 12th century Iberia, via France, the relatively recently fashionable Albarino grape is now mainly associated with Rías Baixas in northwestern Spain.  It is also grown in neighbouring areas in Portugal where it is spelt as Alvarinho. Indeed, recent studies suggest it is native to Galicia and Portugal.

Kinsale’s Le Bistro is well worth le détour

 Kinsale’s Le Bistro is well worth le détour

Dining out

From the outside, it resembles a bistro that you see in any small town in France. Well, the sunshine was extra generous that day, with the colours of the frontage and the flowers catching the eye (the floral arrangement by @daisychainkinsale is just perfect). We are not in France, but in the middle of the Irish seaside town of Kinsale, looking straight ahead at Le Bistro. Parking is available just outside, but we soon realise that it’s also the police station, and these spots are reserved. We soon find a nearby parking lot.

Chicken burger, in Blaa

The welcome in the bistro is warm and friendly. We are taken to our table, which features comfortable chairs and a small vase of flowers on top, along with cutlery, condiments, and paper napkins.  The menu is soon delivered and we see a good choice between sandwiches and hot dishes. Having driven down, we had to forego the wine (a short list, but it covers most of the popular grapes) and opted for the water instead.

Desserts

No shortage of tempting sandwiches in Le Bistro. Cajun Chicken and smoky bacon feature in the Chicken and Bacon. Home-baked and glazed ham shine in the Ham & Cheese Toastie. Slow-cooked brisket is the mainstay of their Beef Sandwich. They also offer a Pork Belly Ciabatta and a Rustic Char-grilled Chicken Wrap. The Vegan Wrap consists of homemade hummus, red onion marmalade, jalapenos, tomato, lettuce, and vegan cheddar. 

We had been told that the special for the day was Quiche (10.95) with black pudding and caramelised onion, salad, and French fries, and that was CL’s choice, which proved to be a good one.

Quiche

My pick was the Rustic Chargrilled Chicken Burger (€16.95), served with tomato, lettuce, cheese, and homemade tzatziki sauce on a toasted Waterford blaa, accompanied by French fries.  It was my third blaa in about ten days, and I would certainly like to see it used more often, as it is nice and soft, compared to those toasted sourdough doorsteps that are so beloved by some cafés. Recent dishes include Pasta Salad with grilled Halloumi and Caesar Salad with Chicken.

At that point, we realised Le Bistro has an outdoor area and we moved there for dessert. It is located at the end of the oblong restaurant space, and we were guided there, then upstairs, and into the sunlight. The kitchen is also located here. Le Bistro, by the way, is located in the building that previously housed Carole Norman’s Crackpots Encore (and also the Supper Club).

Sandycove, Kinsale

As you enter the restaurant, the colourful display of the day’s cakes catches your eye. The temptation lingers and is reinforced when you leave the table to choose! To accompany the excellent coffee, you can choose from Carrot Cake, Caramel Slice, Apple Crumble, Rocky Road, Brownie, and Apple Sponge (from €3.50 to €5.95). My tip is the Carrot Cake, a terrific example, and the lighter Apple Sponge is pretty good as well.

Emily Furey and chef Regis Herviaux are the friendly and efficient couple behind Le Bistro; they also run Kelly’s Coffee shop in Mountbellew, Co. Galway.

Kinsale's Farmers Market (every Wednesday)

Eating and drinking the best of local at the 2025 Ballymaloe Festival of Food. Here’s a sample or two!

Eating and drinking at

 the 2025 Ballymaloe Festival of Food. 

I did it my way! Here’s a sample or two.

As always, there were some amazing chefs and amazing dinners on offer at the 2025 Ballymaloe Festival of Food. With the weather so fine, dining Al Fresco fitted my bill quite well, and I picked dishes from a range of stalls. Fiadha (from Kerry) and their Pulled Pork in a Blaa was a tasty gem. Another enjoyable lunch dish was the La Bolognese, a traditional Italian Ragu made with minced Angus Irish beef from Christian Spaccamonti's IMonsu Market. Catch him at the local Farmers markets including Kinsale, Douglas and Mahon Point. For a garden supper later on, a quartet of Hederman's smoked mackerel fillets did the trick! Plenty of sweet stuff too including from Yum Gelato and, below, the Raspberry Bow Tie from the Grumpy Bakers.

Non Alcoholic drinks are often in the conversation these days. There was even a Festival session about them on Sunday morning. Here's the logic (?) behind the name of this newish one: a beer defined by addition, not subtraction - a special yeast and a trilogy of hops helps unlock that true beer character. The result, an alcohol-free extra pale ale that's intense in flavour (our fierce side) yet mellow enough for any occasion (our mild side). Many Irish non alcoholic beers are not great but this was quite impressive and I bought a pack.

Four years ago, Artisan Sea Salt Harvesters West of Dingle began with more hope than cash (the starting budget was €300). Ballyferriter-based, they hand-harvest their sea salt from the ocean off the Dingle peninsula. Now, they have expanded quite a bit and have five different flavours "which enhance every meal you add it to. We only use natural ingredients in our blends." I've been a fan since day one.

Another small company at the festival was Mad Beans, founded just a few years back by Tipperary couple Martin and Jenny Blanchfield. They say: This dream-turned-reality isn’t just about pouring the perfect cup—it’s about making a real difference. We love coffee (obviously), but we also believe business should be a force for good. That’s why 50% of our profits go straight back into the community." They now offer a Brazilian and a Columbian coffee but it was their Cold Rush, a powerhouse concentrate —refreshing, smooth, bold, and strong - that caught the eye in Ballymaloe, helped no doubt by the warm weather. Looking for recipes for iced coffees? Try their recipe page here.

Leitrim Hill Creamery is a small holding goat farm and creamery in Drumcong, County Leitrim. They make small batch artisanal raw milk cheeses utilising milk from their own herd of goats as well as milk from partner farmers in the region. I haven't opened this pack yet but the taster at Ballymaloe was superb and a useful keep it cool bag clinched the deal!

Hungry Soul from County Clare produces this range of Cream Cheese Alternatives. My favourite was the Garlic and Chive, and I have a pack in the fridge.

Honey is a staple in this house and this particular Wildflower one, rather scarce at present, is a favourite. It is 100% Irish and raw. Galtee Honey Farm is home to 200 colonies of Native Irish Black Honey Bees – a threatened honey bee. It is nestled at the edge of the picturesque Galtee Vee Valley in Tipperary. It’s a three-generation family business, founded by Micheál Mac Giolla Coda in 1970. Now his daughter Aoife and grandchildren work with him – making raw wildflower honey, candles, skincare and food wraps.  

 There were plenty of tours and walks during the festival, and we joined Ballymaloe's head gardener, Mags, who took us on an informative tour of the Ballymaloe Walled Garden. The garden featured everything from cut flowers to forced sea kale, rhubarb, and the more unusual, such as the emerging cherries (above) and the promising peaches (below). 

Ichibanya Sushi & Noodles Bar. So many tempting dishes

Ichibanya Sushi & Noodles Bar

So many tempting dishes

If you’re in Bishopstown, whether a resident or visitor, and feeling hungry, why not give Ichibanya Sushi & Noodles Bar a call? This bright 50-seater place offers a friendly welcome and an extensive menu that will take quite a while to read.

The best place to start reading is the Sushi section, which has some sub-sections. If you are new to Sushi, it may be a good idea to start with individual pieces, such as Maguro Nigiri (Raw Tuna) or Suzuki Nigiri (Raw Seabass). Nigiri is a popular type of sushi consisting of a small mound of vinegared sushi rice topped with a slice of raw fish or other seafood. 

If you have experience with sushi (or sashimi), you could do worse than order the Nigiri Mix. That’s what I did on my recent visit, and I certainly enjoyed the seven-piece selection of Salmon, Tuna, Seabass, Unagi, Cooked Prawn, Cooked Octopus, and Crabstick.

The Bento Boxes are good value here, and there is often one on special offer, as was the case with ours: the Chicken Teriyaki Bento (deep-fried teriyaki chicken, mixed salad, gyoza, rice). 

A traditional Bento typically includes rice or noodles with fish or other meat, often accompanied by pickled and cooked vegetables in the compartmentalised box. Other Bento boxes on offer here include a Beef Yakiniku Bento (wok-fried beef in yakiniku BBQ sauce, mixed salad, takoyaki, rice), a Salmon Teriyaki Bento, and more!

Our little group also got the Chicken Katsu Curry, a pretty generous amount of chicken with rice, some small pieces of vegetables, and a little ginger. We also got a bowl of Miso Soup, which comes automatically (no extra charge) with quite a few of the dishes here (including the bentos).

Some of you are probably familiar with Ramen dishes, and here, you can choose from six different types. We also missed out on trying the Noodle dishes, such as Yaki Udon (Japanese-style stir-fried thick wheat noodles with chicken) and Beef Udon (medium-cooked sirloin beef in hot bonito soup).

Sake is a Japanese alcoholic drink, and they sell two here: Nigori Yuzushu Sake and Hakutsuru Sake. Had I been having a drink, I may well have opted for the Plum Wine. Quite a few soft drinks are available, plus teas and coffees.

Starters and appetisers each have their own section on the menu. And then there is dessert! I’m sorry, I skipped the sweet ending, in particular the Japanese Cotton Cheese Cake, a fluffy, soufflé-style cheesecake with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture and the Rainbow Mille Crepe Cake, a colourful, multi-layered crêpe cake filled with cream cheese, offering a delightful taste with every bite. Next time!

Ichibanya Info

📍Unit 3, High Street, Bishoptown Road T12 KF85

☎️021-4541611

⏰Opening hours 12.30pm-9.30pm Dine-in & Takeaway & Delivery (via Deliveroo and Just Eat. 

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/ichibanya_cork/

Web (Including ordering): https://www.ichibanya.ie/