Asian Style Food Comes To Cork's Electric. And Fits Right In On The City's South Bank

Asian Style Food Comes To Cork's Electric

 And Fits Right In On The City's South Bank

Hake Soba

Don’t let strange words get in the way of an excellent meal! That’s more or less our message after our first tasting of Electric’s Asian style food in midweek.

First strange word up was in CL’s starter: Deep Fried Gyoza (9.00), a dipping sauce with a choice of Chicken, Duck, or Vegetable. The Gyoza are Japanese pan-fried dumplings. Her choice was chicken and they went down a treat with the sauce.

Gyoza

Cabáiste

No real verbal obstacles with my opening dish: Grilled Napa Cabbage wedge (10.00)  with Apple, chili and tamarind dressing and a scattering of walnuts. Cabbage its highly regarded in Eastern cuisines and certainly went up in my estimation with this treat. Napa is not from the famous wine valley, though you may well get it there, but originally from China. It has a longish cone type head rather than the familiar globe.

 I had been “prepared” for this thanks to a super Pork collar, miso, grilled winter cabbage and peanut rayu at Cork’s Glass Curtain a couple of years back. And, more recently at the same venue, a BBQ'd pointed Hispi cabbage, Pork belly, Whey caramel, Black garlic combination, also delicious.

Soon our very friendly Electric servers were bringing our main courses. CL had bravely picked the Okonomiyaki (16.00), Japanese pancake, sake, lime, mayo, spiced bbq sauce & deep fried noodles. Aside from the forbidding title word, the Insta friendly dish was very well received. Okonomiyaki, the pancake, is available all over Japan and can be served with a variety of toppings. CL’s came with mixed veg, all lovely and crisp, and was crowned with a pile of deep fried prawn flavoured noodles. Eye-catching and palate pleasing!

Okonomiyaki

Just one 4-letter word, a common enough one, in my mains and that was soba, a thin Japanese noodle made from buckwheat. The full description was Hake Soba (24.00) Thai basil, chilli, and lemongrass. The Hake, with its crispy skin, was top of the tidy pile and the noodles with little bits of crunchy veg and the sauce of course were a delight to dispatch. Rather addictive actually.

Something sweet from the East? Of course. We shared the two desserts (each at €7.50). Ginger and lemongrass is a well-used combination and so one pick was their Lemongrass and Ginger Pudding with orange and cashew crumb and pomegranate. You could compare it to a panna cotta but, with the nuts, the orange and pomegranate, this winner was more flavourful.

Blondie

The other was the Rich Chai Blondie with toffee, Kaffir lime Crème Anglaise. In India, chai is tea made with added spices and Chai Blondies are like brownies without the chocolate. Electric’s square, with the toffee and custard, was a superb dessert.

Electric’s move to Asian came about when they had time on their hands during the Covid closures and were thinking about the future. Asian experts from the UK were brought in to train the local kitchen staff. I, for one, was a bit wary when I heard about the transformation. I am now convinced. Very Highly Recommended.

Electric are now well known for their cocktails. Indeed, the former fish bar upstairs is now known as Ohm and had just been launched as their cocktail bar. Downstairs the bar is busy every evening and the food here also has that Asian touch. For updates on menus and opening times, please check their Facebook page and their Instagram at electriccork.

Marina Market food vouchers to be won at Dad Rocks event!

Dad Rocks Family Fun Day celebrating Dads and Father Figures Everywhere is heading to the Marina Market this Father’s Day June 19^th

 

The inaugural Dad Rocks Family Fun Day comes to the Marina Market this Father’s Day, Sunday 19^th June, presented by Eventi Management and funded by the Local Live Performance Programming Scheme Phase III and supported by Cork City Council’s Sports and Sustainability Section. The Dad Rocks Family Fun Day is a day celebrating all things  father figures on Father’s Day – rock and funk sounds, dad jokes, air guitars and more to beat the band! Here's to the Dads!

 

Director of Eventi Management, Sinéad Dunphy said, “Dad Rocks is a true celebration of dads and father figures everywhere and promises entertainment and fun for all the family.  We invite everyone to bring their dads, moms, grandads, grandmas, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and any other father figure in their life to come and enjoy their dedicated day with music, food and fun. We have a jam packed schedule for the day so there really is something for every kind of dad!”

 

The day of dad fun includes a raucous line-up of DJ Ian Richards, King K, One Horse Pony, Quangodelic, Harvey K and the Wrecking Crew, playing all your favourite classics on our outdoor music stage. The day will be filled with fun antics including Best Dad Jokes Competition hosted by the hilariously pompous dad of the year (!!) Reggie from the Blackrock Road, an Air Guitar Competition and a DIY Dad Obstacle Course that will put dad skills to the ultimate test in a race against the clock!

 

Reggie, from the Blackrock Road and a dad himself, noted, “I'm no stranger to Dad humour. My own father pretended that we were moving to Ballinlough once, he thought it was hilarious. The prize will go to whoever can give me a belly laugh and 200 quid in used fivers. See you in Marina Market!”

 

You can prep your best joke on air with REDFM’s Philip Burke in the run up to the big day on June 19^th. 

 

With many more surprises in store, grab all the dads in your life for fatherly frolics through the Marina Market this Father’s Day! Dad Rocks runs from 1pm – 8pm and entry is completely free!

1  Dad Rocks is an original event produced by Eventi Management and funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media by way of the Local Live Performance Scheme Phase III. 

 

2  REDFM are official media partners with a dad joke competition on air with the Philip Burke show every day from the week of the 13^th, and prizes in the form of Marina Market food vouchers will be given.

 

3  Marina Market are the official venue partners of the event. 

media release

Taste of the Week. CorkBilly Cherry Brandy 2019

Taste of the Week. 

        CorkBilly Cherry Brandy 2019

This limited edition Cherry Brandy, of which I'm very fond, started life in August 2019 and three years later was named (with extreme bias) as Taste of the Week. 

The brandy was your basic Hennessy. The cherries were pretty basic too, from a supermarket as far as I can recall. They were nowhere near as good as those from the Apple Farm (I was too late for those) but they did the job well.

I was following the recipe in Booze by John Wright, No. 12 in the excellent River Cottage series of Handbooks. They advised not leaving the cherries there for too long  as "the almond flavour is extracted from the stone" and your cherry brandy "could taste inescapably like..disgusting, pink medicine.."

So forewarned, I separated the cherries and bottled the liquid just after the minimum two months on October 18th 2019. Then the Cherry Brandy was put away and patience reigned. I could have started drinking it after 12 months but it was just about two weeks back, (nearer to three years), that I started.

The result was excellent. Well worth a try. By the way that River Cottage Booze book has tons of recipes for similar infusions such as Blackberry Whiskey (mine is still unopened) and Raspberry Vodka (very easy to make and easier to drink!). Also some wine recipes including Strawberry and Elderberry. Some ales too!

FAMILY FUN AT WEST WATERFORD FESTIVAL OF FOOD

FAMILY FUN AT WEST WATERFORD FESTIVAL OF FOOD

 

On the farm: Donagh Fitzgerald (4) and his brother Aodhán (5)

West Waterford Festival of Food will offer a full menu of free events for families from 10-12 June, perfect for mini gourmets and aspiring chefs. Over 35,000 visitors are expected to attend Ireland’s largest food festival, with children’s events to include workshops, talks, demos and tasting sessions to develop an interest in growing, rearing and cooking food from a young age. The extensive children’s events across the weekend can be viewed on www.westwaterfordfestivaloffood.com.

 

West Waterford Festival of Food CEO Maeve Quill said: “After a two-year break from our physical festival, we’re delighted to welcome visitors back. Through the 13^th annual West Waterford Festival of Food we want to reach as many people as possible, both locally and beyond. We especially hope to inspire the next generation of food lovers with an exciting variety of free family-friendly cookery demos and activities that will make aspiring young foodies appreciate and love food even more.” 

 

Organisers are encouraging families to pop into the free Glanbia Family Fun Zone from 11am-3pm on Saturday (11 June) and Sunday (12 June) where youngsters can get up close and personal to animals at the mobile farm, meet the birds of prey, enjoy a picnic and games and plant their own seedlings. The Glanbia Family Fun Zone will also host the National Reptile Zoo Keepers, with animals ranging from pythons to gecko lizards, tarantulas to scorpions. There will also be a clay workshop with Martha Cashman on Saturday, while a dog show takes place on the Sunday. Across the weekend, families can also take part in a Food Treasure Hunt from Dungarvan Tourist Office.

The Youthspace tent by WSTCYS Waterford Comhairle na nÓg, Dungarvan Youth Project and Day Youth Development Programme will provide a fun, safe space for young people with activities including blind taste challenges, climate action challenges, and budget dinner ideas.

As part of the new Wellness Tasters, there will be drop-in yoga workshops while children under five eat for free at the famed Flahavan’s Greenway Breakfast at Coach House Coffee, Kilmacthomas on Saturday from 9am. Young cooks can don their aprons for Bake Off — an opportunity to put their best cake forward for judging at the Ormond Café.

 

There are paid ticketed events suitable for children with the Cool Food School and Sensory Cooking at Walton Park Marquee. There will also be a teddy bear picnic in Walton Park. Further family friendly events include family farm excursions, and a picnic river cruise with Blackwater Eco Tours River Cruise.

 

The 2022 West Waterford Festival of Food is supported by Waterford City and County Council, Waterford Local Enterprise Office and LEADER Partnership, with sponsors McCarthy Insurance Group, Flahavan’s, Glanbia Ireland, Expressway, Flo Gas, Dawn Meats, Garvey’s, Eurofins, San Pellegrino, Blackwater, SuperValu Food Academy, Coillte, FBD, Local Link, and AIB. 

  

For up-to-date information, visit www.westwaterfordfestivaloffood.com or follow: 

·         Facebook: @WaterfordFoodFestival 

·         Twitter: @WdFoodFestival 

·         Instagram: @westwaterfordfestivaloffood 

press release

Ocean Sands Enniscrone open new Ocean Spa

press release

Ocean Sands Enniscrone open new Ocean Spa

The Ocean Sands Hotel in the seaside town of Enniscrone, Co. Sligo has opened a new luxury spa completing the suite of offerings in this newly appointed four star hotel. The appropriately named Ocean Spa is at beach level, directly accessible from the carpark and ideal for both residents and non-residents. It offers a range of body and beauty treatments using quality Elemis and Ishga products in four therapy suites as well as a thermal suite and relaxation room. The Ocean Spa is open seven days a week from 10am to 6pm.

“The Ocean Spa is a superb addition to our facilities at the Ocean Sands Hotel”, explained Jennifer Howley, General Manager, “It adds a layer of affordable luxury for all our guests and is an ideal option for bridal parties who can now have their hair and makeup done without stepping outside”.

The team of experienced therapists is led by Spa Manager Louise McCormack who has created a relaxing, intimate feel in the beautifully designed spa. Dominating the relaxation room, a glorious image of sand and sea perfectly reflects the spa location. The treatment suites include a double room for couples and friends with a bespoke seaweed bath and a dedicated beauty and pedicure room. The thermal suite features a detoxifying infra-red sauna, signature hot tub and experience shower.  A salt cave will open soon.

The product ranges were carefully chosen to complement the location and client experience. Elemis is a well-known skin wellness brand describing itself as having an aromatherapist’s soul, an artist’s spirit, and a scientist’s commitment to results. Ishga is an organic, vegan skincare range from the Outer Hebrides based on hand-harvested seaweed growing in the pristine waters. Hebridean seaweed contains natural antioxidants with properties which transform and protect tired or aging skin. Both products are gentle and restorative, offering soothing and rejuvenating treatments.

Overlooking the magnificent 5 kilometre sandy beach the newly refurbished Ocean Sands Hotel deservedly achieved four star status this season. New executive head chef Marcin Szczodrowski has just introduced a new nine-course Chef’s Signature Tasting Menu available on Thursdays and Fridays from 9^th June.

The Ocean Sands Hotel comprises 50 generous bedrooms including 20 family rooms and an impressive bridal suite complete with sea view balcony. Directly behind the hotel are 13 beautifully appointed and roomy apartments with easy beach access. It’s ideal for family holidays with a safe attractive playground beside outdoor tables. It’s pet friendly, allowing dogs in selected hotel rooms and apartments. The Ocean Sands is an acclaimed wedding venue.

June 2022 - Ocean Spa Special Offer
Treatment and Thermal €75

1-hour thermal visit followed by a pampering 55 minute treatment. 

Choose one of the following:
*Elemis superfood pro-glow radiance facial 
*Hot stone back neck and shoulder massage with Hot oil nourishing scalp massage
*Mini Indian head massage with ocean spa foot ritual 

A Quart of Ale± #107. On the craft journey with Third Barrel, Kinnegar, Wicklow Wolf, Mescan, Larkin's

A Quart of Ale± #107

On the craft journey with Third Barrel, Kinnegar, Wicklow Wolf, Mescan, Larkin's 

*********

Third Barrel Some Dance To Remember Extra Pale Ale 4.8%, 

440 ml can Bradleys

Beautiful gold/amber colour, hazy of course, with a soft head that takes its time to say goodbye. Exotic fruit as expected in the aroma with Mango and Passion Fruit leading the dank charge. Those flavours also feature on the well-balanced palate along with the tart gooseberry from the Nelson. Another excellent well-executed beer, a slam-dunk, from the Third Barrel crew.

They say: We're kicking off the slamming season with an absolute slammer of a pale ale. This little beauty was brewed with our favourite hops. Strata and Nelson Sauvin.. All this, with a simplified malt bill leaves a crisp and fruit forward extra slammable extra pale ale.

Who are Third Barrel? Initially formed in 2016 as a collaboration between two gypsy brands who wanted their own space. Third Barrel has now grown to be one of the most respected brands in Irish craft beer. Brewing everything from the most wholesome Pils to Triple IPAs and everything in-between. “Our one and only passion in life is making savage beer and we love sharing that passion with you.”

  

Some Dance to Forget is the name of a companion to this one - it takes two to tango. “Big, Bold and in your Face is how we describe this beer. A Triple IPA brewed with 25g/l of Mosaic and Idaho 7. With a trimmed back malt bill to let the hops shine. You can expect a HUGE punch of Grapefruit, Pineapple with a touch of fruit candy.”

Kinnegar Brewers at Play 23 Mango Gose 4.3%, 440ml can Bradleys

This Mango Gose from Kinnegar Brewery comes in a hazy lemon robe with a head that is something of a shrinking violet.  Aromas indicate the expected sourness, mango in the background, yeasty hints too.  The mango gets its chance to shine on the palate, where the beer is now confirmed as tart and refreshing. No big finish but the refreshment came earlier.

Kinnegar say: “Brewers at Play presents new beers designed to keep our brewers on their toes and our customers on their tenterhooks. .No 23 in the series, Mango Gose does pretty much what it says on the tin…If this tart refreshing beer balanced with bright mango doesn’t herald the arrival of Spring, surely nothing will.”

Spring has started but this well balanced gose, with gentle salt and mild sourness, and its refreshing tartness, will also shine during the summer.

Ingredients: water, barley, wheat, oats, mango, hops, yeast. 

This once-off comes in a 440ml can with an ABV of 4.3%. 

Wicklow Wolf Mescan Wit or Without You Belgian Wit 5.0%, 440 ml can Bradleys

For the latest in the brewery’s Crossbreed Series, Wicklow Wolf collaborated, very successfully as it turned out, with Mayo’s Mescan Brewery:

“We are delighted to welcome our good friends from Mescan to brew something special. Cillian is a wizard (he even looks like one) when it comes to brewing Belgian inspired Irish beers, so when we discussed brewing a beer together, it was always going to be a Belgian style. Wit or Witout you is a perfect summer beer.” 

This is indeed a light and refreshing Belgian style Witbier and pours a hazy lemon with a white head that soon sinks. Of course you’ll immediately note that banana heads up the aromatics. The palate is more complex, the banana still there along with traces of the fresh orange peel and herbal notes as well. A very pleasant beer indeed with a touch of sweetness evident, low carbonation and light with a malty sweetness and excellent flavour. A big thumbs up!

This unfiltered and unpasteurised natural beer contains Indian C coriander, orange zest, and black peppercorn. No banana!

Larkins with Dot Brew American Breakfast Stout 8.5%, 440ml can Bradleys

Billed as “Our north American interpretation of their breakfast stout classic, with vanilla ice cream and maple syrup”. They named it, well, American Breakfast Stout.

It is black, so far so good. The off-white head vanishes quickly. And coffee heads up the aromatics. As you drink, the coffee continues in the aromas while the Maple Syrup (and vanilla to a lesser degree) get showtime on the palate. Sweet for sure, no denying that, but there is something of a balance here, something of a saving grace but hardly a stairway to beer heaven.

At least I can finish this one, one of a trio Larkins produced in collaboration with Dot Brew. But I should have paid much more attention to the labels when buying, especially the list of ingredients: Barley, Lactose, Coffee, Oats, Hops, Water, Yeast, Maple Syrup and Vanilla. American yes but not the Full Irish! 

****

A Gorgeous Valpolicella Ripasso. And a couple to note when dining out.

A Gorgeous Valpolicella Ripasso.

And a couple to note when dining out. 

Musella Valpolicella Ripasso (DOC) Superiore 2017, 14%, O’Briens Wine €24.45

Musella is an organic family-run winery and one of the "13 Amarone Families", a group regarded as the best producers in the Veneto region, in the Northeast of Italy. Musella value their local grapes (grown in the predominantly limestone soil), including those in this blend:  Corvina and Corvinone 85%, Rondinella 10% and Barbera 5%.

The colour of the blend is a bright ruby red. And the nose draws you in further with aromas of red fruits and spices. The palate is full of vibrant cherry flavours, smooth for sure, and with the most perfect balance. And it finishes well and long with more fruit (raspberry included now) and some herbal notes plus a gentle touch of tannin on the lips. A very engaging Valpolicella indeed, complex yet quaffable,  and Very Highly Recommended.

The concentration here is the result of the Ripasso method. Ripasso (re-passed) wines are made by fermenting young Valpolicella wine with the unpressed but drained skins and lees left over from making Amarone and this process can give the Ripasso a “super-charge”. Read more details about the method here.

Suggested pairings are cold meats/pâtés, Duck, Nutroast, Pheasant/Pigeon, Pizza/Pasta, Rib-Eye Steak, Sirloin/Striploin/Rump steak.

By the way, I was just reading there in Vino Italiano that Valpolicella means “valley of many cellars” (vallis polis cellae). The Modern History of Italian Wine though, says the POL refers to large mounds of sand and gravel left behind after flooding in the local river but goes on to confirm that “this great land of wines has always practiced the characteristic technique of over-ripening and drying the grapes”.

Wine Folly has proposed a hierarchy of Valpolicella blended wines with our Ripasso in the middle. Above it are Recioto Della Valpolicella and Amarone Della Valpolicella while below are plain Valpolicella Superior and Valpolicella Classico. So now you know!

The Veneto (capital: Venice) is one of the 20 Italian regions and has a population of about five million.

Two O’Briens Spotted In The Wild

(Well, in restaurants really!)

Bodega Tandem Casual blanco 

I was surprised to find this one on the by-the-glass list (also by the bottle of course) in the Michelin Bib Gourmand Restaurant CUSH in beautiful Ballycotton. 

You rarely see Viura as a house white in Irish restaurants. Tandem's gorgeous Casual, with its elegant nose (floral and fennel) and its vibrant, fresh and mineral palate, could change all that. The wine, from Navarra, was superb with the halibut.

They like their Latin in this Spanish winery, even the Tandem is Latin. The wine name here is from the word casualis, accidentally, luckily. It is the only thing accidental about this wine though,  a beautifully made Viura from a gorgeous plot. Viura is perhaps best known as the main white grape in Rioja but has obviously crossed into neighbouring Navarra. In the rest of Spain it is known as Macabeu.

It has been fermented in stainless steel with its wild yeasts at 15-16ºC for 32 days and aged on its lees for 4 months at 16ºC. Recommended serving temperature is 12 degrees.

Lagar de Costa Geal Albariño

Geal Albariño is made on an artisanal scale by O’Briens Wine Director Lynne Coyle MW and the family owned Lagar de Costa winery in Rías Baixas, Spain. Most of these vineyards are very small and Lynne told us at a recent Albariño tasting that the Lagar de Costa winery has 11 hectares and is regarded as quite large.

The wine was aged on lees in a single concrete egg for eight months bringing complexity and depth. Geal Albariño is dry, refreshing, and lightly textured with green fruit notes, a hint of white peach and a lingering salinity making it an ideal wine for seafood. 

Geal by the way is the Irish and Scottish (Lynne is Scottish) for bright. Most of you will have come across it in school; if you don’t remember, check out the pronunciation here. 

In Nell’s, the new wine bar in MacCurtain Street, Cork, we took Aine’s advice and ordered a glass of the Geal and it went well with their lovely Fennel infused Nocellara olives.

It is also perfect with shellfish and seafood. The vineyard is right alongside the Atlantic and the vines grow on granitic soil. So that, and the fact the some of the roots are more or less in the water, may account for the traces of salinity in the Geal.

Finalists in the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year competition 2022 presented by La Rousse Foods

Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year

Top (l to r): Eoghan O'Flynn, Shauna Murphy,  Victor Franca, Attila Galambos

Bottom (l to r): Calum Falls, David Condon, Leticia Miranda

After an exciting & rigorous skills test semi-final, seven young talents go through to the final of the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year competition 2022 presented by La Rousse Foods

This year the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year competition celebrates its 30th anniversary — a proud 30-year record of supporting and nurturing young talent in the kitchens of some of Ireland’s best restaurants, promoting young chefs who are themselves mentored by some of the country’s leading talents.

Continuing the competitive journey that began for these young chefs in January, the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year 2022, competition presented by principal partners La Rousse Foods today announced that seven chefs will continue on to the grand final in September.

In January, 12 young chefs were selected for the semi-finals which took place yesterday, on Sunday May 29th in the professional kitchens of Dublin Cookery School, Blackrock, Co. Dublin. Guest judges Richard Corrigan of The Corrigan Collection, Shauna Froydenlund formerly chef patron of Marcus at The Berkeley, Kieran Glennon of Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud and Euro-Toques Commissioner General Gareth Mullins of The Marker Hotel chose the seven young talents following their skills test semi-final yesterday.

The seven chefs selected to go through to the final round of Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year 2022 are David Condon - The Shelbourne Hotel, Calum Falls -  Aimsir, Victor Franca - Nua Asador, Attila Galambos - Aniar Restaurant, Leticia Miranda - Mae Restaurant, Shauna Murphy – The Oak Room, Adare Manor and Eoghan O'Flynn - Liss Ard Estate.

During the course of today’s semi-final, the 12 participating young chefs were set two separate tasks — the first a skills test of following a recipe and the second of creating a dish based on a mystery basket of produce selected by the judging committee. Their tasks were to make a classic crème Anglaise with a recipe and method to be followed precisely, for which they were allocated a half hour, followed by a 90-minute task of producing a dish using mystery ingredients.

Focusing on local ingredients and the idea of reconnecting with friends and family, the semi-finalists were requested to create a family-style dish using mackerel and a surprise basket of ingredients, while also having access to other elements they selected themselves from the Pantry by La Rousse Foods, a selection that includes many award-winning Irish producers.

With Domini Kemp and Conor Halpenny running the kitchen, the young chefs worked hard to fulfil these two challenges, a test of all the skills essential in a kitchen including knife skills, palate, creativity, ability to plate, cooking, seasoning, technique, understanding of raw ingredients and ability to read a recipe. Then the 12 young hopefuls were marked on their execution and work practice, the taste and flavour of their various dishes, and presentation, with the skills set counting for 25% of the total and the mystery basket test for 75% of the total score.  

The seven selected finalists in the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year competition, will have the opportunity to experience a series of educational events over the summer months before the grand final in September, including a stay at Ballymaloe, a masterclass with Michelin-starred chef, Mark Froydenlund, a lunch at a Michelin starred restaurant and more.

The Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year competition presented by La Rousse Foods is Ireland’s premier culinary competition celebrating Ireland’s best emerging culinary talent. Open to professional chefs under the age of 28, the competition has a proven track record in discovering the finest young talent with former winners including Mark Moriarty who progressed to win the World San Pellegrino Young Chef Competition in 2015. Former 2017 winner Conor Halpenny is currently entering the 2022 World San Pellegrino Young Chef Competition. The young chef finalists in this year’s Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year 2022 are currently working in some of the country’s most exciting and sophisticated kitchens and being mentored by individual chefs with unique skill sets and talents. For all the young chefs taking part this contest is a unique experience that will provide recognition throughout Ireland and beyond, and act as a prestigious stepping-stone in their culinary career.

 

Full list with mentors

• David Condon  |The Shelbourne Hotel |Mentor: Andy Sommefeldt

• Calum Falls |Aimsir | Mentor: Jordan Bailey

• Victor Franca  |Nua Asador| Mentor: Ross Lewis

• Attila Galambos  |Aniar restaurant | Mentor: JP MacMahon

• Leticia Miranda |Mae Restaurant | Mentor: Gráinne O’Keefe

• Shauna Murphy |The Oak Room Adare Manor| Mentor: Killian Bowen

• Eoghan O'Flynn |Liss Ard Estate| Mentor: Alex Petit