Cooking for the Restaurant Awards 2023
An interview I gave as part of the Restaurant Awards dinner in Dublin, introducing the Main Course of the meal.
While in Culinary School the members of my course got the opportunity to go to Dublin and be part of the team cooking for the Restaurant Awards National Awards Dinner 2023. It was an amazing experience, although a little stressful at times as all kitchens can be. Cooking for 1200 of the best Chefs and Restaurateurs in the country is an experience I won’t soon forget.
Starter: Smoked Salmon, Salmon Gravilax, Dill Cream, Lightly Pickled Mussels, Pickles Onions, Squid Ink Tuille, and a Basil Cream.
When we got to the kitchens after the Hotel had finished their Breakfast Service we started working on canapés, preparing dumplings and croquettes, as well as getting the lay of the land as to our environment for the day. Starting at 10 in the morning we were aware that we had a long day ahead, and we were ready for the challenge.
Main Course: Williams Gate Beef, Braised Ox Cheek Tartlet with Celeriac and Parmesan Puree, a Brioche Toast with Truffle Quenelle, Rhubarb Chutney and Duck Parfait
Once the canapés had been prepared and the kitchen tour had been done, we were divided as to which course we would be working on: Starter, Soup, Main, and Dessert. I had the luck of being involved in the Main Course, although we each floated around and got to experience the different courses as well as being part of the plating teams for service.
Dessert: Raspberry and Chocolate Pate a Bomb, Raspberry Coulis, Raspberry Popcorn, Basil Custard, White Chocolate Crumb, Raspberry Sorbet Lollipop coated in White Chocolate.
A very important part of this day was the fact that we had cameras following our experience so we were mindful of every move. As the time for service drew closer we were required to give interviews to introduce the courses we had been working on (pictured above). While I don’t have any pictures of the soup, it was Curried Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash.
Once the time for service arrived, it was both familiar and unlike anything I had ever experienced. I had partaken in large scale events, while working in the Woodlands Hotel Adare, some of which had up to 450 guests, and relied on a very smooth flow of service, however the sheer scale of 1200 guests was something I had no frame of reference for. Thankfully Chef Finbar Higgins and his team guided us through the first few tables in order to get the rhythm and we were ready to go.
Service went by in what felt like the blink of an eye, and we were toasting the successful completion of the dinner before going out onto the stage as part of the team. It was at this moment that the sheer scale of what we had been involved in really hit us, as we looked out at the sea of guests.
Finishing service at around 11:30PM, we were extremely exhausted, with a sense of achievement. An experience we will all remember for sure.