THREE Cork chefs are among the six finalists in the running to take the title of Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year.
They include Nell McCarthy from Dede restaurant in Baltimore, mentored by Ahmet Dede, Eoghan O’Flynn from The Cove at Fota Resort, mentored by Alex Petit, and Rob Martin of Apple HQ, mentored by Richard Murray.
Nell will advance to the final round in October, with a brief to focus on reimagining what’s possible with the bounty of Ireland’s land and sea.
From heritage grains to lesser-known fish, from curing and fermentation to nose-to-tail butchery and farmhouse cheesemaking, the brief asks: how can the past shape the future of food?
Nell and the other finalists faced two core challenges in the semi finals – a pastry skills test with just 30 minutes to replicate a recipe for shortbread biscuits and create a flavoured cream, and a mystery basket with three core ingredients of megrim (a lesser used native fish), vegetables and a sauce.
One of Nell’s signature dishes, pan fried megrim, fresh herb and sea spaghetti with beurre blanc, gooseberries, romesco ricotta, tomatoes and Dingle sea salt & Nell’s signature biscuit.
Gareth Mullins, chair of the young chefs committee, said the focus on megrim was deliberate in order to ‘highlight local ingredients that are often overlooked’.
He added: ‘For decades megrim was almost entirely exported to countries like Spain and France. But recently, there’s been a real push to promote megrim here in Ireland where it’s now sometimes referred to as Irish sole.’
The Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year Final will take place on Sunday October 12th.
