Fingal savours a cheesy nod from Mr Tayto

IN Ireland, a favourable nod from Mr Tayto is right up there with a rave review from acclaimed Argentine chef Francis Mallmann.

Both have bestowed praise on Fingal Ferguson and the Schull-based Gubbeen brand – one having included the famous cheese in a new sandwich, while the other posted a rave review of Fingal’s knife-making skills.

Celebrity chef, author, and restaurateur Mallmann, who specialises in Argentine cuisine and is the mastermind behind YesChef (a term that now trips off the tongue of all viewers of The Bear), originally met Fingal when they cooked together at an event in Ballymaloe in East Cork.

‘Francis bought a couple of knives and asked me to make a set that he wanted to use in a TV show,’ Fingal told The Southern Star. Later, a reporter asked Francis Mallmann to name a favourite thing and Fingal’s knives topped the list.

Fingal Ferguson of Gubbeen is thrilled with the inclusion.

The plaudit was featured in a post that went viral. Roll on 2024 and Tayto, in collaboration with Hawksmoor Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar in Dublin, have come up with a limited-edition toastie, featuring Gubbeen cheese.

Hawksmoor’s executive head chef Matt Brown devised the sandwich, which is a mighty ham hock and cheese toastie, served alongside loaded Tayto crisps.

Within toasted Bread 41 sourdough, the sandwich includes ham hock, red and white Irish cheddar, Gubbeen cheese, a little mozzarella, cornichons and jalapeños.

The sandwich comes with Tayto crisps that have also been given the Hawksmoor treatment, and come loaded with scallion mayo and juicy ham hock on top – all of which gives Tayto’s legendary Cheese and Onion crisps a lip-smacking lift.

This delicious collaboration will be available at the bar in Hawksmoor’s restaurant on College Green from January 17th to the end of March.