Last month’s inaugural event, featuring Keralan, Palestinian and Italian treats, was inspired by a proud domestic culinary traditionCounty Cork has always enjoyed a reputation for serving the best food in Ireland. Buoyed by great local producers such as Ballycotton Seafood and the Jameson whiskey distillery, along with the city’s English market, its modern culinary scene
Cook up a global feast without leaving home Food enthusiasts from Japan, Mexico, Thailand, Palestine, Korea, India, Brazil share insights into their cuisines
Sat, May 15, 2021, 06:00 Updated: Sat, May 15, 2021, 10:26 Ali Dunworth
We’re often told we can travel through food, but how easy is it really to get authentic tastes in Ireland? Chefs and food enthusiasts living in Ireland, who hail from more far-flung places, share their impressions on how authentically their home food is represented here, and suggest ways to replicate the tastes and flavours they miss the most.
JAPAN
Yoshimi Hayakawa, chef and owner Wa Cafe in Galway
Japanese food usually contains rice, fish, meat, vegetables and miso soup. It’s not just about sushi. Dashi, which is soup stock in Japanese, is a staple ingredient made with katsuobushi, or bonito fish flakes, and komb
CHEF OF THE YEAR Gráinne O’Keefe
In a year when chefs and restaurant folk were challenged more than ever before, Gráinne O’Keefe proved that a knack for quick thinking is just as important as being able to cook a perfect steak (although she does that too… her signature 80-day whiskey-aged côte de boeuf with chimichurri and smoked bone marrow at Clanbrassil House, Dublin 8, is a thing of beauty, and make sure to order the hash brown chips and pickled onion mayonnaise on the side while you’re at it). As culinary director of BuJo, in Sandymount, she was first out of the traps with a burger kit for home cooks and got nationwide delivery up and running before other restaurants had figured out their packaging. (It’s still right up there amongst the very best of the meal kits.) Smart collaborations throughout the year have kept BuJo relevant and in touch with their customers, and new branches are on the cards for 2021. O’Keefe even found time to put in an appearance on