We asked some great chefs -
What single thing inspired you most in the year 2000?
This is what they said.
"Arzak. In the Basque region of Spain. This restaurant was like
a European Charlie Trotters, very unusual combinations. I was knocked
out by the Smoked Chocolate Mousse. You make the mousse,
then you smoke it, and it was served with pumpkin marmalade, pumpkin
ice cream, and a granita of coca cola! Mad! I have put it
on the menu."
Neven Maguire, MacNean Bistro, Cavan
"For me, it was the Slow Food congress in Turin. It was
so exciting to meet the guy who picks the white truffles I serve
in the restaurant. The smell! I felt I was in a time warp.
It didn't matter what century we were in."
Kevin Thorton, Thornton's, Dublin
"I'm always inspired by ingredients. They could be Irish
ingredients, it could be something like Parma ham. You pay that
extra few bob, and suddenly you've got a better dish."
Derry Clarke, L"Ecrivain, Dublin.
"We were in New York last week for the first time and I went to
Dean & Deluca. I spent a whole day in it, even though I couldn't
buy anything. Beautiful cheeses, vegetables, fruits. The things
we have to work so hard to get here. There was this marbled rib
eye steak. I stood and stared! Whole loaves of foie gras.
Imagine going into a shop in Ireland and being able to buy a loaf
of foie gras! It was like going to the best market in the world".
Robbie Millar, Shanks, Co Down
"For me it was the discovery of Penny Lange's Bio-dynamic
produce. I couldn't get over the quality of it. The fennel! The
basil that sits up and smiles. I started off cautiously to
fit it into the menu. But the reaction from the customers and our
own staff was amazing. They can't help but respond to it. To work
with it is a joy. It was my biggest influence all year and
now I would take anything she would give us."
Georgina O'Sullivan, The Ballymore Inn, Co Kildare
"I'm inspired by print, I'm a real bookie. On my shelf in
Gruel I have Lindsey Bareham's Celebration of Soup and it's fantastic.
It works. She's not really a chef, she compiles great recipes with
every kind of garnish. It's there on my shelf beside Good Housekeeping
Home Baking. This year's been very samey for books. Like everyone,
I'm reading Kitchen Confidential. We're all fed up with Australian
Vogue soft focus, and all these heavy duty recipes with weights
and measures. I prefer books that get into the idea the feeling
behind it. Nigel Slater is the cutting edge for me, but I don't
like the new book".
Ben Gorman, Gruel, Mermaid Café, Dublin
"Slow Cooking does it for me this year. Braises, I'm fed
up with high heat, short-time cooking. While it has it's place,
it's not something that interests me any more. Classic cooking
has inspired me, comfort food."
Alan O'Reilly
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