Reinforcements for Celtic Cook-off Champ!

Ondine's Roy Brett makes welcome return to Taste of West Cork!

2011 Celtic Cook Off winner, Roy Brett of Ondine Restaurant in Edinburgh, is bringing three of his brigade with him to the West Cork Hotel in Skibbereen to provide “A Taste of Ondine” on Tuesday 11 September. Roy and his team will work with Chef Aidan O’Driscoll and the West Cork Hotel team to cook a Scottish themed meal using the very best of West Cork produce.

Roy loved his visit to the A Taste of West Cork Festival so much last year that he discussed the possibility of coming back with Neil Grant, West Cork Hotel General Manager, as soon as he returned to Scotland. “Roy has been an unbelievable ambassador for West Cork and its incredible food produce since his visit a year ago,” explains Neil. “Roy featured Rosscarbery Recipe’s White and Black puddings, Sally Barnes Smoked Salmon and he even started baking his own Soda Bread after his visit. I understand he knocked back numerous offers to attend various events this year in favour of attending this year’s food festival, so we are thrilled to have him.”

Roy will be a busy man. Not only will he be cooking a meal at the West Cork Hotel, he is also judging for both the Food Festival’s Schools’ Cookery Competition and this year’s Celtic Cook Off event. Roy was blown away by the quality of cooking on show at last year’s Schools’ Competition and vowed to return. “If you asked a kid in Scotland where there food came from they would say ‘Tesco,’” was Roy’s quip on seeing the young chefs talk about the provenance of their food being cooked last year!

It will be fascinating to see Roy judge the Celtic Cook Off as he is very familiar with Tony Singh of Scotland as well as Jack Stein and Stephane Delourme who are coming from the Rick Stein Company and representing Cornwall and Brittany respectively. “I can’t wait to put them under a little bit of pressure,” says Roy. We can’t wait either!!

Roy’s Taste of Ondine will be a six course tasting menu at €40 per person and will be served at 7:30 PM on Tuesday 11 September. Roy may even drag a few of the Celtic Cook Off competitors into the kitchen to support him!

The produce for this Celtic Feast is kindly sponsored by artisan food producer members of West Cork Food. As Neil Grant says, “We are lucky to have such a wealth of great produce in this region. The producers have such passion and their passion combined with Roy’s artistry….wow. We are in for a great night!”

Bookings can be made through the West Cork Hotel reception. +00 353 (0)28 21277