Pompeii Pizza marks a decade of pizza-making

10 Years of Bringing Real & Rustic Pizza to Cork

Pompeii Pizza marks a decade of pizza-making

Johnny (standing), with help from nephew Oran, about to blow out the candles on Monday night.
Thanks to Pompeii for the picture

Pizza galore as Pompeii Pizza celebrated their tenth anniversary at Franciscan Well, their Cork base for the decade, last Monday night. I always enjoy their pizzas here. And don't worry, your palate won't get bored as Pompeii keep coming up with new toppings, even a Breakfast Pizza featuring Jack McCarthy's black pudding and a fried egg on top.

Your order's on the way!

Of course beer and pizza are traditional table companions and we were glad to again try the Franciscan brews including an old pal Rebel Red and a newish one, a session ale (4%) named Pilgrims.

The party was called to start at 7.00pm but, when we came in at 6.30, the place was abuzz. We checked out the menu for the night. You could make your own but we gave that a skip. CL ordered the Salsiccia: tomato sauce, broccoli marinated with olive oil, garlic and chilli, O’Flynn’s sweet Italian sausage at the heart of it, Fior di Latte Mozzarella. A superb combination - we shared - even the broccoli was outstanding.

‘Nduja

My pick was the ‘Nduja. It features spicy pork sausage with lots of chilli, together with caramelised onions, fior di latte, parmesan, & fresh basil. A bit more spice than the Salsiccia but another very satisfying pizza indeed. Well worth a try if you get a chance to visit. Just as well we ordered the regular size - don't think we’d have managed the large.

Johnny O’Mahony established Pompeii Pizza in his hometown of Fermoy in 2009. With the help of a group of friends, he hand-built his first wood-fired oven based on the design of the ovens discovered in the ancient ruins of Roman Pompeii – hence the name ‘Pompeii Pizza’. His innovation was to put the wood-burning oven on a trailer, so Pompeii Pizza was born as a mobile venture.

Salsiccia. Delicious!

In the early days, Johnny roped in family and friends to assist, and served slices of wood-fired goodness at numerous farmers markets, food fairs, and festivals throughout Cork, and further afield. 

Within a couple of months of the inaugural market, Pompeii Pizza began collaborating with the Franciscan Well Brew Pub on Cork’s North Mall, to establish a pop-up pizzeria in the beer garden on Thursday nights. 

Due to popularity of this experiment, it evolved into a full-time residency and Pompeii Pizza installed a custom-built outdoor kitchen in the beer garden. The Pompeii Pizza-Franciscan Well partnership was at the vanguard of the beer-and-food-garden trend which has proliferated across the country in recent years. 

Pompeii Pizza continues to stay ahead of the curve with an extensive, eclectic, and evolving menu. Every week, the pizzaiolos invent new vegan and meat specials, which typically feature seasonal ingredients and a selection of local Irish produce. Pompeii Pizza takes pride in working with top local producers, such as Toons Bridge Dairy, Gubbeen Smokehouse, The Real Olive Company, O’Flynn’s Gourmet Sausages, and O’Mahony’s Family Butchers.

The original dough recipe came from Johnny’s Italian brother-in-law, Luigi. Over the years, Johnny and the Pompeii team have refined the recipe to achieve the optimal base – thin and light, but structured enough to be eaten in the traditional way, by hand. 

Recently, they even started milling some of their own flour for the pizza dough on-site. Since installing a stone-ground mill in the pizzeria earlier this year, they have transitioned from exclusively using Italian type 00 flour, to combining it with their in-house flour (milled from Irish-grown wheat) to produce a unique blend. 

They'll look after you well at Pompeii. Founder Johnny is 4th from right, standing by blackboard.

Pompeii Pizza has expanded by adding a new seasonal location in recent years. For the last two summers, Pompeii Pizza has teamed up with the Sea Lodge Hotel, in Waterville, Co. Kerry, to bring an al fresco pop-up pizzeria to the seafront village. The Waterville outfit includes a custom-built catering trailer with in-built wood-fired oven, and a mobile café/gelateria crafted from a converted horsebox. They'll be back in Waterville next summer, from the June Bank Holiday.

While the Cork company has come a long way in 10 years, the ethos has always been, and remains, about keeping it real. Really enjoyable, as we confirmed the other night and not for the first time. Happy Anniversary to Johnny and all the team.

Pompeii Pizza
email: info@pompeiipizza.ie

Thanks to Siobhan for all the info!

COMPOSTABLE TAKE-AWAY BOXES TO CUT FOOD WASTE FOR IRISH BUSINESSES

Media release

From left: Tanya Fitzgerald, SECAD; James Hogan Savour Food Programme Manager, Clean Technology Centre, CIT; and Gillian Kearney, Bramley Lodge. Photo by Adrian
Connolly.

COMPOSTABLE TAKE-AWAY BOXES TO CUT FOOD WASTE FOR IRISH BUSINESSES
Businesses across Munster commit to reduce food waste

100 compostable boxes to be provided free of charge to participating
food businesses

Irish food businesses waste 150,000 tonnes of food every year.


A new initiative is encouraging businesses in Munster to reduce food
waste.


The Savour Food initiative supports food businesses to reduce their
waste and their latest project sees restaurants provide take-away food
boxes to consumers who would like to bring their leftovers home with
them.


In a further move to promote sustainability, the food boxes are 100%
compostable.


This initiative will allow participating businesses to reduce food waste
while raising awareness around food waste amongst staff and customers.
It is estimated that Irish food businesses waste 150,000 tonnes of food
every year.


Businesses involved in the initiative so far include The Bramley Lodge
in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork and The Yarn Café at Carebright in Bruff, Co.
Limerick. Additional Savour Food businesses can be viewed on
https://savourfood.ie/members/


James Hogan, Programme Manager said: “In Ireland we waste a million
tonnes of food waste every year, which is a huge shame. For the food
service sector, accurate portion control is a key part of reducing waste
and reducing costs. However there will be times when the customer will
not eat all that's on their plate. We want to see this food going to a
good home rather than being wasted.”


Five facts about food waste in Ireland


It is estimated that every year the Irish food sector wastes 150,000
tonnes of food.

The main sources of food waste in the Irish food service sector are
plate waste (38%), preparation waste (35%) and unserved food waste
(27%).

A proportion of ‘unavoidable’ food waste comes from peelings and
off-cuts. On average, this waste accounts for just 25% of food waste
thrown away.

Food waste has been calculated to cost €2.73 - €3.50 per kilogram.

If food waste cannot be prevented, donating or distributing to people is
the next best option. More information is available from the Food Safety
Authority of Ireland.


Information from the Less Food Waste More Profit publication by the
Clean Technology Centre at:
https://ctc-cork.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/LFWMP-Web.pdf


About Savour Food


Savour Food is a food waste reduction initiative for business. The Clean
Technology Centre (CIT), SECAD and Ballyhoura Development CLG have
joined forces to assist businesses to cut food waste costs.


Savour Food supports food processors, food retailers and those in the
food service industry based in East Cork, Clonakilty and Ballyhoura
regions.


The pilot programme is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and
the Marine from the Department’s Rural Innovation and Development Fund
and available to businesses free of charge.


https://savourfood.ie

Top Cheesemakers to be Recognised at 2019 CÁIS Irish Cheese Awards

Introducing the Big Cheese!

~Ireland’s Top Cheesemakers and Producers to be Recognised at the 2019 CÁIS Irish Cheese Awards~

 

At the judging (l-r) Monique Kelleher (Communication Manager, Ornua), Ross Lewis (Chapter One), Catherine Fulvio and Enda Howley (Expert Cheddar Grader, Ornua). 

This is one date you don’t want to miss! The upcoming 2019 CÁIS Irish Cheese Awards is due to take place this coming Thursday November 7^th at Cork’s Metropole Hotel, with winners to be commended during a lavish black-tie gala dinner. 2019 marks the eighth year of the biennial awards and CÁIS, the Association of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers, have seen the bar suitably raised thanks to over 200 entries from 50 Irish farmhouse cheese producers.

The prestigious ceremony will see members of CÁIS; key sponsors such as Ornua, Pallas Foods and Bord Bia; judges; cheesemakers; and members of the public congregate in celebration of the abundant, diverse and exquisite range of Irish farmhouse cheeses produced on home soil. This truly unique ceremony is exclusively dedicated to both artisan and large-scale cheese producers from all corners of Ireland, with competition stiffer than ever before as entrants go for gold.

Those in attendance on the night will enjoy a gourmet 5-course dining experience courtesy of this year’s bespoke menu, which will incorporate a selection of winning cheeses from the 2017 awards. Mouthwatering dishes will be carefully curated by the Metropole’s Head Chef Stuart Dardis, who has garnered a strong food-lover following since taking over the kitchen at the Metropole. MC for the evening will be none other than journalist and broadcaster Helen Carroll from RTÉ’s Ear to the Ground, adding star quality to a prestigious event that has been creating quite a buzz among the Irish food community.

This year’s selection of judges includes a number of well-known personalities such as Catherine Fulvio, TV chef, award-winning food writer, author and proprietor of Ballyknocken House & Cookery School; Ross Lewis, Michelin Starred Head Chef at Chapter One Restaurant in Dublin; and food writers/bloggers Patrick Hanlon and Russell Alford, collectively known as The Gastrogays. The elite judging panel also includes Patrick Clement, Head of Culinary at Pallas Foods; Dr Matthew O’Callaghan OBE, member of UK Protected Food Names Association and Artisan Cheese Fair organiser; Catherine Mead OBE, Chairperson of Specialist Cheesemakers Association (UK) and cheesemaker/owner at Lynher Dairies; Aoife Carrigy, freelance food writer and editor; Dr John McKenna, food writer; Enda Howley, Cheese Grading Expert with Ornua; Monica Murphy, cheese  and wine expert; Rory Mellis, Wholesale Director of Mellis Cheese LTD; Dr Kieran Jordan of Teagasc; Diarmuid Murphy, Simply Better Brand Manager for Dunnes Stores; and John Leverrier, Quality Manager of Sheridans Cheesemongers.

The judges were tasked with the particularly difficult job of putting the eclectic variety of cheeses to the taste test to identify their chosen worthy award winners. Each cheese entered was assessed under three key criteria: flavour and aroma, body and texture, and overall appearance of cheese, while packaging and branding was also taken into consideration within the ‘Retailer’ and ‘New Cheesemaker’ categories. The judging process was a thorough, in-depth exercise, with each judge working hard to ensure the efforts of the country’s finest cheesemakers were awarded accordingly.

The 2019 ceremony will also – for the first time ever – see a prize be awarded to one lucky winner as a result of a public vote. In the lead up to the event, CÁIS appealed to the general public to share their valued views, inviting cheese lovers to cast their vote for their favourite Irish farmhouse cheese. The winner of this category will be announced on the night.

Commenting ahead of the awards ceremony, Padraig O’Farrell of CÁIS said: “The Irish Cheese Awards provide those involved in the industry with a wonderful platform to showcase their work and to transform their brands into household names within Ireland and beyond. The event itself also offers an opportunity for producers, both on a large and small scale, to network and build community links.”

He continued: “It’s a busy and exciting time for those involved in the Irish Cheese Awards, with competitors and judges alike eager to see the superb range of produce quite literally brought to the table. We have a wonderful list of entrants this year and we are excited to promote and commend these top-quality producers and brand names through these important awards.”

A limited number of tickets are still available for the event. Priced at €69 per person, tickets for the 2019 Irish Cheese Awards are available from Eventbrite online or alternatively, can be purchased on the CÁIS website by visiting www.irishcheese.ie/irish-cheese-awards. For more information on CÁIS and the Irish Cheese Awards 2019, visit www.irishcheese.ie. For social media updates, follow CAISIreland on Facebook and @caisireland on Twitter or follow the conversation using #IrishCheeseAwards 

  

Issued on behalf of CÁIS Irish Cheese Awards 2019 

  

Taste of the Week. Perfect G&T - Alcohol Free

Taste of the Week

Perfect G&T - Alcohol Free

I was an early bird visitor to the Cork Kerry Food Market in the City Hall last Saturday morning. When I was offered a G&T, I wasn’t all that keen as breakfast had just been finished. But it was a small sample so I indulged, expecting to get a load of tonic and little gin. I was surprised though, thinking to myself that they hadn’t drowned the spirit. “It’s non alcoholic”, said Cyril Walsh who had offered the sample. I was surprised as were a few others.

Cyril, who you probably know through his work with St Patrick’s Distillery, is involved with All Natural Drinks who are distributing the gin. It was launched just before the weekend and some of Saturday’s tasters were thinking of it in terms of the festival celebrations coming up, a solution to the question what to drink when you’re not drinking.

I checked the website and saw that Henrik Facile, a Swedish master blender, with French and Finnish heritage and now living in Florida, is the creator. Not an easy task. "We found it difficult to get to Perfect with so many options available…..We use natural quinine and just enough carbonation for refreshment and enjoyment.”

So there you are. I had been "ambushed" by the soft Italian juniper nose with hints of coriander and citrus followed by what seemed like the clean classic gin taste, with citrus freshness and of course the slight bitterness from the quinine. The "gin" element didn't seem as strong at a second tasting later in the day - but by then of course I had been forewarned! Nonetheless, a handy alternative to some of the more or less tasteless zero drinks around at the moment.

All Natural Drinks Ltd 

Unit 105, St Patrick’s Mills,

Douglas

Cork

To see a mid-summer article on some available non alcoholic drinks, check here.
Since then, I've come across a few more, including the superb organic Drivers Cider from Highbank Orchards.

Waterford’s Mezze named finalist in Shop of the Year 2020

P R E S S  R E L E A S E

Waterford’s Mezze named

finalist in Shop of the Year 2020

The Guild of Fine Food’s annual Shop of the Year awards, an accreditation scheme which recognises and promotes excellence in independent retail, has announced its finalists for 2020. Among the 36 independent retail outlets named, Mezze, a specialist shop selling middle eastern food and ingredients in Waterford (check them on Twitter @mideastmezze ), is among those in the running to win Specialist Food or Drink Shop.

Having had a written entry reviewed by a panel of respected industry experts, Mezze, which opened in June 2019 and offers a selection of hard-to-find middle eastern herbs and spices alongside artisan foods from Ireland, will now undergo two further rounds of judging; an announced visit from one of the judges and a mystery shop carried out by Insight6. Shop of the Year 2020 will reach its exciting finale on Monday 9 March when the world of fine food gathers at Fodder Farm Shop and Café in Harrogate to find out the winners of each category, immediately following Fine Food Show North, the Guild of Fine Food’s trade-only exhibition held at the Yorkshire Event Centre.

From overall shopping experience and financial performance to staff training opportunities and environmental initiatives in place, the panel of judges, which includes Edward Berry of The Flying Fork, Stuart Gates, former managing director at Fortnum & Mason and senior buyer at Harrods, award-winning retailer Tracey Colley and food writer, Patrick McGuigan, will rate, score and provide feedback on every aspect of the shops before agreeing on an overall category winner. A Newcomer Award will be given to a worthy category entrant that has been trading for less than two years and any entrants considered to be leading the way with new ideas will be put forward for the Innovation Award.

  

Facts and figures about Shop of the Year 2020:

• Shop of the Year recognises and promotes excellence in independent retail
• Previously forming part of the Great Taste accreditation scheme, Shop of the Year is now a standalone accreditation, offering independent retailers a recognised stamp of approval from industry experts
• Shop of the Year is judged by a panel of experts with a proven track record of success in independent retail
• Insight6 provides valuable feedback, through the eyes of the customer, in an unannounced visit to each finalist
• There are five categories:
• Delicatessen & Grocer
• Specialist Cheese Shop
• Farm Shop (farmer owned)
• Food Hall
• Specialist Food or Drink Shop

The Gallery Is A Natural In Westport. Wine, Books, Vinyl and Chats.

The Gallery Is A Natural In Westport.

Wine, Books, Vinyl and Chats.

We were walking down this narrow alley in the Westport night. And then we saw them. A trio of posh-looking black cats, padding stylishly along as if on, well, the catwalk. Then, simultaneously, they, les chats, executed the smoothest slickest synchronised slow-motion U-turn ever. We knew we were in the right place. We saw the welcoming light in the windows of The Gallery Wine Bar. Our directions had included the phrase “Look out for the cats”. I heard later that one of them is called Pinot Noir.

Peppers and cheese tapa

And inside, you will get various Pinot Noirs amid many listed in a catalogue of terrific wines. Generally though you work off two loose pages which indicate the wines available by the glass. But you needn’t confine yourself to those, good and all as they are. Do check out the full book and look at the shelves on the wall. You may well see something you love as I did when I spotted Ageno from La Stoppa in Italy and the delicious Lettre d’Eloise Chardonnay made by Bertrand Ambroise in the heart of France.

We entered the long and narrow space. It was quiet. But not for long. Owner-operator Tom Ramsell was missing but only for a few moments, chasing down some organic grapes in a nearby shop. We settled in on the cushioned seats, taking in a feast for the eyes and the ears (Tom’s vinyl collection gets a regular outing here). For the eyes, there are shelves of books and bottles; posters all over; take down one of those books if you want to read. Pick up a board game if you’d like to play chess, scrabble, or Jenga or one of the dozens of others available.

Tom, a surfer from Manchester, who found his way here a few years ago, will keep you entertained, telling all about his food, all organic, sourced locally (Dozio’s cheese, for instance) and abroad (rare syrups, a rare black cheese from England’s Wookey Hole). And then the wines will lead to endless conversations especially if you have that extra bit of interest. They have regular tastings here and lots of other events too including live music, record launches and more. It’s a lively spot for sure.

More and more people are arriving and soon the long narrow space is more or less full. By then, we have ordered a couple of tapas and a couple of wines: Bodegas Menade, Rueda ‘Verdejo for her and  Beauregard-Mirouze, Corbiéres ‘Campana’ for me.

The tapas are not small and our two multi-bite selections are Piquanté peppers served with Dozio’s of Mayo soft cheese and a spoon of honey, and a plateful of organic medjool dates with walnuts and served with a rare organic agave syrup.

A most diverse selection of organic, biodynamic, natural and skin contact wines 

There is no cooking here, all dishes are assembled on the counter by  Tom himself. He offers a selection of Vegan Plates and we enjoy the superb Baked Moroccan Falafels (described as an elegant blend of Moroccan spices and chickpeas, red peppers, apricots and dates, served with organic Kimchi and organic “spiritual” salad leaves).

The Gallery is also a venue for chats about the environment and sustainability and the future of the planet. Tom is all for organic and natural and saving resources. He’ll take in any old mugs or cups you don’t want and use them here for teas and coffees. He also runs a refill wine service. Bring your own bottle or use one of his.

And you’ll see his ethical streak in most of the food here especially under the Ethical Meat Dish heading and the Sustainable Fish heading. We shared one of the meat dishes: Labourdette Goose Rillettes. These geese are grown in total freedom on lush meadows and are not force-fed. The dish is served with marinated fig (superb), sweet ready to eat black garlic cloves, Velvet Cloud’s sheep cheese with fig and sultan mini-toasts. Quite a treat!

Bt then of course we had moved on to another round of wine, this time enjoying very much the Cantine Rallo, Ciello Bianco ‘Catarratto’ Terre Siciliane IGP, a lovely white; and the excellent Semplicemente red (his white is terrific too), from the late Stefano Bellotti’s winery in Piemonte. My rosso was on its last legs as Tom passed and, before I knew it, he had topped me up generously with the last bit in the bottle. That’s the kind of place this is. Generous, friendly. If you happen to find yourself in the Westport area, do drop in.

* By the way, if you’d like something warm while here, there’s an arrangement with a local pizzeria. Just have your pizza delivered and you may eat it in the Gallery.

The Gallery Café, Wine and Tapas Bar https://thegallerywestport.com/ 

Brewery Lane

Westport

Co. Mayo. 

Also on this trip:
October Wander on Mayo and Galway
Foxford Woollen Mills and Café

The company bikes.

Two of the rising stars in the culinary world conferred at CIT

Two of the rising stars in the culinary world conferred at CIT

Ciarán McGregor and Danau Berhane
at the CIT Conferring Ceremony

 

At the final day of the 2019 Conferrings at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) two of the rising stars in the culinary world received Higher Certificates in Arts in Culinary Studies, Ciaran McGregor from Midleton and Danay Berhane from Cork City. Both work in restaurants who have recently been recipients of Michelin Stars, Ciaran in Bastion in Kinsale and Danay, in Adare Manor in Co. Limerick.

Ciaran holds the position of Chef de Partie in Bastion and says “he hopes to have a long and successful career and continuously strive for excellence to make a positive impact.”  Danay Berhane is demi chef de partie in Adare Manor and says that it is important to keep evolving and he looks forward to being challenged at the highest level in his work throughout his career.

The 2019 Conferrings concluded with the conferring of degrees in the Department of Biological Sciences which are jointly awarded by CIT and UCC.

Amuse Bouche

Can the liver and chips be bate for a hangover, Maurice? Charlie Redmond said.

Not if you were stuck into them above in the Uptown Grill, Charlie.

The Uptown, Charlie said. Regal premises.

from Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry (2019). Very Highly Recommended.

Kay Harte and The Farmgate Café's Early Years. Twenty Five Years in the English Market.

Kay Harte and The Farmgate Café's Early Years

Twenty Five Years in the English Market.

The Farmgate above the English Market, its Restaurant on the far right, the Balcony on the left.

The 16 year old is sitting with her mother in a room overlooking the Front Strand in Youghal in the mid 1960s. It is the house of her mother’s friend and the table is set for dinner. The teenager remembers the table setting, especially those flowers floating in a bowl.

The meat was boiled leg of mutton and the teenager was given a bit of the nap of mutton as a treat. “I never forgot that meal,” she told me recently. “It was my first time at an adult meal and it was absolutely divine."

The younger generation at The Farmgate with Rebecca Harte (3rd left at rear).

Kay Harte at ease.

That 16 year old was Kay Harte and we were speaking in her café, The Farmgate, celebrating 25 years in the English Market. When I had asked her what had been her best meal ever, I had prefaced it by saying it would be a hard one to answer. “Not at all,’ was the immediate reply. It was memorable indeed. “That was my first realisation that plain simple Irish food can be so sophisticated."

Soon afterwards she got her first cookery book, by Robert Carrier. “I still have it, still use it, I have to very careful handling it now. He was particularly good at Italian dishes and my first Spaghetti Bolognese was his.” I asked Kay what her favourite non-Irish cuisine was. Well, she likes Middle Eastern and Spanish but especially Basque.

Let us fast forward now to 1994, the year  a nervous Kay opened the Farmgate. Though she had worked, “on and off” with sister Marog, who had started the still strong Farmgate in Midleton ten years earlier, she had never run a business. There was competition too. Famous chef Michael Clifford was trading very successfully in his café across the street!

President Michael Higgins at the Wall of Poetry in the Farmgate when his poem Stardust was added in 2018. Kay has long believed that our food is part of our culture and the Hartes have supported the arts here from day one.

Besides, the English Market wasn’t exactly at its best then. Marog though was having none of it. “You’ll have no problem. The market is your larder.” They brought the Midleton Farmgate brand and ethos with them. “The focus was very much on what was available in the market downstairs, a focus that we’ve maintained ever since. There’s been great loyalty, on both sides.” Kay's daughter Rebecca is now the manager here. While Marog was quite the driving force, another sister, Claire O’Brien, was also very much involved and indeed worked with Kay for ten years. Many of you will have met and continue to meet Claire at Farmers Markets in recent years, selling cakes, tarts and loaves in her own stall under her Gan Gluten label.

The Farmgate ensured a strong spotlight was directed towards the often forgotten efforts of our Women of the South when the revolution was commemorated in 2016.

The Farmgate, as it turned out, was opening at a good moment, as some very interesting people were already there and more were coming onboard regularly and they started a momentum that has gathered pace and respect over the decades.

Toby Simmonds was there, Mary Rose too and also Iago. Isabelle Sheridan had started, working first with Anne Marie and Martin (who were making an organic French cheese out in Reenascreena) and then Isabelle, with a stall down by the Princes Street entrance, started introducing her French terrines, charcuterie and more. Hederman’s Smoked Fish arrived too and Sheila Fitzpatrick opened her ABC (Alternative Bread Company) stall shortly after Kay's arrival.

Majella Cullagh raises the market rafters from the Farmgate 

And they were all very helpful. Mary Rose Daly “was the go-to person, always helpful, no hesitation.” All the camaraderie was “a huge encouragement”. Kay also remembers that Kay O’Connell (the fishmonger and mother of Pat) was always ready with advice. And she also remembers Paul Murphy of Coughlan's Butchers as being exceptionally helpful. “He was the Ard Saoi of the market, a rock of common sense. He always listened and then invariably came up with the solution.”

She remembers too the sisters Siobhan and Eileen, each a stallholder. “They regularly came up for a cuppa and were incredibly supportive, pure Cork characters.” Declan Ryan (Arbutus Restaurant) was another who came up with great advice, “especially on cooking tripe”. 

Many famous people from the world of food have visited The Farmgate, including Claudia Roden (4th left)

Sometimes, bureaucrats get the thumbs down from business people but Kay recalls that they got fantastic support from City Hall, support that was essential in opening the new enterprise. So with all that support, the Cork Farmgate began to find its feet. “It was still a daunting task, especially the fit out." Furniture came from Eric Pearce, art via painters Tom Climent and Billy Foley and sculpture from Michael Quane. Finding its feet, establishing its character, starting out as she meant to go, food and culture in the melange.

Beara's Leanne O'Sullivan's poem on the Great Wall

It wasn’t all plain sailing of course. “There was that famous Christmas Eve,” Kay recalls. “Big queues, customers lined down the stairs. Then the power went - no lights in the kitchen.  I managed to stay calm, we got through it, but it was afterwards it hit me!”.

One bit of advice to restaurant owners. Take more heed of your customers than the food critics. Don’t be worried about the food writers. They don’t run cafés or restaurants, often more interested in what is currently in fashion. But your customers are in regularly, whether it’s just for tea and toast or a big lunch when the occasion demands. Look after them because they vote with their feet.

And that was underlined during our talk when Kay excused herself to walk a recently widowed elderly customer down the stairs and have a few words together on the way. You can have presidents (the Farmgate has fed a string of them) but Kay believes the regular customer is the real royalty here. And she practices what she preaches.

Kay and I at the meeting with US bloggers, New York's Amy Cao and San Fran's Chris Connolly (who took the photo). 
All other pictures from the Farmgate collection.

Eight years ago, Kay and I sat down at very short notice with two visiting US bloggers. Kay ordered samples of everything on the menu and told us all about each part of the dish as she shared it out. I don't think the Americans had ever seen any restaurant owner as informative (she explained our "great balls of flour") and as passionate about food and where it came from. All through the encounter, Kay emphasised the importance of local provenance. I'll say it again, Kay practises what she preaches, and it has stood the Farmgate well over the last 25 years.