Chef du Jour Challenge Final at Fenns Quay on April 29th

No. 5 Fenns Quay announced the final event in their Chef du Jour Challenge will take place on Sunday, 29 April, 2012.

“I enjoy passing on knowledge but also learning from those who I meet & bring in to the kitchen,” said head chef Kate Lawlor. “Chef du Jour night is a must for all you foodies out there. We will be documenting the nights through photographs, Twitter & Facebook and expect all you Tweeters to be tweeting.”

No. 5 Fenns Quay Restaurant was nominated for the 2012 Irish Restaurant Awards for Best Chef, Best Restaurant, and Best “Wine Experience” in the Munster region. Fenns Quay’s focus on fresh Irish ingredients has earned praise from diners and critics. No. 5 Fenns Quay serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner six days a week. The restaurant’s web site is at www.fennsquay.com and they are @FennsQuay on Twitter.

The Chef du Jour challenge revolves around four amateur home chefs who each guest chef in Fenns Quay’s kitchen. Each challenger is selected based on the menu and leads the professional kitchen staff at Fenns Quay in the preparation and plating of their original dishes. The four challengers each took their place in the professional kitchen at No. 5 Fenns Quay over the past few months with Jeni Pim of Tramore, Co. Waterford, and Sarah O’Riordan of Athy, Co. Kildare, advancing to this Chef du Jour final. Jeni’s menu included a well-received main course of coq au vin with celeriac mash and a spinach and wild mushroom salad. Sarah’s menu offered a delectable duck confit with carrots, carrot butter, carrot mousse, with nutmeg dauphinoise. Paul Callaghan and Paul Axford also competed with impressive menus but will not compete in the final. But you certainly haven’t heard the last of these men as their menus and dishes were too noteworthy to not surface in another professional kitchen in the future.

Reservations are required to attend the Chef du Jour final on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 7:45 p.m. The price is €36 per person for an amuse bouche, a starter, a main course, and a dessert with coffee or tea. The price does not include alcohol. Spaces are limited for each evening so ring the restaurant now to reserve your place (Tel: 021 4279527).

After the dessert course, the two final challengers will be evaluated by the three Chef du Jour judges, boutique cookery school owner Margaret Smith and food bloggers Billy Lyons and yours truly.

Fenns Quay is located on Shears Street (between Courthouse Street and Anne Street) in Cork City Centre. Outside of innovative events such as Chef du Jour, their normal hours of operation are: Monday through Saturday: 8.15am – 11.30 a.m. Breakfast; 12.00 – 3.00 p.m. Lunch; 5.00pm – 10.00 p.m. Dinner.

A Good Deal for a Great Meal – Electric Cork

I am not in the habit of posting deals or suggesting you go purchase anything in particular on this blog, but today’s Living Social email had me sit up and take notice!

Lunch for two for €17 at Electric in Cork City (on South Mall).

This could cost as much as €40 normally, not to mention the fact that the coupon is good for use on the weekend! I’m so used to see coupons only good for dining Monday through Thursday, but this coupon is valid for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday lunch.

Now, you may recall I have a bit of a crush on the food at Electric which started when I first dined there in November 2010. Since then, I’ve had tea there countless times, lunch there once, and enjoyed a stop there on the Cork Gourmet Trail.

I’m thinking that even though I bought myself one of these lunch deals, I may go back and get another to save as a Christmas gift because there’s nothing like a nice meal to give to the person who has everything and I love to plan ahead!

To get your lunch at Electric for just €17, click here.

While you think about it, here are some photos of their food!

Cork Gourmet Trail – Every Delicious Detail in Words & Photos

A few weeks ago, I enjoyed participating in the Cork Gourmet Trail. A the time, I posted a detailed account of the day with photos (oh, they’re yummy photos too), but forgot and only posted it on my new blog EvinOK.net – so here’s a link so you know where to find it and three teaser photos (food by Greenes, Electric, and El Vino respectively) to entice you come over and check out what I have to say about the Cork Gourmet Trail. Trust me, every bite is worth the trip.

Dining at Electric in Cork City

We hear right and left that four out of five office Christmas parties will not take place and news of fiscal cutbacks in the government and our own budgets, so now more than ever we need to be able to embrace a bit of fun. This is where Denis O’Mullane comes in with his latest restaurant venture. Electric is bringing back the evening out, in spite of the Irish economy’s best efforts.

Arriving on a crisp evening at the bright building at 41 South Mall in Cork City Centre, I was struck by the life-size gold figures adorning the building’s facade. With the grace of a ballerina and the strength of an Oscar statue, these ladies foreshadowed the unique architectural history and innovative design of the restaurant and bar within. We stepped into the ground-level bar area, which boasted the start of a few mingling friends Saturday night. The room felt young and vibrant with the soft buzz of lively chatter and the unmistakable sound of great craic being had.