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.
