In 2022, two Kerry hospitality professionals began to talk about the future. Cliodhna Foley from Killorglin had run her own restaurant for 15 years, originally called Sol y Sombra, now 10 Bridge Street. She was worn out trying to keep chefs and pay for them all year round. 

Craig Lynch, then a top chef at the Ballygarry in Tralee (and winner of the RAI Munster Chef of the Year in 2022) also saw first hand that something would need to change for hospitality kitchens.  

They started to talk about opening a Production Kitchen specifically to serve the food trade in Kerry. Basically, an off-site kitchen, designed to produce in volume with the cooking done by a small team of really good chefs.

They set up Kerry Food Market and commissioned a production kitchen at the Kerry Food Hub in Firies. Dylan Kelly, another experienced chef joined the team in April, having worked at the Europe for many years and been a partner in The Rustic Pantry.  

During the summer of 2023 the kitchen got up and running, preparing much of the food served at 10 Bridge Street, both for the restaurant and weddings, as well as doing a range of high quality prepared meals for outlets on the Ring of Kerry.

Fast forward to October 2023, and the business is now ready to open its doors to other hospitality businesses. It offers a range of standard products and will also undertake cooking to a businesses’ own specification if the volume warrants it.

Cliodhna says that “We know that we will have to work hard to establish ourselves and build up trust with the trade, but from my own experience in the last year, using a production kitchen to take some of the strain has been a game changer for me”. 

Craig says that “using the right equipment and well-designed processes, a small but really good team of chefs can deliver quality in high volumes. We are looking forward to working with businesses to bring them the same benefits we have already delivered to 10 Bridge Street.” 

You can contact Kerry Food Market on 066 401 8024  or via www.kerryfoodmarket.ie. We’d be delighted to talk to you and provide sample products to taste.