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Chef Collab is a novel initiative aimed at highlighting and nurturing talented young chefs in Killarney and around Ireland. Kerry Chef of the Year Chad Byrne, who is the Group Development Chef at the Gleneagle Group and Head Chef at the Brehon, initially set up Chef Collab with four of his peers. So what is it?

Chad explains: “There are a lot of chefs leaving the industry so the initiative behind Chef Collab was to make it exciting for them. We send them off to some of the best restaurants in the country, and when they come back to Killarney their mentors will come back down with them. Then we’ll do a pop-up in a different venue most months. It’s all about highlighting the young guys in the craft and just to give them a platform to shine.”

Chad says the events are a win-win. “They sell out very fast. It’s only €25. And the food is the best food you’ll get any Monday night anywhere in the country. Period. I’d put my house on it. The dudes that we have cooking are the crème de la crème in the business and they’re willing to come down and give their time for free, inspiring young guys and girls to go to the next level.”

The Chef Collab is going nationwide next month with a double event in Waterford and Cork but Chad and co. will be bringing it back to Killarney every second month. Chad is passionate about the initiative and he hopes it will help our town to become a major player in the food game.

“We’re using the Collab as our first small step in making Killarney a culinary hub, like Dingle and Galway are. We have some of the best suppliers locally, the produce that we have is unbelievable, and it’s just to highlight that fact and keep the young chefs interested.”

Their next event, which is already sold out, takes place in Courtney’s on Monday night and will be attended by a host of elite chefs, major industry players and some exciting local talents.

It’s a fantastic idea and we wish Chad and his colleagues all the best. Keep an eye out for more Chef Collab updates in future editions of the Killarney Advertiser.