COOKING COMPETITION: Chad Byrne, Head Chef at The Brehon Hotel, is organising the new County Cooking Championships.

By Michelle Crean

Kerry’s best chefs will go head-to-head in a brand new County Cooking Championships competition next month.

10 chefs from across Kerry will cook up a storm - a five course meal in The Brehon Hotel on November 24 - to pay homage to Kerry’s artisan produce.

The winning chefs on the night will go on to represent Kerry in the Munster finals.

“Each chef will cook a course against each other,” organiser Chad Byrne, Head Chef in The Brehon, told the Killarney Advertiser. “Each chef will be judged by diners who will have score cards after every dish on the night - giving 50 percent of the total vote. Two external judges from the food industry will also have a 50 percent vote. The chef that gets the most votes on the night will be honoured as our team captain. They will then go on to represent Kerry in the Munster final - ultimately leading to an All-Ireland Championship.”

He added that each chef will be joined by a Commi Chef so they can mentor and continue to train the next generation, thus giving back to the industry.

“It’s a promotion of our fantastic culinary heritage here in Kerry with amazing chefs championing our fantastic regional food and highlighting true community spirit, the craic will be surly had. Our food producers will be on hand to mingle with our diners and as the chefs are cooking in the dining room there will be no shortage of banter. It will be a fun filled evening with the best food in the county being served with an amazing buzzing vibe and of course funky music rolled into one to make for a jam packed night full of craic and festivities.”

Going head-to-head for the starters will be Cyrille Durand from the Dromhall Hotel Killarney versus Gork Arrieta from Sua Basque Fusion in Inch and Sol Y Sombra in Killorglin.

Two chefs John Harty TasteKerry Ballybunion and Craig Lynch from the Ballygarry House Hotel will battle it out in the plant based category.

For the fish dish, chefs Dan Moynihan from The Brehon Hotel will face Patricia Teahan from Carrig County House, Reeks District.

James Coffey from the Park Hotel in Kenmare and Sean Roche of Doyle’s Dingle will serve up the main course while delicious desserts will be

Eimaer Flynn from The Gleneagle Hotel versus Bruce Mulcahy from Mulcahy’s Kenmare.