A Kenmare woman’s book, which was a “true labour of love” reflecting her six decades in the kitchen, has won a prestigious international award.

The book, ‘My Wild Atlantic Kitchen: Recipes and Recollections’, is a compilation of the favourite recipes of acclaimed chef, Maura O’Connell Foley, and was awarded Best Woman Chef Book at the Gourmand World Cookbook announced in Paris last week.
Maura, who released her book in March 2020, said receiving the award is “a tremendous honour”.
“Receiving this international award for my lifetime book is truly phenomenal and unexpected,” Maura O’Connell Foley said. “It is a tremendous honour and is a wonderful acknowledgment to the entire team involved.”

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards were founded in 1995 by Edouard Cointreau and are considered the pinnacle of food publishing, recognising and rewarding the very best food and wine books, printed or digital, as well as food television. This year, entries were received from 225 countries and regions for the awards which are the only international competition in the sector.

This prestigious award sees Maura join the ranks of high profile past award winners including Hélène Darroze and Claudia Roden. The ceremony also saw other Irish winners including Katy Lucey from Gougane Barra Hotel who was awarded Best Hotel Book 2021 for ‘Cooking with Katy’, and Clodagh McKenna who took home the award for Best Celebrity Chef Book for ‘Weekend Kitchen’.

Maura’s award-winning book not only captures over 250 dishes, it includes beautiful art, illustrations and landscape photography and features the formidable chef’s culinary recollections and stories, all expertly woven throughout. The book perfectly communicates Maura’s ethos of keeping food simple, cooking with care and using the best available local produce.

It was produced in close collaboration with Kenmare-based graphic designer, Éamonn O’Sullivan, Creative Director of Anchor Studio. It features over one hundred images captured by Lynda Kenny, Maria Bell and Norman McCloskey all of which showcase Maura’s love of art and the Irish landscape. It also includes illustrations by artist, Christine Bowen, and paintings from internationally acclaimed Irish artist, Pauline Bewick.

The book’s design was recognised at the IDI 2021 Awards earlier this month where Éamonn received the award for Best Printed Book Design.
The book is available directly from www.mywildatlantickitchen.com, selected independent bookstores and via Amazon.

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