Chef Paul Cunningham
When asked about his favorite local ingredient, he has a tough time picking just one as there are so many amazing things to choose from. One standout is the Dexter Cattle raised by their friends at Castlescreen Farm. Grassfed on pesticide-free land, the beef is outstanding with a noticeable improvement in flavor. He buys whole cows and butchers them himself, which allows him to use every part of the animal. For example, meat is for burgers, pies and roasts while bones are for stock and so on. This way, waste is minimized. Another of his favorites is foraged wild garlic. A versatile ingredient, the leaves can be made into pesto or added to a salad, the flowers can be used as a garnish and the seeds could be pickled as capers. Again, there are little to no unused parts. He told us that his favorite style of cuisine is classic French with Scandinavian influences. Appropriately, one of his favorite dishes over the years is the lamb and cockle dish served with foraged sea herbs. Outside of the kitchen, Chef Cunningham has three daughters and all of them love being in the kitchen and sharing time with him. Whether it is chopping vegetables, stirring a pot of stew or baking delicious cakes, they are always up to the challenge. For his part, he generally teaches them to work cleanly as they go and to respect each ingredient. And true-to-form, the no waste mantra is closely followed!
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