Beth O'Brien is fresh from her recent collaboration at Guinness Storehouse for their St. Patrick's Festival programme, dedicated to showcasing world-class talent and the best of Irish culture. Dublin-born, Ballymaloe-trained, London-based queen of the technical bake, The Fat Badger sous chef and viral recipe tester of @bethcooksthings shares her life in food.
What are your earliest memories of food?
Eating sandy sandwiches in the boot of the car on a rainy summer day at the beach in Connemara.
How would you describe your relationship with food?
I would say my relationship with food is intense (we spend a lot of time together) but overall, healthy and robust.
What was the first meal you learned to cook?
My mum’s spag bol.
How did food become a part of your career/business/personal brand?
I’ve always been interested in food, but training at Ballymaloe kickstarted my career in kitchens, and The Irish Times was my first platform for food writing.
What’s your go-to breakfast?
Eggs always – usually fried, with peanut rayu, on toasted sourdough. A strong black coffee immediately followed by a second, slightly less strong black coffee.
If you’re impressing friends and family at a dinner party, what are you serving up?
I usually keep things simple for mains (I make a pretty great lasagne), and aim to impress with dessert – anything with ice-cream is always a hit (sticky toffee pudding never fails).
Who is your culinary inspiration?
My style of cooking is largely inspired by Ballymaloe Cookery School, and I particularly love the way Rory O’Connell speaks about food.
What would your last meal on earth be?
I’d start with a seafood platter (oysters, langoustines, crab toast, hot buttered lobster rolls), followed by spaghetti all’Amatriciana, and apple crumble with ice cream for dessert.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
I love a good cheeseburger (the one at the Plimsoll in London is my current favourite).
What’s the go-to quick meal you cook when you’re tired and hungry?
Mi goreng noodles (Indomie) and pork and prawn dumplings (boiled from frozen), with some vegetables if I’m feeling virtuous.
What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?
I genuinely will eat anything, with the exception of whipped cream (it’s a texture thing).
Hangover cure?
Anchovies and salted butter on grilled bread, paired with a Lucozade Sport.
Sweet or savoury?
Sweet.
Fine dining or pub grub?
Pub grub.
Favourite restaurant in Ireland?
Goldie, Cork.
Best coffee in Ireland?
Nick’s, Ranelagh.
Go-to beverage accompaniment?
Scampi fries.
What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene?
I think that it’s really exciting at the moment – every time I come home to visit, there’s more places I want to go and eat. I think that there’s a lot of amazing places to eat in rural areas, particularly – I’ve spent some time in Sligo, Mayo and Antrim recently, and there are so many great places to eat.
What’s your favourite thing about cooking?
I love how tangible it is. It’s a deeply satisfying job, where I get to be creative every day – plus I get a big kick out of feeding people.
What does food mean to you?
Not to be dramatic, but it really means the world to me. Food brings me so much joy, and much more than that, it creates opportunities for connection. I’m happiest when sat around the table with my family and friends.
Food for thought — Is there room for improvement within the Irish food/restaurant/hospitality scene?
While I think that the Irish food scene is booming at the moment, I would love to see more variety in menus and more government support for small food businesses.
Chef’s kiss — Tell us about one standout foodie experience you’ve had recently.
I’m really into long lunches at the moment, and one that stands out in recent memory is Bouchon Racine in London – perfection.
Compliments to the chef — Now’s your chance to sing the praises of a talented chef, beloved restaurant or particularly talented foodie family member.
I recently spent a few days in Ballycastle, hanging out with Ciara and Dara and the very talented team at Ursa Minor. Their dedication to Irish produce and flour is so inspiring, and the bread and pastries they make are in another league.
Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?
A skilled and passionate front-of-house team. While it’s difficult to admit (as a chef) I think that it’s the service that really makes or breaks a dining experience.
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