Executive Head Chef at Mount Juliet Estate’s Lady Helen restaurant John Kelly shares his life in food
John Kelly shares his life in food, from his earliest memories to his favourite flavours and culinary inspirations.
John Kelly, the Executive Head Chef at the Michelin-starred Lady Helen restaurant in Mount Juliet Estate, Kilkenny, is a leading figure in modern Irish fine dining. Renowned for his refined approach that celebrates Irish produce with global sophistication, John has guided Lady Helen to new heights since 2011, earning and maintaining its Michelin star since 2014. Recently named Best Chef in Ireland and Best Chef in Leinster, John’s menus are rooted in local ingredients and a philosophy of natural elegance and honesty.
What are your earliest memories of food?
Growing up in a family of six kids and all around the table, it was the element of bringing us all together as much as the food which evokes the most.
How would you describe your relationship with food?
Hard to answer but I eat what I like, and you should cook what people like to eat.
What was the first meal you learned to cook?
Aah a classic sponge cake, jam and cream, can’t beat it with a cup of tea.
How did working with food become your career?
As with many chefs, I started washing dishes and was engrossed by the mad energy of the kitchen.
What’s your go-to breakfast?
Birds Eye potato waffles, fried eggs, well-seasoned, crusty loaf and a cup of tea.
If you’re impressing friends and family at a dinner party, what are you serving up?
Steak frites, mixed salad and chocolate fondant and Chantilly cream. Again, cook what people like to eat.
Who is your culinary inspiration?
The person who had most impact on my career and what I learned was Guillaume Lebrun from Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud.
What would your last meal on earth be?
An omelette, simple and elegant, hassle free.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
A bag of Meanies crisps, why not!
What’s the go-to quick meal you cook when you’re tired and hungry?
Again, an omelette. Simple,m quick and uses whatever’s in the fridge.
What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?
Liver. I can’t stand it. Not for me thanks.
Hangover cure?
Is there really a foolproof one? An Indian, couch and TV.
Sweet or savoury?
Savoury.
Fine dining or pub grub?
Depends on the occasion.
Favourite restaurant in Ireland?
Again, hard question to answer and depends on the equation. Mimosa for tapas in Carlow, Campagne restaurant in Kilkenny for a rare but wonderful Sunday treat. Garret’s cooking is exactly what I like to eat.
What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene?
We are no longer emerging, we are at the forefront with both produce and the level of restaurants and chefs. There is also room for improvement.
What’s your favourite thing about cooking?
It settles my mind, which is always at a million miles an hour.
What does food — sitting down to a meal with friends, mindfully preparing a meal, nourishment, etc — mean to you?
It’s the essence of everything. As I say to guests in the restaurant, if you’re having a ten-course tasting menu or a bag of chips, it is meant to be fun and enjoyable.
Food for thought — What are some areas for improvement within the Irish food/restaurant/hospitality scene?
We need to move away from ultra processed food and use the ingredients at hand, stop exporting our best fish for example and encourage more people at home to eat it.
Chef’s kiss — Tell us about one standout foodie experience you’ve had recently.
I ate in both the Ritz Hotel in London and Chapter One in Dublin this year with my wife Linda and they were both top notch.
Compliments to the chef — Now’s your chance to sing the praises of a talented chef, beloved restaurant or particularly talented foodie family member.
It might sound cliché, but my mother is a great cook. Flavour in everything.
Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?
Good company and good wine, simple as.
Photography by Ruth Calder-Potts.
Also Read
