NELL McCarthy of Baltimore’s two-star Michelin restaurant Dede is a finalist in the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year competition.
The competition saw fourteen talented contestants battling it out in a heated two-part semi-final that included a skills test and a mystery basket challenge. After careful consideration, the judges selected seven young chefs to progress to the finals which will take place in October.
Nell, who cites her parents as major influences, was chosen to contest the final with her Michelin-awarded mentor Ahmet Dede, alongside Tom Donohoe from Orwell Road, Dublin with mentor Dan Hannigan; Bryan Bridgeman from Homestead Cottage, Co Clare, with mentor Robbie McCauley; Victor Erisay from Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen, Dublin, with mentor Mickael Viljanen; David Harte from The Searooms at Kelly’s Resort, Rosslare, with mentor Chris Fullam; Anna Hevers from Goldie, in Cork city with mentor Aishling Moore and Marcell Palfalusi from Thyme Restaurant, Athlone, with mentor John Coffey.
With a theme of ‘inspiring regeneration’, the young chefs were tasked with demonstrating their culinary skills and creativity in two separate challenges: a skills test based on a classic gnocchi recipe and a mystery basket challenge requiring contestants to craft a dish incorporating two essential elements: vegetables and gnocchi. Nell’s recipe was gnocchi with white wine, lemon and herb sauce, with cherry tomato, mushroom and pistachio in brown butter and confit mushroom with celery, goat’s cheese, daikon (radish) and carrot, and rhubarb viniagrette.
The contestants were also tasked with addressing prevalent topics such as food waste, food awareness, and food miles, while adhering to a brief that excluded meat and fish. This approach underscored the event’s commitment to promoting environmentally friendly kitchen practices and raising awareness of sustainable food sourcing on a global scale.
