BALTIMORE has never looked better than it did on the MasterChef: The Professionals, which went out on BBC One this week.
Not even Saatchi & Saatchi and Fáilte Ireland combined could have conspired to do such a stellar job on showcasing its scenic beauty, its fabulous two-Michelin starred restaurant Dede at the Customs House, and the incomparable Inish Beg Estate.
With just three finalists vying for the coveted title, the producers brought the team – including judges Gregg Wallace, Marcus Waring and Monica Galetti – to Baltimore.
The BBC described the penultimate episode as one that would blow the minds of the three finalists ‘as they cook for one of the world’s most exciting talents – Ahmet Dede – in a remote setting that will take their breath away.’
The immensely talented Turkish chef gave a masterclass on cooking some of his favourite dishes in an outdoor kitchen at Inish Beg, near Baltimore, and the dishes featured in the final menus.
Dede is one of only five two-Michelin-starred restaurants in Ireland, and by teaming up with Inish Beg Estate, it made for unmissable tv viewing.
The fact that the exposure came in the same week as Fergal McCarthy’s rave review – extolling ‘the magic of winter in West Cork, where music, food and drink lift the spirits’ – in The Guardian, is cause for a double celebration.
Fergal sang the praises of the co-owners of Dede, Ahmet Dede and Maria Archer, who purchased the building in 2019, and set about creating a world-class food destination.
The finalists arriving at Inish Beg’s 97-acre island by ferry during the MasterChef episode, and cooking al fresco in the walled garden, was a sight to behold, but owner Paul Keane said the production reflected well on all of West Cork. ‘It was a wonderful opportunity to highlight what West Cork has to offer,’ he said.
