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The booking lines are now open for what is rumoured to become the next go-to destination restaurant, Aimsir at the Cliff at Lyons.
There has been talk about this restaurant since last September when Jordan Bailey served up an exclusive tasting menu which was the foodie focus on Instagram and Twitter on the night in question.
Now the standalone new restaurant on the grounds at the Cliff of Lyons is officially opening its doors on Wednesday 8 May and you can book your table now.
For young chef Jordan Bailey, it’s a project that has been 15 months in the making, as he explored the Irish landscape – and the Irish larder – for a taste that is unique yet still inherently Irish.
It is sure to be interesting as Jordan isn’t from this part of the world.
Born in Cornwall in England, he was former head chef at three-star Michelin Maaemo in Oslo and his wife, Majken Bech Bailey from Denmark will be his front-of-house manager.
They have a fresh perspective on Irish cuisine as the young couple moved to Ireland early last year to explore the food producers and ingredients of their newly adopted home.
They also got married during their first six months here. The menu will be a celebration of their Irish exploration and the country they now call home.
Aimsir – the word for “weather” as Gaeilge – is the heart of what happens at the restaurant, celebrating what can be sown, harvested, fished and foraged on the island of Ireland, Aimsir will be a passionate advocate for an authentic range of ingredients used in a sophisticated and inventive way.
The restaurant which seats just 24 diners opens on Wednesday 8 May. The run-up to open hasn’t all been smooth sailing however, and there were some setbacks along the way.
That kind of thing does happen when you are integrating a new restaurant into a historic building.
Bookings for May are available online at www.aimsir.ie from Friday.
As the restaurant seats just 24 guests, the online system will open on the first of each month for a three-month block, so on Friday 5 April reservations will be available from 8 May until the end of July.
For quite a few years, food lovers would head to Cork around the weekend of 17 May for the Ballymaloe Litfest but that is no longer running.
Now though, there is a new excuse to go south for Design POP – the first Irish food and design festival.
The more food festivals that pop up, the more innovative they get in order to stand out from the crowd.
Design POP will see six food producers collaborate with six designers to create custom structures across Cork city for a free food and design trail from 17-19 May.
Who’s involved?
Some of the collaborations include Cork print maker and visual artist, Shane O’Driscoll who brings his signature designs to a collaboration with socially conscious plant-based food company, Banana Melon Kitchen to create a pavilion in Emmet Place.
Irish graphic designer, illustrator and Design POP brand creator Conor Merriman is partnering with Cork’s favourite coffee spot, SOMA for a custom structure in Bishop Lucey Park.
Large-scale outdoor international artist Alex Pentek is collaborating with Applebee Bakes – experts in handcrafted bespoke cakes on a beautiful installation on Cornmarket Street and the pavilion on Nano Nagle Place will be created by the neighbourhood’s renowned Good Day Deli founded by Kiwi eco-warriors Clare and Kristin and talented Corkonian Alan Macilwraith from JCA Architects.
It’s going to be a very cool and different celebration of Irish food and art.
To stay on top of the latest news, updates and schedule announcements, check out www.designpop.ie and follow @designpopcork on social.
The Duckland chain in Singapore was officially launched by Minister Heather Humphreys during the St Patrick’s Trade Mission to Singapore/Australia/New Zealand.
Sometimes we can take our own food for granted. Well you know who doesn’t take our food for granted? The Singaporeans. Customers are flocking to the new Duckland chain of restaurants in Singapore and the Irish Silver Hill Duck has been described as the “wagyu” of duck and the demand for the “Mother of All Ducks” is unprecedented in the region, mirroring the raging demand among chefs in the UK.
The Irish Duck-themed restaurant is the brainchild of Andrew Tjioe, president of the successful Tung Lok Group which has an extensive range of restaurants across Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, China and Vietnam.
Such is the success story of Silver Hill Duck that it is leading the migration of other Irish food brands to new South Asian markets as restaurateurs there realise the quality of Irish produce, with food and drink exports from Ireland sold alongside the Silver Hill Duck including Rosderra, Ribworld and Diageo with more set to follow.
The unique Duckland chain serve a range of Asian and Western-style duck dishes and pride of place is a signature dish of Roast Irish Duck with other customer favourites including Duck Confit and Waffle, Duck Pies and Duck Fried Rice, Spaghetti Duck Bolognese all in demand.
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