Paul Flynn and Jess Murphy both admit that underneath it all, they are quite shy.

“You could have fooled me,” I reply teasingly, because as we sit around with our milky tea discussing the upcoming Women & Agriculture Conference, the banter between the two chefs is infectious.

“Public speaking is a whole different ballgame,” admits Paul. “I remember one of the first times I talked to a group as a chef. It was a few students that Darina Allen brought to the restaurant and I was frozen in fear. You’d swear she put me in front of world leaders.”

Jess pipes in that she went to a sports psychologist for a year to gain the confidence to do public speaking.

“I knew something had to give when I went to Electric Picnic one year. I was on a panel and everyone had to introduce themselves and their business. While other chefs were waxing lyrical about their area of expertise, do you know what I said? ‘Jess.’ That is all and I passed the mic to the next person.”

However, this part of being a chef has become important.

“It’s not just about promoting your business,” says Paul. “We have an opportunity as chefs to promote Irish produce and ingredients, get the word out there about how great Irish food is.”

This is what Paul has been doing for the last 20 years with Ornua, a partnership that has been in existence nearly as long as he and wife Maura have been running the famous Tannery restaurant in Dungarvan. Jess, who runs the creative and innovative Kai Restaurant in Galway, has just started her partnership with them, but already you can see that Paul and Jess are a great combo.

Duo act

They will team up together for the very first time when they take to the stage at our Women & Agriculture Conference on 24 October.

“Now I am much more comfortable doing public speaking, especially when it’s a demo,” says Jess. “But I am really looking forward to this conference, because I feel I am amongst my people.” She is certainly a woman in agriculture, having been raised on a sheep farm in New Zealand.

“It’s about 1,900 acres, but that is quite standard over there. We call them ‘stations’ because we used to go to town once every six months, for the dentist and the big shop. My mother would be someone who would go to this conference. Are ye planning on holding one in New Zealand?” she laughs.

Since arriving in Ireland 14 years ago, Jess has embraced Irish farming, like it was her own.

“I honestly think Irish dairy is the best in the world, but my dad gets mad when I say that,” she laughs.

Jess is one of those chefs who doesn’t just say she supports local produce and Irish agriculture; she can be often found walking the fields observing the cattle that will be used in her restaurant.

“I work very closely with my meat supplier, Bradys, and often go out to them to do an abattoir visit, usually every season. They have a great setup with the farm, farmhouse, butchers and abattoir in one location. I have a cup of tea there and know that where my meat is coming from is a really calm, beautiful environment.”

Now she has even gotten into raising her own cattle: “They sent me a picture of three Belted Galloways earlier this year and I was so impressed, I bought them all.”

Country versus townie

Jess is keen to use all parts of the animal in her cooking and you’ll often find real oxtail soup on her menu, a dish that goes down a hit with the farmers of the area.

She isn’t the only one that cooks for the farmer. On the other side of the country, Paul says although he is a townie, having been raised in Dungarvan, the surrounding countryside means he is also well used to cooking, as well as working with local farmers.

“It’s fantastic to see the selection of produce that is now supplied locally compared with when I started out in business 23 years ago. One of the most important producers I work with these days is our veg man, who has a deep understanding of our needs.

“All the small growers around the area bring their produce to him. Now we have an abundance of vegetables that I would have been looking for in the early days, but back then we would have been seen to have notions,” Paul laughs.

Another producer that Paul is famous for championing is Comeragh Mountain Lamb.

“You know we all have our favourite products and it’s great that I get to shout about it, but what’s even better is that nearly every part of the country now has a product to champion.”

Jess jumps in: “Yeah I am a staunch supporter of Roscommon lamb, which is supporting a whole community.

“It really is a pleasure that we get to work with such good producers and to cook with these high-quality products.”

Promoting dairy

Paul says it has been great to showcase these products not just within the country, but through his work with Ornua.

“Recently, we had a group of American journalists and editors at the Tannery and I’ve also cooked dinners in New York for food writers.

“What’s really important to me is continuing to improve the perception of Irish food, to really prove that we are different, we are innovative and that we are working with excellent produce.

“It’s lovely because this happens in a very relaxed environment and when you are talking to people, you develop a friendship and when you are cooking for them, and using lots of Irish butter to make a delicious meal, well the proof is in the taste.

“I have witnessed that change in people’s reactions, an acknowledgement of the quality of our dairy. It’s really great to see.”

Both Paul and Jess are aware that the audience at the Women & Agriculture Conference won’t need too much convincing about the quality of our dairy, but their demo will be pairing it with some very fine Irish ingredients.

“We’re not revealing our recipes quite yet, but it really will be a celebration of the very best of Irish food. Achill Island lamb reared and butchered by the Calvery Sisters, elephant garlic from Marita Collier in Drummond House in Louth and we’ll also be using cauliflower and heritage potatoes from Maria Flynn in Ballymakenny Farm, who I know spoke at the conference last year as a previous Women & Agriculture winner.

“Not forgetting some delicious farmhouse cheese from St Tolas goat’s cheese farm in Co Clare. We’ll have everybody hungry for their lunch.”