Castlefin chef shocked to win prestigious UK Craft Guild of Chefs award

A young Castlefin chef has spoken of her shock after winning a prestigious professional chefs' award in the UK.

Keira Carolan (21) won the Young National Chef of the Year at an award ceremony hosted by the Craft Guild of Chefs, a leading chefs’ association in the UK that was established in 1885. 

She won after her version of a three-course meal briefing beat out the other 11 contenders cooking at the final stage. 

“I am just in shock,” said Keira. “I had a lot of work, and I was very happy to get the result I wanted. 

“The announcer said the winner smashed it, and I was flawless in doing all three dishes. I thought it was bound to be somebody else, but they said my name and it was amazing. 

“There was a semi-final where I had to submit an online entry with full dish descriptions and a menu, as well as pictures of all my dishes. There were 30 people for the semi-final, and then I got selected for the final. 12 people got selected.

“We had three months from when we found out we were in the final to the competition day. We had two hours to complete our full menu, a three-course meal for two people.”

READ NEXT: ‘Well-established and successful’ Bundoran pub listed for sale

“Everybody had the same brief. Everybody had to do monkfish and mussels. Then for the main course, everybody had to do chicken roasted on the crown, and then we had to stuff either the leg or wing with a filling of our choice. We had to do one potato garnish, two vegetable garnishes and a sauce. 

“The dessert had to be a mousse using a fruit puree with a biscuit element and a fresh fruit garnish.

“The hardest part of it all was doing it on time.”

Keira moved to the Lake District, England, just over three years ago, under the Simon Rogan Apprenticeship, and had the opportunity to work in various Michelin-starred kitchens where she could learn her craft. 

When asked how she developed her aspiration to become a chef, Keira responded: “My dad was a farmer. I have always been around farmers, and my mum is a great cook. I loved the idea that we had all this produce that you could bring into your home and make something amazing.  I thought that was amazing. 

“My mum would always bring us to Donegal Food Festival and other food events. I really loved to cook from an early age. Throughout school, I always wanted to be a chef. I did well at school, but I didn’t care but for the cooking. 

“I worked at Oakfield Park in Raphoe with Damien McGettigan. I worked in Strabane and then England after that.

“The company that I work for has multiple Michelin-starred restaurants. The restaurant I am working at now doesn’t have a star, but we are really hoping to get one. 

“The people I work for are some of the best chefs in the world. To be able to work under them, watch, and learn from them, if you don’t learn, then there is something wrong. It is such an amazing place to work.”

Despite working in glamorous kitchens abroad, Keira still aspires to cook her best food in Donegal.

When speaking about her future, she commented: “There are a good few chefs and restaurants I would like to work for, but ultimately, I would love to come back to Donegal and have something there. 

“Every single person you speak to, I tell them about Donegal and the produce we have. We have some of the best produce in the world. The seafood, meat, dairy and vegetables. It is very unsung, and everybody needs to see what we have.”