Cork dominates young chefs’ competition

3 Cork chefs have made the final 6 in one of the most prestigious competitions for young chefs in Ireland.

The semi-finals of the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year 2025, presented by La Rousse Foods, took place on Sunday 19 June at Dublin Cookery School with 15 semi-finalists competing.

The Cork finalists are: Nell McCarthy from dede, mentored by Ahmet Dede; Eoghan O’Flynn from The Cove at Fota Resort, mentored by Alex Petit and Rob Martin of Apple HQ, mentored by Richard Murray.

These six finalists now advance to the final round in October, where they will compete for the prestigious title of Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year 2025.

The selection was made by a panel of some of Ireland’s most respected chefs and industry leaders, who assessed both technical skill and creativity. The judging panel included Mickael Viljanen of Chapter One, award-winning chef Mark Moriarty, Shauna Froydenlund of The Fold and Commissioner General of Euro-Toques Ireland, Domini Kemp of Valence Hospitality.

This year’s competition is themed Forgotten Foods: Honouring Ireland’s Larder. The idea is to reflect on the richness of Ireland’s culinary heritage and ask what we may have left behind. The challenge for competitors is to rediscover lost ingredients, traditional techniques and the foodways that shaped Irish cuisine and bring them to life in a way.

The focus is on reimagining what’s possible with the bounty of Ireland’s land and sea.In the semi-finals, the chefs faced two challenges. The first was a pastry-focused skills test, where they had 30 minutes to replicate a recipe for shortbread biscuits and create a flavoured cream of their own design. The second task involved a mystery basket. In 90 minutes, each competitor had to prepare two plates of a dish featuring three mandatory elements: megrim, seasonal vegetables, and a sauce.

Conor Halpenny, Commissioner General of Euro-Toques Ireland, said that the Young Chef of the Year competition is more than a contest - it’s a platform for cultivating the next generation of Irish chefs and showcasing the work of local food producers.

“It’s an opportunity to bring together some of the best young talent on the island and to shine a spotlight on the artisan producers we value so much,” he said. “Every year we choose a new theme that speaks to what matters in food today, and we’re proud to be able to give visibility to both chefs and suppliers who represent the future of Irish cuisine.”

Gareth Mullins, Chair of the Young Chefs Committee, explained that the focus on megrim - a lesser-used native fish - was a deliberate one. “This year we wanted to highlight local ingredients that are often overlooked,” he said. “Megrim is a great example. For decades it was almost entirely exported to countries like Spain and France. But recently, there’s been a real push to promote megrim here in Ireland, where it’s now sometimes referred to as Irish sole.”

He added that while megrim has a delicate texture and subtle flavour, it’s rarely seen on menus - something that hopefully will change.