Caoimhe Hanafin, Pastry Chef at The Shelbourne, on her life in food

Working as Pastry Chef for The Shelbourne Hotel, Caoimhe is responsible for desserts, the gorgeous Afternoon Tea, and the beautiful and elaborate seasonal displays in the hotel, including their incredible Christmas Gingerbread Village.

Caoimhe got a degree in Chemistry in college, but always had a love for food. While working as a waitress, she was inspired to register in DIT to train in professional cooking before starting to work as a chef in professional kitchens. Caoimhe enjoys working in pastry because there’s similarities with chemistry in the exacting nature of the work.

Here, she shares her life in food…

What are your earliest memories of food?

I suppose like most people, one of my favourite early memories of food is the smell of my mam’s home baking. Fresh scones, fairy cakes, bread, fantastic smells! She used to tell us if we made noise the cakes wouldn’t rise, so we all sat silently staring at the oven for our reward. As a child we would go down to my grandparents in Kerry and pick blackberries, my grandmother would always put them to good use. We also used to go to the apple orchard in Baldonnell and pick apples to make pies.

How would you describe your relationship with food?

I love it! Many of my happiest memories are from good meals with family and friends. Many holidays have been planned around the places we wanted to eat. I really enjoy seeing new food creations and looking through supermarkets and markets on holidays. I take great pride in hopefully making those same memories for people who eat our food in The Shelbourne.

What was the first meal you learned to cook?

I don’t know whether it could be described as a meal, but I think as a child I was allowed to make scrambled eggs?! Beyond that, the first “dinner” meal I cooked was probably Bolognese. I love Italian cuisine.

How did food become part of your career?

I did a degree in chemistry in college, then, in an unorthodox move, decided I wanted to work with food. I completed a course in professional cookery, and then began working as a chef, first in the hot kitchen, and then moving to pastry. I found that being a pastry chef had some similarities with chemistry, in the exacting nature of the work, so that probably explains what kept me working with pastry until now.

What’s your go-to breakfast?

I start work very early, I’m often gone from the house around 5am, so I don’t usually eat breakfast. I’ll grab a coffee and a pastry at work if I’m peckish, but normally, lunch is my first meal. If I’m off for the day, breakfast is normally yoghurt, granola, and berries, very exciting! I do enjoy meeting friends or family on my day off and going out for breakfast or brunch. It’s a great start to the day. A big favourite of mine is Two Pups as there’s the added bonus of bringing my dog!

If you’re impressing people at a party, what are you serving?

Given my job, I’m generally asked to do the dessert, so I’ll go with something everyone likes. Tiramisu or chocolate fondants are always popular and can be made ahead of time and brought with me. I once did an afternoon tea spread for my friends which went down a storm, but it’s a lot of work alone when you don’t have an amazing team to work with.

Who is your culinary inspiration?

That’s a hard one to answer, I’ll have to name a few here. I love watching the chocolate skills of Amaury Guichon, amazing stuff. In terms of books, Escoffier, A Guide to Modern Cooking, is timeless, and still a fantastic book to refer to. I always enjoyed seeing Heston Blumenthal’s creations, for the fun, whimsical side of cooking. But the guys and girls I work with everyday in The Shelbourne keep me going on a daily basis, seeing their drive and enthusiasm for what they do is definitely inspiring.

What would be your last meal on earth?

I might be a little biassed but it would have to be the Beef wellington from The Saddle Room in The Shelbourne or relaxing and soaking in the setting in the Lord Mayor’s Lounge enjoying afternoon tea!

What is your go-to comfort food?

Cheese. Cheese, crackers, chutney, and a glass of wine, I’m happy. I’m also a big fan of good buttery mashed potatoes and pizza. Ireland has some great spots for pizza now like Plur Pizza and Grá Pizza.

What’s your go-to quick meal when tired or hungry?

Thai green curry. I get grief at home because it’s always my handy meal suggestion, but it’s easy, quick, and tastes good every time.

What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?

I’m one of those people. Coriander. Just can’t stand the taste, and I love Asian dishes, so I often have to ask for no coriander.

Hangover cure?

Jambons, hot sauce and coffee.

Sweet or savoury?

Sweet. Love cakes, sweets, and chocolate. Always snacking. I try to avoid that aisle in the supermarket!

Fine dining or pub grub?

Depends on the mood and the company. Really enjoy fine dining, but there’s also a lot to be said for the casual atmosphere of good pub grub. I’ve had fantastic meals in both settings.

Favourite restaurant in Ireland?

The best meal I’ve eaten in Ireland was in Aimsir when Jordan Bailey was Head Chef there. I ate there twice, and both times everything was exceptional – fabulous food, service and location. I can’t wait to see what Jordan and Majken do next. More recently I visited D’olier Restaurant and the food and experience was amazing. There’s quite a few amazing restaurants that are on my list to visit, too many to name. And I think there’s some amazing brunch spots out there. Ireland has a lot to offer food wise right now.

Best coffee in Ireland?

I’m going to go local, and say that my hometown of Celbridge has a great selection of really good coffee shops. For takeaway coffee, we would alternate between Creed, JoJo’s, and The Green Goat. All are excellent, I would find it impossible to choose between them. I think the last few years in Ireland has seen an explosion in the number of coffee shops in Ireland, most main streets in the country now have a couple of top-class coffee shops to choose from.

Go to beverage accompaniment?

Sparkling water. We drink a lot of it at home, so we have the SodaStream in use for most meals. Other than that, a glass of red wine.

What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene?

It’s excellent. We have a food scene here that more than rivals any of our worldwide counterparts. We always had an excellent restaurant culture, but that has broadened its focus, so that you can get top notch examples of global cuisine everywhere in Ireland. There has been a huge increase in pop-up restaurants and food trucks, all serving something different and often innovative. As I mentioned, the café/brunch scene is excellent, with an incredible choice of places to try. I think sometimes it’s only when we travel abroad, that we realise the quality of the food that has become commonplace at home!

What’s your favourite thing about cooking?

There is an adrenaline rush of working a busy service, which is hard to replicate. It’s sustained, and difficult, but it’s also very rewarding. Working together with other chefs, under stress, really gels people together, in a way that might not happen in some other jobs. So much room for creativity. There’s never a dull day.

What does food — sitting down to a meal with friends, mindfully preparing a meal, nourishment, etc — mean to you?

It’s the focal point for most of our gatherings, so for me, food is central to quality of life, obviously, nutritionally, but equally important is the social aspect of it. Everyone is busy now with work, emails, phones, social media etc., so sometimes the only way of getting everyone to detach for an hour or two, is to get together for food. Between the prep and the eating, it’s a couple of hours of peace!

Food for thought — Is there room for improvement within the Irish food/restaurant/hospitality scene?

The good thing about the Irish food scene is that it’s never stagnant. If there’s room to improve, somewhere, there’s already someone preparing to fill that space. Just look at how the food scene has changed in ten years. This is not a country that accepts mediocre food, and that pushes all of us to constantly improve.

Chef’s kiss — Tell us about one standout foodie experience you’ve had recently.

Have eaten lunch in Alma a few times recently. Sitting outside, in the sun, with the dog, eating the Choripan Argento, great coffee, a really enjoyable meal.

Compliments to the chef — Now’s your chance to sing the praises of a talented chef, beloved restaurant or particularly talented foodie family member.

I admire people who have the conviction to open somewhere themselves, to showcase their food. A friend from college has started her own restaurant in Baltinglass, The Little Acorn Cafe, and is doing great things. I have huge respect for someone like that, who can set up a business, a little off the beaten track, and make great food. A lot of pressure, financial commitment, and long days, but fair play to those who do it. It’s what keeps the food scene in Ireland so vibrant.

Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?

Sounds corny, but it’s the company and the atmosphere. Obviously, the food is very important, but I could be eating almost anything, in the right setting, with the right people, and have a memorable meal. Also, I’m a big fan of entertainment with food- love a murder mystery dinner or themed dining experience. Food should be fun!