Naomi Kamat
Head chef of Cork’s Elbow Lane Harrison Sharpe on his life in food
Here, we catch up with Harrison Sharpe to chat about everything from his earliest memories of food to his favourite flavours and culinary inspirations.
Growing up in Waterford surrounded by a big food family, Harrison Sharpe’s affinity with flavour began at an early age. Describing food as “a great unifier and equaliser, a way of saying I love you”, this chef’s natural curiosity and excitement for experimentation has made him one of Cork’s top chefs to watch.
Head chef at Elbow Lane on Oliver Plunkett Street in Cork City, Harrison works alongside his brother Ronan, who is general manager at the restaurant, as they enter into their tenth year in business.
Here, Harrison Sharpe shares his life in food…
What are your earliest memories of food?
My grandad bringing me around his meat factory and opening up barrels of ham where they were being cured. He’d know which ones were ready by looking at how much water had come out of them.
Or my mum making tandoori chicken at home and me thinking it was so weird that she put yoghurt on chicken. I remember watching with fascination as it was bubbling and blistering on the grill and thinking, “How is this going to work?”
How would you describe your relationship with food?
Curious. I really like to play around with new techniques and ingredients. I think this is absolutely the best way of becoming a better cook; by really trying to understand the ingredient/technique/tools you’re working with, what you can learn from them and how you can apply this knowledge to something else in the kitchen. Food is also a great way to get to learn about and experience new cultures.
What was the first meal you learned to cook?
French toast. After 20 years of trying, I make a banging one now! I still remember the moment I discovered that if you let the butter brown before you put the bread in, it’s even more delicious. At the time it felt like I discovered one of the secrets to the culinary universe
How did food become a part of your career?
My family is “a big food family” and many are involved in the food business either as food and drink operators or chefs and producers, but if I were to pick the most influential person it would be my Uncle John. He is a super chef, and it was like having my own, personal Jamie Oliver growing up—he really made me see how cool cooking is—and I really wanted to be like him.
What’s your go-to breakfast?
I am addicted to M&S cherry yoghurt so I have one almost every morning. I also have a glass of salt water, which sounds weird, but you need it going into a hot kitchen for the day. I also have some kind of protein/breakfast bar. Not the healthiest I know – but I do make more of an effort when I am on my day off.
If you’re impressing friends and family at a dinner party, what are you serving up?
For me top-quality ingredients in season are always number one, so I usually let that dictate the menu. However, my ideal dish to share with loved ones would be a whole salt-baked turbot with some braised leeks, Jerusalem artichokes and romesco with the best olive oil I can find. So, quality ingredients cooked simply is the way to go.
Who is your culinary inspiration?
I’ve had a lot of people in my life who have inspired me; from my mum and family to some great mentors at college, but a real game-changer for me at a young age was Heston Blumenthal. I’d never before seen that food could be so much more than its basic taste and texture. It can be playful, cerebral, creative. It can be surprising or even shocking; divisive and unifying; all at the same time. It was very inspiring to be shown just how powerful food can be.
What would your last meal on earth be?
Real ‘low and slow’ Texas-style brisket cooked for 16 hours or however long it takes to squeeze out as much flavour as possible. Because, you’ll know, if you’ve ever smoked one, it’s never goddamned ready when you need it to be!
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Chicken noodle soup. My gran used to make soup for us after school whenever she was minding us and she made the best chicken noodle, so it has a special place in my heart. The lashings of butter on the bread she served alongside it is also a fast-track to comfort for me.
What’s the go-to quick meal you cook when you’re tired and hungry?
Spaghetti Carbonara. This is such a handy one to have in your back pocket because it comes together really easily and all the ingredients are kitchen essentials that you probably have to hand and that keep well in the fridge. I am going to be a bit cheffy and say you really have to make it with guanciale, which I get in the English Market. It is just not the same without it.
What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?
Tough one! I think one of the worst culinary experiences I have ever had is biting into a whole clove unexpectedly. It honestly ruined the whole meal because the flavour is so potent that nothing will get rid of it.
Hangover cure?
Attempting to prevent the hangover is worth the effort so I recommend an electrolyte tablet and pint of water before going to bed. A homemade sausage and egg muffin with loads of cheese for breakfast followed by a big bowl of Pho for lunch usually does the job. If you’re really shook, while it’s the last thing you feel like, the hair of the dog is your only man.
Sweet or savoury?
I don’t know why you’d only want one when you can have both
Fine dining or pub grub?
To be honest, depending on the mood, I really enjoy both experiences. I will say however that I absolutely hate the kind of fine dining where it’s all whispers and servers are like emotionless statues – that’s no craic at all.
Favourite restaurant in Ireland?
Goldie. I’m a bit biassed as the head chef Aishling Moore used to be my old head chef and I consider her to be a good friend, but Goldie really is next-level seafood and I really respect her sustainable business practices as well. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend goldie for the most special of occasions.
Best coffee in Ireland?
I love SOMA Coffee Company. That’s my go-to when I need a pick me up and I’ve never been let down. My brother, Ronan, who is the general manager at Elbow Lane, can also make a seriously good flat white. We love to make coffee at home so it is great to have such a good quality roaster in the city and to be able to try out new types of coffee all the time.
Go-to beverage accompaniment?
We make a really good beer and mead at our award-winning microbrewery at Elbow Lane. These beers are specifically created to go with food, so we make beer recommendations to accompany our entire menu including puddings. Beer as a partner to food is totally under-appreciated – it is perfect with the low and slow meats and steaks that we serve and our lighter styles work well with fish.
What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene?
I think we’re at a really exciting moment in time in Irish food. We have more Michelin stars in the country than ever before, with a slew of new two-stars in the last few years. It is only a matter of time before Ireland gets the first three-star accreditation. This really helps consolidate our position on the world stage as a culinary destination. However, on the ground, and possibly even more exciting, are the number of really good high-end casual restaurants that are opening. There are also lots of Irish chefs who’ve been working in the top restaurants abroad who are coming back, so I’m really excited to see what happens in the next few years.
What’s your favourite thing about cooking?
I love to travel and food is a great way to get to experience new cultures. It’s great to go to a country like Mexico and bring back some dried local chilies to try to recreate something you had over there at home.
What does food — sitting down to a meal with friends, mindfully preparing a meal, nourishment, etc — mean to you?
I think food is a great unifier and equaliser and a way of saying I love you. This can be sharing something very simple with your colleagues where everyone sits down together as equals, as we do at the restaurant, or take it to the extreme, where ideological and religious differences can be set aside as people share bread together and get back to one of the most fundamental experiences in life. It is always an amazing treat when friends and family show their love by spending hours making something really special to share – it is like a big, warm hug.
Food for thought — Is there room for improvement within the Irish food/restaurant/hospitality scene?
Ireland is lauded worldwide for its excellent hospitality, however, I don’t think this is really recognised or appreciated at home. Even though we employ a huge number of people and generate significant revenue, sadly hospitality is seen as a second option for employment by many, and it is not supported in the way it should by our government.
Chef’s kiss — A standout dining experience you had lately.
I have always had a fondness for Amaretto but I find most brands too sweet. Our former barman, Joe Timbrell, who is now our assistant manager, has just started making his own. He is very tight-lipped about his recipe, but it is a revelation. I also love his smoked cocktails using whiskey, mezcal and Lapsang Souchong. These taste extra delicious in a Smokehouse like ours!
Compliments to the chef — Now’s your chance to sing the praises of a talented chef, beloved restaurant or particularly talented foodie family member.
This has to be my dad who runs Irish Gourmet Butter. He went from having a corporate job and never working in food to making some of the best hand-made butter in the world in a few short years. Irish Gourmet Butter is now used in professional kitchens up and down the country. It took some incredibly hard work on his part (and on my mum’s) and I’m super proud of him.
Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?
For me, it’s service. I can cope if the food is mediocre and the service is great – then the night isn’t a total write-off. Whereas when the food is great and the service is too, the experience becomes more than the sum of its parts and is like going out to an amazing show.
Imagery via Naomi Kamat
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