Meet the new faces of the Irish food and drink scene

Alex is co-founder of Bahay, one of Dubin’s most exciting new food ventures, along with her partner Richie Castillo. Richie is a chef, while Alex is a computer science graduate who has worked in IT for most of her career (and still does). It was while doing a master’s in digital marketing that Alex saw the potential in developing a food business in the online space and in tandem, they had been inspired by the food of Richie’s Filipino heritage and his dad’s impactful cooking. Alex says she “just couldn’t get over the flavours”. Bahay was born.

Opening as a traditional restaurant was never the plan – they began with successful events at Roe & Co Distillery and Taste of Dublin and went on to travel Ireland, doing the festival circuit and popping up in all sorts of places. Bahay has since become somewhat of a poster child for eschewing the traditional restaurant route to market and Alex is happy to keep it that way for now. “Doing it in other people’s spaces allows us to pay people fairly, it allows us to do one-offs, and we can utilise our friends and family to help when they are available.”

They made such a name for themselves that in 2023 they published their first co-authored book, Masarap, which explores Filipino food through an Irish cultural lens. They have also tentatively launched a new sauce product, their banana ketchup, driven by Alex’s obsession with condiments. “I am really passionate about spreading Filipino flavours so I love the idea of making a sauce that people could bring home, using this flavour bomb themselves.”

Alex’s advice for anyone considering starting their own venture? “First work out the ‘what’ – what you want to do, what you want to create – but then think about the ‘why’. Why do you want to do it? The why is needed to achieve the what.” bahay.ie

Ngozi Elobuike grew up in the Californian wine region of Lodi, where wine was part of everyday life and agriculture, but it wasn’t until studying in London and working at Vagabond Wines that she began to think about the experience around wine. Then while in Dublin, completing a master’s, she worked at über-cool wine bar, Note. “It was a phenomenal place to work, but the thing that struck me was when I brought my friend in for a wine tasting. She’s this gorgeous creative, but she stood out like a sore thumb in the room. Not because she wasn’t as equally interested in wine, but because there was no one else in the room that looked like us.” That moment started a train of thought for Ngozi that resulted in Hi Spirits, a Black-led wine club in Dublin that celebrates diversity and culture through curated wine experiences.

Hi Spirits is now a collective of more than 100 members. “It’s meant to introduce new forms of gastronomy to communities that may not think they have access to it. And it’s about creating unique, bespoke events and a collective cultural memory.” All of this came together perfectly for her sold-out supper club in 2023, The Renaissance Room, in collaboration with Victory Nwabu-Ekeoma, founder and creator of Bia! Zine, who Ngozi cites as “a huge help and support”. For 2024, Ngozi is planning more events and hopes to partner with a wine shop. “I don’t just want our members to discover wine with us, but to also see themselves as participating in the community and going to these places themselves.”

Her advice for anyone starting out? “This isn’t your practice life – that’s what I tell myself and that is what compels me.” hispiritswineclub.com