The Big Grill Festival Director Andy Noonan on communal mealtimes, family feeds, and cooking with fire

For those who may be otherwise unaware, The Big Grill BBQ & Food Festival brings the very best Irish and international chefs, restaurants and barbecue experts together to celebrate and explore the delicious challenges, skillful techniques, and pure magic of cooking over live fire.

Curated by Andy Noonan, a self-taught chef whose natural born passion for BBQ-focussed cooking led him setup not only the Big Grill, but Me Auld Flower festival and Scorchio Events and BBQ Agency, it’s one of the most exciting dates on Ireland’s foodie calendar.

Here, we caught up with Andy to chat about everything from his favourite flavours to his culinary inspiration and go-to restaurants…

What are your earliest memories of food?

Eating mussels in France on holidays, my mum’s lamb stews, and family BBQs by the river Barrow.

How would you describe your relationship with food?

It’s front of mind and in conversations every day of my life whether that’s booking chefs or thinking about what to cook for the week ahead, or what I can convince my five-year-old son Max to eat for dinner!

What was the first meal you learned to cook?

Eggs – scrambled, fried, and omelettes after school.

How did food become a part of your career?

I used to throw BBQs, which grew legs over the years and led me into professional cooking and running food events.

What’s your go-to breakfast?

Eggs — scrambled, boiled, fried or omelette and always with hot sauce and black filter coffee.

If you’re impressing friends and family at a dinner party, what are you serving up?

A large cut of meat cooked slowly over a fire or from the smoker, lamb shoulder, a picanha, a brisket or beef ribs. Family-style plates on the table and a magnum of wine always go down a treat.

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Who is your culinary inspiration?

Anthony Bourdain.

What would your last meal on earth be?

An extra large prime rib, medium rare, beef dripping chips, bearnaise and a bottle of Chambolle-Musigny from Domaine G.Roumier.

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Chicken broth/soup or a bowl of Pho.

What’s the go-to quick meal you cook when you’re tired and hungry?

Roast chicken and veg or a fridge-raid salad.

What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?

I struggle with aged goat’s cheese for some reason. It’s one of the very few things I can’t eat.

Hangover cure?

Rehydration tabs in a pint of water before bed, then eggs, black coffee and solpadeine the following day. Spicy chicken wings with blue cheese are usually ordered later in the day.

Sweet or savoury?

Savoury.

Fine dining or pub grub?

Proper pub grub.

Favourite restaurant in Ireland?

At the moment, Locks.

Best coffee in Ireland?

3fe is my go-to.

Go-to beverage accompaniment?

Cured meats, olives, cheese and pistachio nuts.

What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene?

I travel quite often researching for our events, and honestly, I’ve never seen Ireland in a better place talent-wise. We punch well above our weight. There are so many exciting chefs doing great things with our great produce here. I ate in some highly rated and recommended restaurants in NYC in April of this year and felt similar ranged restaurants here were superior. Staffing, high rents and the endless rise in costs remain the biggest barrier to creative chefs opening up their own places and pushing boundaries.

What’s your favourite thing about cooking?

It’s like meditation for me. Stick on a good playlist of podcasts and zone out while I cook. That and making people happy with the food. I love cooking for people.

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

Everything. Sharing a meal with someone is one of life’s most beautiful things. The communal aspect of eating a meal together. I’ve done it all around the world and remember those meals fondly.

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

More training opportunities for chefs and hospitality staff, we have a skills shortage here at the moment compared to places like London. The industry badly needs help and protection from rising energy costs. Better working conditions and hours are becoming more prevalent which is a great thing.

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

Manteca in London, I’ve been trying to go for ages. I finally made it a few weeks ago. It was so good I went again last Friday. Dave Carter has cooked with us at Big Grill with Smokestak over the years, I’m a big fan of his. What he’s done with Manteca is very special. A real gem.

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

Aishling Moore in Goldie, Cork is doing great things with fish. I’m excited to eat in one of my favourite restaurants, Bastible again soon now that Killian ‘Killer’ Walsh has taken over the reins. Delighted to see Hawksmoor opening here, we had a great meal there a few weeks ago.

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

Great service, whether it’s a kebab, burger or fine dining.