Both chefs took gold and will now represent Northern Ireland in the Sodexo All-Ireland Chef of the Year competition in Dublin later on this year. In preparation, they will attend a mentor day with Michelin-starred chef Derry Clarke from L’Ecrivain Restaurant in Dublin.
It was the second time around for Mark Lynott who was a joint NI winner in 2011 and went on to win the All-Ireland competition. He represented Ireland in the Sodexo UK and Ireland 2011 Grand Final at Hospitality UK in January of this year. He didn’t win but loved the experience and is determined to get back there again.
Lynott said: “There are about eight chefs cooking live in front of judges, cameras and a very large audience so it’s hard to appreciate the intensity unless you’ve gone through it yourself. It was my first time to compete at that level so it will really stand to me if all going well, I find myself back there again. I’m hooked on the buzz now so there’s no going back!”
For the NI finals, competitors were given an hour to prepare, cook and present a main course using fresh fish and vegetables of their own choice. Lynott served a pan-seared Turbot and coriander-infused Tagliatelle, braised vegetables with a passion fruit sauce topped with beetroot and apple caviar. Clarke won over the judges with a langoustine glazed Monkfish served on a bed of roasted fennel with a smoked potato cake, pea puree and seafood bonbon with a bouillabaisse sauce.
McCarroll, who has been taking part in the Chef of the Year competitions for the past five years, said: “I chose monkfish because it’s my personal favourite to cook and eat. I love seafood in general so I was delighted to hear that this year’s competition was going to have fish as the main ingredient. Fish can be tricky for even the most experienced chef as it’s very easy to overcook but I relished the challenge hopefully, it’ll be fish again for the all-Ireland competition.”
The competition was judged by Sodexo Ireland’s most senior executive chef Derek Reilly and Thomas Turley, lecturer with the Belfast Metropolitan College.