Fun at the GI Jive Festival in Kilkeel

American GIs were stationed in Kilkeel preparing for the allied invasion of Europe. The GI Jive Festival celebrated the era with vintage vehicles, Living History Displays, fashion show and children’s fun.To celebrate the event, the lovely folk at the GI Jive festival have given Eating Ideas a £50.00 voucher for Mourne Seafood Cookery School for one lucky reader to win.  All you have to do is enter below.  A review of the cookery demonstrations can be found beneath the competition.
Win a £50 voucher for Mourne Seafood Cookery School

What a fabulous day sampling the very best from 5 of Ireland`s very best chefs. Each chef created two dishes.

Rodger Moynihan, Head Chef of Mourne Seafood Cookery School, kicked things off with 2 fish dishes – Salt and Chilli Squid and Wild Brown Trout. Roger used every part of the sqid, even the tentacles and wings. The result was fresh, vibrant in colour and delicious. When it comes to fish Roger clearly knows his stuff and had many tips for the audience. His Wild brown trout ( not used as often as it should, in his opinion) was simple, honest and gorgeous.

Our next demonstration was by Eddie Atwell. Eddie initially looked very serious and he was clearly out to maintain his reputation for experimental cooking. Once Eddie got started his passion for cooking radiated from him. He’s big on re-introducing cuts of meat like the pig`s head, loves playing with textures, using alternative seasoning to salt and scavages for sea-beet, meadowsweat and the like. The pig`s head, no longer resembled a head and was gloriously tender. Eddie`s second dish Butter Poached Hake, was sublime – perhaps it’s because he grows his own veg and uses ingredients few of us have heard of. He described himself as “going backward”s to his roots in his style. Eddie’s approach was exciting and witty and he kept the crowd entertained.

Joery Castles was aided by his son, Connor aged 10 and too cute for words . While at home Joery loves to barbeque in his “big green egg”.  He also loves his gadgets ( his weapon of choice for the demo being the blow-torch and thermamix). Like Eddie , Joery enjoys experimenting with cooking and pushing the boundries.   Joery was quite humble and engaging and also on the quest for alternatives to salt for seasoning.

By contrast Chris Feron`s quote of the day was “salt’s good for ya!” and his Italian inspired Stew of Dundrum Mussels, Pork dish was rustic and wholesome and the best smell of the day. He was re and described his role as Executive Chef for Deans as a sort of “Big agony aunt that cooks”. Chris, unlike the other chefs cooked both dishes simultaneously, and again didn’t disappoint.  He says he`s willing to adapt to the `Belfast palatte in his quest to please!

The final chef to demonstrate was the newly crowned National Chef of 2017, James Devine. He was entertaining, informative and great craic. He showed us how to pickle veg, fillet fish and create a dish that required no cooking and a Chowder in a hurry. Chris was `cooking on gas` and at the end of the day, when the gas was running out, still managed to `pull it off`. He said his chowder, like all stews, would taste even better the following day – I find this hard to believe as it was simply “divine”.

Make sure to keep an eye out for next years event and don’t miss it!

Thanks to Sharon Adamson for attending the event on behalf of the Eating Ideas team!