TV Review: Neven’s Christmas at Kylemore Abbey
Neven Maguire presents Neven's Christmas at Kylemore Abbey on Tuesday December 7 and 14, RTÉ One, 8.30pm
I like what Neven Maguire has done with his hair. There is just a little bit of texture at the front, enough to give him ‘a look’, without going full rockabilly quiff. It’s a little nod to the fact that he’s on TV, showing hundreds of thousands of people how to improve their cooking by 10%.
(RTÉ One Tuesday 8:30pm and RTÉ Player) starts with a bit of drone flying over Kylemore Abbey, a few Disney-style shooting stars thrown in —suggesting the production crowd might have cracked open a bottle of Christmas bubbles when they were discussing the tone.
Neven appears like a slightly nervous tour-guide for a few opening words, and we’re straight into Grilled Salmon with sun-dried pesto. At Christmas time. There was a time when you’d be denounced from the pulpit for that kind of carry-on.
Neven doesn’t make a big deal about the fact that he’s suggesting Irish people should eat fish in December. In fact, he doesn’t make any deal of it at all. If this was Jamie Oliver he’d be making you feel bad for not thinking about it before, and promising that salmon was in fact the key to a happy Christmas. I love Jamie, but he’s always over-selling ideas as if he’s not that sure about them himself. The fact that his special last year was called Keep Cooking At Christmas suggests he’s worried that we might stop and try something else.
Neven just kept going with his grilled salmon, speaking evenly and slowly, aware that there were probably some people writing down his every word. It feels like a very calm lecture. It made me want to cook salmon and pesto.
Next up was this amazing mushroom and chestnut soup, with a bit of Madeira added. You look at Neven and think he’s just going to tell me how to get my roasties right — but here he is now putting Madeira wine in a soup. The only Madeira in our house growing up was put aside for aunt Monica so she could get a bit foolish on St Stephen's Day.
And then a crime against the people of Cork. Neven goes outside with the head chef from Kylemore, who shows him how they make their own version of spiced beef. The first step is two weeks in salt and water. Seriously, even if you live on Malin Head, would it not be more in your line to drive down to Leeside and pick up some spiced beef in the English Market?
Neven and the chef managed to get through the whole spiced beef piece without once mentioning Cork. Unforgivable.
But I forgive him anyway. By the time they got to the bit on the chocolate kitchen in Kylemore, I was ready to eat my hand. That’s the beauty of a Neven Maguire show — it’s not about Neven or his mates or hipster Christmas ideas — it’s all about delicious food.
