Orlaith to cook up a storm this summer

RESTAURANTS this summer should be on the look-out for Orlaith McCann, who won the Uncle Ben’s Schools Cookery competition yesterday.

The 17-year-old student has “tried and tried” to get a cooking job during her summer holidays but has found it difficult.

“I think in a lot of restaurants you have to be over 18 because they serve alcohol. But I really love cooking and I’m absolutely thrilled to win,” she said.

Orlaith, from St Mary’s Secondary School in Baldoyle, Co Dublin, served up one of Mexico’s hottest dishes: chicken enchiladas in pepper sauce with rice and fennel salad. She spent a whole week cooking the dish for family, friends and anyone else available.

“The cooking went really well,” she said. “I still quite enjoy the dish itself, but it’s a bit much to cook it five times in a week.”

Pupils from every secondary school in Ireland were invited to submit their recipes and 1,300 entries were received. All the students had to cater for a dinner party of four using Mexican, Indian or Chinese food. The judges selected 26 regional winners, from whom six finalists emerged.

For her prize, Orlaith received the Uncle Ben’s Perpetual Trophy, a family trip to Disneyland Paris and a chance to work with elite Irish chef Derry Clarke at l’Ecrivain restaurant on Baggot Street in Dublin.

“I’ll have a day as a chef so that should teach me a lot,” she said.

Her school will also receive €1,300 worth of electrical equipment for the Home Economics department.

“Orlaith is an excellent student as well as being a very good cook,” said Sister Elizabeth Slattery, the principal of St Mary’s Secondary School.

St Mary’s is one of 11 secondary schools in Baldoyle and has won the competition three times already. Sr Elizabeth said this was due to the school’s excellent teachers and its curriculum.

“The girls here can do science as well as home economics so they don’t have to choose,” she said.