Success-hungry chefs to serve humble pie

One of these chefs will be eating humble pie this evening, while the other will dine like a lord.

Two culinary experts, one from Munster and one from Clermont Auvergne, have thrown down the gauntlet over who’s going to win Le Crunch Heineken Cup semi-final clash in Montpellier. The loser will have to cook dinner for the winner.

Yoann Avignon, a chef at L’Attitude 51 on Union Quay, Cork, played rugby for Clermont Le Plaine, a feeder club for Clermont Auvergne, and doesn’t believe he’ll be the one slaving in the kitchen come 7pm.

He knows his rugby, having played at both flank-forward and second-centre and, with a team bristling with the talents of Wesley Fofana, Sitiveni Sivivatu, and Napolino Nalaga, he has reason to be confident.

“I think we’ll win. We have home advantage and that will be good for us,” Yoann says.

“I have the evening off so I’ll be going to watch it in the Idle Hour with friends of mine who are from Clermont, Toulon, and Toulouse.”

Clermont Auvergne are clear favourites with Paddy Power at 1-9 but, as bookies know, you can never write off Munster.

Marty Kenny, chef in The Sextant, believes honest, locally- sourced produce is the key to a winning dish — and Munster have that in spades. “Most of our players are home-grown and that’s the key ingredient and a clear recipe for success,” he says. “We like to keep it simple, none of this champagne rugby that the French would be at.”

Marty, who’s been at The Sextant for four years, has never played rugby. “Never touched it, but I know Munster still have a huge appetite for success and we’ll all be cheering them.”

Munster are 6/1 — not bad odds in a two- horse race. It’s 33/1 for a draw after 80 minutes and, in the spirit of fair play, The Sextant’s pizzas will use Bleu d’Auvergne cheese.