food columnists

2030231_1_org_Darina_Allen
Darina Allen: Confronting less-than-appetising school meals with some proper nourishment
Joe McNamee.png
Joe McNamee: I dream of the good ol' days of the local farming co-op
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Eunice Power: How to make my beef and red wine casserole — a winter classic
Michelle Darmody
Michelle Darmody: How to bake a comforting cinnamon and apple cake
Aishling Moore Darina Allen Eunice Power Joe McNamee Leslie Williams Michelle Darmody

FOOD NEWS

After the flood: How Sally O'Brien made Farmgate a success story in Lismore
After the flood: How Sally O'Brien made Farmgate a success story in Lismore
When her well-known Farmgate Midleton restaurant closed following the town's flood, owner Sally O'Brien decided to head east to Waterford, and she tells Deirdre McArdle it was a magical move

Tue, 27 Oct, 2026

Restaurant review: Picture-perfect Kinsale pub nails its seafood but shortcuts hurt it elsewhere
S Restaurant review: Picture-perfect Kinsale pub nails its seafood but shortcuts hurt it elsewhere
Donal Crosbie obviously knows how to cook and, when he nails it, he does so with aplomb

Sun, 25 Oct, 2026

Close-Up View of Person Swirling Red Wine in Cellar Atmosphere
Wine with Leslie: Chilean wines are an Irish favourite and with strong value
Chile accounts for more than a fifth of wine consumption in Ireland

Fri, 23 Oct, 2026

Professor Tim Spector: How nutrition influences mood, energy and long-term brain health
Professor Tim Spector: How nutrition influences mood, energy and long-term brain health
From improving your mood to protecting your brain as you age, Tim Spector explains why what we eat matters — and shares some recipes

Wed, 21 Oct, 2026

Restaurant review: Vada is a perfect cafe in a perfect neighbourhood
S Restaurant review: Vada is a perfect cafe in a perfect neighbourhood
Vada has been open a year now and it’s about time I visited says Leslie Williams

Sun, 18 Oct, 2026

happy friends drinking red wine at christmas party
Wine with Leslie: This little-known region is full of underrated value — here are my 3 picks
Alentejo is a value capital according to Leslie Williams

Fri, 16 Oct, 2026

Restaurant review: I'm baffled by this Indian eatery in Cork that treads cautiously on spices
S Restaurant review: I'm baffled by this Indian eatery in Cork that treads cautiously on spices
The relative blandness of the exterior of Namak in Emmet Place in Cork City hides newly revamped interior

Sun, 11 Oct, 2026

Red wine poured into glass at picnic, with copyspace
Wine with Leslie: My favourite thing about wine is that it still shocks and excites
14 years into this column, I still am fascinated by wine

Fri, 09 Oct, 2026

How to make good soup: 10 of our most popular soup recipes ever
How to make good soup: 10 of our most popular soup recipes ever
Warm, comforting and delicious: soup season is officially here

Thu, 08 Oct, 2026

English Market bakery sold after nearly 30 years: ‘We associate Cork with happy memories’
English Market bakery sold after nearly 30 years: ‘We associate Cork with happy memories’
After almost 30 years trading, Sheila Fitzpatrick has sold her Alternative Bread Company stall at the English Market to French baker Benjamin Le Bon. She talks to Joe McNamee about making Cork a home, four decades at the English Market – and brushes with royalty

Wed, 07 Oct, 2026

Mary Berry's comforting and easy one-pot recipes and her top tips for home cooks
Mary Berry's comforting and easy one-pot recipes and her top tips for home cooks
Lauren Taylor chats to the British cookery writer, cook and presenter

Wed, 07 Oct, 2026

Restaurant review: The Libertine's sophisticated take on snug pub grub calls for seconds
S Restaurant review: The Libertine's sophisticated take on snug pub grub calls for seconds
The Libertine styles itself as a ‘lounge’ and the interior has a lot more cushioned, comfortable seating than bar stools.

Sun, 04 Oct, 2026

Top 8: Which of these off-the-shelf birthday cakes is a wish come true?
Top 8: Which of these off-the-shelf birthday cakes is a wish come true?
We’ll get back to wholesome food tomorrow, now is the time for sugar and sprinkles

Fri, 02 Oct, 2026

Chardonnay Glass
Wine with Leslie: Three wines that prove Chardonnay’s versatility — including one for just €8.50
Here are three fine chardonnays from outside Burgundy

Fri, 02 Oct, 2026

'People are intrigued by them': Meet the pioneers making wine in Ireland
'People are intrigued by them': Meet the pioneers making wine in Ireland
Ireland has never been regarded as wine country, but a handful of pioneers have paved the way for a new generation to embrace the art of winemaking, writes Leslie Williams

Tue, 29 Sep, 2026

'Every home should have a conversation around food waste' 
'Every home should have a conversation around food waste' 
On the UN International Day of Awareness of Food Waste, Jonathan deBurca Butler sees what Ireland is doing to address the problem

Tue, 29 Sep, 2026

Restaurant review: Salty Dog's new Cork spot almost top tier despite some menu dissonance
S Restaurant review: Salty Dog's new Cork spot almost top tier despite some menu dissonance
The restaurant, located on MacCurtain Street in Cork, has reasonable prices and a family-friendly menu.

Sun, 27 Sep, 2026

Wine tasting at restaurant
Wine with Leslie: Three innovative New Zealand wines worth a taste
Try pairing these wines with upcoming autumn rugby matches

Fri, 25 Sep, 2026

I attended a chocolate tasting with a Swiss master chocolatier — here's what I learned
I attended a chocolate tasting with a Swiss master chocolatier — here's what I learned
A Lindt tasting event as part of Cork on a Fork at the end of summer combined cocoa and acid flavours and brought people together, showing how a love of chocolate can connect us, says Breda Graham

Tue, 22 Sep, 2026

Woman customer looking at a rack of wine in supermarket
Wine with Leslie: €10 wine never tasted so good — The best supermarket wines for just a tenner
This is one of the best times of year for wine buyers, there are sales aplenty!

Sun, 20 Sep, 2026

Restaurant review: Striking a note of Euro cool in Dublin with dishes that intrigue
S Restaurant review: Striking a note of Euro cool in Dublin with dishes that intrigue
Note bar and bistro on Fenian street in Dublin brought a smile to my face

Fri, 18 Sep, 2026

Restaurant reviews: I tried two new Marina Market food spots while searching for fried chicken nirvana
S Restaurant reviews: I tried two new Marina Market food spots while searching for fried chicken nirvana
On a journey to find Cork's latest fried chicken outlet in the Marina Market, Joe McNamee finds himself dining at the market's Bowld and Delhi2Cork

Sun, 13 Sep, 2026

Yotam Ottolenghi: 'I don’t think food should be used as a tool of war'
Yotam Ottolenghi: 'I don’t think food should be used as a tool of war'
From tahini and sumac to his famous colourful salads, Yotam Ottolenghi has transformed the way many of us eat at home. As he prepares to publish his 12th cookbook, he tells Jordan Mooney why his focus has shifted to keeping things simpler 

Sun, 13 Sep, 2026

Close-Up View of Person Swirling Red Wine in Cellar Atmosphere
Wine with Leslie: Spanish wines are the best value —  here are three I recommend
Spain is a region not only of strong value, but also a diverse range of quality wines

Fri, 11 Sep, 2026

Restaurant review: Monty’s new wine bar has a legendary wine list and sophisticated atmosphere
S Restaurant review: Monty’s new wine bar has a legendary wine list and sophisticated atmosphere
It is early days for Monty’s Wine Bar but I already love its points of difference, I can see it fitting brilliantly into Dublin’s wine bar scene.

Sun, 06 Sep, 2026

Wine bootles from cellar in selective focus
Wine with Leslie: Three delightful wine recommendations — including one from Ridley Scott's estate
Ridley Scott’s new film, The Dog Stars, is out now and his wines are also now available

Fri, 04 Sep, 2026

50 years on, how a Cork couple became the big cheese of farming
S 50 years on, how a Cork couple became the big cheese of farming
When their cow was producing too much milk in 1976, Veronica and Norman Steele made a life-changing decision, says Robert Hume

Tue, 01 Sep, 2026

Darina Allen: I've got a glut of courgettes - here are three tasty recipes I've been making
Darina Allen: I've got a glut of courgettes - here are three tasty recipes I've been making
It’s either a feast or a famine when you plant courgettes

Sun, 30 Aug, 2026

Restaurant review: West Cork's Harnen delights after passing of Pilgrim’s
S Restaurant review: West Cork's Harnen delights after passing of Pilgrim’s
My next trip to Harnen will happen very soon and we plan on popping open a bottle and letting lunch linger right through until closing time.

Fri, 28 Aug, 2026

Summer Rosé
Wine with Leslie: Who says rosé is just for summer? Here are three worth drinking year round
Rosé sales have soared in Ireland this summer

Fri, 28 Aug, 2026

Five lunch box-friendly recipes for back-to-school season
Five lunch box-friendly recipes for back-to-school season
From scones to salads and puff pastry bites 

Thu, 27 Aug, 2026

Popular Killarney cocktail and whiskey bar named 2026 Bar of the Year
Popular Killarney cocktail and whiskey bar named 2026 Bar of the Year
The Square Bar of the Year 2026 Awards took place at the Clayton Hotel on Burlington Road, Dublin, on Monday, August 24

Tue, 25 Aug, 2026

Restaurant Chestnut
Restaurant Chestnut owners reveal why they are closing the Michelin-starred West Cork restaurant
Rob Krawczyk and Elaine Fleming reflect on Chestnut’s extraordinary rise, Michelin success, Covid challenges and decision to close

Sat, 22 Aug, 2026

Tasting of brut and demi-sec white champagne sparkling wine from special flute glasses with Champagne vineyards on background ne
Wine with Leslie: Stick to whites while sun shines
Nivole Moscato d’Asti is a gloriously scented and lightly sweet sparkling wine from around the town of Asti. At just 5% alcohol I could happily finish my glass rather than spit it out as I did the reds.

Sat, 22 Aug, 2026

Restaurant review: Ómós has a bold, visionary concept that is brilliantly executed
S Restaurant review: Ómós has a bold, visionary concept that is brilliantly executed
The tasting menu (the only option) costs €175 per person, which is not cheap but is comparable to what you would pay for a similar meal in many of our fine dining restaurants

Fri, 21 Aug, 2026

Is your surname on a Tayto packet? What you need to know about the limited-edition crisps
Is your surname on a Tayto packet? What you need to know about the limited-edition crisps
Tayto has released limited-edition packets of crisps featuring 12 popular Irish surnames

Thu, 20 Aug, 2026

Cork teenager among finalists of a national brown bread baking competition 
Cork teenager among finalists of a national brown bread baking competition 
15-year-old Lucy Tate from Youghal is one of eight finalists who will battle it out in the final stage of the National Junior Brown Bread Baking Competition at the National Ploughing Championships in September 

Thu, 20 Aug, 2026

In pictures: Plenty to bring to the table on Pembroke Street for Cork on a Fork
In pictures: Plenty to bring to the table on Pembroke Street for Cork on a Fork
90 diners gathered on Pembroke Street on Sunday afternoon for the first dining experience of its kind on the street 

Tue, 18 Aug, 2026

In pictures: A once-in-a-lifetime meal from top Cork chefs at Goldie Chapel
In pictures: A once-in-a-lifetime meal from top Cork chefs at Goldie Chapel
The chef collaboration at Goldie Chapel saw Aishling Moore from Goldie, Michelin-starred chef Rob Krawczyk of Chestnut and Eric Nolan of Good Day Deli work together on a special menu for Cork on a Fork Festival

Mon, 17 Aug, 2026

In pictures: Conversations flow at alcohol-free mixer at Marina Market for Cork on a Fork
In pictures: Conversations flow at alcohol-free mixer at Marina Market for Cork on a Fork
Sharing platters doubled down on the buzz and the banter, with new friends made, promises of follow-on meetups, and contact details exchanged.

Sat, 15 Aug, 2026

Joe McNamee: Nothing tastes better than a meal shared
Joe McNamee: Nothing tastes better than a meal shared
My favourite food seasoning is people. Eating with others always makes food more enjoyable.

Sat, 15 Aug, 2026

Restaurant review: Kelly's is a nostalgic taste of fast fading delights in Cork
S Restaurant review: Kelly's is a nostalgic taste of fast fading delights in Cork
Entering Kelly's made me step back in time. One minute I was strolling through sun-blasted and cosmopolitan 21st-century Cork city, the next minute I was in an upstairs restaurant I last visited a full half-century ago

Fri, 14 Aug, 2026

Tasting of red, white, and rosé wine, at your terroir
Wine with Leslie: European wine growers are being hit by drought
The fires in South West France near Bordeaux have garnered a lot of headlines but the real problem facing Bordeaux vignerons is drought.

Fri, 14 Aug, 2026

In pictures: Inside St Fin Barre’s Cathedral as it hosts its first-ever food event for Cork on a Fork
In pictures: Inside St Fin Barre’s Cathedral as it hosts its first-ever food event for Cork on a Fork
Passers-by could be forgiven for thinking there was a wedding at the iconic Cork cathedral on Thursday. But it was actually an intimate supper masterminded by two Michelin-starred chefs

Thu, 13 Aug, 2026

Cork on a Fork long table diners enjoy solar eclipse and extraordinary menu on MacCurtain St
Cork on a Fork long table diners enjoy solar eclipse and extraordinary menu on MacCurtain St
Extraordinary food offering bring gazes firmly back to Earth as almost 500 dine at flagship al fresco dining event

Wed, 12 Aug, 2026

From Goldie Chapel to Elizabeth Fort: Cork on a Fork opens the doors to unique city venues
From Goldie Chapel to Elizabeth Fort: Cork on a Fork opens the doors to unique city venues
From cathedral suppers and chapel feasts to farm dinners and long tables, this year's Cork on a Fork is transforming the city's most iconic spaces into unforgettable dining experiences, writes Deirdre McArdle

Wed, 12 Aug, 2026

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Darina Allen
Darina Allen

Serving up top food every Saturday

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