• NATIONAL
• FEATURED
• URCHIN STREET
• DANCE
• STORYTELLERS
• SCOTTISH VILLAGE
• HORSES
• CULINARY

Irish Cooking

There are many references to food and drink in early Irish literature. Honey seems to have been widely eaten and used in the making of mead. The old stories also contain many references to banquets, although these may well be greatly exaggerated and provide little insight into everyday diets.

Potatoes form the basis for many traditional Irish dishes. The potato was introduced into Ireland in the second half of the 16th century, initially as a garden crop. It eventually came to be the main food crop of the poor. As a food source, the potato is extremely valuable in terms of the amount of energy produced per unit area of crop. The potato is also a good source of many vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin C when fresh.

Fresh meat was generally considered a luxury except for the most affluent until the late 19th century and chickens were not raised on a large scale until the emergence of town grocers in the 1880s allowed people to exchange surplus goods, like eggs, and for the first time purchase a variety food items to diversify their diet.

The last quarter of the 20th century saw the emergence of a new Irish cuisine based on traditional ingredients handled in new ways. This cuisine is based on fresh vegetables, fish (especially salmon and trout), oysters, mussels and other shellfish, traditional soda bread, the wide range of cheeses that are now being made across the country, and, of course, the potato. Traditional dishes, such as Irish stew, coddle, the Irish breakfast, and potato bread have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. Schools like the Ballymaloe Cookery School have emerged to cater for the associated increased interest in cooking.

The Tom Thumb Culinary Stage

For NTIF 2012 we have added what we believe will be a very popular attraction, the Culinary Stage, located at the west end of Centennial Hall, close to theQuiet Man Pub and the Shamrock stage. On this stage we will feature a number of local chefs demonstrating how to prepare Irish dishes. We have given each chef a challenge to either demonstrate either a very traditional Irish recipe, or to take a traditional Irish dish and give it a new twist.

After each demonstration chefs will provide small samples of the dish and make the recipes available to the audience. Note, the audience size will be limited, and seating will be on a first-come basis. Admission is restricted to those over 21 for the wine pairings.

These chefs are taking time away from their various restaurants to volunteer their time for us this weekend. Please support them with your patronage.

The Chefs

David Smith

David Smith is the Executive Chef, Westin Galleria Dallas. He started his culinary career at the Jury's Hotel in Ballsbridge, Ireland and Dublin, Ireland as a Commis Chef. A few years later, with his desire to grow his career and knowledge of restaurant operations and food preparation, he bought a restaurant called "Les Grenouille" where he was the Head Chef.

After working in Dublin, Ireland for 10 years in a variety of restaurants and hotels, he moved to Fort Worth, Texas and became the Restaurant Sous Chef at the Ridgley Country Club. He continued to transform his culinary skills by joining the team at the Adams Mark Hotel as the Chef de Cuisine, Banquet Sous Chef and then Executive Sous Chef overseeing all production in their outlets and banquet events. As he continued his journey, he helped the hotel transform into the Sheraton Dallas by bringing the culinary department up to par on brand standards.

David received his Bachelor's degree from the Cathal Brugha Street College of Catering and has earned many awards throughout his culinary career, including City & I Gills of London for Cookery & Catering Intermediate Certificate, Group Certificate and Leaving Certificate.

 

John Franke

John Franke, executive chef with Front Burner Restaurants (The Ranch, Red Dog Right, WHISKEY CAKE) will be demonstrating how to prepare his signature Whiskey Cake (and accompanying Whiskey Sauce) and a number of other ideas for great Irish culinary creations.

In 1995 John Franke graduated from Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island with an Associates in Culinary Arts and a Bachelors in Food Service Management. After relocating to Dallas, John became a Sous Chef with Bristol Hotels at the D/FW Airport Harvey Hotel. From there he became the Sous Chef for the Zodiac Room at Neiman Marcus' flagship in downtown Dallas. While at Neiman's, John later became the Chef de Cuisine of the Fresh Market Café on street level.

John then moved to Chicago to work as the Executive Sous Chef for the high end seafood restaurant Nick's Fishmarket. After a year there, he moved out to the Chicago suburb Naperville to take on the responsibility of Executive Chef of Sullivan's Steakhouse. Following Sullivan's John moved back to Dallas to take on the role of the Concept Chef for Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. He oversaw the new menu item rollouts and food production for the 7 Dallas area restaurants and traveled city to city opening new Pappadeux's in Albuquerque, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Houston.

In June of 2008, after 3½ years doing humanitarian work in Africa, John moved back to Dallas to join forces with Front Burner Restaurants as the Corporate Chef. In the past 3 years, John has led the menu development for Twin Peaks (15 locations), Ojos Locos Sports Cantina (4 locations), The Ranch at Las Colinas (Irving, TX), Whiskey Cake (Plano, TX), Red Dog Right (Southlake, TX), and the newly developed and soon to open Velvet Taco (Dallas, TX). John's focus with the menu development for each concept is using the freshest ingredients possible, utilizing locally sourced products, and making all of the recipes in house from scratch.

Oscar Gutierrez

Anyone who has eaten the fine food at Trinity Hall will know of Chef Oscar, and we welcome him to our culinary stage.

Executive Chef Oscar Gutierrez brought his extensive background in hotels & restaurant culinary development to the opening team of Trinity Hall Irish Pub, and continues a decade later to lead the kitchen brigade in producing delicious, hearty meals in traditional Irish fashion.

Over Chef Oscar's almost 43 years in culinary operations he has held the top toque's Executive Chef position in a number of premier facilities beginning with the Colonial Country Club in Memphis, TN, several DFW area hotels, and most notably, the Hyatt Regency at DFW airport. Chef Oscar retired from Hyatt Hotels after 26 plus years of service, during which he was recognized for excellence in leadership, guest relations, and fiscal management. Chef's proudest moments in the business have been the calls he receives from those who passed through his kitchens over the years while training and developing their abilities, nowleading chef's within the Hotel industry many of whom are now Executive Chefs themselves in properties world-wide.

When approached about the challenge of opening a family friendly, food focused Irish Pub in Dallas, Chef tells about researching the original cooking styles & recipes of Ireland, and learning quickly that each family, and region of the country, has their own way & taste they expect. Chef Oscar accepts that nothing will ever taste as good as the memory of meals enjoyed at your own family's table, but in producing the Pub's menus he has been respectful of tradition while translating "single pot cooking" to the full kitchens we use today!

Chef Oscar's work has also been honored with a bronze medal at the American Culinary Celebration and has been an active member of the Chef's Association since 1982. When he first contemplated retirement from the hotels, the greatest concern was what he would do with all the time he would have on his hands, serving hundreds of meals in a day rather than the many thousands he had come to coordinate for major conventions visiting Dallas. This time is now spent encouraging & mentoring the next generation of culinary artists, sharing his passion for well executed, honest food, that tastes great!

Adam Adkins

Chef Adam Adkins is the owner of Cornucopia Catering, a catering and food services company based in Dallas, Texas. He is classically trained in the Continental fashion and specializes in cuisines of the Mediterranean and Middle East. He enjoys fusion dishes, translating the tastes of other cultures' foods to create innovative combinations of flavors while remaining true to the source cuisines.

He is also very interested in nutrition, and has made it his goal to prove that nutritionally healthy food can still be a rich and flavorful experience. Chef Adam has catered meals for events ranging from corporate, to sporting, to formal, and his company is currently the provider of food services to Dallas Theological Seminary.

Chef Adam will be your host throughout the weekend on the Culinary stage, as well as demonstrating how to prepare one of his own recipies.

 

Todd Davies

Todd Davies, Executive Consulting Chef for Guinness USA, was raised on the east coast and spent his early years eating his mother's wonderful food, regional New England food, and seasonal restaurant cuisine of Boston and NYC. Always the first to the dinner table, he spent hours cooking and helping his mom prepare her classic Canadian, American and French fare. His passion for food runs in his family, as his mother, whom he credits for his decision to cook professionally, was a high school culinary educator.

He then moved to Chicago, where his exposure to the finest meats from the Stockyards had a great influence on him. Following his mother's advice to do what you love, he found himself at Kendall College, studying the culinary arts, and then at some of the finest restaurants in Chicago.

As a sous chef, he opened Mango, Rhapsody, & Tru, and later became executive chef at Rosebud Steakhouse. By 27, he was the corporate chef for Restaurants America. With RA, he opened 25 restaurants across the country, working with "the best talent we could find in the market".

After 6 years of collaborating with chefs across the country, and being inspired by the regional cuisine of the US, he began to pursue his other passion, great beer. Through his travels and passion for all things beer and food, he started to compile a list of local specialties and techniques that have helped define his style and, with some friends from RA, started a restaurant group called Tap House Grill, which now has 6 locations.

Showcasing his commitment for beer and food, Chef Todd Davies, a certified cicerone, (think beer sommelier) and has worked with over 35 breweries, and executed over 500 beer and food dinners. As an educator, he has worked closely with Guinness, executing beer dinners, developing recipes, and flavor harmonies with Guinness, and is working on completing his first cookbook.

Kenneth "Pete" Nolasco

Chef Pete Nolasco has an extensive and impressive background. He is a graduate of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and a recognized member of the Texas Chef's Association (TCA). He has completed various continuing education courses that include Human Relations, Resource and Service Management, as well as many food specific programs.

Chef Pete's belief is that with hard work and conviction – all things are possible. He uses this viewpoint to guide his staff and apprentices. It is this outlook that has led him to share his culinary skills with the community. He has taught numerous classes to the disadvantaged, and makes frequent appearances as a teacher. He has spent over 2 decades educating the public on the craft and art of Garde Manager and Ice Carving. He has lectured at numerous Dallas area high schools and in February 1996, was awarded Irving High School Alumni of the Year. Currently, Chef Pete is Executive Chef and Owner of Chef Pete Catering and Ice Sculptures, and still teaches classes at El Centro, Art Institute and Milestone Culinary School.

 

Daniel Nemec

Daniel Nemec is the Corporate Executive Chef for Kirby's Prime Steakhouse, Mickey Mantle's Steakhouse & Woodfire by Kirby's. Daniel started in the restaurant business over 21 years ago. He graduated from the Texas Culinary Academy in May of 1999 where he was classically French trained. After working extensively under two European Master Chefs Daniel became the Executive Chef at The Belgin in Austin, TX. In 2001 Daniel became the Executive Chef for Girasole, also in Austin.

In 2003 Chef Nemec was recruited by the Kirby's restaurant family to become the multi-unit steakhouse's chain first Corporate Executive Chef. Since accepting the position Chef Daniel has created dozens of new menu items for the company, oversees 5 kitchens, designed the menu for the company's new concept "Woodfire", and continues to develop new menus for future concepts as well.