Not ever one might have recognised last night’s chef on The Restaurant but Michael O’Doherty has been about a bit with stints as a television talent judge as well as cameos on Fade Street. He is also a newspaper columnist and the publisher of VIP. Last night he decided to venture into the world of the culinary arts. With fifty hungry guests to feed and a three course meal to prepare, how easily did Michael adjust from grilling celebrities to cooking up a storm in the kitchen?
Michael doesn’t lack confidence and despite saying his busy workload doesn’t allow him to cook as often as he would like, he was still sure he would get five stars. Michael was determined to wow the diners with his carefully selected starters of a Vietnamese Vegetable Roll with a Ginger and Lime dip, and Dinish Island Scallop with a Coral and Leek Bisque.
Although his first attempt at making the vegetable roll looked like a nuclear attack (his words not mine), Michael was open to going back to the drawing board and rearranging the dish slightly. For his second starter Michael felt that the bisque was more of a sauce and should be more like a soup, while the rest of the chef’s felt it was a bit lumpy and needed to be thinned out (yikes).
For one of his main, Michael laid down the law in the kitchen and insisted on not serving potatoes with his Loin of Wild Irish Venison with parsnip Puree and Baby carrots dish. He said the first person to ask for them would get “chucked out”. John Healy wasn’t making a new friend when he said the dish was a bit “safe”.
Michael decided on a “ball busting hernia–inducing” dessert of Passion Fruit Crème Brulée. Louise couldn’t help but offer Michael some advice, and by the looks of it (yes evil looks), he wasn’t very appreciative. When it came to his second desert a Red Carpet Trio of Chocolate Michael’s aversion towards heat shone through and he genuinely started to worry about the safety off his hands. It soon rained on Michael’s red carpet and he decided to abandon the sorbet.
For his second main course Pan-Fried Fillet of Turbot with Colcannon and Truffle Dressing, the head chef got off to a bad start as he once again burnt his hands - this time with a potato. He believed it was the best looking dish that he has made in the kitchen, and at last Stephen and the rest of the team agreed on something. To compliment his food Michael selected a Sauvignon blanc wine for under €10, and Crianza wine for just under €20.
As the first diners arrived unaware who was cooking for them Michael got instant feedback from them by cameras. The vegetable roll looked better as it was sliced up, and the diners seemed satisfied. However, for Michael it was all about impressing the guest critic chef Paul Rankin and regulars Paolo Tullio and Tom Doorley.
It got off to a good start as the critics were impressed by the precision of the vegetable rolls, and Tom Doorley was especially delighted about the sliver of mango. There was a slight hiccup with the second starter as it almost didn’t make it to the critics’ table, but when it did arrive the judges agreed that it was delicious (I don’t even think they noticed the delay).
The loin of venison was sent out, and before you could say bon appétit the critics were singing the praises of that dish as well. Maybe Michael’s confidence was not miss-placed after all. However, it was the second main that really took the prize and prompted Tom to say “This was one of the best things I have ever tasted”. All the pressure rested on the brulée which was a flop with the diners and critics, but the trio of chocolate seemed to put Michael back on his culinary pedestal.
As the head chef revealed himself to the critics and diners, Paul Rankin complimented the high standard of presentation of the main courses, while Paolo declared that it was “the best meal he has had in the restaurant so far”. Not surprisingly, Michael obtained the much sought after five stars, and went home with a spring in his step.
Laura Delaney
