As he turns 50, chef Neven Maguire takes a trip down memory lane, telling Janice Butler about the lessons he's learned along the way and why he’s more content now than he’s ever been.
Neven Maguire is in fine form when he comes to meet me in the RTÉ Radio centre, fresh from recording his cooking slot with Marty Whelan for RTÉ lyric FM.
As always, he arrives with a smile and a greeting for everyone he passes. "I get that all the time that people will ask my friends what I’m really like: am I manic in the background?" he laughs, when I comment that people might find it hard to believe he’s always so pleasant.
When I have spoken with the chef in the past, it has been at his home or at his famous restaurant MacNean House & Restaurant in Blacklion, Co. Cavan, usually involving the sampling of some delicious food. Neven is not one to let you go hungry.
However, on this occasion, we settle for a coffee and a long chat. Always generous with his time, to a fault perhaps, he would admit himself. He’s turning 50 this week and taking some time to reflect on an eventful life and career, filled with many highs and lows.
As a twin, he and his brother David are planning a big party at home in Blacklion; lunch will be at the restaurant, followed by an evening shindig at the local golf course clubhouse. Neven remarks that while he could go anywhere in the world for his birthday dinner, there was never a question that it would be in the restaurant that was once the family home for him, his parents and his eight siblings. "There’s nowhere else I’d have it. It’s not just about me; it’s my brother David’s birthday too. It will be a day off for me from cooking; the chefs are going to look after us, nice and low-key," he adds.
During the pandemic, Neven let us all in on a little secret of his via social media. He is in fact a massive raver, a lover of ’90s dance music and was once a DJ in his local area before cooking became a full-time gig. He re-ignited that passion during Covid and he plans to play a set at the party, having got permission from his brother.
"From the age of 14 or 15, I loved dance music. I used to DJ twice a week in a local nightclub when the restaurant was quiet. I used to do the last hour, for free. I’d go to Dublin every two weeks on the bus to buy new vinyl records, it would take me the whole day to get up and down," he laughs. "My parents got me my turntables for my 21st birthday and then during lockdown, Amelda sent it off to be repaired and I took down all my records that were in the attic; I had about 2,000 of them."
What will be the first track on the birthday playlist? "The first song I’ll be playing is my favourite one from that time; Felix: Don’t You Want My Love. I bought the record in Temple Bar in 1991 and I still love it. I have a little studio beside the house so I go out there for about an hour and I’m not annoying anyone. Amelda wouldn’t be a fan of the music," he laughs. "I’ve really reconnected with the music and it’s lovely. It brings back great memories, especially since my Mum and Dad got me the decks."
Life has been very full for Neven; "a rollercoaster" as he describes it. We’ve covered many of his milestones in the pages of this magazine over the years: from his marriage to Amelda, who he describes as "his rock and an amazing human," to the birth of their twins, Lucia and Connor, now 11. There have been harder times too, including the sudden death of his father Joe, over 25 years ago in a road accident and the more recent passing of his dear mother, Vera, seven years ago.
Has turning 50 led him to reflect differently on those events? "I feel very blessed and lucky; there’s a lot of people that don’t make it to this age. I’ve had a great life, some amazing experiences, but I never take it for granted. It can be gone in a second. I saw with my parents how hard they worked and they never really got time to enjoy it. I never look too far into the future, but I’m really enjoying life."
Neven took over the restaurant in Blacklion after his father passed away. He had left school after his Junior Certificate, something he says he has never regretted. The restaurant had gone through difficult times – bombed twice during the Troubles – but he and his mother persevered and he’s incredibly proud of the establishment it is today; a destination dining experience with a two-year waiting list and with a very successful cookery school.
He credits his parents for instilling him with a sense of the value of hard work as well as a generosity of spirit that is as much a part of the Neven Maguire proposition as great food.
"They were great parents. They were great to all of us" he reflects with a tear in his eye.
"I’ve great memories; memories of a lot of happiness at home but also a lot of struggles within the restaurant, worrying about keeping it going, paying suppliers and living on the border, really fragile times. To see what they went through, and that the restaurant survived – we’re open 35 years this year – and I’m immensely proud of that."
Speaking of his father’s sudden death, he says it had a huge impact on him and memories of his father are never far from his mind, especially when he is cooking. "There was a numbness there for a long time. There are certain songs I play in the kitchen when I’m cooking and I’d think of Dad and it would make me cry. But I’ve great memories of him too, that I can reflect on. People say I’m like my Dad and that’s the nicest compliment you could give me," he smiles.
His life with Amelda and the twins has brought him huge joy. He remembers clearly when they found out they were having twins and the excitement he felt. "I was over the moon; being a twin, I was so excited when we found out it was twins because I know what that bond is like. We found out it was a boy and a girl early on, but we didn’t tell anyone. I just felt so blessed," he says.
The joy of their birth was tempered with some panic, as new mother Amelda experienced heart failure following the birth and had to stay in hospital longer than expected. She made a full recovery, but the couple were advised not to have any more children.
"It was like a yo-yo. We were on a high when they were born and then there was the shock when Amelda got sick. I don’t think I initially realised how sick she was. She’s an incredible woman, coming through all that," he says. He admits that when the children were small, he probably took on too much work, traveling the country for food demos, interviews and TV shows. He had to learn to slow down and stop saying yes to everything; it was a wake-up call for him, but he feels now, at 50, he’s struck the right balance between work and home life.
"I would say I’ve slowed down in the last five or six years. There was a time when I was on the road almost every day. I remember one time doing a demo in Cork and driving home that night, I was nearly falling asleep at the wheel. I got out of the car, walked around it and thought, ‘This is silly, I don’t want this any more.’ It was dangerous. I’ve learned it’s OK to say no," he says.
He adds that Covid changed how they do things in the restaurant as well, ensuring that his loyal staff have a positive work/life balance as well.
"We changed everything after Covid. We now only do one sitting; we close on a Sunday and it’s all about putting the staff first. Covid really affected our business in a lot of ways, but some of them have been really positive. We really re-evaluated how we did things during that time. I feel I have a good balance now in life, but it took me a while to get here," he admits.
Talking with Neven, it’s clear that being a decent person is as important to him as being a great chef. I ask if he was ever interested in pursuing a Michelin star, the holy grail for many chefs.
"Michelin was never my goal," he replies. "We’ve had them come to the restaurant plenty of times and they’ll say ‘If you simplify your menu, do less bread, you’ll get your star’. But that’s not how I want to do things. Maybe when I was younger, I thought it would be fantastic to get one, but not now, I’ve no ambitions for it. At the end of the day, we’ve a full restaurant, employing 65 staff. When you’re chasing the star, it can completely take over your life.
"A woman in her 90s came to the restaurant last year and I asked her did she enjoy her meal. She said to me; ‘Neven, it’s the best meal of my life’. Give me that any day over a star," he says, getting emotional. Kindness and giving back are important to him, a lesson he says he learned from his parents. "Sorry, I can get a bit emotional," he says. "I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I’ll never change."
It’s been 50 years well lived, with no regrets, he says, and of course, there’s much more to come from the father, chef, author, teacher, DJ and not least, an incredibly nice man.
"I’m very content – you have to enjoy what you have. I’ve learned a lot over the years, I love my life, there’s nothing that I’d change, I don’t have any regrets. I’m surrounded by very good people," he says. "Thank you, that was a nice trip down memory lane. Sure, 50 is the new 21."
Happy birthday, Neven.
Neven at 50 – quickfire!
What five famous people would you ask to your birthday if you could?
OK, I’m going to mix it up a little. I’d have Marty Whelen and Mary Kennedy; Mary is a fantastic chef and Marty would be the host and select the music, he’s great fun and I know him a long time. I’d have Dell Boy from Only Fools and Horses; I’m a massive fan of that show. With my love of Man United, I’d have to ask Alex Ferguson. Roy Keane would be an option if Alex can’t make it. And lastly, you’ll think this is a strange one, but I’d ask Margaret Heffernan. I really admire her, she loves her food and she has been very good to me over the years. I’ve a great relationship with her.
Do you remember the first cookbook you got?
Marco Pierre White’s White Heat. My brother got it for me when he was in Limerick in college. I would sit up at night and just read it over and over.
Who have been the biggest influences in your career?
I had a few of them: Mairead McMarrow, my home economics teacher; Marian Campbell, who was in Fermanagh College where I trained to be a chef. When it comes to chefs, there’s Derry Clarke and Ross Lewis: I’ll never forget their kindness when it came to running the business. There’s a chef in Luxembourg, Léa Linster, who won the Bocuse d'Or, the first and to date only woman to accomplish this. She was brilliant to me and a great support.
What hopes do you have heading into your new decade?
To get a bit healthier – I’m working on that, but I feel it’s all or nothing with me. I’m good at the start of the year but once it hits September and I’m filming the shows or doing the Ploughing and I’m on the road, the consistency goes out the window. I find it really hard to be consistent. I’d like to lose some weight and get a little healthier; that’s something I’ll be focusing on in the New Year. I’m good at exercising and doing the gym but the food is my problem: I’ve a sweet tooth.
Do you have a bucket list, and what’s on it?
That’s really tough, I’ve never thought about that actually. I’ve travelled a lot, but I’ve never been to India. The food and the culture would be wonderful to see. I’d also love to do a Food Trails from Thailand, that would be incredible. There’s not much else I’d have on my list. I’m a very content person.
