The River Cottage comes to Ireland this October

Chef and River Cottage team member Gill Meller, whose cookery book Gather was one of last year's food publishing highlights, is coming to Ireland to cook a harvest supper at the Green Barn at Burtown House in Co Kildare on Friday October 20th.

The local and sustainable ethos of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Dorset headquarters is echoed at Burtown House, where Meller will be cooking with produce from the kitchen garden, cultivated by Dermot Carey. The five-course menu will be accompanied by wine pairings chosen by Shane Banim of Banim Wine Merchants.

Pickled wood-roast mussels, bacon, purple sprouting broccoli and cod's roe, with Domaine des Anges AOC Ventoux 2015; and slow roast beef shin, oyster mayonnaise, seaweed and Jerusalem artichokes, with Château Nardou Francs, AOC Côtes de Bordeaux 2012, will feature on the five-course menu (€95). Bookings can be made at info@burtownhouse.ie or by telephoning 059-8623865.

Rachel rules the stage

With a new book, Home Baking, just out , a new TV gig presenting My Kitchen Rules UK, and a fairly new restaurant bearing her name in Cork city, life is a whirlwind for Rachel Allen. But she has found time in her schedule to headline Taste of the Lakelands food festival in Lanesborough, Co Longford on Saturday October 7th and Sunday October 8th. She will share the demo stage with Operation Transformation star Gary O'Hanlon, head chef at the nearby Viewmount House, and Kevin Dundon of Dunbrody House.

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Game for a wild dinner party

Richard Stearn, who was previously sous chef at Dax, has taken on the role of head chef at Suesey Street in Dublin 2. On Friday, October 13th, he launches his game season menu with a celebration of all things wild, furry and feathered at a gala dinner in Suesey Street's sister property, Number 25 Fitzwilliam Place. Champagne and jazz will be followed by dinner, with wine pairings chosen by Liberty Wines. The six-course game dinner with wines will cost €75 a head, and dishes from the menu will be available in Suesey Street throughout October and November. Bookings are being taken by email at info@25fitzwilliamplace.ie and by telephoning 01-6694646.

Bastible duo’s cosy new house

Grainne O'Keefe has taken up her first head chef position, at recently opened Clanbrassil House, at 6 Clanbrassil Street Upper in Dublin 8, The 25-seat restaurant is owned by Barry FitzGerald and Claremarie Thomas, who opened their first Dublin restaurant, Bastible, around the corner on South Circular Road, in November 2015.

“The restaurant is divided into two rooms, one with high tables suitable for walk-ins looking for a relaxed meal, and the other with regular low tables available to book online. The style of the restaurant is quite casual but also warm and homely,” says FitzGerald.

“The menu, too, is divided into two main sections: a list of simple and seasonal small plates and also a selection of main dishes cooked over a charcoal fire. The open barbecue is the focal point of the kitchen and we are excited to learn a new approach to cooking with it.”

The cooked-over-charcoal section of the short menu at Clanbrassil House includes lamb chops, burnt onions and gentleman’s relish (€22); Middlewhite pig cheek sausage, lentils and mustard (€18); Shorthorn picanha steak, bone marrow and chimichurri (€21), and turbot shoulder, smoked hollandaise and cauliflower (€24), as well as a specials board.