Specially Signed copies of Celebrity Cookbooks go under the hammer for Charity

Mark Bevin, Head Chef at the Maldron Hotel, is hosting a really unique charity event this Friday night, the 17th October, at the Europa Hotel in Belfast - a Charity Celebrity Cookbook Auction!

The Charity Celebrity Cookbook Auction is to raise funds for the Northern Ireland Rare Disease Partnership charity (NIRDP) and Mark has received hundreds of donations of specially signed copies of Cookbooks from Celebrity Chefs, Bloggers and TV Cooks from all over the UK and Ireland!

Mark Bevin, Head Chef at the Maldron, who has organised the Charity Cook Book Sale

"The whole idea started when I asked head chef Noel McMeel at County Fermanagh's Lough Erne Resort, to send me a couple of copies of his new book signed for a special book auction I was planning," said Mark. 

Chef Noel McMeel from Lough Erne Resort

"Noel arrived at the hotel and handed me two signed copies. I was so taken back by the generosity of the man I decided to ask Twitter followers to help gather some more and the flood gates just opened up!"

Neven Maguire's MacNean Restaurant Cookbook

The charity NIRDP are a not-for-profit organisation, bringing together those living with a rare disease and organisations representing them: clinicians and other health professionals; researchers and producers of specialist medicines and equipment; health policy makers and academics.

Marcus Wareing, currently Chef Patron of Marcus in Knightsbridge

The NIRDP work with similar bodies all over the Uk and Ireland including Genetic and Rare Disorders Organisation (GRDO).

Katy McGuinness with Pat Whelan, The Irish Beef Book

Mark has called in the help of his many friends over the last few months to build up a staggering collection of books for the charity auction and his catering collegues rallied around, calling in favours from chefs, bloggers, food critics, butchers, bakers and just about every other realm of the celebrity kitchen and restaurant!

Atul Kochhar's Atul's Curries of the World

Signed cookbooks from chefs Will Torrent, Atul Kochhar, Marcus Waring, Richard Corrigan,  Michael Roux Jr, Noel McMeel, Nigel Slater, Ching He Chuang, Theo Randall, Gok Wan, Tony Singh & Cyrus Todiwala and Mark Hix and many others, are up for auction on the night.

Derry Clarke's Keeping it Simple

Chefs Peter Clifford, Neven Maguire, Ross Lewis, Derry Clarke, Kevin Dundon,  Conrad Gallagher, Catherine Fulvio, Gary O Hanlon, Paul Flynn, Rozanne Stevens, Domini Kemp, Edward Hayden, Clodagh McKenna and more, have all pitched in with signed copies of their cookbooks for the charity auction.

Jean Christophe Novelli's Simply Novelli

Others who signed special editions of their cookbooks include TV Chefs Ed Baines, Franck Pontais, Jay Rayner, Antonio Carluccio, Tom Kerridge and Jean Christophe Novelli.

Paul Callaghan's Calso Cooks

Bloggers, butchers and food writers who have their cookbooks in the auction include Cathriona Redmond, Susan Jane White, Sheila Kiely, Paul Callaghan, Sharon Hearne Smith, Lily Higgins, Rosanne Hewitt Cromwell, Fiona Dillon, Pat Whelan & Katy McGuinness. 

Chef Mark is simply thrilled with the response saying, "People have been very generous and in the last two weeks more specially signed cookbooks keep arriving at the hotel every day! It should be a great night."

Will Torrent author of Patisseire at Home

The Charity Cookbook Auction  takes place this Friday night, the 17th October, at the Europa Hotel in Belfast at 8pm. Get up there and help out while having a great night out!

If you want to help out, in any way, you can contact Chef Mark Bevin on Twitter at @Robuchon1 

Great idea Mark, best of Success!

Zack

St George’s Market in Belfast short-listed in UK Food and Farming Awards

Congratulations to Belfast’s historic St George’s Market which has been shortlisted in the ‘Best Food Market’ category of this year’s UK's BBC Radio 4 Food and Farming Awards 2014.

It is the first time that the Belfast Market has reached the final of what is regarded as the ‘Oscars' of the UK food industry and comes just weeks after St George’s was named ‘Best Large Indoor Market’ by trade body NABMA, The UK National Association of British Market Authorities.

St George’s is one of three markets to have been shortlisted for the prestigious awards: the others are Brockley Market in London and Aberystwyth Farmers Market. The three markets are among 24 finalists who have been shortlisted from a record-breaking 6,000 for this year’s awards.

Reacting to the shortlisting, Councillor Deirdre Hargey, Chair of Belfast City Council’s Development Committee, which oversees the Market, commented: “This is a fantastic and well-deserved achievement. We in Council are fiercely proud of St George’s Market, and it is great news for us to see it continuing to win accolades and justifying our continuing faith and investment in this superb facility. I would like to pay tribute to the Market staff for all their hard work, and in particular to the traders, whose dedication to St George’s is the key to its continuing success, and to all of those who voted for the Market.”

St George’s Market is one of Belfast’s oldest attractions. It was built between 1890 and 1896 and is one of the best markets in the UK and Ireland. It has been selected for numerous local and national titles and awards for its fresh, local produce and great atmosphere. It holds a weekly Friday Variety Market, the City Food and Craft Market on Saturdays and the Sunday Market. It also hosts a range of events throughout the year.

Belfast Variety Market- Day: Friday- Opening hours: 6am - 2pm

The Friday Variety Market dates back to 1604. It opens at 6am every week and runs until approximately 2pm. There are 248 market stalls selling a variety of products including: fruit, vegetables, antiques, books, clothes and fish. It's this assorted mix that attracts thousands of visitors each week. The fish section alone contains 23 fish stalls and holds the reputation for being the leading retail fish market on the island of Ireland!

Belfast City Food and Craft Market- Day: Saturday- Opening hours: 9am - 3pm

The Saturday Market has a fusion of tempting speciality foods from around the world as well as handmade crafts, flowers, plants and local photography, pottery, glass and metal work. The market offers a huge range of local, continental and specialty foods including meat and fish, cheese, coffee beans, tapas and organic products.

Enjoy the best food, tastes and smells brought by local producers including fish landed at Portavogie, pork from Cookstown, beef from Armagh, venison and pheasant in season, local organic vegetables. Continental and speciality foods include wild boar, tapas, cheeses, cured meats, teas and coffees from around the world, and delicious French pastries and crepes. 

Belfast Sunday Market- Day: Sunday- Opening hours: 10am - 4pm 

This market is a mixture of the Friday and Saturday markets with a special emphasis on local arts and crafts, offering more local craftspeople the opportunity to show off their talents. You can also expect live music from local bands. 

Along with local, continental and specialty foods such as spices, chutneys and chocolates, you can expect scented candles, clothes, handmade jewellery, recycled goods, household goods, antiques, garden plants, souvenirs, health and beauty products. 

One other Northern Ireland food company which is also competing in the final stage of the competition is Abernethy Butter, from Dromara in County Down, who count Heston Blumenthal among their customers. They have been shortlisted in the ‘Best Food Producer’ category.

This year’s finalists will feature in a special edition of BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme, broadcast on Sunday 9 March 2014. Winners will be announced at a ceremony held in Bristol on Thursday 1 May 2014.

St George's Market is the last surviving Victorian covered market in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is located on May Street, close to the River Lagan and the Waterfront Hall. It is situated at  12-20 E Bridge St, Belfast City. 

I think this Belfast market area is a perfect example of what can be achieved with the future development of the Victorian Market in Dublin and I hope those planning it's redevelopment have had a look at how St George's Market works. Best of success. 

Zack

New Belfast Restaurant, The Malt Room, gives all Profits to Charity

Belfast businessman Lord Diljit Rana and chef/restaurateur Raymond McArdle have joined up to open The Malt Room Bar & Restaurant on Great Victoria Street in what they hope will be the start of a new revival of the Belfast city’s Golden Mile. The fascinating and unique element to this restaurant is that all profits will be given to charity!

The new restaurant, led by head chef David Mageean and general manager Liam Whiteway, welcomed a large crowd of Belfast food-lovers who turned out recently for it's launch event and enjoyed a taster of what's to come.

The Malt Room plans to provide a refined dining experience with a modern and local twist. “We are excited at the opportunity that Lord Rana has given us in putting Great Victoria Street back on the map as the Golden Mile," said Raymond. "I didn't want to go down the road of being another bistro or brassiere because the market is already saturated with great offers at that level. At the Malt Room you’re going to get Irish-influenced food that’s still bespoke and littered with artisan producers.”

General Manager at the Malt Room Liam Whiteway with Raymond McArdle & head chef David Mageean

The restaurant's aim is "beautiful comfort and contemporary food at an affordable price". Food on the menu is all sourced using local artisan producers, such as Leggygowan Farm goat’s cheese, Rockvale chicken, smoked Armagh bacon, Antrim Shorthorn beef, Mourne Blackface lamb, Award-winning Hannon Meats and many more. The wine list is provided by two of the best wine merchants in Belfast - James Nicholson and Robert Neill. Click here for The Malt Room menus.

Mr Rana and Raymond feel very strongly about giving the proceeds to charity and to invest in young people locally and internationally. Raymond is an ambassador for Barnardo’s Northern Ireland and has been supporting young chefs from Barnardo's Dr B's Kitchen for a number of years, offering trainee placements in his kitchens. At the Malt Room they has already taken on three young chefs through the scheme.

Raymond said: “Barnardo’s approached me to see if I would train any of their budding young chefs. Between myself and David we have been working with three young individuals; training them properly, so that they can slot into the team. I thought it was a good idea, because I’m training people that have no experience and therefore no bad habits! It’s a good scheme for us and them. They are here to learn and gain great experience for the future.” 

Belfast businessman Diljit Rana

Diljit Rana was awarded an MBE in 1996 for his contribution to the economic regeneration of the city of Belfast through the development of hotels, restaurants, fashion shops and modern office accommodation. He came to Belfast in 1966 in search of business opportunities. His first enterprise was a restaurant in Belfast city centre. By the start of 1971 he had three restaurants in the city. The business has grown to be one of Northern Ireland's biggest hotel chains. Andras House, which now employs over 350 people, also has extensive commercial property in Belfast.

Raymond McArdle with Head Chef David Mageean after the opening service at the Malt Room

Raymond McArdle is well known in Ireland's food scene and he has successfully represented Northern Ireland in the Great British menu 2012, 2013 and 2014. He also runs his own critically acclaimed restaurant, Restaurant 23 at the Balmoral Hotel, in Warrenpoint, County Down.

Head chef at the Malt Room, David Mageean has been with Raymond for seven years and will be taking full control of the Malt Room kitchen under the guidance of Raymond.

The Malt Room Bar & Restaurant is open Monday to Saturday for lunch, early evening menu and A La Carte menu, but closed Sunday. See their website at www.maltroom.co.uk. 

For bookings phone +44 (028) 9031 0008.

Zack