Nora O’Malley, from Lettermore, Co. Galway, has been named Aramark Ireland’s Healthcare Chef of the Year 2022.
Details
In total, six of Aramark’s healthcare chefs competed against each other in a live cook-off, which took place in the Unilever Chefmanship Centre, in Dublin. The finalists included Roman Borowski, Mayo University Hospital; Himat Singh, Atlantic Technical University; Nora O’Malley, Áras Ronáin, Inishmore; Antonia Ciera Ramos, University Hospital Galway; Krzysztof Stefanski and Elizabeth Olusona, the Royal Hospital Donnybrook.
To mark Coeliac Awareness Week, which took place from 9 to 15 May, the finalists were challenged to prepare, cook and present two portions of a gluten-free dish. The winning dish, created by Nora O’Malley, was a deconstructed mikado, consisting of a coconut crumb, a raspberry marshmallow, and a raspberry gel.
The judging panel was made up of Derek Reilly, culinary director for Aramark; Frances Buckley, from the Coeliac Society of Ireland; and Audrey Crone, executive chef at Unilever Food Solutions, who was also the lead judge.
Statement By Nora O’Malley
Nora O’Malley stated, “I am thrilled to have been named Aramark’s Healthcare Chef of the Year 2022. This is the first culinary competition I have ever taken part in, so to come away with a win is a proud moment for me. I’d like to congratulate my fellow competitors, who cooked amazing dishes on the day. A very big thank-you to the whole Aramark team for organising a great event.”
Statement By The Culinary Director For Aramark
Derek Reilly, culinary director for Aramark, stated, “This year, our Healthcare Chef of the Year competition coincided with Coeliac Awareness Week in Ireland, which was a big influence in deciding the competition rules. Our healthcare chefs are regularly required to modify their dishes to specific dietary requirements, so we thought this competition was the perfect opportunity for our finalists to put these skills to the test.
“I am extremely proud of all the finalists, who showed a real passion, enthusiasm and energy during the final, while also demonstrating diligence in their stringent hygiene practices. I’d like to thank Unilever Food Solutions and the Coeliac Society of Ireland for their involvement, and a special thanks to Frances and Audrey for joining us on the day to judge the dishes.”
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