Irish chicken producer Manor Farm, Irish chefs and food influencers recently collaborated to create a digital chicken recipe book to raise funds for the Feed the Heroes charity organisation. Chef Adrian Martin talks to Donna Ahern about the innovative cook book and his role as brand ambassador for Manor Farm
How would you describe your role as Brand Ambassador for Manor Farm?
Firstly, can I start by saying I am proud to be an ambassador and friend of Manor Farm. I grew up in Kingscourt, which is five minutes from Manor Farm’s factory in Shercock in Cavan, so it is a pleasure to work with a company from home.
My role involves promoting the quality and taste of Manor Farm chicken and spreading the message that Irish is best, as well as emphasising the importance of supporting Irish companies to drive local employment.
Some of my favourite parts of the role are cooking at festivals such as Bloom, Taste of Dublin, and Taste of Cavan, doing TV appearances, and weekly ‘cook along’ on The Manor Farm Instagram.
What do you enjoy most about the role?
I enjoy everything I do in my role as ambassador. I am a big advocate of knowing where your meat comes from and the ability to follow the journey from farm to table.
Being an ambassador for Manor Farm allows me to promote this way of cooking, which is very rewarding. It is also great craic being involved in the annual summer outings, which is something I am really looking forward to when these strange times pass. Also, I have family working in the factory and I know many of the staff there.
Can you tell me about the fundraising Feed the Heroes Cookbook?
Frontline workers risk their lives every day to look after the sick in our communities. During a time like this, we wanted to do something to show our appreciation and help in any way we could.
More people are cooking at home than ever before so, with the help of some great chefs and foodies, we came together to do something positive and raise much needed funds. Of course, as chicken is so close to my heart, I had to make that the main ingredient!
Which cause will the funds be donated to?
Everything goes to the Feed the Heroes Charity which is raising funds to support frontline workers at a time when they need the support more than ever.
The digital book has 22 chicken recipes. Can you tell me about your contribution?
I reached out to most of the chefs and foodies to contribute their recipes and we compiled them together.
I got help from Manor Farm’s design agency to structure it and they turned it around very quickly. I have also put one or two recipes of my own in there!
Aside from your own, which is your favourite recipe in the book?
I think they are all brilliant!
Can you tell me about some of the COVID-19 measures that you have installed at your Wildflower Restaurant in Camden, London? Our main priority is the safety of our customers and staff.
It is difficult to adhere to the restrictions in the intimate environment of Wildflower, but that is a challenge that we will overcome when it is safe to do so.
We must all adapt to a new normal and I have loads of ideas about new and exciting ways to offer our unique experience when the time is right. Until then, I will sit tight and wait, but I am really looking forward to reopening. The best is yet to come, so watch this space!
We know more people are cooking at home. What is your advice for home cooks?
Try something new. People have more time on their hands now, so pick out some recipes and try some new dishes. Maybe even learn them off. Then, when we go back to normal, you will have a bank of go-to dishes to choose
from. It is also a great time to teach your kids the life skill of cooking! I think there has been a generation who have missed out on cooking, so get the whole family into the kitchen to cook, learn, and make memories.
If you had a dinner party, what three people would you invite?
My girlfriend Hannah and my two best friends Damien and Brian.
What has been the standout moment for you in your career to date?
There have been so many, like releasing my first cookbook, cooking on TV for the first time, but I still think the day I opened Wildflower is the standout moment.
It had been a long-standing ambition of mine to own my own restaurant and to do it in Camden Markets in London is just a dream come true.
© 2020 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. Click sign-up to subscribe to Checkout.
