Dinner party show is so educational according to Celebrity Chef

A celebrity chef has praised the Come Dine With Me phenomenon for getting people to talk more about good food.

Clodagh McKenna applauded the hugely popular show -- more famed for its bickering than baking -- for educating people about cooking and raising the profile of Ireland's food culture.

"Thank God for Come Dine With Me," the Ballymaloe-trained cook said. "It's great that it's getting people interested in cooking."

Clodagh was speaking ahead of her return for another of her popular series of interactive cooking demonstrations, Weekend At The Aghadoe Heights Hotel And Spa, on Saturday, August 6, in Killarney, Co Kerry.

Starting at 11am, fans and catering enthusiasts can look forward to "intimate demonstration for two hours", she says.

"It will probably be about 45 people I think. I'm really looking forward to it.

"It's going to be an Italian theme, we'll do fresh pasta, sauces, tiramisu, frescatos and everybody will get a taste after," Clodagh added.

Budding Come Dine With Me contestants will get the chance to pick the expert's brain for few ideas at the presentation.

Sauces

"We're going to talk recipes, fresh sauces and growing your own food," she said.

"People will have notebooks with them and we'll have questions and answers as well after."

The chef, food writer and television presenter said the deluge of cooking shows on Irish screens is a good thing as it helps establish a cooking culture in the country.

"I'll be the first to admit we don't really have a food culture in Ireland.

"People now want to know where the produce is coming from -- they are asking questions now," says Clodagh, who runs her own restaurant and cookery school at The Village at Lyons in Kildare.

Referring to reports about obesity in Irish children, Clodagh believes people are becoming more wary about what they eat.

"People are becoming more and more body conscious," she said.

(for Evening Herald 6th July 2011)