Food on the Edge.
Last October I had the privilege of going to a symposium of chefs that is one of the biggest in the world. With roughly 40 Michilin stars walking around, shaking hands and spinning yarns about our trade and our responsabillity to our people. As restaurateurs we are responsible for bringing people’s attention to the right or wrong things to eat.
At Food on the Edge some of the brightest minds on the planet educated us on issues of mental health, sustainability and the joy of friendship in hospitality. With the introduction of social media it has made it easier to share stories and aid each other with issues in the trade. Also passing on local suppliers information and meeting with some of the big names in Ireland. My mind had been opened up buy two speakers especially, Anna Haugh blew me away with stories of bullying that brought tears to my eyes and James Viles who’s philosophy is still Hunter Gatherer, if you ain’t willing to slit it’s throat then you shouldn’t be eating it to begin with.
Now I’m going to speak a bit about J.P. McMahon, an Irish Michilin star chef (Anier in Galway city) that is so passionate about being Irish it’s not funny. His belief in humanity is infectious. His desire seems to be that we in the trade raise the bar on the impact chefs have on what we eat and more importantly the FACT that 50% of the world’s food is being dumped yet there is starvation on the planet. Have you ever gone to the shop to buy something and you see there’s a two for one special on for it so you buy it? You only went in for one and came out with two. Generally the second one is going in the bin so I guess there’s your 50%.
Food on the Edge is a celebrcelebration of culture, food culture and let’s face it, from birth to death every occasion revolves around food. So I wonder why we struggle to combat food that really isn’t healthy. Is it convenience, education or what? Who is responsible? Parents, teachers, politicians or people that have a love for food? To understand what I mean you’d have to hear what I’ve heard for example there are butcher’s around here selling upwards on twelve thousand foreign chicken breast A WEEK. Come on we are surrounded by fields and people, surely we can do better then what we are doing. The Amazon rain forest is being depleted by agriculture. Chopping down trees to plant soya bean to grow cattle. The Amazon is almost gone so the whole we need oxagyn to breath thing really isn’t hitting home. What do you think we can do to make things better, because we are failing miserably on this one which is our own basic existence and I would like to make the point while you read this, that saying I can’t change anything is the defeated attitude. If we don’t change then the people that have a self sustaining society in play are on the winning team but we have to remember that those people are probably the organisers of the whole downfall of the food culture. We at Croí will be attending Food on the Edge again this year, ready to meet some big name in food and to see how J.P’s action/reaction plan is going. My advise to those who care is simply spend a little more if necessary, I understand things are tight but the more you buy the cheap stuff the tighter things will get in the future. Buy from Holland, Spain, Brazil, China etc. etc. then say goodbye to OUR money because it’s now gone abroad. Please support local, please support your neighbour and please teach the kids how to eat right…..

Humanity v’s Trip Advisor
So we opened Croí restaurant in Tralee 9 months ago and since then we’ve jumped through the hoops. Dealing with suppliers, sourcing food in Kerry that we believe in because, this is my county, this is my town and these are my people. Wether your from the Czech republic or China, I don’t care if you support local I support you. This is my stand point, I work hard, I love people and it’s why do it. I don’t do this just to make money, I love our local producers, it beats talking to a rep hands down. They have the same passion I do and the care and ideas are fantastic. I hear stories from Chef Noel of conversations that happen in the wee hours of the morning about nights we can put on, to put our town and county’s food on a pedestal. A platform to show off what we do in Kerry not just Croí. We employ staff and train them to a high standard. They then go out and impart information to guests regarding food and drink. The aim is to make people’s time through any establishment enjoyable. All of this is done by us because we believe.
So if you look at all that and take it that I’m being honest and then take a look at our adversary which is the almighty Trip Advisor. It is a website/app that has us competing with opinion. Have you heard the expression opinions are like asses, everyone has one? Do I have flaws? Of course I do, I’m human. To not have a flaw is to be inhuman. Would it be better to have an app that sends people to restaurants, bars, hotels, hostels and b&b’s that suit them? Instead we are left with an app that is forced to deal with everyone’s opinion. Some people don’t even say anything to the staff in restaurants anymore, if they have a complaint it’s like their content to make themselves feel more important, AKA a JOKE.

This is the crazy part, I am not the same as you, we have very little in common. I like my coffee strong with 1 sugar, you? Things I like you may not is what I’m getting at. We have lost the art of exploring, finding out for ourselves. We don’t trust ourselves so we refer to an app to make our decisions. Again I have no problem with something that markets or advertises like a directory for establishments but slating people for trying? Come on world you can do better than that…..

The result:
I’ve seen staff get disheartened with their jobs based on other people’s opinions and it’s disgusting and harmful. 5star 4star reviews are great but even those reviews pale by comparison when it comes to that of a negative review and it’s devastating intent. I understand that not everyone will enjoy what we do but the majority do. I understand that people in general put up constructive criticism and I welcome you I honestly do but could humanity come up with a more appropriate way to support its own community rather then blasting people out of it with comments and snidey remarks or “opinions” based on people trying?? Even people that do things for the wrong reason deserve a chance.

The effect: look at our unemployment lines, look at our increase in mental health issues. Look at the youth of today. They all want to help I know this for fact but unfortunately the ADULTS of today have failed the youth of today. School drop outs are at an all time high. Now I know your thinking, what does this have to do with trip advisor? In my “opinion” (hahahahaha) it’s like penny’s make pounds, it all adds up.

January 2017
I guess this is as good as place as any to start so in January I just about a month in to be fully diagnosed with depression. This didn’t hit me that hard as I knew something was wrong with me, mentally and emotionally. I was constantly arguing with my wife and just wanted to be alone with my own thoughts.

February 2017
The depression is a bit better I was put on medicine and it helped changed my mood. It helped me with my attitude as I back to my normal easy going self

April 2017
I gonna skip forward a small bit mentally and emotionally I am doing ok. My financial situation started to effect me. I started to question my self worth I had no qualifications no leaving cert no direction in going forward and no idea how to get there. I was in a job focus meeting one day and I was like Dave your nearly 30 with no skills no qualifications nothing GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER MAN
I took a chance on a random course. I choose to do a basic culinary course. I went for the interview and honestly I thought I messed it up. I was grilled to the highest order and felt really low coming out of it.

May 2017
A letter came through the door to say I was accepted into the culinary course. I was honestly shocked. I genuinely thought I messed up the interview. To say I was excited was an understatement. It was a nice feeling, I hadn’t felt it in months. I was like a big kid lunch packed school bag over the shoulder and on my way. Little did I know then it would change my life for the better

June 2017
A live demo from the tralee culinary gangsters was had in the college . The knowledge the experience and most of the food. AGAIN THE FOOD. The flavour of the food was just amazing. Outstanding even and I ain’t just saying that as I am I fellow gangster now myself. I am saying that as a student who just discovered the world of cuisine.

June – July 2017
In discovering this exciting new artistic world I quickly rushed at the opportunity to ask chef Noel for some work experience. And it was an experience it still is.

August 2017
Course is over, I am now an official member of TCG. The rose of tralee is in full bloom and chef Noel randomly decides let’s do a big mural of the side of the building. Little did I know at the time it would be not only a talking point but also a main focal point for tralee.

Sept 2017
Results are out. I was very nervous about this. I got a distinction in culinary arts, it was the very first time I ever had a qualification or a degree of any sort. To say I was proud is a huge understatement. I was that excited I actually got a culinary tattoo.

Oct 2017
A month after i left college in working with chef Noel in CROI and now at the yes chef awards. I felt like I didn’t belong there sitting with some of the greats in the industry and now little old me fresh from college sitting beside them. I felt very ooverwelmed.

Nov 2017
On a personal note I have stopped the depression meds now, my choice not the doctors am I doing better yes am I felling better yes am I more tired all the time when I not working I practically sleeping . I also have stopped cooking as much at home and with the support of the my fellow gangsters and colleagues I joined a Facebook group called chefs with issues

Dec 2017
Xmas is here I finally good again I have that Xmas spirit, even listening to Xmas songs in the kitchen the best thing about December was seeing I was diagnosed with depression a year and not letting it get in my way. Also if you want something bad enough go get it no-one else with give it to you. Life is short enough make it worth living.
#itsokaynottobeokay

2017 a year in review.