TOP chef Richard Corrigan has labelled fellow Irishman Barry Johnston's choice of dishes as ‘lunacy’ following the Galwayman's early exit from Channel 4’s cooking competition The Taste.
“Looking at the show he wouldn't have got passed my lips really. The lunatic took over,” Corrigan told The Irish Post, as he recalled Barry’s recent dessert disaster.
The Michelin star chef appeared as a guest chef in last week's episode of The Taste, which saw amateur chef Barry attempt to create an unusual lemon and basil jelly and strawberry and pepper crumb tiramisu.
“Put food in the hands of a lunatic and you end up like that,” he added.
Corrigan did, however, have plenty of praise for the concept of the cooking show, which has proven to be a hit in the US.
“It's [success is down to] Anthony, Nigella and Ludo, in particular Nigella. I think Anthony’s an incredibly laid back cool dude. In its own way it works.
“As one of the first chefs going out there I was really really chuffed.”
The Taste judges (From L to r): Ludo Lefebve, Anthony Bourdain and Nigella LawsonThe Co Meath chef will also be able to offer his wealth of culinary experience when he joins Raymond Blanc on the judging panel, for this year’s BBC Food and Farming Awards.
Corrigan’s eye for top quality ingredients and produce means that he has a specific idea of what he is looking for when judging the entries.
“I'm looking for something very singular, very ambitious and very pure, which probably means a very strong ethical farm movement going on,” he said.
“Two years ago I was chair of the judges; they invited me back on again so they must have liked what I had to say.
“I visited everywhere that was nominated, it's very important to go and see how good are all these people.”
One thing that he strongly believes is that “everyone always gets their 15 minutes in the sunshine.”
“To be nominated is incredible and to win, I mean, it's going to be a life-changing business decision because it's going to bring so much business your way,” he added.
The awards celebrate the people and organisations in Britain who produce and sell quality food, and the ceremony will take place on Thursday 1 May.
