Kevin Dundon's Modern Irish Food - Hardcover

One of Ireland's best-loved chefs, Kevin Dundon can usually be found busy at work in the Dunbrody House kitchens and cooking school. A chef with a love of locally sourced produce, he has cooked for many well-known celebrities during his career, including Queen Elizabeth II, President Bush and Bono.

In 1994, Kevin was head-hunted to become Executive Head Chef of the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin, widely recognized as one of the most prestigious chef appointments in Ireland. In 1997, Kevin and his wife founded the Dunbrody Country House Hotel, which has become synonymous with contemporary Irish country house cooking. The award-winning hotel also hosts Kevin's cooking school.

In 2008 Kevin put his name to MGM Grand's new restaurant venture Raglan Road in downtown Disney, Orlando, establishing a fanbase in the USA. The following year saw Great Family Food hit bookstores, followed by Recipes That Work in 2010.

Over the past few years Kevin has appeared on numerous TV channels including ESPN Cable, CBC (Live) Canada, RTÉ (Live) Ireland and No Frontiers Travel Show. Kevin's profile soared in 2011 with his role as Resident Chef of RTÉ's hugely popular The Afternoon Show every week, and he is also a regular on Irish radio.

Kevin is the food ambassador for Ireland's leading supermarket chain SuperValu.

Despite the onslaught of e-books in every category, print cookbooks remain popular, especially when created by an up-and-coming celebrity who just happens to be photogenic, articulate, and the host of a TV series. Dundon, while not a newcomer to the culinary world (Great Family Food, 2009, and Recipes That Work, 2011) needs introducing to U.S. cooks. His credentials are impressive: he has cooked for the Queen and Bono, and he runs a gastropub in Disney Orlando. His enthusiasm bubbles off the page as he shares secrets, tips, and more than 100 recipes from his kitchen. Nonetheless, the dishes do require a good knowledge of foodstuffs and techniques, as they also include a few exotic ingredients (such as samphire or sea asparagus), and most are somewhat time-intensive, even if the pantry is limitless. Who could resist his mum’s meatloaf, his celeriac Waldorf salad, and a trio of chocolate fondues? Those aspiring to dip into the “across the ocean” flavors will find colcannon (potatoes and cabbage), buttermilk scones, and kinky Eton mess more than conquerable. Great color photographs and a smattering of tips help disguise the honest truth: these flavorful recipes are not geared to kitchen novices. --Barbara Jacobs