On February 19th we in Euro-Toques had our AGM and I handed on the mantle of Commissioner Generalship to the totally able hands of Lorcan Cribbin of Bang Café in Dublin.

I suppose my initial reaction was one of huge relief.
Relief that I had managed to keep the organisation running for two years without it foundering or getting into debt or the members organising a palace coup and having me deposed.

Despite the relief I am extremely grateful to Euro-Toques for giving me the opportunity to lead it for the two years, you never know whether or not you can do these sort of things until you try.

The highlights of my time in office were probably seeing my initiative with children’s food being brought into the classrooms by ourselves and Slow Food, the two seminars we held in Macreddin Village, (one on educating children about food and the one on Food Tourism,)and especially the Euro-Toque Food Awards and the great satisfaction of doing something which significantly helped these talented food people along the road.
The bits I will be glad to see the back of are the constant trips to Brussels, the catching of the early train to Dublin for meetings and the truly surprising moment which happened only last night when, at a Slow Food dinner when I realised that for the first time in two years I was attending a function at which I didn’t have to make a speech!

I must say that my two years in office were made possible by Ruth Hegarty, Euro-Toques secretary general, who with enormous tact managed to stop me making an ass of myself most the time.
Thanks Ruth!

Another highlight of course was young Peter Everett from Waterford Castle winning the Baileys Young Chef wreath in December, as I wasn’t even a member of the judging panel I can take no credit for this but I can take some credit for ensuring that my last official function in office happened in the same castle.

It was a superb night.
Michael Quinn, a talented and under awarded chef, pulled out all the stops and gave us a brilliant meal.
This included some delicious Brawn made from his own Ballymacaw Saddle Back pigs, a simple but lip smacking Chicken Broth made from Paul Crotty’s chickens and a most stunning Oxtail Pithivier which he served with the Venison.
Gilbeys also gave us superb wines for the night, the l’Explorateur Shiraz from the Barossa Valley lives with me still.

A careful reading of the menu speaks volumes of a chef who is neither afraid to innovate or to follow Escoffier’s dictum of; Faites Simple.
Well done Michael and Peter too.

That I was relieved by the end of the night I think was evident by my jubilant behaviour and I suppose I should apologise to all the people I hugged.
I should but I wont, I enjoyed it.
I will be staying on as a commissioner in Euro-Toques for the next two years so I will be able to attend all dinners and functions but without having to speak!