The Irish Food Board, Bord Bia, teams up with Chef Andrew Walsh and Cure to bring the best of Irish food and ingredients to Singapore.

Singapore might be half the world away from Ireland, but there is one thing both nations have in common that transcends borders and time zones — a shared love for food. Singapore’s passionate food culture is well-documented — a sense of pride in and love for our diverse culinary landscape is arguably one of the key pillars of our national identity. In a similar way, Ireland and its people, too, are immensely proud of their food and local produce — though their cuisine does not stem from a plethora of cultures like ours does, Irish produce today contributes significantly to the multifaceted, eclectic conversation that is global cuisine, especially when it comes to sustainability.

Admittedly, there are not many Irish establishments in Singapore — Chef Andrew Walsh’s Cure is the only establishment championing Irish food in the fine-dining scene here — but there is still an Irish influence within Singaporean food culture. Here’s a fun fact for you: if you’ve had duck recently, chances are it probably is from Ireland — the award-winning Irish Silver Hill Duck is served by over 300 Singaporean restaurants. Hence, given the Irish influence is a lot closer to home than it seems, it makes sense that the Irish Food Board, Bord Bia, is launching a campaign in Singapore to showcase the best of Irish fare, in collaboration with Chef Andrew.

Ireland and its people have been well-established as a formidable creative force — in the area of literature for example, the likes of Flann O’Brien, James Joyce, and Samuel Beckett are widely considered some of the most influential and innovative writers of their respective generations. With his specially-curated menu, Chef Andrew channels that same creative spirit, offering his own elevated culinary interpretations of classic Irish dishes, in what he calls Nua — “new” — Irish cuisine, using only the finest of ingredients from the Emerald Isle.

Traces of Chef Andrew’s personal heritage are evident throughout the menu — anyone who enjoys food can discern the nostalgia-tinged consideration and love that has shaped these dishes. Beginning with the amuse bouche selection, the highlight arguably is the Soda, Stout and Treacle Bread — Chef Andrew’s interpretation of the classic Irish soda bread (also one of his childhood staples) manifesting in a sweet, malty, muffin-like treat.

Among the entrées, there are two that stand out: the Colcannon, Cashel Blue Cheese and Caviar, as well as Tales of the Silver Hill Duck. Originally, the former is a traditional Irish favourite made from mashed potatoes, onions and cabbage — Chef Andrew’s rework elevates the dish through the inclusion of award-winning Cashel Blue cheese and exquisite caviar. The result is a bowl of earthy, rich, umami goodness and a delicate balance of textures, with the crisp crunch of bacon bits perfectly juxtaposed against the silky smoothness of the mashed potato and cheese base.

Granted, the dish is a highly refined interpretation of the original, but even then, it is evident how this is a source of warm, hearty comfort on a cold day, especially considering Ireland’s notoriously-incessant rain (well-documented in Irish literature as well). Paired with the Drunken Lepchs cocktail — a bright, citrusy mix of Bertha’s Revenge sustainable gin, melon and pineapple — the course in its entirety is a well-balanced affair.

While the Colcannon embodies the warm, hearty, pastoral spirit of traditional Ireland, Tales of the Silver Hill Duck showcases the sleek, contemporary fine-dining sensibilities that Irish cuisine has the potential for. Presentation is straightforward, and the ingredients used minimal — while this might sometimes be a point of criticism, the flip side is that it offers the chef a far narrower margin for error, as diners’ attentions are more focused. It is in situations like these that less creates potential for more, and so it is with this dish. The earthy, nutty yet bright profile of the caramelised cauliflower puree dovetails perfectly with the savoury fattiness of the duck — the sweet nuttiness of the puree especially proving an effective foil for the duck’s rich natural flavours to flourish.

Dessert is also a grand affair, with four (!) courses rounding out the night. The pièce de résistance takes the form of the Childhood Memories of Peat 2.0, presented by Chef Andrew himself, in a dramatic, theatrical display. A small, wooden box is laid on the table and opened, revealing a thin covering of rice paper, which is then ignited with a lit matchstick to reveal the sweet, peaty treat within.

Possibly the dish that is most heavily-inspired by Chef Andrew’s own heritage, the dessert captures his boyhood experience of gathering peat with his father through an innovative use of deep-fried charcoal poori filled with peat-smoked milk ice cream. The result is another well-balanced play on textures and flavours, with the smoky peat note enhancing the milky sweetness of the ice cream, and the crispness of the poori highlighting the creaminess of the icy treat within.

Irish cuisine might not have made the same splash that its Italian and French equivalents have on our local gastronomic landscape just yet, but backed by a strong culture of quality local produce, an easily-relatable sense of pride in their food, passionate talents like Chef Andrew, and a bit of luck, who knows how that might change in the years to come? Regardless, sláinte!

For reservations and more information on the campaign, click here.

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