Dundrum chef cooks his way to final of Great British Menu

Dundrum chef cooks his way to final of Great British Menu

13 May 2020

DUNDRUM chef Alex Greene has booked his place through to the coveted 2020 Great British Menu banquet.

The 30 year-old stunned the judges on Monday night’s finals competition with a potato-based dish starter dish inspired by Belfast-born CS Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe children’s’ book.

Alex celebrated once more by picking up host, Susan Calman, and swinging her round – much to the comedienne’s delight.

He first started off his culinary career as a 11 year-old washing dishes in the Buck’s Head restaurant in his home village.

Having once worked in Claridge’s in London and also run his own restaurant, Top Nosh, in Annalong, Alex returned to Deanes EIPIC restaurant in Belfast, where he had worked previously, and helped it retain its Michelin star for the fifth year.

His dish of onion jelly, pickled onions, five different types of potato, a four-cheese custard, and truffle, served in a wardrobe, was described by the judges as “a sophisticated, sexy, sensual masterpiece”. Each judge awarded Alex a perfect score of 10.

He will be cooking the rest of his menu for the judges this week as the Northern Ireland regional winner.

It was Alex’s second attempt to get to the final and the banquet as he had competed in last year’s regional competition.

He spoke of his joy of securing his place at the banquet to celebrate children’s literature.

“It’s been an unreal journey on Great British Menu and to represent Northern Ireland at the banquet for the starter is an absolute honour,” he said.

“Thank you to everyone for the support and messages, I have been overwhelmed and humbled.”

Michael Deane, chef patron of the Deane’s group, called Alex “world class” and thanked Alex’s team in EIPIC for their support in helping with his menu.

Alex is the eldest son of Mark and Glynis Greene. His father said he was “beyond proud” of Alex’s achievements.

The family suffered a major tragedy when Alex’s youngest brother, Paul, who has a twin brother David, died in a farm accident nearly three years ago.

Mr Greene said: “I’m proud of all my sons but Alex just had the taste of cooking at an early age and Alison (Crothers) from the Bucks Head saw something in him and he worked away at it.

“I keep him going that he got it all from me as I love cooking but it was his own work. He was always good at cooking and did well at Home Economics at school. He just had it in him.”

A former student of Kilkeel High School, Alex studied catering in college before he began to work in restaurants and travelling and working all over the world in pursuit of his culinary career.

Mr Greene said: “Alex kept focusing on his food and learning all he could. It’s all his own work, he kept pushing himself to be better. He never took the easy road, always the hard road. Once he opened his own restaurant, he realised after that he really wanted to do fine dining and that’s when he returned to Deanes. He’s put his heart and his soul into the work there.”

He remarked how proud he was that his son’s kind and supportive personality also shone through in the programme.

“All of my boys are the same. If they see someone down, they wouldn’t revel in anyone’s downfall,” said Mr Greene.

“Alex would be the first to help someone and I noticed that on the programme as he went to help one of his competitors. He still goes to cut his granny’s grass for her when he has a day off, that’s just the type of him.”

Alex has recently started to serve specially-delivered dinners to discerning customers in their own homes during the lockdown. The service has been booked out over recent days.

Dundrum will be hoping that Alex can secure another dish for Northern Ireland at the Great British Menu banquet.