Annacloy chef Torin one of only five on ambassador role

6 July 2022

ANNACLOY chef Torin Small is one of only five young chefs from across Ireland to be appointed to the prestigious Taste the Atlantic Young Chef Ambassador Programme.

Now in its second year, the programme was created by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and is a collaboration with Chef Network and Fáilte Ireland as a way to give emerging young chefs in-depth experience of the Irish aquaculture, seafood, and coastal tourism sectors.

During the immersive four-month programme, each of the chefs will embark on a seafood journey along the Taste the Atlantic trail, familiarising themselves with the salmon, oyster and mussel producers working along the Western seaboard.

Torin (24) studied at the South Eastern Regional College’s Downpatrick campus and is learning his craft a the highy-acclaimed Lough Erne Resort in Co. Fermanagh, where he has worked for the past year to date.

Torin was nominated by Lough Erne Resort culinary director Noel McNeel.

The Annacloy chef has the opportunity to use lots of local products from great suppliers in his work and is looking forward to seeing what the Taste the Atlantic Seafood producers have to offer and how those produce can be used to produce fine dining dishes.

Last week, Torin and the four other chefs visited seafood producers in the West of Ireland, including a visit to the Burren Smoke House in Co Clare where owner and producer, Birgitta Curtin, gave a demonstration at her Irish salmon smokery.

This was followed by a visit to Flaggy Shore Oysters in Co. Clare where the chefs learnt about oyster production and a visit to Moran’s Oyster Cottage in Kilcolgan, Co Galway, to further their understanding of the importance of oyster production in the area.

Additional field trips to Connemara and West Cork are included as part of the programme and the chefs will spend two days developing their culinary skills with Michelin star chef JP McMahon at his Aniar Restaurant in Co Galway.

Master fishmonger, Hal Dawson, will also provide training toTorin and the other chefs in fish quality and preparation skills at the BIM Seafood Innovation Hub in Co Cork’s Clonakilty where they will also attend a culinary business workshop.

One of the unique features of the BIM Taste the Atlantic Ambassador programme is the pairing of chefs with seafood producers helping them to gain a deeper understanding of the provenance of Irish seafood.

The programme will culminate with an event at the Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival in September.

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