Life

Eating Out: Ditching the diet at Tedford's Kitchen with Noel McMeel

Lough Erne Resort head chef and 'SuperValu ambassador chef' Noel McMeel, right, with Nigel Maxwell of SuperValu. Noel cooked up a storm at Tedford's Kitchen
Lough Erne Resort head chef and 'SuperValu ambassador chef' Noel McMeel, right, with Nigel Maxwell of SuperValu. Noel cooked up a storm at Tedford's Kitchen Lough Erne Resort head chef and 'SuperValu ambassador chef' Noel McMeel, right, with Nigel Maxwell of SuperValu. Noel cooked up a storm at Tedford's Kitchen

I'VE been on a diet – it would depress the life out of you. I've been eyeing up plump children and wondering what they'd taste like with hot sauce on them.

The lack of nice food, carbohydrates and of course wine has left me with headaches, which says a lot about my usual diet and lifestyle.

Anyway there's an entire back story as to why I've been depriving myself that I'll not bore you with but the abbreviated version involves me running a leg of the marathon for charity and not wanting to give up my wardrobe of age-inappropriate clothing just yet.

Anyway, on a very bleak day and suffering from a light head and carb rage, I kicked the healthy living to the kerb and went to a foodie event held in Tedford's Kitchen. Not to be confused with Tedford's the long established, high dinning seafood restaurant.

Tedfords' Kitchen is facing the Waterfront Hall in a very corporate-style glass and metal building; it's not immediately appealing from the outside.

Although maybe that's just us Belfasters; if you go to any other riverside city like London or Dublin you'll find this style of restaurant along the water. So I approached it with an open mind.

Inside is modern and inviting, the menu casual and reasonably priced. But I wasn't actually there to grab a gourmet burger but to be cooked for by Lough Erne Resort's head chef, the quiet, unassuming and supremely talented Noel McMeel.

A man who has cooked for Obama, Merkel, Putin and of course now Morris.

Northern Ireland chain Supervalu have recruited this head chef to the stars to help promote locally farmed produce and come up with recipes that even mere mortals like you or I could knock out.

I'm a fairly confident cook but having looked over the recipes he'd devised for the night, I'm sure even a novice could tackle them.

Now back to my original point; I was Hank Marvin but had allowed myself a cheat night. A gift from me to me via Noel McMeel.

So sitting at a table with five other hungry hacks, having already knocked back a glass of my favourite gin, the mighty Shortcross from Crossgar – if you haven't tried it yet please do, it's just the best.

Anyway, along comes a platter of 21-day-aged prime rib eye steak, with warm tarragon butter and cracked black pepper beignets.

I wouldn't attempt the crunchy little fried beignets at home but the steak was melting in my mouth, rare and perfectly rested and seasoned with a deep beef flavour.

All the food was presented on sharing platters and polite manners were soon replaced, with forks being flung in all directions, beady eyes on the last piece of meat. Who would get to it first? I'm sad to report it wasn't me.

The next few platters whipped by in the blink of an eye, slow cooked gammon fritters with Armagh butter, chicken, leek and baby onion terrine with a celeriac slaw.

Next came fillet of pork, cured bacon, confit rhubarb and caramelised nuts.

I say without any shame or embarrassment that I enjoyed it all and mentally noted to get the gammon recipe. My kids would love it.

There was a brief rest before out came more grub, this time local mince transformed into Italian meatballs with a tomato and fresh herb sauce.

I make a great spaghetti meatball dish at home, but these were top notch and we asked for more, being the hallions that we are. Two full servings of meatballs murdered.

We'd a cheese board and crackers – all locally sourced cheese. I don't care what the French say but Ireland produces some excellent cheeses.

I was a little tipsy at this stage, having necked the paired-up wines, which obviously weren't sourced in Northern Ireland.

We had a rhubarb cranachan for dessert which was delicious and tarte. I don't have a sweet tooth but loved the glass full of soft fruit and crunchy toasted oats and will try and make it at home.

There was a whiskey – from Bushmills, of course – but I managed to trade it for another glass of red.

All in all a successful break from the fast, at least a million calories consumed; all delicious, no regrets and my love of cooking reawakened.

I will go back soon and give you lovely folk a review of Tedford's Kitchen on a normal day. But a world-class chef cooking for me, well that'll take some beating.