Derry Clarke
Encyclopedia
Derry Clarke is an Irish
celebrity chef, reality television judge and proprietor of the restaurant L'Ecrivain
. He acted as a judge alongside Bibi Baskin
and Sammy Leslie
on the RTÉ One
reality television series Fáilte Towers
and has appeared on other programmes such as The Restaurant
, The Afternoon Show
and The Panel (in 2008).
s "Hall of Fame" and been granted a five-star review by The New York Times
. The newspaper described his restaurant as "superb" and "a good spot to linger" whilst in Dublin. Clarke trained as an electrical technician in Ireland before moving to New York City to work as a bartender and in construction jobs in 1990. After returning home to attend his sister's wedding he was confronted by American immigration officials who questioned his status as an illegal immigrant. His recipes feature in publications such as the Irish Independent
and the Evening Herald
.
Roast leg of spring lamb has been one of Clarke's favourite since his childhood and he regularly cooks it for his own Sunday lunch. Asked about whether he cooks the family dinner on Christmas Day, he replied positively. He cooks goose on this day.
When Ranelagh
's Dylan McGrath
owned Mint Restaurant
shut down in 2009, Clarke expressed his sadness to the Evening Herald
.
, County Mayo
and the chef regularly spends time there with his family. Sallyanne came down with a knee infection in late 2008 and Clarke spoke of this in the Evening Herald. He believes chefs do not need models to feature in newspapers.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
celebrity chef, reality television judge and proprietor of the restaurant L'Ecrivain
L'Ecrivain
L'Ecrivain is a restaurant on Lower Baggot Street in Dublin, Ireland. It is a quality restaurant that was awarded one Michelin star from 2003 to the present...
. He acted as a judge alongside Bibi Baskin
Bibi Baskin
Olive "Bibi" Baskin is a former television and radio presenter for Raidió Teilifís Éireann . She is "RTÉ's legendary redhead". She has also been a magazine and newspaper journalist and writer. She is now running a heritage guest house and hotel in Alleppey, Kerala, India.Baskin left RTÉ in the 1990s...
and Sammy Leslie
Sammy Leslie
Sammy Leslie is a female Irish hotelier, media personality and reality television show judge. She is the trustee of the Castle Leslie estate in County Monaghan, being responsible for a hotel, a spa, an equestrian centre and an organic cookery school...
on the RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
reality television series Fáilte Towers
Fáilte Towers
Fáilte Towers was an RTÉ reality TV show that was broadcast as a one off during August 2008. The concept of the show involves thirteen celebrities running a hotel for sixteen days and nights in order to win money for their designated charities. The show format was not repeated nor was it exported...
and has appeared on other programmes such as The Restaurant
The Restaurant (Irish TV series)
The Restaurant is a successful Irish reality television programme broadcast on RTÉ One. The seventh series began on 16 November 2008, running on Sundays at 20:30. In each episode a celebrity head chef takes on the culinary challenge of producing a top class, three-course meal with two...
, The Afternoon Show
The Afternoon Show
The Afternoon Show was Raidió Teilifís Éireann's live flagship daytime show. It ran from 2004 until May 2010. The programme was dropped by RTÉ as part of its new season of television in 2010, to be replaced by two afternoon programmes 4 Daily presented by Maura Derrane and The Daily Show hosted by...
and The Panel (in 2008).
Career
Clarke's professional career began at the age of sixteen years. He has received some international acclaim, having been inducted into Food & Wine MagazineFood & Wine Magazine
Food & Wine is a monthly magazine published by American Express Publishing. It was founded in 1978 by Ariane and Michael Batterberry. It features recipes, cooking tips, travel information, restaurant reviews, chefs, wine pairings and seasonal/holiday content and has been credited by The New York...
s "Hall of Fame" and been granted a five-star review by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. The newspaper described his restaurant as "superb" and "a good spot to linger" whilst in Dublin. Clarke trained as an electrical technician in Ireland before moving to New York City to work as a bartender and in construction jobs in 1990. After returning home to attend his sister's wedding he was confronted by American immigration officials who questioned his status as an illegal immigrant. His recipes feature in publications such as the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
and the Evening Herald
Evening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
.
Roast leg of spring lamb has been one of Clarke's favourite since his childhood and he regularly cooks it for his own Sunday lunch. Asked about whether he cooks the family dinner on Christmas Day, he replied positively. He cooks goose on this day.
When Ranelagh
Ranelagh
Ranelagh is a residential area and urban village on the south side of Dublin, Ireland. It is in the postal district of Dublin 6. It is in the local government electoral area of Rathmines and the Dáil Constituency of Dublin South-East.-History:...
's Dylan McGrath
Dylan McGrath
Dylan McGrath is an award-winning Irish celebrity chef. He was the owner of the now defunct Michelin star Mint Restaurant in Dublin. He recently opened 'Rustic Stone Restaurant by Dylan McGrath' on Georges Street in Dublin's City Centre and has been announced by RTÉ One as the Judge on the new...
owned Mint Restaurant
Mint Restaurant
Mint Restaurant was a Michelin star winning restaurant located in Ranelagh, Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. It was owned by the controversial celebrity chef Dylan McGrath...
shut down in 2009, Clarke expressed his sadness to the Evening Herald
Evening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
.
Personal life
Clarke is married to a wife called Sallyanne. His brother-in-law, her sister, Frankie, is a sheep farmer based in Liscarney near WestportWestport, County Mayo
Westport is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated on the west coast at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean....
, County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
and the chef regularly spends time there with his family. Sallyanne came down with a knee infection in late 2008 and Clarke spoke of this in the Evening Herald. He believes chefs do not need models to feature in newspapers.