2006 Award Winners CHEF OF THE YEAR 2006

Mark Anderson - Cherry Tree Restaurant

Together with a fine-tuned team working under proprietor-chef Harry McKeogh, this talented and dedicated chef, has lucky Limerick residents spoilt rotten; the lovely waterside restaurant where he wields his culinary magic is a great weekend destination for local food lovers, who flock to sample his consistently excellent contemporary cooking - and it’s a haven for many a food lover crossing the country, too. There’s an obvious commitment to quality - as you arrive, you see the team at work in the kitchen, and it is soon clear that this is a chef who allows carefully sourced ingredients to be the star. Notes on frequently changed menus state his philosophy of using only the best of seasonal local ingredients, and suppliers are credited. A wide, often luxurious, choice of dishes is offered - often peppered with ingredients like truffles, foie gras and lobster; but, despite the use of such luxurious ingredients, both the menu and the very accomplished cooking have an underlying simplicity - and this, highlighted by inspired details and flavour combinations (and good value for money), is perhaps its greatest strength.