SHUCK’S SIMON LAMONT WINS UK’S FIRST EVER
BEST DRESSED IRISH OYSTER COMPETITION
Simon Lamont from Shuck has been crowned Overall Winner of Bord Bia’s inaugural Best Dressed Irish Oyster competition, at Hix Oyster & Chop House.
His Irish oyster dish, “Blown Seaweed”, had an intense seaside flavour and included seaweed butter, mustard and miso, balanced by clean, tart ginger.
Simon won a luxury foodie break to Ireland, and as category winner also took home a set of high quality Flint & Flame knives.
He said: “That was nerve rattling; I was using blow torches so I’m just glad I didn’t burn my beard off, but total shock, total surprise – I am over the moon.”
The competition saw 10 chefs compete across two heats and two categories – hot and cold oysters.
Each chef had to prepare two plates of nine Irish oysters, which were then judged based on five criteria of: creativity, working methods, hygiene, presentation, taste and flavours.
The judging panel featured chef, restaurateur and food writer Mark Hix; food critic/restaurant writer Joe Warwick; chef, television personality and food writer Clodagh McKenna.
Clodagh McKenna commented: “It was exciting as a chef to taste all the different interpretations that they have of an Irish oyster. Some of them are so different with tempura and wasabi and a lot of them used seaweed, which I was so happy to see – it’s always lovely to have ingredients from its natural habitat.
“Overall what I was most pleased about was that all chefs tried to protect the wonderful, unique flavour of the Irish oyster that we all look for.”
Henry Horkan, from Bord Bia, said: “We always knew there was something special about the Irish oyster, it is great to finally give the seafood its much-needed recognition. The dishes created today further show the versatility of the Irish oyster and how it can be used with many different ingredients”.
The winner of the cold category was Tyler Williams from Hix for his “Oyster with Salmon Roe and Champonzu”, who also won a set of Flint & Flame knives.
Three ‘highly commended’ awards were also presented to Laura Jelley from Bob Bob Ricard for her hot dish, “Crispy Dulse Oysters”; Pascal Aussignac from Club Gascon for his “Aromatic Oysters, Foie Gras and Black Crisp”; and Jordi Sebastianelli from Wright Brothers for his cold dish, “Sake my Oyster”.
The Irish oyster industry was worth over €19 million in 2016.
