Killian Crowley, chef de partie at Michelin star Aniar Restaurant in Galway, won the UK & Ireland regional final of the prestigious international San Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 competition, held in London on Monday the 20th of November. Killian will represent Ireland at the grand final of the global talent search in Milan next June.
Aniar chef-patron JP McMahon said, “I’m super-thrilled for Killian. He’s a chef of the highest caliber with a passion for Irish produce. He has the skill, knowledge and technical ability to take Irish food to greater heights. We are all delighted at Aniar. We are a small team that nurture talent to promote the great food produce of Ireland. For me, this is another confirmation that Irish food is one of the best in the world.”
Killian’s winning West of Ireland-inspired Turbot, Kohlrabi & Sea Purslane dish will be especially added to the menu in Aniar this coming weekend on Friday and Saturday, 24th and 25th of November. It was described by judge Alyn Williams as, “clean, simple, precise“, while Angela Hartnett said, “It feel very much from the heart”.
Killian was one of ten semi-finalists including two other young Irish chefs.
Killian said, “I am delighted. Three Irish chefs were in the semi-final this year, two on the podium, which proves that Irish food is getting better every day. We need every year to have more Irish chefs in international events like this.”
Killian will be mentored for the grand final by top UK chef Angela Hartnett, who was one of the four judges alongside Ireland-based chef Mickael Viljanen and UK chefs Phil Howard and Alyn Williams.
Killian, who was born in Belgium to an Irish father and Belgian mother, started his culinary training in Belgium at 15. He worked at a number of Michelin star establishments on the Continent before joining Aniar over two years ago, where the philosophy is for producing contemporary Irish food using local, seasonal, sustainable West of Ireland ingredients.
Aniar is located at 53 Lower Dominick Street, Galway, Ireland. For more information and bookings see www.aniarrestaurant.ie, phone +353 (0)91 535947, or email [email protected].
