Lords & Ladles is back for a second series traversing the country and taking the viewer on a historical journey to celebrate our past through the wonders of food and the glories of cooking. The series features three of Ireland’s finest Chefs: Derry Clarke, Catherine Fulvio and Paul Flynn.
Each week the Chefs arrive at a Great Irish Country House to recreate a grand dinner from its history while tantalising the TV audience with sumptuous descriptions of the treats that are on the menu. But first they must Draw Lots for the division of labour – one will Gather the ingredients, one will Cook, and one will get to Dine with the Gentry.
The Gatherer must source the ingredients for the feast – hunting, shooting and fishing feature strongly, as do lambs ears, sheep’s feet and of course lots of tongue! The Cook will familiarise themselves with the workings of the kitchen and grapple with the enormous amount of food that seems to have been the norm for a grand house dinner.
Meanwhile the Diner gets to explore the house with the family, learning about its place in the history of the area and the Island, the trials and tribulations of the family seat and of course help lay the table using the finest silver and china from the house safe.
The Cook’s work all done, the meal will be served with all the pomp and ceremony it deserves, to the audible delight of the diners who can’t help themselves from gasping at the spectacle as the sumptuous banquet is laid before them.
Episode 1:
Huntington Castle, Co Carlow
Alex and Clare Durdin-Robertson farm and work the estate which has been their family home since the 17th century – Paul Flynn and Derry Clarke serve up a sumptuous feast that includes a whole roast pig on the spit, boiled goose and sheep’s feet! Yum…
In the kitchen, Paul is pushed to the limit by a lengthy – and frequently baffling – 17th century menu, while Derry has to get hands-on, butchering a lamb in Murphy’s Butchers in Tullow and fruit picking a Malone Fruit Farm in Ballon.