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TAKEAWAY TITANS

TTS1 EP2 East Pier Image Name: TTS1 EP2 East Pier Copyright: RTÉ/ Animo TV 2022. Photographer credit: Joe McCallion
TTS1 EP 2 Little Fish Image Name: TTS1 EP 2 Little Fish Copyright: RTÉ/ Animo TV 2022. Photographer credit: Joe McCallion
TTS1 EP 2 Kiley_s Image Name: TTS1 EP 2 Kiley_s Copyright: RTÉ/ Animo TV 2022. Photographer credit: Joe McCallion

Takeaway Titans – the search for Ireland’s best takeaway

Ireland’s takeaway scene has exploded over the last few years – traditionally a space for fish and chips, Irish customers can enjoy delicious food from every corner of the globe in their very own sitting room.

Takeaway Titans is the show that seeks out the best takeaway talent and puts them to the test to see who comes out on top.

Hosted by James Kavanagh and Carl Mullan, top takeaway chefs from Ireland’s best Chippers, Asian, Indian, Pizza and Burger and Chicken joints, come to the Takeaway Titans Kitchen to cook up a storm for our discerning judges.

Irish chef and renowned critic Dylan McGrath and takeaway expert and winner of Britain’s Best Home Cook Suzie Lee Arbuthnot, will judge the takeaway teams based on their creativity and skill – they are looking for delicious food and nothing less will do.

Top Irish celebrities join the judges to taste some of the food – guests include Deirdre O’Kane, Hugh Wallace, Norma Sheehan, Jake Carter and Rory O’Connor aka Rory’s Stories.

The six-part series is made up of five heat episodes and one final. Each themed heat will see three takeaway teams cook their best selling dishes, some fantasy takeaway dishes and a judges mystery challenge to keep them on their toes.

At the end of three challenges one team will make it through to the final.

The five final teams return to the Takeaway Titans kitchen and must choose one dish from there menu and cook not just for Dylan and Suzie, but for the toughest judges of them all – the public.

Who will deliver the most delicious food? Takeaway Titans starts on the 8th of September at 9.35pm on RTÉ2.

Episode 2 – Chippers

In the second episode of Takeaway Titans presenters James Kavanagh and Carl Mullan meet the next three contenders for the Takeaway Titans title – Little Fish in Co. Galway, East Pier in Co. Waterford and Kiely’s in Co. Cork. Who will win a spot in the final? Judges Dylan McGrath and Suzie Lee along with guest judge Deirdre O’ Kane put the chefs through their paces.

Episode 2 – Chippers

LITTLE FISH (LETTERFRACK, CO. GALWAY) 

CONTESTANTS: TOM MULLEN AND EVA CAULWELL

Little Fish in Letterfrack is a complete family affair and run by partners Eva Caulwell and Tom Mullen. From graphic design, to logos to buntings hanging on the truck, these were all designed by Eva’s sisters.

Eva is a secondary school career guidance teacher who is based in Dublin returning home for the summer, Tom worked in the Boat Club in Baidin, Clifden. They  were  both part of the team that ran Baidin restaurant in Clifden 2021. They then decided to return to Connemara and set up their own food truck, creating the first Little Fish truck. 

Little Fish is a great new addition to the food scene out west, using all local produce in each dish even sourcing pickles from Eva’s sister’s company, Lola’s Picklery.

EAST PIER (DUNMORE EAST, CO. WATERFORD)

CONTESTANTS: ELAINE POWER AND MARINA POWER

Elaine Power opened up East Pier on the harbour in Dunmore East in 2019.

Elaine has a background in retail. She comes from a long line of butchers. She had worked in the family business, but decided she wanted to strike out on her own. In preparation for opening up her own fish and chip business she worked the summer of 2017 in Rick Stein’s businesses in Padstow in Cornwall (in the shop, the bar and the fish and chip shop) gleaning as much knowledge and inspiration she could, to open up her own business.

The fish she uses comes straight off the boats, the oysters come from the factory next door and the potatoes for her chips come from across the headland at Woodstown. Elaine loves to say that you can eat the view from East Pier.

Elaine doesn’t cook any meat products, or use lard. She calls herself and Marina, “butcher’s daughters gone rogue!” Fish and chips are a staple popular order at East Pier. But the lobster roll, crab claws and the fishboat taco are all becoming increasingly popular.

Elaine and Marina go sea-swimming in Dunmore East Harbour together along with their group, The Mermaids.

KIELY’S (CORK CITY, CO. CORK)
CONTESTANTS: HUGO M. ALVES DE MATOS AND JOAO CARLOS DE MATOS NARCISO

Kiely’s is one of Cork’s oldest chippers, opened in 1940. Mattie Kiely was the original proprietor.

Kiely’s was taken over last year, November 2021, by the Blue Haven group; the takeover was headed by Ciarán Fitzgerald.

The company felt the weight of responsibility of being respectful of the history of Kiely’s chipper, but he also wanted to create something new. They describe Kiely’s as being a “premium takeaway that respects its heritage.”

Kiely’s is now an elevated takeaway, serving restaurant quality food. Their most popular dish is their take on a chip butty. They use Cuthbert’s bread, from the oldest bakery in Cork. The Ummera chicken fritters are also incredibly popular.

They are playing around with their version of a spice-bag, and curry chips at the moment, but it’s yet to hit the menu. And they recently launched their dessert menu.

Hugo Alves is the head chef and Kiely’s, and Joao Narciso is sous chef. Joao has come through the ‘Chef’s Academy’. ‘Chef’s Academy’ was set up by local hospitality businesses in Kinsale to address staff shortages.

Hugo, who is originally from Portugal, takes a lot of care making his chips and pays alot of attention to detail and believes this is what every takeaway customer deserves.