Media Box Releases

Four celebrities take to the kitchen this week for charity, but who has what it takes to lift the title of Celebrity Chef?

Organised by the Carrick-on-Shannon Dyslexia Workshop “Celebrity Chef” takes place in Lough Rynn Castle, Mohill, Co Leitrim on Friday 24^th February.

Today FM's Ray Foley, The Apprentice 2011 Finalist Joanne Sweeney-Burke, Fair City's Alan Devine and RTÉ Reporter Sinéad Hussey must battle it out in a kitchen live in front of a 300-strong audience. 

Apprentice Finalist and Media Box owner Joanne Sweeney-Burke teams up with her old comrade Gary O’Hanlon, Head Chef at Viewmount House Hotel, Longford. More than a decade ago the duo from Donegal spent their summers in the kitchen of the Rosapenna Hotel, Downings. Joanne started off as 15-year old washing dishes while a younger Gary was pot-washer. They both served their time as commi chef and Executive Chef respectively after learning the trade during their summers as teenagers.

Speaking this week at the launch of the event top Chef and TV star, Gary O’Hanlon says, “it’s been 18 years since Joanne and I were sweating it out in the kitchen of the Rosapenna Hotel. Under the guise of Frankie Casey he trained us to understand hard work pays off. It’s a real privilege to team up with my old mate Joanne who has proved herself to be a successful business person.”

Joanne and Gary will battle against high profile stars including Today FM’s Ray Foley, RTÉ Journalist Sinead Hussey and Fair City’s Alan Devine. Each celebrity will have their own chef as mentor.

The judges for the event are RTE’s Naula Carey, Co-Editor of the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nellis, and Agenda Magazine Food writer Alex Meehan. Meanwhile, one lucky member of the audience will become a guest judge on the night.

According to Joanne, “I’m not the world’s best cook, in fact I leave that to my husband Tom. So I’m thinking this is perhaps a task too far for me. However, teaming up with Gary is perhaps my saving grace. I know he’s hugely competitive and having been recently named as one of Ireland’s top 10 chefs, I think I’m in safe hands. And anway beating Ray Foley would be worth fighting for.”

Each celebrity will be cooking a dish of their choice and also preparing a dish from the mystery basket.

Audience members will be asked to vote on their favourite celebrity dish and together with the panel‘s result a winner will be declared.

Entertainment will be provided by the famous Looney Hoppers. Tickets priced just €10 are available Lough Rynn Castle.