the chef
Rory Gorman is a chef from Belfast, Ireland who has honed his craft in professional kitchens across Ireland & Europe.
Taking strong inspiration from his Irish heritage & the land at his feet, and with a burning passion for open fire cooking, channeled into a style reminiscent of the communal & shared nature of Spanish dining from his years spent living in Barcelona.
Irish roots
Connection to the land is paramount when it comes to chef Rory Gorman’s cooking style.
Exploring his Celtic ancestry through a decade long journey into ancient Irish cooking techniques, neolithic culture & traditions, and forgotten knowledge of the land at our feet.
baptised by fire
Fire is at the heart of chef Rory Gorman’s cooking.
The dance of the flames, the crackle and snap of a woodfire, the smoke drifting through the trees. these are all things that invoke a feeling deep within us, it is primal and familiar and brings a sense of wonder, joy & flavour to the dining experience that cannot be imitated indoors.
Wheel of the year
Following the ancient Celtic calendar, our feast nights align with the ancient Irish Fire Festivals of : Imbolc, Bealtaine, Lughnasadh & Samhain, as well as the equinox and solstice changes.
Running parallel to these ancient practices enable us to be connected to our ancestors & the natural cycle of the earth in all its bounty.
“that feeling”
“sobremesa” in Spanish
of being around a table, cared for, conversation flowing, no pressure of the world around you, and only the joy of the present moment.
this is what great hospitality & dining is really about, creating a safe space to reignite the fire of community & love through the medium of food.
using local suppliers and supporting Irish farmers & their produce are of high importance, but no less important are the other materials used to conduct the orchestra of wild dining:
using good quality steel, iron & copper,
using native Irish hardwoods like oak, ash & hazel,
& using Irish linen & wool from local suppliers.
Each of these individual details explored with passion and attention, make up a symphony for the senses at one of Chef Rory Gorman’s unforgettable wild dining feasts.
When not lightning fires or picking wild herbs, find him at the helm of the award-winning cafe Stereo on the Cregagh Road in Belfast.
Food & wood
Forever entangled in the love affair between food & wood, chef Rory Gorman’s cooking has the great trees & wood of Ireland at heart.
The dance of the different grains, aromas & textures of wood is a perfect symbiotic & sensory combination between the craft of wood & the art of food.
