Food enthusiast Orla looking forward to ‘homecoming’

Award-winning wedding and event caterer Orla McAndrew is looking forward to what she describes as a homecoming when she returns to Castlerea for the inaugural Castlerea Food Fest.

The festival is being described as “a vibrant celebration of food and culture” and is taking place alongside the town’s annual Castlerea Rose Festival.

As part of the festival, Orla will give a cookery demonstration at The Hub on Monday, July 27th at 7 p.m. where her presentation will be entitled ‘Love Your Larder’.

Now based in Cork - where she lives with her husband, Stephen, a native of Offaly, and their three daughters, Nora, Eva and Ellie - Orla spent the first 10 years of her life in Castlerea and still retains fond memories of the town.

Her passion for food was inspired by family influences from an early age. Her mother ran an apple tart business at one stage when the family lived in England – “as school children, we would come home and peel apples every day for our sins!” - while her grandmother worked as a cook at the historic Clonalis House in Castlerea.

Although food was always around her growing up, becoming a chef was not initially part of her plans. “I succumbed eventually,” Orla laughed.

She qualified as a chef in her late twenties before studying for numerous degrees and obtaining qualifications in the area of food production. However, after spending a long period as a stay-at-home mother, an unexpected conversation changed the course of her career.

“Eight years ago, I met a stranger in the park one day who said she was getting married in six weeks and couldn’t find anyone to cater for it, so I jumped at the chance. So that was the start of my business,” she recalled.

Today, she operates a very successful wedding and event catering business from Cork, serving clients throughout Ireland. Her business has earned widespread recognition, including six awards in the past three years.

Most recently, Orla achieved what she considers her greatest professional accolade. “I just won the Wedding Event Caterer of the Year at the Gold Medal Catering awards,” she said.

Her reputation has also been recognised internationally after receiving a ‘Women in Food and Drink’ award in London.

While building her career in Cork, Castlerea has always remained close to Orla’s heart. She left the town in 1989 when her family moved to London, before later settling near Mallow. Despite the years away, she still has strong family ties to the Castlerea area and has fond memories of her childhood there, including visits to Benny’s Deli, run by fellow food enthusiast Benny O’Connell.

Not surprisingly, she was delighted to accept an invitation to participate in the Castlerea Food Fest.

For Orla, the festival marks her first professional involvement in an event where she grew up and is set to take part in cookery demonstrations and talks during the festival.

“I’m just really thrilled to be part of it,” she said.

Orla’s Instagram page, which has more than 24,000 followers, has also allowed her to reconnect with many people from the town and county.

“I have a nice little following on Instagram, and because of it, I’ve reconnected with people that I grew up with, and I have a lovely following in Castlerea and Roscommon.

Looking ahead to the festival of food, she enthused: “I really can’t wait. It’s nice to be going back to Castlerea.”