Home Ec Department Open Day

The Home Economics department were very busy on our recent openday. During the day they fed over 260 Primary schools students. A busy day was had by all preparing and cooking buns, cakes, tarts and sausage rolls.

Here are some photos from the day:

Picture 1: ​​Hazelwoods famous buns for primary school visitors​

Picture 2: ​2nd years; Sean Broderick and Jack Walmsley, who won prizes for their Healthy Packed Lunch entries during Hazelwood College’s Open Day​

Picture 3: ​Visitors tasting Healthy Packed Lunches during Hazelwood College’s Open Day​

Picture 4: ​Home Economics students Rachel Doody, Ronan O’Connor & Jack Walmsley during Hazelwood College’s Open Day​

Picture 5: ​2nd year Jack Harding demonstrates his baking skills during Hazelwood College’s Open Day​

Picture 6: ​​Ms Reilly demonstrates baking skills to 1st year Home Economics students during Hazelwood College’s Open Day

Picture 7: ​​Visitors enjoying the Home Economics display during Hazelwood College’s Open Day

Apprentice Chef 2015

Hazelwood College TY student Laura Stack travelled to the IT Tralee on recently to compete in the semi final category of the Apprentice Chef 2015. Laura prepared cooked and served Breast of Duck served with a Honey and Clove Sauce, Braised Red Cabbage, Sweet Potato Puree and Pommel Anna on a bed of Spinach. The judges complemented Laura’s exceptional culinary skills and her professionalism on the day. Thanks to the standard of her dish and its preparation and presentation that Laura secured her place in the Apprentice Chef Final due to be held shortly.

Picture 2:Laura Stack’s dish which was a Breast of Duck served with a Honey and Clove Sauce, Braised Red Cabbage, Sweet Potato Puree and Pommel Anna on a bed of Spinach. Laura secured her place in the Apprentice Chef Final, which will occur shortly thanks to the standard of her presentation of this dish.

Hazelwood’s Aisling Has All the Ingredients for Success

Hazelwood’s Aisling Has All the Ingredients for Success

Hazelwood College students Cathy Foley, third year, and first year student Aisling Brennan were selected as finalists in the ‘Easy Food Home-Cook Hero Awards 2014 Cookery Competition. This is a national cookery competition which is open to the public, of every age, and sponsored by ‘Easy Food’, which is Ireland’s bestselling food magazine. Aisling, who was making her debut in this competition won her category, Easy Cheesy, while Cathy Foley came in the top three in her category.

The ten categories in this year’s competition are: Fabulous Fowl, sponsored by Moy Park; Larder Luck, sponsored by Heinz; Easy Cheesy, sponsored by Irish Dubliner Cheese; Best Burger, sponsored by Mr. Crumb; Take 5, sponsored by Braun, Magic Mealtimes, sponsored by Green Farm, Squisito, sponsored by Barilla; Butter Me Up! Sponsored by Connacht Gold; €10 Family Favourites, sponsored by Lidl; and Everyday Inspirations, sponsored by Birds Eye.

The two finalists were invited to the Cook’s Academy Cookery School, South William Street in Dublin 2 on Saturday, 8th November, last where they cooked their chosen recipes in front of a panel of celebrity judges consisting of Paul Flynn – The Tannery Restaurant, Townhouse and Cookery School, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford and is also a proud brand ambassador for Lidl Ireland, Catherine Fulvio of Ballyknocken House & Cookery School and Gina Miltiadou, Managing Director of Zahra Media – publisher of Easy Food Magazine.

€1,500 worth of prizes, including a weekend break, kitchen appliances, restaurant and supermarket vouchers, and a hamper of utensils, kitchenware and food hampers were the rewards on offer for the culinary champions.
TV3 cameras captured the 30 finalists during the Easy Food Home Cook Hero Awards Ceremony and the public will be able to watch the broadcast which is 1 hour duration on TV3 at 1:40pm this Saturday 15th November.
Cathy Foley cooked Breast of Chicken, Celeriac Puree with a Creamy Shallot, Mushroom and Bacon Sauce. Aisling Brennan prepared Bacon and Cheese Surprise. The favourite top ten dishes were selected by the judges and the winners announced by TV3 ‘s Martin King at a gala black tie awards dinner in the c, St Stephen’s Green Dublin on Saturday night.

Their Home Economics teachers were impressed by the enthusiasm and commitment demonstrated by the girls and are delighted with their recent success. It is just fantastic to see such passion and interest. Ms. Noreen Daly said ‘it is a remarkable achievement for the girls considering the hundreds of entries received for each category. Both students were highly complemented on their natural flair and ability to work under pressure.

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Chefs Smell Victory Cooking!


Hazelwood Chefs Smell Victory Cooking!

Hazelwood College students Sheila Brown (left) and Cathy Foley (right) competed in the Regional Final of the Apprentice Chef Competition in Institute of Technology, Tralee. Both budding chefs had to use locally sourced ingredients for their dishes. Cathy was chosen to participate in the Apprentice Chef Competition National Final, which will be held on March 28th.

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O’ Eggciting News for Tara!

O’ Eggciting News for Tara!

Tara Reidy, a first year student in Hazelwood College, was recently announced as one of twenty runner up winners in the O’ Egg Recipe Challenge. This national competition was organised by the Farrelly family, who are Ireland’s leading free range artisan egg producers based in County Cavan. Recipe entries had to incorporate the O’ Egg products of liquid whole eggs or liquid whites, which are available in the chilled fridge cabinets in SuperValu and Centra throughout the country.

This O’ Egg product provides the same flavour and nutritional content of shell eggs while avoiding wastage from cracked eggs in the box, the mess and hassle of picking out egg shells from the bowl. It is time, effort and hassle free for the novice and adventurous cook. This newly launched product is pasteurised thus ensuring a long shelf life of 21 days ( 7 days once opened) and can be frozen successfully.

Tara’ s recipe entry of Chocolate Yogurt Cake was emailed in last December and a lengthy process of adjudication followed with the judges cooking and tasting each recipe entered to ensure that the recipes chosen were successful and as well as meeting the criteria of appearance, flavour and texture.

Tara was amazed and delighted when she received the good news of her winning entry and was thrilled to receive her prize of a signed copy of Rachel Allen’s cookery book.

tara

Teens get a Taste for Cooking !

Teens get a Taste for Cooking !

Fifth year Home Economics students from Hazelwood College attended a very successful hands on – one day cookery program to help them complete their leaving certificate cookery tasks in Cloughjordan House Cookery School and also visited Cloughjordan Wood-Fired Bakery in Tipperary recently.

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TV Appearance for Hazelwood Chef

TV Appearance for Hazelwood Chef

Máiríde Bennis, 12, a first year student in Hazelwood College Dromcollogher was one of four finalist chosen by the public through a voting campaign to compete in the final of the Uncle Ben’s Beginner Cookery Competition This competition seeks to persuade Irish parents to encourage their children into the kitchen and to instill a lifelong love affair for cooking wholesome and nutritious food.

The four finalists, accompanied by their parents, cooked their signature dishes last Monday for Celebrity Chef Nevin Maguire in Dublin. They were filmed by RTE cameras and each participant’s cookery slot was broadcast during the week on the Today Show, presented by Dáithi Ó Sé and Maura Derrane. Máiríde along with her mother Anita cooked and served Apricot and Beef Stirfry with Uncle Ben’s Rice. Celebrity Chef Nevin Maguire was impressed with Máiríde’s vast nutritional knowledge on the ingredients she prepared along with her cookery skills and confidence for someone so young.

Home Economics teacher Noreen Daly commented that ‘Máiride is an outstanding student who is highly motivated and has an exceptional flair and natural talent in the kitchen. We are so proud of Máiríde’s achievements having reached the final four and for being a tremendous ambassador for Hazelwood College’.

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Uncle Ben’s Cook For Nevin Finalist

Uncle Ben’s Cook For Nevin Finalist

Máiríde Bennis, is one of four finalists that will put their culinary skills to the test in front of top Irish chef Neven Maguire for a top cash prize.

Uncle Ben’s has teamed up with the well-known Irish chef to gather mini chefs and their parents from around the country to get involved with Ben’s Beginners; a programme which seeks to encourage Irish parents to get cooking with their children, and nurture a lifelong love for wholesome food.

Local Limerick girl, Máiríde Bennis, who entered the Ben’s Beginners competition is one of the four finalists. Máiríde, who is excited to be in the final, is in with a chance to win a €5,000 cash prize for her family plus a €10,000 donation for her school to fund a healthy eating initiative.

Each finalist will be given the opportunity to cook their signature rice dish for Neven Maguire, who will then decide the winner.

The overall winner will also have their signature rice dish featured on the Today Show on December 2 next.

First published Limerick Post 18-11-2013 by Andrew Carey

Hazelwood’s (Michelin) Stars Dazzle

Hazelwood’s (Michelin) Stars Dazzle in Home – Cook Heroes Competition

Hazelwood College was represented by three dynamic students in the final of the Home Cook Hero Competition 2013 on Saturday 9th November last in the Cooks Academy Cookery School in Dublin 2. Gastronomic delights of all shapes and sizes were prepared and cooked by thirty finalists from across the country. In an intense contest, the finalists battled it out for the accolade of Home Cook Hero Award for 10 different categories along with Best Overall Dish and Best Culinary Skills.

Hazelwood College’s Neasa Fahy, first year, prepared and cooked Bacon Surprise with Beetroot & Feta Cheese Skewers for the Tiny Tastes category sponsored by Easy Parenting, while fellow first year Maedbh McCarthy’s category was Fabulous Fowl sponsored by Moy Park. She cooked Lemon Chicken. In the €10 Family Favourites category sponsored by Lidl, finalist Cathy Foley, Second Year, cooked Indian Butternut Squash Curry.

The three finalists, accompanied with a family member and their Home Economics teacher Ms. Noreen Daly, attended a black-tie gala dinner where they dined on a sumptuous three course meal followed by an awards ceremony which was hosted by TV3’s Martin King.

There was great excitement and shouts of jubilation when Cathy Foley was announced as the winner of the Best Culinary Skills Award. Cathy was a natural in front of the camera and spoke with great ease to Martin King regarding the inspiration for her dish. Ms. Noreen Daly Home Economics teacher said that “The girls worked to the highest standard possible and excelled themselves on the day. They worked with such ease, despite the pressures of the occasion and the TV cameras. They are a credit to their families and great ambassadors for the school”. Each of the girls received a beautiful boxed hamper of goods and certificate on the night.

Cathy received a voucher to the value of €350 for a 4 day cookery course in the Cooks Academy. Lidl who sponsored the Family Favourite category were so impressed with Cathy’s achievement on the night and her ease in front of the camera have agreed to use her recipe for in-store promotions across the country and will film Cathy making the dish for their website in the new year.

All eyes and ears will be watching and listening excitedly to see the girls on The Easy Food Home Cook Hero Awards which will be broadcast on TV3 this Saturday afternoon 16th November at 1.25pm for a duration of 30 minutes.

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Hazelwood College students (left to right) Maedbh McCarthy, Celebrity Chef Judge Kevin Dundon, Cathy Foley and Neasa Fahy at the Shelbourne Hotel Dublin for the Home Cook Hero Awards 2013.