The Chopping Block Podcast

29/11/2020

Our guest this week is Matt McGuirk, manager of Luvida Restaurant in Navan, and founder of The Pandemic Pantry, a new online resource for food businesses.
Join us for an hour as we chat about moving from the kitchen to the front of house, the challenges of running a busy, successful restaurant, and what made him set up The Pandemic Pantry.
Listen as we hear Matt's simple but utterly delicious death row meal, hear about the book that he's writing to encourage better behaviour when dining out, sympathize with the pain of finding out your career is officially "non-essential”, and be as shocked and horrified as us when Matt reveals the ingredient he hates most in the world. Available now wherever you get your pods...

Our guest this week is Matt McGuirk, manager of Luvida Restaurant in Navan, and founder of The Pandemic Pantry, a new online resource for food businesses. Join us for an hour as we chat about moving from the kitchen to the front of house, the challenges of running a busy, successful restaurant, and....

26/11/2020

Were back! After a two week hiatus due to clashing schedules and of course Covid, we sat down over Zoom with Matt McGuirk, manager of Luvida Restaurant and founder of the brand new online resource “The Pandemic Pantry”.
Our chat will be available from all the usual places on Sunday morning👍👍

15/11/2020

We’ve no new pod today, lockdown is playing havoc with our plans, but don’t worry- we’ll be back next week 👊👊

08/11/2020

On this week’s pod we sit down with the inimitable Podge MacNamee from one of our favourite Irish bands- Ham Sandwich.
We spent an hour talking all things food, drink, and music, from his humble beginnings with a literal shedload of gone-off chocolate, to how his perfect meal would bring him on a tour of all the world’s culinary hotspots- and Athlone.
Listen as we find out what’s on Ham Sandwich’s rider these days, why his bandmates have given the nickname “Are you finishing that?”, how he was prescribed a pint of Guinness a day by doctors when he was just eight years old, and he gives me the recipe for one of his favourite dishes, his chocolate, coffee and bean casserole.
Download now wherever you get your pods!!

03/11/2020

We’ve just finished recording our next episode over zoom with the brilliant Podge MacNamee of Ham Sandwich.
Download it next Sunday morning to hear all about Podge’s life in food, drink and music, his perfect meal, and the unusual but delicious recipe he gave me for a savoury one pot wonder involving coffee, chocolate and beans!
Subscribe wherever you get your pods...

01/11/2020

This week on the Chopping Block we have a blend beef, booze and beer, and of cattle, casks and cocktails. We sit down with Dave Cummins, the Irish brand ambassador for The Di**le Distillery and the Porterhouse Brew Co., who also somehow finds time to breed pedigree cattle. Sit with us for a little over an hour as we chat about his passion for continuing the family farming tradition, and life selling some of the country's most sought after drinks.
Discover why he approved of a brother and sister using Midleton 1989 to make their Irish coffees, how he once ate nothing but cornflakes for a month for the sake of his cattle, why- for the first time- I wouldn’t be able for my guest’s perfect meal, and learn how you can get involved with Di**le Whiskey by buying your own cask.
Download wherever you get your pods now...

01/11/2020

A little last minute edit and polish on this week’s podcast, at 6.54 of a Sunday morning...

26/10/2020

We had one of our favourite people onto the pod this week, when our friend Brian O’Neill popped in for a chat about all things food and drink.
He gave us the recipe for one of his favourite dishes- his version of a one pot wonder Jambalaya- and it was just gorgeous.
Check out our story or highlights if you want to try it for yourself, and if you do, tag us in a picture of it and we’ll show it off. Happy cooking!!

25/10/2020

On this week’s Podcast our guest is podcaster, photographer, and friend, Brian O’Neill.
Join our lockdown enforced Zoom chat where we talk all about his life in food and drink.
Hear why jelly beans caused a barrage of listener complaints to his podcast, how his first drink at 14 was actually legal, learn the reason his kitchen smelled of yeast for 6 weeks, and discover the name of the undisputed best beer in the world.
Download now wherever you get your pods…

20/10/2020

So here’s my attempt to emulate professional photographer and food stylist Clare Wilkinson’s gorgeous picture of the four flavour bombs that she gave me the recipe for on this week’s pod.
In the picture we have picked shallots, basil mayonnaise, miso and toasted pumpkin seed butter, and Furikake sprinkle. All designed to add a huge punch of flavour to liven up midweek meals
I think I did ok, Clare’s photo is about 100 times better than mine, but it’s the flavour I’m interested in. And these are all fabulous. I’ve been dipping in and out of the pickles all day, and I can’t wait to slobber the mayo all over my burger this evening....
If you haven’t already listened to this week’a pod, it’s available wherever you get your pods 👍👍

18/10/2020

Our guest on this week’s episode of The Chopping Block is Clare Wilkinson- Photographer and Food Stylist.
We spent just over an hour together by her open fire, sharing coffee and cookies, and chatting all things food.
Join us as we talk about how a life altering “summer camp for grown ups” in the famous Ballymaloe House changed her life for the better.
Hear the most sensible answer yet as to why Jaffa cakes are actually biscuits, what’s really in that beautifully photographed glass of wine you see in the ads (clue- it’s not wine), why a pint of stout and sitting on a wall in Connemara always means holidays have begun, and how it’s Christmas all year round for food stylists.
Stream or download the episode now on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, or wherever you get your pods...

12/10/2020

This week’s guest James Dorrigan’s food is so good it got its own feature on TheJournal.ie!!
Click on the link to see his five favourite dishes, and don’t forget to listen as we chat on the latest episode of The Chopping Block👍👍

James Dorrigan isn’t afraid to experiment with his food.

11/10/2020

This week’s guest on The Chopping Block Pod is James Dorrigan, Home Cook & Instachef.
We spent an hour sharing a couple of pints and talking all things food.
Join us as we chat about how he comes up with his delicious dishes, getting the grand tour of a surprisingly tiny Michelin starred restaurant kitchen, being blackmailed after his first time drunk, and how his dad has possibly settled the great Jaffa cake debate once and for all...
Available now wherever you get your pods

06/10/2020

Our guest this week was LifeForce Nutrition’s Joanne Gribbin, and she gave us the recipe for this panfried chicken with all the trimmings.
This is the perfect midweek dinner, simple to put together, healthy, and utterly delicious. Go visit our Instagram page, click onto Joanne’s name on our highlights reel and give it a go!

04/10/2020

Our guest on this week’s episode of The Chopping Block is Joanne Gribbin, Nutritional Therapist and founder of LifeForce Nutrition. We spent a highly enjoyable hour together discussing her life in food.
We chat about how Joanne took the massive step to forgo her career in financial services to found and run her own nutrition business.
Along the way we find out the dish she rightly thinks has no place in the world, how her work with 121 Fitness has literally helped to change lives, how her mammy’s cooking makes up most of her perfect meal(though definitely not the dessert) and also her two simple golden rules to make
an instant impact on your life.
Stream or download the episode now on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, or wherever you get your pods....

20/09/2020

Our guest on this week’s special "Anniversary" episode of The Chopping Block is my wife Dee Stapleton...
We spent an indulgent hour together over a glass of wine, talking about her love/hate relationship with food.
Along the way we discover how oranges became her go-to hangover cure, why her friends all thought her Christmas dinners were weird, how her terrible waitressing eventually led to us meeting, and how she lost over four stone after seeing a photo from a vintner's ball.
Stream or download the episode now on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, or wherever you get your pods...

17/09/2020

Just about to record this week’s episode- it’s gonna be a little bit different this week...

14/09/2020

If you enjoyed this week’s interview with barista and first dater Eoghan, click on the link below to see him in action on his date with the lovely Karen🥰🥰

Laid back barista Eoghan unleashes his special blend on psychotherapy student Karen. But will they espresso their love for each other? ▶ SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE :...

13/09/2020

Our guest on this week’s episode of The Chopping Block is Barista & First Dater Eoghan Newman.
We spent just over an hour together, talking all things food, drink, and of course making coffee.
We chat about Eoghan’s progression from making possibly the worst cup of coffee ever, to his role today as one of the country’s leading baristas.
Along the way we discuss the pressures of having a first date broadcast to hundreds of thousands of people, the joys of oysters, how his favourite pub smells of farts, and why his perfect meal finishes in a pizzeria at 3 in the morning.
Stream or download the episode now on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, or wherever you get your pods...

12/09/2020

Here’s a little sneak peak of the ingredients for tomorrow morning’s podcast recipe- it’s gonna be a tasty one....
Check it out on our insta story tomorrow morning👍👍

11/09/2020

And that’s a wrap on the editing on this week’s show!! This week’s episode will be interesting for all you coffee lovers out there...

09/09/2020

Have you listened to our new “Side Dish” podcast? Out now, it’s a replay of the recipe from our main pod- this week it was Micky Brennan’s warm Apple & goat’s cheese salad. Always less than 10 minutes long, you can listen along as you cook along. And if you want even more help, go to our Insta Story highlights and watch along as we cook it...

06/09/2020

Our latest podcast is out now across all the platforms- Download or stream “Micky Brennan- Footballer, Podcaster and Wine Salesman” wherever you get your pods👍👍

05/09/2020

Our guest on this week’s episode of The Chopping Block is Micky Brennan, footballer, podcaster and wine salesman with Tindal Wines.
We spent a highly enjoyable hour together, talking all things food, drink, and sport.
We chat about Micky’s journey from being a picky childhood eater to working in the world of fine wines.
Along the way we discuss the dietary needs of an inter county footballer, how Cavan beats Meath in the press box sandwich championship, how “ailments” made sure he ate better than everyone else in school, and of course, how his life almost came to a tragic end when he ate a single crab cake.
Stream or download the episode on Sunday morning from 9am on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, or wherever you get your pods...

04/09/2020

We always have to have our ready before the podcast drops- and this week’s calls for goat’s cheese. I’m always happy to have an excuse to call over to Michael Finegan to pick some up. We’ll be using the Bán for our dish, but we couldn’t resist picking up the delicious Boyne Valley Blue Cheese while we were there as well...

02/09/2020

We’ll be publishing our every week, where we give a shout out to all the producers, restaurants, businesses and people who were favourably mentioned by our guest on the show. As you can imagine, we talked about lots of different gins with and his trip to the Listoke Gin School (pictured) featured prominently. So here’s the list of everyone Alan Duffy mentioned in this week’s episode! Fee free to give them a follow to see why he likes them...
.gin

30/08/2020

Recording a podcast with an Insta-Ginner has its perks...
This was the scene just before recording began with Alan Duffy. A gorgeous City of London Distillery gin with strawberries and black pepper. And “slimline” tonic, unbeknownst to me...
Get this week’s episode now wherever you get your pods👍👍

29/08/2020

Our guest on this weeks Chopping Block Podcast is our friend Alan Duffy, also known online as . We shared a couple of perfectly poured G&Ts and talked all about his life through food and drinks- and as you’d expect, there’s a lot of gin talk.
Join us as we chat about the surprising revelation about his preferred tonic, how he massively improved a Donal Skeehan cheesecake recipe, friends loving his advice when ordering at the bar-until the bill comes- & how his best ever day in “school” involved making his own gin. Stream or download the episode on Sunday morning from 9am on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, or wherever you get your pods...

28/08/2020

We’ve got that lovely feeling you only get when the final edit is done on the week’s podcast- a big mix of happiness with how it came out, and relief that it’s finally done. If you’re a fan of a good gin and tonic, then you’re gonna love this week’s episode, out Sunday morning...

23/08/2020

Get yourselves over to Spotify to hear the brand new episode of The Chopping Block Podcast, where we talk to Eimear Reynolds of Bakealicious...

Listen to this episode from The Chopping Block on Spotify. Our guest on this week’s episode of The Chopping Block is Eimear Reynolds, baker and owner of Bakealicious. We spent a highly enjoyable hour in Bakealicious, talking all things food and drink over coffee and amazing lemon meringue tart. We...

21/08/2020

Our guest on this week’s episode of The Chopping Block is Eimear Reynolds, baker and owner of Bakealicious.
We spent a highly enjoyable hour in Bakealicious, talking all things food and drink over coffee and amazing lemon meringue tart.
We chat all about the journey from forcing her dad to eat her burnt jam tarts as a three year old to opening the shop & becoming a fixture in the local community.
Along the way we discuss how the Great British Bake off made her college class the coolest kids in school, the hidden stresses of making wedding cakes, how befriending an Italian exchange student led to an unforgettable food experience in the hills of Tuscany, and how Covid 19 has brought about cake deliveries to places as far apart as Killybegs & Valencia island.
Stream or download the episode on Sunday morning from 9am on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, or wherever you get your pods...

19/08/2020

We’ve had lots of messages asking where to buy Boyne Valley Farmhouse Cheese. You can get it through Sheridans Cheesemongers, independent cheese shops, and also every Thursday at The Rock Farm, Slane’s brilliant farmers market. It’s in a lot of the best restaurants too, so keep an eye on all the menus(and if it’s not already there, tell them they should get it 😉😉) 👍👍

19/08/2020

And that’s a wrap!! Episode 2 of The Chopping Block is fully edited and ready for release on Sunday. If you’re a fan of bake-ing that’s de-licious then you’re in for quite a treat😉😉