Irish social media star James Kavanagh is the next budding Head Chef set to cook up a storm on The Restaurant tonight on Virgin Media One.
The 30-year-old Dubliner, who is a well-known foodie, will serve-up three courses in a bid to impress Marco Pierre White, Rachel Allen, and guest judge Kevin Dundon.
The menu is inspired by a trip he took to Japan, and is completely seaweed-based.
Speaking to Goss.ie, James exclusively told us all about his experience on the show.
“I was kinda nervous about it because I had to do it on my own usually just kind of cooking things I do with my partner William.
“Normally with things like this, anything to do with food I usually do with [him] because we have Currabinny together,” he explained.
“I just said you know what I love a challenge so I said ‘go on I’ll do it’, it was a really fun and interesting experience.”
James says the chefs were “so amazing,” and gave really constructive feedback.
“The chefs who were on the show are so amazing, I went in there with a menu that I wanted to do but they said ‘hang on let’s tweak it so it’s this way and it’ll be 10 times better,'” he explained.
When asked about his impression of notoriously harsh Marco Pierre White, Kavanagh said he was a “bit scary.”
“When I went out to get my feedback I was terrified to go out because it was the first time that I had met him,” he confessed. “He has this real kind of imposing presence and he’s a bit scary.”
However, he did give the television presenter great feedback.
“When I sat down with him [Marco] he was really good with his feedback, and he said really, really lovely things about the food I served.”
“He was also really honest as well so everything was constructive, he’s not nasty for just any reason he has motives and his feedback is really good.”
But what about public feedback? James says he’ll be waiting by his phone nervously.
“People could either like slate me or love it, I’ll be waiting by my phone with nervousness,” he added.
The Restaurant airs tonight on Virgin Media One at 9pm.
