Celebrating Ireland’s Secret Season in Cork’s Producing Capital

Where winter’s bounty meets the warmth of Irish welcome and the art of gathering…

When Claire Nash was just thirteen years old, she picked potatoes in the fields of Ballymaloe House, her hands dirty and her pockets holding four pounds earned from two days’ work. But it wasn’t the fieldwork that captivated her; it was the intoxicating aroma drifting from Myrtle Allen’s kitchen that changed everything. Intoxicated by the smell, young Claire walked straight into the kitchen and asked the Grand Dame of Irish food for a job. She began washing dishes, and that single moment of courage sparked a career spanning more than three decades: from Michelin-starred mentorship to international hotel and restaurant management, to running Nash 19, one of Cork’s most celebrated restaurants for over 30 years, to now welcoming guests into her beautifully restored cottage above Charles Fort in Kinsale for intimate culinary experiences that tell the story of Ireland through its food. 

Today, Claire has created something entirely different from the bustling restaurant and food shop she closed a year and a half ago. At her cottage in Kinsale, the picturesque harbour town that marks the beginning of the Wild Atlantic Way, she offers what she calls “gatherings” rather than cooking classes. It’s an important distinction. “I think food is more than just eating, and I think food is more than just learning how to cook it,” she explains. “The art of hospitality is something which I always try to teach, and that I love to give.” 

From Ballymaloe to the World and Back 

Claire’s education under Myrtle Allen at Ballymaloe House laid the foundation for everything that followed. Myrtle taught her everything from picking herbs to foraging, instilling a deep reverence for ingredients and the proper handling of seafood. This philosophy, of respecting ingredients, understanding their provenance, and treating food preparation as something almost sacred, permeates everything Claire does today. 

After Ballymaloe, Claire studied hotel and restaurant management at the Culinary Institute in Dublin and earned a degree in business. Her career then took her across the Atlantic, where she worked at Ford World Headquarters in Detroit and managed one of Atlanta’s most prestigious private clubs, the Cherokee Town & Country Club. These experiences abroad shaped her understanding of hospitality at the highest level, but Ireland called her home. 

Upon returning, Claire renovated an old cottage in Cork and opened Nash 19 on Princes Street in Cork city, which she owned and operated for over 30 years as a flagship restaurant, food shop, and cultural hub. During this time, she became deeply involved in Cork’s culinary community, serving twice as president of the Cork Business Association, co-founding the Long Table Dinner on Cork’s South Mall (which famously hosted 580 guests in its final year), and pioneering the Eat on the Street outdoor dining phenomenon during COVID that helped restart Ireland’s restaurant scene. 

The University of Cork honoured her with a master’s degree for her contribution to the food scene, and food critic Georgina Campbell named her Hostess of the Year. But for all these accolades, Claire insists it’s not just about her, it’s about making people feel welcome. That, she says, is what she loves most. 

Intimate Hospitality: The Claire Nash Cooks Experience 

Now, instead of serving hundreds, Claire welcomes small groups, typically four to six people, into her home for half-day or full-day experiences that are as much about storytelling as they are about cooking. Guests can choose from all-day master classes or the increasingly popular half-day gatherings that offer a more relaxed pace. 

A typical experience might begin at the harbour, meeting a fisherman’s boat coming in with fresh lobster, or at a local farm, depending on what guests want to learn and eat. Claire always engages with clients beforehand to understand their preferences and dietary requirements. The experience is tailored, personal, and deeply connected to the landscape and seasons of Cork. 

From there, guests come to Claire’s cottage and head straight to her garden, where they gather herbs and, in summer, dig new potatoes with their hands. Inside, Claire demonstrates everything from baking traditional Irish soda bread to preparing local fish or meat, all while weaving in the stories that explain why the Irish eat what they eat. She traces the history back to Ireland’s butter roads and explains how Kerrygold Butter became the country’s “exporting gold,” how spices arrived through returning boats, and how the Flight of the Earls in the late 1600s led to Ireland’s connection with fine wines. The stories are told through tastings, followed by cooking, and culminate in sharing the dishes in small plates, paired with local cheeses, preserves, or whatever the season offers. 

One particularly memorable day involved two American ambassadors and their clients. Claire simply placed a perfectly cooked potato, bursting in its seams and “laughing” as the Irish say, on a beautiful Willow pattern plate with a knob of Irish butter. She told them it was one of their courses and asked them to taste it. They smelled it first and were overwhelmed by its simplicity and perfection. “It’s so authentic. You know, I never make up anything. I can’t, because it’s not in my genes, it’s not in my makeup to do that.” 

Winter’s Bounty: Embracing Ireland’s Secret Season 

While many see winter as the off-season, Claire embraces it wholeheartedly. The season moves quickly, she notes, and offers its own special treasures. Her approach to winter ingredients is to let them speak for themselves. 

Recently, she visited a local farmer’s honesty shed and returned with seasonal bounty: gorgeous onions and turnips, beautiful sprouts, kale, chard, and cavolo nero. She bought a pack of everything to demonstrate what’s available now and how to use it. In winter, the menu naturally shifts to heartier fare; game meats like venison, pheasant, and duck complement the root vegetables beautifully. The focus moves to pastries and preserves, which Claire particularly enjoys exploring during the colder months. 

The cheeses are particularly special in winter, tasting different as they mature. Claire loves being able to talk about these heavier foods and demonstrate proper techniques, like preparing spiced beef carpaccio, a traditional ingredient that’s often overcooked into something “resembling leather”. The winter experience also allows for the slower-cooked dishes that Claire loves, casseroles and braises that need attention to detail. She’s always looked forward to starting these dishes in the restaurant, watching the produce change through the season until spring arrives and the cycle begins anew. 

Winter seafood, while more limited, still offers treasures. There’s always shellfish, crabs, and some lobster, and as long as it’s fresh, even humble pollock can be stunning. Claire has also recently purchased a smoker and is experimenting with half-smoked preparations, creating gorgeous hot-smoked salmon and smoked tuna. 

Cork: Ireland’s Producing Capital 

Claire is emphatic about Cork’s importance in Ireland’s food story. “Cork is the producing capital of Ireland,” she states firmly. The region produces approximately 70% of Irish food because the land is rich and the soil near the sea is far superior to areas like Galway and Connemara. From fish to cheese to butter and meats, everything needed is right here, often quite literally under your nose. 

Kinsale itself is uniquely positioned at the start of the Wild Atlantic Way, with proximity to Cork Airport and a beautiful old town. But Claire worries about maintaining quality as younger restaurateurs focus more on figures and numbers. She hopes that hospitality, that intangible asset of the person behind the experience, won’t be lost in translation. 

When guests ask for recommendations beyond her cottage, Claire curates itineraries that connect them with other passionate producers. She mentions St. Francis Provisions in Kinsale, run by Barbara with a chef from Madrid who brings Spanish influences to local ingredients. There’s Kinsale Mead, made locally, and the Butter Museum in Cork for understanding the historical importance of Ireland’s dairy heritage. Further afield, she recommends Gubbeen, a family-run cheese operation where a pipe literally runs from their parlour into the cheese dairy, and the Woodcock Smokery, which specialises in wild salmon and wild fish. 

Claire believes recommendations must be either owner-driven or operationally driven, places where the passion shows through. Nobody wants a random food tour, she insists; it’s not food snobbery, it’s about the story of hospitality. 

Food as Currency: The Power of Extending Your Hand 

Throughout her career, from city council meetings to international food halls in Zurich, Claire has used food as what she calls her “currency.” She recalls bringing bags of buns or scones to difficult council meetings, suggesting everyone put the kettle on. The meeting would instantly become hers because people would relax. 

This philosophy led to some remarkable cultural exchanges. When Richard Kägi, a food sourcer for Globus in Zurich, visited her restaurant seeking Irish producers for their new food hall, Claire gave him a producer’s platter featuring 32 different Irish producers, finishing with apple tart and local cream. The result was an invitation to Zurich, where she brought her team and traditional Irish musicians to roll out a long-table dinner in the food hall. It became a true cultural exchange, and you could see understanding dawn on people’s faces. 

The simplest gestures create the deepest connections. Whether it’s a sliver of something special or a lovely piece of bread baked with butter dripping off it first thing in the morning, the minute you extend your hand, you’re breaking down barriers. 

A Home Away from Home 

What makes Claire’s current venture special is precisely its intimacy. Not every guest gets the same experience, nor should they. She recalls a businessman who contacted her last-minute, asking if she could host his wife and two daughters (ages 12 and 16) for a day. Claire wondered if it would be more babysitting than cooking, but the day unfolded beautifully. They went fishing, gathered herbs (with the younger daughter becoming Claire’s “little assistant”), cooked together, and Claire even invited the father to join them for lunch. Setting the table with them, teaching the girls why a knife and fork go in certain places and why the glass sits just so, that became the whole experience. 

For busy executives who can’t quite pull together a dinner party, Claire offers master classes where she takes them shopping early in the morning, explaining what to buy and demonstrating the multiple uses of each ingredient. She believes that while we can all spend a fortune going out all the time, there’s something special about entertaining in one’s home. When she travels to Italy, which she does quite often, she always seeks out opportunities to get into somebody’s home. “There’s nothing nicer than getting into someone’s home with a fire lit or the garden furniture outside on a beautiful day.” 

Looking Ahead: The Cook’s Cottage 

Claire is currently renovating a cottage next to her home, just six yards away, which will be called the Cook’s Cottage. It will offer both accommodation and space for larger groups, allowing her to expand her offerings while maintaining the intimate, home-based character that makes these experiences special. Her current workspace typically hosts four to six people, a number that allows for meaningful interaction and personalised attention. 

When asked what excites her about this more personal approach compared to running Nash 19, it’s clear that Claire has found her calling in this intimate form of hospitality. The restaurant had its glory: the Long Table Dinners that drew international attention, the outdoor dining innovations during COVID, the recognition and awards. But now, in her beautifully restored cottage above Charles Fort in Kinsale, Claire Nash is doing what she’s always done best: extending her hand, breaking down barriers, and inviting people to not just taste Irish food, but to understand its story, feel its connection to the land and sea, and experience genuine Irish hospitality. 

It’s her food story, she says simply. And it’s a story worth tasting, especially during Ireland’s secret season when the root vegetables are at their peak, the cheeses are maturing perfectly, and there’s time to slow down, gather around the table, and truly savour the experience. 

Ready to gather around an Irish table and experience true hospitality? Contact us at [email protected] to discover Ireland The Sleigh Way.