Enterprising students launch Michelin-star recipe cookbook

A GROUP of enterprising students from Glenasmole National School launched a cookbook last week, featuring recipes from Michelin-starred restaurants from around the country.

The project came about after fifth and sixth class students in the school were given a talk by a member of staff from Local Enterprise Office (LEO) South Dublin earlier this year.

The talk was part of LEO’s scheme to promote enterprise education among primary school children, called Bí Gnóthach.

Sinead O’Sullivan, the fifth and sixth class teacher at Glenasmole NS, told The Echo: “LEO South Dublin sent a representative to speak to the children about setting up a business.

“It was just to discuss what it means to set up a business and the benefits of it.

“The children came up with a few ideas, and I told them about a cookbook I made when I was in primary school, so we talked about that and they decided they wanted to do a cookbook.”

The pupils were initially going to focus on restaurants in Dublin, but after looking at a Michelin guide for Ireland and seeing the variety of eateries around the country, they broadened their scope.

The book contains recipes from high-end Michelin-starred restaurants from all around the country, which the students sourced themselves by emailing over 70 restaurants from the guide.

“They sent 76 emails to restaurants in the Michelin guide, and they got a good response – around 30 restaurants came on board,” added Ms O’Sullivan.

“Some of the restaurants were so nice in their responses.

“I gave the children control of my email to contact the restaurants and some of the restaurants couldn’t do enough for us, they were so enthusiastic.”

The pupils split into five distinct groups to develop the cookbook, called ‘A Taste of Ireland’, with each group working on different aspects of business development.

One group focused on communications, another focused on sales, a third group looked at marketing, while the fourth and fifth groups looked at design and events respectively.

The book was launched in the school last Wednesday, May 29, but the finishing touches were still being put to the book as of this newspaper going to print.

‘A Taste of Ireland’ is expected to be complete and available for sale by this Friday, June 7, but the pupils are already feeling the benefit of the project before their book even begins to sell.

“A lot of them said they’d love to set up a business, and they were inspired because of the project,” said Ms O’Sullivan.

‘A Taste of Ireland’ is available from Friday, June 7, for €12 and copies can be purchased by emailing sineados@glenasmolens.com or calling Glenasmole NS on 01 462 4143.