Taste for Life

The fashion designer recalls her childhood memories of barbecuing on the River Shannon and reveals her crispy duck hangover treat

Designer Helen Steele has the best hangover cure

“We got our sleeping bags and slept outside under the stars”

What was your favourite childhood meal?

I was an extremely fussy eater as a child. I didn’t really eat properly until I was about seven years old. And then, my favourite childhood meal was potatoes — stereotypically Irish!

What is the meal you will always remember?

When I ws a child, we used to have a boat on the river Shannon. One summer, during a heatwave, my siblings and I went fishing, caught perch and cooked them on a barbecue. It was great fun, as my parents went out for dinners and we got to cook and barbecue. We got our sleeping bags and slept outside under the stars, which was magical — until we woke up the following morning and were eaten alive by midges!

What was your defining food experience?

I have had so many dining experiences that were incredible, especially in the last year and a half. But I think I’d have to choose dining in Liath, in Blackrock Market in Dublin. I love the foraged seasonal food, and the fact that they make their own ceramics, and use them in the restaurant.

What was the first dish you cooked?

The first dish that I cooked was a fry and I cremated it... A tradition that seems to be still alive today!

What is your comfort food?

Definitely the baker’s rolls from the bakery in Dunnes Stores, served with some miso soup. If you time it right, you can pick them up warm.

What is your hangover cure?

My top-tip hangover cure is Silverhill Crispy Duck with pancakes and cucumber. It works every time. And it’s a healthy hangover cure, too!

What do you drink?

I drink craft beer. The best is Kinnegar Brewing Limeburner Pale Ale. More recently, I have been drinking wine, and I like some of the non-alcoholic beers, too.

How important is food to you?

Incredibly. Your body needs food to live. Sitting down and eating with my family and friends is one of the most important activities of life. In the past, I had a very negative relationship with food. Thankfully, that is not the case now.

What is your favourite restaurant in Ireland?

I can’t pick just one, so, Chapter One on Parnell Square, Liath in Blackrock, and Dax Restaurant on Pembroke Street, all in Dublin.

And abroad?

There is a fish restaurant on the coast of Sicily, near Taormina. I have forgotten the name of it. It’s pretty rustic, but the fish is divine and the views are breathtaking.

What do you refuse to eat?

I can’t eat lamb or veal. I don’t like the taste of either.

What was the worst meal you ever had?

God, there have been so many, and I have cooked them all myself ! I am not the best cook. I always get distracted or decide to add my own twist to recipes, which is not a good idea. However, my kids still talk about my ‘Swamp soup’ — a spinach and potato soup that used to go off really quickly. I would make my kids have it every day during the winter. They hated it! Helen’s spring/summer 2020 collection is available online on costumedublin.ie In conversation with Chloe Brennan