Helen Steele

The artist and fashion designer on sleeping under the stars, the unparalled taste of fresh fish, and her passion for TK red lemonade

“My parents left us with crisps and two litres of TK red lemonade. Divine”

What did your mother make you?

Loads of amazing dishes. But my favourite was her herb and vegetable soup with home-made brown bread. We had our own vegetable garden, and she would make us harvest all the veg. It was great fun.

The meal you will always remember?

Barbecuing fish my siblings and I had caught on the Shannon. My parents left us with crisps and two litres of TK red lemonade. Divine. There was a heatwave, and we were moored on the only jetty on an island near Dromineer. It was so warm, we slept outside, under the stars that night, in sleeping bags. Magic.

Your defining food experience?

Meze in a tent in the desert, halfway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It was hosted by the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Culture and the Crown Prince, on his farm in the desert.

First dish you ever cooked?

A fry! I burnt the crap out of all of it.

What is your comfort food?

Silver Hill duck and pancakes. My kids adore duck, too — the crispy skin and the shredded, succulent meat, along with the cucumber and spring onions.

What do you drink?

I used to be really good at drinking wine, but can’t do any more than a glass now. So I drink beer or cider, and I like the odd Aperol Spritz now and then.

You can only eat three things for the rest of your life, what are they?

Nutella; Butlers chocolates; and veggies.

The tastiest smell in the world?

Chargrilled fish with lemon and garlic.

Are there any foods you have had to cut out that you miss?

Lucozade. I lost a tooth because of my obsession with it.

Favourite restaurant in Ireland?

In Dublin, l’Gueuleton on Fade St. The food is always great; their bar is awesome for after-dinner drinks. It’s always a fun night; great service and no food snobbery.

You can go anywhere and have anything to eat with any one person. Where, what and who?

It would be to Fandita, an Arabic restaurant on the shoreline where you dine under the stars, on Reethi Rah island in the Maldives. I would take all of my kids, because I can’t pick just one! This place has really great food, and the whole place is candlelit. There’s no light pollution, so the stars are amazing to watch, with lots of shooting stars.

Worst meal ever?

I cooked a Mediterranean seafood tagine dish and I overcooked everything — the scallops were like tennis balls.

Signature dish?

Boozy bum chicken. My friend gave me the idea. It’s chicken with cider poured all over it, with Cajun spices. You impale the chicken over another can of cider and cook it in the oven, in a large dish with veggies, on a low heat, for a few hours. It’s my Easter special. My kids, my brother Joey and I go for a hike on Bragan Mountain in Monaghan, and by the time we get back, it’s cooked, and it falls off the bone full of flavour.

Are you careful about what you eat?

I used to be. I had a bad relationship with food for 17 years, and I didn’t eat properly. But now I just don’t care what size I am. I would rather be healthy and happy.