Longueville House

Irish Food Comes of Age
Manor House Chef-Owner Leads the Way

William O'Callaghan is at home in the kitchens of Longueville House. The magnificent manor house where guests come to stay and dine also happens to be his family's residence. Longueville House was opened to guests in 1967 by William's parents, Michael and Jane O'Callaghan, as one of the first Irish country manor houses to be turned into a luxury family guesthouse and restaurant. Since 1988, it has been run by the second generation of O'Callaghans, William, who presides over the restaurant, and his wife Aisling, who is guesthouse manager.

Longueville House is located in Mallow, Country Cork, on a vast and stunningly picturesque 500-acre estate. Most of the ingredients on the restaurant menu are estate-grown, ensuring unequaled freshness and quality. The River Blackwater, world-renowned for salmon fishing, runs through the Longueville estate. Pheasant, wild duck and lambs roam free in green pastures. Edible wild mushrooms appear in the fall. And Longueville House's Walled Garden, occupying 2.5 acres, supplies most of its fruits, vegetables and herbs throughout the year.

The bounty of Longueville provides inspiration for the sophisticated menu. William O'Callaghan supplies the superior talent. The chef, who studied hotel management at Dublin College of Catering, worked in French restaurants in Normandy and in England. He returned to Longueville House to take over the kitchen from his mother, who had developed a reputation for excellence over more than 20 years.

"I've been mostly influenced through my travels to Thailand, South America, Australia, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe," explains O'Callaghan. "I read a lot and also have a huge interest in gardening, fishing and shooting."

For St. Patrick's Day, William O'Callaghan shared a recipe for Mushroom Risotto with Ivernia Cheese, selecting an Irish cheese that would be readily found in the United States in supermarkets and specialty stores. "Ivernia," the Latin version of "Erin," is Ireland's mythological name. Like all Irish cheeses, Ivernia is made with milk from grass-fed cows that are free of growth hormones.

Recipe

Mushroom Risotto with Ivernia Cheese

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