Cedric Bottarlini shares his life in food, from his earliest memories to his favourite flavours and culinary inspirations.
Head Chef of The Hawthorn by Galway Bay—which will be opening early this summer—Cedric Bottarlini, has over two decades of experience in senior positions at some of Ireland’s leading hotels and resorts, including Aghadoe Heights Hotel in Kerry, Fota Island Resort in Cork, Solis Lough Eske Castle in Donegal, The g Hotel Galway, and The Twelve Hotel in Barna.
His culinary approach is shaped by classical French training and a modern focus on sustainability, with menus built around seasonality, local sourcing, and close relationships with farmers, fishermen, and artisan producers.
What are your earliest memories of food?
My earliest good memories of food are my grandmother’s paella. She had her own restaurant in France before World War II, and everything she did was rooted in home-style cooking.
How would you describe your relationship with food?
Food has always been my most comfortable space. It’s where I feel most at ease, where everything makes sense.
What was the first meal you learned to cook?
I started by experimenting with sugar aged 8, burning sugar in spoons trying to make caramel and destroying quite a few in the process. From there, I moved on to dishes like lasagne and served this to my family aged 11.
How did working with food become your career?
It wasn’t a forced decision; it happened naturally. It was the most organic path for me, shaped by different interests that all led back to food.
What’s your go-to breakfast?
It had always been eggs benedict, but I’m now allergic to eggs, sadly. However, I’m very focused on home-style breakfast cooking. Freshly baked scones, cakes, banana bread – simple things done well. It’s important to me that guests are welcomed with something warm, fresh, and made in-house This is the style and ethos we are bring to the Hawthorn by Galway Bay. Even if i can’t enjoy my favourite breakfast anymore, I want guests to and to feel at home
If you’re impressing friends and family at a dinner party, what are you serving up?
I keep it simple, family-style sharing dishes. Light, easy food that people can enjoy together. It’s about creating a relaxed atmosphere, which is very much the same ethos we bring to The Hawthorn.
Who is your culinary inspiration?
My team. A lot of inspiration comes from working together, developing ideas, and learning from each other.
What would your last meal on earth be?
Carbonara, even with the irony of being allergic to eggs, it’s still a dish I love.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Pizza.
What’s the go-to quick meal you cook when you’re tired and hungry?
Something quick and simple, nothing overcomplicated.
What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?
Raisins and dried currants.
Sweet or savoury?
Both, it really depends on the mood.
Fine dining or pub grub?
It depends on the mood as well. Both have their place.
Favourite restaurant in Ireland?
Ichigo Ichie in Cork.
Best coffee in Ireland?
Good Boy Coffee in Killarney.
What’s your favourite thing about cooking?
I enjoy the balance between family-style cooking and experimentation. Testing ideas, understanding the science behind it, and seeing how things evolve.
What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene?
The Irish food scene is moving at a really exciting pace at the moment. You can feel that growing appreciation for quality and provenance, it’s becoming more and more important, which is great to see. For me, the real strength is with the artisans, the farmers, the producers, they’re the ones shaping where Irish food is going. At the same time though, there’s a responsibility there. A lot of them are under real pressure, so it’s important that as chefs and restaurants, we’re supporting them properly and giving them the recognition they deserve. That’s something we’re very focused on at The Hawthorn, working closely with producers, telling their stories, and making sure they’re part of the experience, not just behind the scenes.
What does food — sitting down to a meal with friends, mindfully preparing a meal, nourishment — mean to you?
For me, food is a really powerful thing, it works a bit like music. The cooker is your piano, the seasoning is the music box, and the grill becomes the theatre where it all comes together. A familiar dish can take you straight back to a moment in your life, while something new can create a completely new memory. But more than anything, it’s about connection. Sitting down with people, sharing food, bringing something to the table, that’s what it’s really about.
Food for thought — What are some areas for improvement within the Irish food/restaurant/hospitality scene?
There’s a lot to be proud of, and also a need to continue supporting the people behind the produce. The sustainability of farming and artisan work is a real challenge, and it’s something the industry needs to stay focused on. Restaurants have a role to play in that, highlighting those producers and building stronger relationships with them.
The Irish food scene is in a really interesting place right now. There’s a much stronger appreciation for quality and where food comes from, and a lot of that is down to the work being done by small producers and artisans.
That said, it’s not all straightforward. A lot of farmers and growers who are doing things the right way are under real pressure, and some are struggling to keep going. For us at The Hawthorn, supporting them isn’t just a nice idea, it’s part of the job. We try to highlight who they are and tell their stories through the dishes we serve.
Chef’s kiss — Tell us about one standout foodie experience you’ve had recently.
One that really stands out for me is dining with Takashi Miyazaki at Ichigo Ichie, the level of precision, balance, and the way he works with local ingredients is incredibly impressive. At the same time, I see that same kind of approach in our own kitchens with our new chef Filip Turczyn at The Skylark, where there’s a real focus on fire-led cooking, letting simplicity and skill lead. It’s a very honest way of cooking, and when it’s done well, it creates something genuinely special.
But to be honest, some of the most memorable experiences aren’t even from big names; they come from the team working together, bouncing ideas around, and shaping something new as a group. That’s where the magic usually happens.
Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?
For me, it’s not about perfection, it’s about progression. It’s about coming back to a place and finding that it’s even better than before, refinement behind the scenes, the attention to detail, and the pursuit of excellence, that’s what creates a truly memorable dining experience.
Compliments to the chef — Now’s your chance to sing the praises of a talented chef or restaurant.
For me, it always comes back to the team. That’s where everything really happens. The best ideas are never just one person, they come from people working together, bouncing ideas off each other, testing things, refining them, and just constantly pushing to make things better.
What does food — sitting down to a meal with friends, mindfully preparing a meal, nourishment, etc — mean to you?
For me, food is all about connection. It can bring you straight back to a specific moment or memory, but it can also create new ones. In the restaurant, every dish has a purpose. It’s not just about how it tastes, it’s about how it makes you feel and what it reminds you of.
Food is a powerful medium, it works just like music and I always go back to a metaphor we were brought up with in France – the cooker is our piano, the seasoning is our music box and the Grill of our oven is the theatre. A familiar dish can transport you to a moment in time, while something new has the power to create one. In our restaurants, every dish is composed with intention, designed to evoke feeling, memory, and experience.
Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?
Honestly, it’s not about perfection. It’s about things getting better over time. A great dining experience comes from that constant tweaking and improving behind the scenes. Guests might not see it, but it’s that ongoing effort to refine things that really makes the difference.