Where will you be spending Christmas this year, and with whom?
This year I'll be spending Christmas day at home in Granard with my wife Annette and my wee baby girl Cora.
What will be on the menu and who will be doing the cooking?
There may be some changes, but there will definitely be a soup. More than likely oven roasted sweet potato and ginger. Thornhill duck leg confit. Jana Reinhardt's roast goose (turkey and glazed ham for the traditional crew), roasties galore, tons of buttery mash, and my mother-in-law Bernie's stuffing – because my wife says her mammy's stuffing is better than mine. Vienetta and jelly for me and something a tad more fancy for the rest. I just love Vienetta, and a feed of jelly and strawberries, if they are to be found.
Sprouts/bread sauce – yes or no?
No and no. As a commis I was made peel sprouts for 16 hours straight one Christmas Eve and I've despised them since. Aside from that episode, they are just not my cup of tea, although I do love to use them in Viewmount House at that time of year. I fancy them up with macadamia nuts, chestnuts, herbs, whiskey oak smoked bacon and truffle oil.
How many will you be cooking for?
I will have seven to feed but I imagine that number will grow significantly between now and then.
Will there be music playing in the kitchen while you do the prep and if so who/what?
Annette's family always turn on MTV while having dinner and it's the same now in our house. I love Christmas so it'll be Christmas tunes on in the background.
Crystal and china or kitchen table?
Crystal, because I love bubbles. As for the china, I'm not sure. Like most chefs, I love using all sorts of plates, boards and any kind of funky thing that food can be eaten off, so my guests are liable to get dinner on anything from a Narumi bone china plate to an Ambri wooden board.
What bit of the Christmas celebrations do you most enjoy?
I love Christmas Eve, always have. From when I was a kid with my brothers Pearse, Cha, Kevin, and my sister Emma, sneaking up the hall to see what Santa got us, to these days wrapping up work and getting home to relax for a day or two.
Is there anything about it that you don't enjoy or that you find a chore?
Dishes. I hate doing dishes so the rules in my house are: I cook, Netty cleans. But on Christmas day we'll all get stuck in.
What is your top tip for dealing with leftovers?
Get creative. There are so many more things to do than boring old sandwiches. Bag up what you won't get through and freeze in batches. I hate food waste so I try to find a use for everything eventually.
Where was your most memorable Christmas spent?
I loved every single Christmas as a kid and I still do. I never had a bad one. I'm blessed with great parents and a great family. One that does stand out though was when my older brother Pearse came to stay with me when I lived in Boston. It was a dinner and a day with some great buddies that I'll never forget.
If you could spend it anywhere other than home this year, where would that be?
This is my first as a parent and my first together with my wife and wee Cora in our new home in Granard, but I'll miss Ramelton in Donegal with Mammy, Daddy, Cha, Emma, Kevin, Damon and Jules so much. My heart will always lie in Mammy's house, but I've a feeling I'll be sneaking up the road to see them on St Stephen's Day, before getting back to Viewmount for a very busy week.
Gary O'Hanlon is head chef at Viewmount House in Longford
