Photo courtesy of Erhart Photography
This year, Dublin Irish Festival guests can expect classic, culturally appropriate cuisine with a healthful twist.
Bizuneh Ayele, known as “Chef Biz,” will lead cooking demonstrations for anyone interested in authentic Irish cuisine. Ayele says he is excited to share his culinary expertise and honored to have the opportunity. The positive response from his customers, he says, is one of his favorite parts of the job.
“I’ve been cooking almost 25 years,” he says. Ayele works at Dublin’s Giant Eagle Market District. Previously, he worked at a hotel in Indianapolis. “Cooking is my life, and I enjoy every minute of it.”
Ayele says his passion for cooking and dedication to his work, along with his experience, will make the demonstrations a positive and educational experience for the festival attendees.
Over the course of his career, Ayele has made several adjustments to his food preparation to increase nutritional value. Though it can be difficult to create healthful Irish dishes, he says he has achieved a good balance.
“A lot of people use the greasy stuff and I cut that down,” he says. “Cutting out all that grease and fat … (makes) it very light and not heavy.”
Ayele has lessened his use of unhealthful ingredients such as sour cream, bacon, butter and oils. Instead, he adds vegetables such as potatoes and carrots. Potatoes, which offer a wide variety of health benefits, are a good example of a dish often overloaded with fats such as butter, sour cream, melted cheese or bacon bits. Removing or lessening these extra add-ons is one way to focus on the vegetable’s nutritional value.
Potatoes are a good source of potassium, vitamin C and dietary fiber, while also possibly having the ability to lower blood-pressure, according to the George Mateljan Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to developing and sharing information about the benefits of healthful eating.
Throughout his career, Ayele has noticed the changes in health consciousness among both food preparers and consumers.
“Right now, it’s a new generation,” he says. “Things are changing. People want healthier food.”
Shepherd’s pie, cream kale, lamb stew, corned beef and cabbage, and beer bread are some common Irish dishes that Ayele has improved. The simple act of removing certain fatty ingredients or using less butter and grease can make a huge difference in the healthfulness of the food.
For those who aim to enhance their Irish cooking skills, the Dublin Irish Festival runs July 31 through Aug. 2.
Elizabeth Tzagournis is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at hbealer@cityscenecolumbus.com.
