My weekend… with head chef Lauren Shimmin
The best time to get up at the weekend is?
Usually around 8.30 every morning to give myself time to wake up before I start the day. My body clock won’t let me lie in but I’m a serial napper throughout the day.
Breakfast or brunch?
Brunch, as you get the best of both worlds. I’m a simple creature when it comes to cooking for myself, I like nothing more than my bacon and eggs. No fuss.
What does an ideal Saturday look like?
Lunch, pints, beer garden, friends, just chilled vibes. Although the ideal Saturdays are few and far between — as a busy chef I work most Saturdays.
What would your perfect Sunday be like?
Dinner at my grandparents’ house with all my family and fiancée. My granny likes to go all out and do a full roast dinner. I don’t have to help as she appreciates that’s my day off.
Do you prefer to be indoors or outdoors?
In good weather I like to get outdoors for long forest walks with my chocolate Labrador, Loki, who is spoilt and loves his home comforts. I don’t do well with the cold and prefer the indoors during the winter, snuggled up to Loki who never leaves my side.
How have weekends changed as you have gotten older?
I used to be a party animal when I was younger but I bought my house when I was 21 and so that has levelled me out. And now my weekends begin at the start of the week when everyone else is back to work.
If you could eat out anywhere tonight in NI, where would you go and why?
When I get time off, I do like to take a back seat and have a meal at The Tailor’s House. Ballygawley. We have a very talented team, and it is great to take time out to enjoy their skill and talent.
What would you have?
It would have to be our six course tasting menu. I’d likely have the Cured Silverhill Duck, Dukkah Duck Tart, Confit Wing, Duck Potato, Apricot Puree, Duck Sauce — which will be our signature dish for Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant Week.
At weekends you’ll always make time to spend time with…
My fiancée. It’s important to find the time to wind down, relax and spend time with family and friends.
As a chef in the hospitality trade primarily I always work at the weekend, and I prefer to be here in the busier times so working is my weekend. I like to come up with new menu ideas.
Do you sometimes work at weekends?
As a chef in the hospitality trade primarily I always work at the weekend, and I prefer to be here in the busier times so working is my weekend. I like to come up with new menu ideas. For the Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant Week, our signature dish is Cured Silverhill Duck as part of a three course fine dining meal. It’s great to be part of it, especially as it is helping to showcase our wonderful produce and hospitality in the region.
Who would you most like to go for a drink with and why?
Tom Kerridge because he is a fantastic chef but also a really nice guy who I hope to meet some day soon.
Are you a weekend cook? If so, what’s your speciality dish?
I’m working most weekends, but when I do get the time to cook, and because my fiancée is a vegetarian, I stick to things like pastas, risottos, salads, that sort of thing. I love my salads, especially with grains, orzo and my own coleslaw.
What’s your dream Sunday dinner?
A re-enactment of my Christmas dinner, the stuffing, ham, and chipolatas are my favourite, all courtesy of Quinn’s Butchers, Ballygawley where quality is always excellent. We use all our meat from Quinn’s in the restaurant at Tailor’s House.
Who do you normally eat Sunday dinner with and where?
At my granny’s with my family and fiancée.
Too tired to cook – what are you ordering from the takeaway?
Definitely a toss up between a burrito bowl or a beef satay from the Chinese.
Staying in… what TV is on the menu?
I’m a big crime documentary buff and could watch them back-to-back all day when I get the chance.
Heading for the cinema? What are you going to see?
Not something I get to do very often but it would either be to watch a comedy or a horror. The last movie I watched was the new Beetlejuice film which was hilarious.
What are you reading?
I read a lot of cookbooks. My friend recently gave me Heston Blumenthal’s book called The Fat Duck. It was interesting with good stories and recipes.
Bedtime is…?
The best part of the day, my favourite. I usually go between 10.30pm and midnight depending on the day of the week. When I come home from a busy day in the restaurant I can’t go to bed straight away and like to unwind watching a bit of TV and some food.
Lauren is head chef at The Tailor’s House, Ballygawley, which is one of the restaurants taking part in the first Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant Week (10-16 March), organised by Mid Ulster District Council. Recently, Lauren was a contestant on MasterChef: The Professionals 2024.
For details on Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant Week visit visitmidulster.com