Chef Leigh’s bold venture brings taste experiences

Originally from Lisburn, Leigh (33), one of the local chefs to come up with highly creative dishes in BBC2’s Great British Menu show last year, opened Origin 101 restaurant in Moira with partner Kelsey Kane. The venture was Leigh’s first restaurant following a career in the kitchens of quality eateries here, in London and Australia. Kelsey also has extensive experience in managing restaurants here.

Owning his own restaurant was something he’d always hoped to do. But in the middle of a pandemic and the lockdowns in hospitality? “Of course it wasn’t an ideal time to start my own restaurant,” he readily admits. “Some of my friends thought I’d lost my mind.

“But we both relished the challenge and were determined to make it work. We knew we’d been straight into the takeaway business and would have to work exceptionally hard to let people in Moira and surrounding community know about us,” Leigh says.

They opened the restaurant in the Armagh village’s main street last October in the premises of a former coffee shop.

“We had both lost our jobs with the closure of Clenaghan’s fine dining restaurant in Aghalee during the pandemic,” continues Leigh. “I had been head chef at Clenaghan’s, a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, for two years and Kelsey held a management role there. It was a very worrying time for us. There was virtually no hope, of course, of permanent employment in catering during the lockdown because so many had either laid-off or furloughed staff. And who can say for certain how many eateries and bars are likely to re-open when the lockdown is eventually lifted? We came to the conclusion that we’d have to take control of our future in catering.”

They decided to bring forward their aspiration of setting up a small restaurant. “We decided to move quickly when the premises in Moira went on the market last August,” he continues. “We reckoned that our plan to offer a relaxed and quality dining experience would work in the village because of its reputation as one of Northern Ireland’s leading food hubs,” he adds.

They opened the restaurant on a takeaway business at the start of October. Leigh used his culinary skills and experience to create an innovative menu of eat at home dishes which his knowledge of the village indicated were not readily available there.

Origin 101, the identity they chose for their bold venture, reflected that it was a new eatery and located at 101 Main Street. Leigh’s first Origin on the Go menu included Korean flavoured and smoked dishes.

“The response and feedback from local people have been immensely encouraging. People in the area appreciate good food and have been keen to try something different,” continues Leigh. “All our dishes use premium ingredients from local suppliers for great flavours at breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition, we’ve launched a gourmet supper club which is proving popular. While we are still finding our feet we’ve also been keeping a tight grip on all our costs especially waste, which should ensure that we are well positioned to react quickly when the lockdown is lifted…. hopefully in the next few months,” he adds.

Leigh began his career in food working in Mulholland’s, a family butchers in Lisburn, at the age of 12. “I was looking for work after school, at weekend and during the holidays when I was offered an opportunity at the butchery business owned by a family friend. I learned everything there about preparing superb meat for customers,” Leigh remembers.

Mulholland’s meat now features on his menus. Experience gained in the butchery led him to pursue a career in catering and to gain recognised culinary qualifications. After stints with leading restaurants in Australia and London, the talented chef returned to Northern Ireland to posts in renowned eateries such as Shu in Belfast and The Square Bistro in his home town, where he developed a close friendship with owner chef Stevie Higginson. Leigh subsequently took the helm of Clenaghan’s restaurant, near Moira, which Stevie and wife Christina had set up. His culinary skills helped retain a Michelin Bib Gourmand.

He says his dishes are inspired by great locally sourced ingredients and his own exotic seasonings for the original and different taste experiences.

“Our aim is to ensure that our restaurant becomes an integral part of the Moira area’s hugely knowledgeable food community,” he continues. “There’s so many excellent food producers here including the multi-award winning Hannan Meats, Ispini Charcuterie, McCartney’s Butchers, Cobden and Brown Artisan Chocolatier, Moon Gelato, and Ruby Blue vodka and fruit liqueurs. It’s an amazing food location.”

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