Restaurants find new ways to cook up treats

With the Coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing lockdown hitting the hospitality trade, two Bushmills restaurant have turned their talents to reaching customers in a new way.
Stella Bolton in her kitchen in the French Rooms Bushmills before co-vid 19 PICTURE KEVIN MCAULEY/MCAULEY MULTIMEDIAStella Bolton in her kitchen in the French Rooms Bushmills before co-vid 19 PICTURE KEVIN MCAULEY/MCAULEY MULTIMEDIA
Stella Bolton in her kitchen in the French Rooms Bushmills before co-vid 19 PICTURE KEVIN MCAULEY/MCAULEY MULTIMEDIA

Apart from a few who can offer safe delivery service, catering establishments throughout the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough were closed with little notice and plans had to quickly move from developing new recipes and experiences to coping with the constraints of ‘lockdown’.

The French Rooms in Bushmills were planning to launch six luxury suites prior to the pandemic and had signed up to a list of events with numerous ‘Dine Around Bushmills’ partners but all of those plans are now on hold indefinitely.

Owner Stella Bolton said: “The first week our focus was on survival and trying to get our heads around the ever-changing offer of support from Government. We have done all we can now and like many others across the world, we are now adapting to working from home.

“Bushmills has a reputation for good food and over the past couple of weeks, Tartine at the Distillers Arms has been delivering cooking demonstrations

through video via numerous social media platforms.

“The French Rooms have recently launched a blog which we hope will be of interest. We want followers to think ahead before they head out food-shopping or book a food delivery, support local by buying from our Taste Causeway producers and plan dishes that they want to try out, in advance. The best compliment I have ever received was that I could make a dinner out of nothing! Glad to have those skills in these extraordinary times,” Stella said. Over the coming weeks, the restaurant will be publishing recipes online to make dining in special.