by Prerana Sharma, September 11, 2017

Ever since I made the decision to become a Chef, I have wanted to travel the world to experience how kitchens operate in different countries and to learn first-hand how culture influences the food philosophy and the kind of product a chef brings to the table.

It is safe to say that I am currently living that dream as I have experienced working with several American chefs here in the United States and have successfully completed an internship in Northern Ireland where I had the opportunity to work with Northern Irish, French and Portuguese chefs in what I consider to be a truly international kitchen at The Yellow Door in Portadown, Northern Ireland.

I spent summer break of 2017 doing an internship at The Yellow Door. The Yellow Door is one of the leading catering companies in Northern Ireland in terms of quality of food and scale of production. The Yellow Door also runs multiple bakeries around the country and a Deli in the heart of Portadown.

Simon Dougan, the owner of The Yellow Door believes in the concept of “Farm to Table”.  He places an enormous amount of importance on the quality of ingredients he uses in his dishes and ensures all the ingredients used are locally sourced from farmers around the country.

Simon and his wife grow certain produce such as peppers, tomatoes, beans and a variety of different herbs organically. He also makes his own honey. Most of the harvest is used in his many kitchens. The dishes Simon and his team of chefs put out are extremely delicious to say the least. One can really tell that they care about the quality of ingredients they use as the dishes were simple and really showcased the beauty of the ingridient itself. He believes in using the fruits and vegetables that are in season and frequently changes his menu to compliment the harvest.

Overall it was a fantastic experience to work with a Chef as passionate as Chef Simon. He gave me the opportunity to work at the Deli, the baking facility and let me assist the team at a wedding.

None of this would have been possible without the financial support I received from The Kendall College Trust this quarter for which I am truly grateful.