How two renowned Donegal chefs helped make Biddy's a leading destination gastropub

Sometimes in life opportunities come knocking unexpectedly, and that was certainly the case for Colin McKee and Chris McMenamin, joint executive chefs at Biddy’s o’ Barnes.

Colin sat down with journalist Siobhán McNamara earlier this year in the restaurant of the pub which oozes character and which proudly reflects its long history as a place of welcome, rest and replenishment, nestled into the mountains of Barnesmore Gap.

“We had both been working in Harvey’s Point,” recalls Colin. “Chris was head chef and I was sous chef. We had talked about getting our own restaurant. The dream was to open a place in or around Donegal Town.

“I have a young family, two girls. Chris has a young family too. I was in Harvey’s for 15 years and Chris was there 20 years. We were at a point where we wanted to try something new.”

Their initial contact with Biddy’s o’Barnes owners Aaron and Megan Slevin was however, in a somewhat different capacity.

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“We were doing some consultancy work for an agency,” said Colin. “Biddy’s came up and we agreed to meet Aaron and Megan to help them with their ideas for introducing food.

“The more Chris and I spoke with them, the more we saw the potential that it had here.

“We chatted to each other about it being something that we ourselves would be interested in, something that was suited for us.

“We knew it would be a bit risky going from a hotel like Harvey’s Point to a smaller pub that wasn’t really known for food.”

But there was something about Biddy’s that felt right to Chris and Colin, and in the summer of 2021 they took the plunge.

Colin said: “We texted Aaron and Megan and asked them what they felt about taking us on as two head chefs. They texted back straight away with ‘When can you start?’”

Having come from a background where a day’s cooking could include anything from breakfast to wedding spreads, to carvery and fine dining, the two chefs set about creating a menu that incorporated their skills while reflecting their new surroundings.

“We wanted to keep traditionally Irish but with our own style, and with an awareness of what clients expect when they come to a gastro pub,” said Colin.

“We work with Donegal Food Coast and we support as many local businesses as we can. We didn’t realise how many local food suppliers there were until we became part of Food Coast. The quality of local food out there is incredible.”

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The two chefs have certainly created something really special at Biddy’s, and they quickly established a loyal customer base.

“We thought it might take a while for the business to take off, but it started off with a boom,” said Colin.

While passionate about the food they serve daily, the pair have not lost their skills when it comes to fine dining.

“We have tasting menus and chefs’ table events three or four times a year,” said Colin. “We like staying in touch with that side of our cooking too.”

He is keen to point out that the success of Biddy’s as a dining destination is very much a team effort.

“We are fortunate to have great suppliers locally,” said Colin.

“And we have a really great team here, with Aaron and Megan and excellent staff that are mostly from around the area who are every bit as passionate as we are about what we do here at Biddy’s.”

This feature appeared in Donegal Life magazine earlier this year. The current issue is in shops now, packed with a fantastic selection of local interviews, travel, food and drink, entertainment and more.

Colin kindly supplied this recipe for readers to bring a taste of Biddy's into their homes:

Pan Fried Seabass, Donegal Crab Salad, Pickled Fennel, Sage & Caper Beurre Blanc

Serves 4 people

Crab Salad:

120g white crab meat
½ red chilli finely diced
1 small shallot finely diced
Small bunch of fresh coriander finely chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 tblsp Mayonnaise Seasoning to taste

Pick through the crab meat to ensure there is no shell remaining. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Season to your required taste with salt and pepper.

Pickled Fennel:

1 head of fennel
200ml of white wine vinegar
60ml white wine
60ml water
40g sugar
2 star anise
½ tsp black peppercorns

Trim your fennel by removing any stalk. Slice your fennel as thinly as possible using a knife or a mandolin. Put the remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil, leave to cool. When cold, pour the pickling liquid over the fennel and refrigerate for at least 5 hours before using.

Sage and caper beurre blanc:

250ml white wine
120ml white wine vinegar
1 shallot finely diced
50ml cream
250g butter cubed
25g sage chopped finely
50g baby capers

In a saucepan combine the white wine, vinegar and diced shallot. Bring to a simmer and reduce until the liquid has come to a syrupy consistency. Add the cream and simmer to reduce by half. Next gradually add in the butter a piece at a time whilst whisking, continue to do so until all the butter is incorporated. Strain through a fine sieve. Add the sage, capers and season to taste.

Pan Fried Seabass:

8 fillets of seabass (2 per portion)
Drop of oil
½ a lemon 20g butter
Salt and black pepper

Season the seabass with the salt and pepper. Heat a pan with a little oil and cook the seabass fillets skin side down until the skin goes golden brown and crispy, usually takes about 3-4 minutes. Turn the seabass over and add your butter and continue to cook over a medium heat for another 2-3 mins until the fish is cooked through, continuing to baste with the butter throughout.

Squeeze your lemon over the fish.

Place a few spoonfuls of beurre blanc onto the plate. Top with your seabass and a generous quenelle of the crab salad. Place your pickled fennel on top. Garnish with a fresh fennel sprig and serve.