'I can’t please everyone' - celebrity Kilkenny chef opens up

After many years of writing the Day in the Life column in the Kilkenny People, I thought it was about time I knocked on my good friend Edward Hayden’s door!

I first met Edward when I started working with Savour Kilkenny (more than a decade ago) and we became the best of friends straight away. He isn’t bad on the dancefloor either!

It always surprises me how little people know about this Kilkenny man in the public eye, so here we go…

Edward Hayden

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Edward Hayden is a chef and food writer and is very well-known to audiences from his weekly TV cookery appearances on Virgin Media’s Ireland AM. 

On top of that Edward works full time as a culinary lecturer in South East Technological University where he is course leader of the Higher Certificate in Culinary Arts Programme. He also is the chef and proprietor of ‘The Edward Hayden School of Cookery’ in his native Graignamanagh.

Edward has published three cookery books ‘Edward Entertains’, ‘Food to Love’ which was awarded the prestigious Kerry Food Book of the Year) and ‘Food for Friends’.

Aside from all of this, Edward is heavily involved in the amateur drama scene and performs with the New Ross Drama Workshop and the Duiske Players Drama Group.

You are a busy man, wearing a lot of hats: Radio, TV, acting, a cookery school, writing a weekly column and that’s all on top of the day job. Where do you find the time in the day?

People always say to me I need to give up something, but I love them all. I adore my job, I love being on Ireland AM (early starts but well worth it!).

I don’t try to be someone else or sound like someone else and relish using poetry, prayer, mindfulness, and music to offer solace, sanctuary, entertainment, and joy to listeners who spend their Saturday mornings ironing, baking bread, ferrying children, tending to their chores, or indulging in two hours with Edward.

As for the acting-some would say I am never off stage-but I really enjoy performing with the Duiske Players in my native Graignamanagh, and with the New Ross Drama Workshop in New Ross where we compete on the drama festival circuit.

You have been a massive Sandy Kelly fan for many years and now you two are great friends. How did you meet her?

Oh, Sunday nights with Sandy on RTE-My glorious childhood days. I am such a fan of Sandy Kelly. My first time meeting her was in Kilkenny, when I was about 9 years of age, where she played outside what is now the Bank of Ireland on Parliament Street on an open truck as part of the Smithwick’s Festival.

She was amazing and my mother queued with me for a couple of hours to be at the bottom of the steps of the trailer to meet her. I had my photo taken with her that night and I still have it-30 years later.

I have seen her at lots of venues all over Ireland and even saw her perform her Patsy Cline show on London’s West End. Over the years we became great friends, and we love catching up in person or on the phone for a chat (and a glass of vino!).

It was to my delight that she travelled to Kilkenny to launch one of my cookery books for me. She was amazing and even sang on the night. She is a very special person, brim full of warmth and kindness.

I haven't asked this question in a while - tell us something that we wouldn't know about you, even me?!

As Elsie Tanner said when she was leaving Coronation Street, ‘Now there’s a question’!

In fairness there are probably not much people don’t know about me. I suppose I am on the go a long time now and have given lots of myself to people over the years in many different ways.

I like to think I am a relatively open book.

I have recently come to the realisation that I can’t do everything, that I can’t be everywhere, and that I can’t please everyone. That being said I do enjoy trying!

All joking aside I have realised that there are only seven days in my week also, so I need to refine my work life balance and realise that there is only so much I can fit in. So as I head for the big 40, for the first time in my life I am going to put ME first!

Life is so short. We need to make memories, share experiences, and embrace all of life’s adventures.

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