Castlebar man qualifies for MasterChef final

Castlebar man features in MasterChef final


Ciara Galvin
ciaragalvin@mayonews.ie

THIS Thursday, MasterChef fans will discover if Mayo man Terry Lyons will be crowned this year’s MasterChef Ireland 2012, and walk away with €25,000 in prize money.
The son of Padraig and Mary from The Orchard, Castlebar, was a Technology Manager with O2 for the last 14 years and applied to the competition last June.
Speaking to The Mayo News ahead of the finals’ airing this Thursday night, Terry said it was something he always wanted to do.
“I applied for redundancy and at the same time I saw an advert for the competition. It just worked out. I never thought I’d get to the top 16, never mind the final,” explained the father of one.
Starting filming in July and finishing up at the end of the summer, Terry described the experience as ‘unbelievable’. With the filming finished over three months now Terry has had to keep ‘the big secret’ under wraps, and explained how he can usually expect an average of five people daily asking him if he won the competition.
With wife Niamh and two year old Maisy supporting him, Terry compares the experience of serving his food to Michelin starred chefs as part of the competition, to that of an aspiring technology amateurish presenting his ideas to Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, and getting positive feedback.
“Cooking for Michelin-starred chefs was nerve-racking but once I started cooking I didn’t think about it. I felt the pressure presenting the dish to them but once the positive feedback kept coming it was a real rush,” explained Terry.
Singling out new friendships as the highlight of taking part in the show, Terry explained that he keeps in contact with the other contestants regularly.
“Meeting 15 new friends was the highlight, I know it’s about the food but we get on so well. We talk on the phone, email and go out for dinner together,” he explained, adding that producers wanted to see friction rather than camaraderie.
Keeping tight-lipped about the outcome, Terry is realistic about the future. Paying a mortgage and looking after his family are the most important thing on the amateur chef’s agenda.
“I’ll keep my options open in the technology management field and maybe in the future I’d look into opening my own little café using local produce,” he concluded.
The MasterChef Ireland final will air this Wednesday and Thursday at 9.30pm on RTÉ 2.

HAVE YOUR SAY email ciaragalvin@mayonews.ie with your comments