Chef Biography
John Howard was probably Ireland’s first celebrity chef when he and his wife, Catherine, opened up Le Coq Hardi in Dublin’s Pembroke Road back in 1977. It was located just about the right distance from the center of political power, and emerging business and banking centers, which guaranteed his restaurant as a rewarding business. It also didn’t hurt to have a young Minister for Finance as a loyal patron.
Great Chefs showed up one morning in May of 1999 to tape Chef Howard for the Discovery Channel’s Great Chefs of the World television series. Le Coq Hardi was known for it’s great food, expensive wine and where the captains of industry dined on lavish expense accounts mixed in with a little hanky panky.
In early 2000, he retired, sold the premises to a wine company, and moved to Spain to consult to Bord Bia and Great Southern Hotels.
Recipes
Le Coq Hardi Smokies
Serving: 4 Print Le Coq Hardi Smokies By Great Chefs October 19, 2015 Chef John Howard notes that this hot, golden brown dish has been a Coq Hardi signature for over two decades. Tomato concasse and smoked haddock are layered under heavy cream and cheese and baked, melting the ingredients into a whole which is […]
Champagne Gratin
Print Champagne Gratin By Great Chefs October 18, 2015 John Howard’s Champagne Gratin is a sabayon poured over fresh fruit and browned on top. Your choice of fruit can vary with the seasons. Chef Howard makes his sabayon over direct heat, relying on his experience to tell him when to lift the pan and let […]
Roasted Quail
Serving: 4 Print Roasted Quail By Great Chefs October 15, 2015 Pot-roasted quail stuffed with cabbage and foie gras is wrapped in bacon and combined with pork sausage and a sauce of wild mushrooms. The chef prefers Toulouse sausage made of coarsely diced pork flavored with wine, garlic and seasonings; any similar garlic-flavored pork sausage […]