Christmas in the kitchen: Neven Maguire

By the time December 25th comes around, most chefs will have served hundreds of Christmas dinners, so how do they celebrate at home? Celebrity chef Neven Maguire shares his family traditions

Where will you be spending Christmas this year and with whom?
At home with Amelda, Connor and Lucia and the family.

What will be on the menu and who will be doing the cooking?
Roast goose, turkey and ham, prawn kataifi with sauce vierge, curried chicken spice rolls, mulled fruit trifle and aunty Maureen's Christmas pudding

Sprouts/bread sauce – yes or no?
Yes, but it'll be smoked bacon and a Brussels sprout crumble

How many will you be cooking for?
It was 35 last year . . .

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Will there be music playing in the kitchen while you do the prep and if so who/what?
There will be music on. It'll be everything from dance, to carols, to Christy Moore to Eleanor Shanley.

Crystal and china or kitchen table?
It's a special day. We'll be in the restaurant, we'll push the boat out so I'll be using the best of everything

What bit of the Christmas celebrations do you most enjoy?
Being together with the family

Is there anything about it that you don't enjoy or that you find a chore? Zero.

What is your top tip for dealing with leftovers?
Storage is important, if it's something you're not going to use, don't waste it. Take the opportunity to freeze it to get value later.

Where was your most memorable Christmas spent?
Always been at home and always memorable. Except one year away, which we spent in Thailand.

If you could spend it anywhere other than home this year, where would that be?
Well, I would go to Thailand again. The turkey curry is absolutely surreal and Santa arrived in a boat. We had a great time.

Marie Claire Digby

Marie Claire Digby

Marie Claire Digby is Senior Food Writer at The Irish Times