We are delighted to announce that Howth Castle Cookery School is part of the Fingal Food Circle, a vibrant network of food and drink producers, hospitality businesses, and culinary experiences united by a shared passion for the very best of local food culture.
Rooted in the rich food heritage of Fingal, from its fertile farmland to its storied coastal waters, the Fingal Food Circle was formally launched in 2022 and has quickly grown into a vital voice for the region's dynamic food and drink scene. The network champions local enterprise, promotes sustainability, and connects people to the authentic story of food from land and sea, values that sit close to our own hearts here at the cookery school.
We were proud to see the network's new brand officially unveiled at Flavours of Fingal 2025, and we look forward to playing our part in celebrating and strengthening Fingal's extraordinary culinary identity for our local community and for visitors who come to experience it.
We were thrilled to see Sarah featured on Explore Fingal's website and to see her story shared.
Here's a sneak preview of the article. The link to read it in full is below.
"It’s no surprise that Sarah Hughes found her way to running a cookery school, given that by her own admission she ‘inhales cookery books’. She’s taken the scenic route workwise, but there’s no doubt that she’s found her vocation in food and especially in seafood cookery.
The seeds were sown early, on annual family holidays every year in Kerry where they stayed in a seaside mobile home and revelled in the everything to do with the ocean. Sarah fondly recalls long evenings spent mackerel fishing, going out on small boats and fishing for bass off the beach. Not only did she learn to catch fish but also to fillet quickly and accurately, whipping the sides of mackerel like an expert. That love for the sea and fish has stayed with her for life.
Both her mother and grandmother were excellent cooks teaching the young Sarah to make everything from scratch. A summer exchange in France was transformational for her as she learned a new approach to food and new flavours too – like searing chicken livers with hazelnut and thyme. The formality of the dining table made a big impression too and the care taken with table presentation. Sarah was a sponge, absorbing it all.
She waitressed through college in Limerick, loving the buzz in the kitchen and on the floor, learning as she worked. As an Arts graduate with French and Spanish, her first real job was interpreting and translating in a law-based situation where travel was part of the job. This led to a more senior position in a big five firm which was financially rewarding, but not what her soul craved. Throwing caution to the wind after a few years she gave it all up and enrolled in the iconic 12 week course in Ballymaloe. To say she loved it would be an understatement." Keep Reading
Posted on 11 May 2026.
