Glen Wheeler on boosting Fermanagh's 'foodie' revolution!

Building on this success, January, 2021 saw ‘28’ move to its current home, in the heart of Enniskillen, alongside the iconic ‘Blakes of the Hollow’ pub.

Now firmly established at its new home, ‘28 at The Hollow’ has brought with it the same dedication to first-class service and the finest of food.

1. What inspired your passion for food, particularly in the context of Fermanagh's culinary scene?

I never actually wanted to be a chef growing up! I fell into it, more or less, working in a hotel in Lisnaskea.

That was mainly bar work and front of house, but I loved the whole buzz and hustle and bustle.

I was only 16 and had messed up my results at school. I went in to meet my careers officer, and he asked me if I liked the hotel work.

I said I did, and he convinced me to sign me up for a hospitality course at Fermanagh College!

That careers officer actually came in two weeks ago for his retirement lunch. I owe him a lot!

Over the years, I have worked for Neven Maguire, and gained experience at Michelin Star restaurants.

I was always keen to gain knowledge and know-how, and before long I wanted to do it myself and open up my own restaurant alongside my wife. 

2. Can you describe the unique flavours and ingredients that define Fermanagh cuisine?

This is a tricky question. We have some amazing beef in Ireland, as well as dairy, and overall, nothing compares to the produce that we have here.

Our cream, our butter, our milk, it all speaks for itself.

As a chef, I find that sometimes, the less you do with those products, the better they are. You have to let them speak for itself.

We try to use as many suppliers as we can. We have a brilliant distillery, The Boatyard, and we also use Tickety-moo ice cream.

There is a lovely man down the road, Peter Gallagher, who supplies the eggs. We try and do this great produce justice!

3. How does the food you prepare reflect the cultural heritage and traditions of Fermanagh?

When we came into town we were doing something pretty unique, pretty different.

Since then we have witnessed Enniskillen turning into a really 'foodie' town. It has some great restaurants and some great chefs.

We do so much to try and promote the tastes of Fermanagh, and it's safe to say we are spoilt for choice.

It would be great to see Fermanagh, and particularly Enniskillen, recognised more for its food scene, and I have no doubts that this will become a reality in the future. 

4. What brings you the most joy when you see visitors tasting and enjoying the dishes you've created?

When I cook and I see people's reactions, it makes it all worth it. I am not money-driven, I cook because I enjoy it, and because I get a great buzz out of it.

I'm there to give people a good time, a good experience.

We see lots of visitors, and following the pandemic, we are seeing a real influx of Americans, as well as a lot of French, Spanish and Portuguese people.

We love to give them that experience, that welcome, and that value for money.

There is a lot of hard work and effort put into each dish, but in the end it’s all about putting smiles on people’s faces. 

5. In your opinion, what sets Fermanagh apart as a destination for food tourism?

The wide range of eateries set us apart. We offer something different, which is a modern take on Irish cuisine with a French influence.

We have so many first-class eateries in Enniskillen, with tastes from all over the world.

I feel that over the years, people’s tastes have developed, and they are becoming more opinionated about food, but in a good way.

With social media and TV, people are becoming a bit more knowledgeable about what they are eating, meaning that everyone has to raise their game. This is a positive!

6. Can you share a memorable experience where food played a central role in a visitor's journey to Fermanagh?

As a young chef, we would have looked up to local chefs who inspire us.

One in particular was Peter Mills, who has now sadly passed away. I always saw him as the best chef locally.

He had spoken about how he trained under renowned chef, Sat Beins, from Nottingham. Whenever Peter fell ill, I sent Sat Beins a message on Instagram to inform, as I felt he should know.

Around five-minutes later he rang me, telling me about how much Peter meant to him, and how he was going to make it his business to get over and see him.

About a week later he arrived in Enniskillen. I met him at Darling Street, I showed him around, and he was blown away by all the different pubs, how we were an island town, and of course, the food!

The food played a central role and I will always recall this visit with fondness. 

7. How do you believe food tourism contributes to the local economy and community in Fermanagh?

It contributes massively. We are very lucky to have some beautiful hotels in the area that draw in large groups into the county.

When these crowds come, they need to eat, and I think that hospitality is something that Fermanagh does extremely well.

We have a lot to offer, and while we don’t have the weather, we do have the scenery and the lakes, and we are spoilt for choice when it comes to restaurants!

8. What motivates you to share your love of food and drink with both locals and tourists alike?

We are a husband and wife team, with four young children.

To say the restaurant has been blood, sweat and tears is an understatement, but we take enormous pride in what we do and how we do it.

This stems back to working with Nevin McGuire, and when you are in the kitchen as long as I have been, you do become passionate.

I grew up never wanting to be a chef, but I fell into it, and its taken me all over the world.

I want to give back as much as I can. I love speaking to students, I love telling my story, and telling them how I got to where I am at today.

It’s important that we pass on our knowledge and teach. I am very passionate about what I do, and I take it very seriously, but in equal measure, I also try to have fun with it. 

9. How do you incorporate sustainability and locally sourced ingredients into your culinary offerings?

As far as sustainability is concerned, I am constantly watching my waste.  I only order in what I need, and come Saturday night at the end of service, we have a very empty cold room and fridges.

We don’t like holding stock. As far as anything left, chefs like a challenge.

We like to cook for staff as much as we can, and we might do a nice staff meal, for example. Being sustainable is a nice challenge to have.

10. What role do you see technology playing in promoting Fermanagh's food tourism industry?

I am very old-school, even though I am only 38! Even when it comes to social media, I don’t take that many photos of my own food.

Food has became such an aesthetic thing for people. I’m not really into that end of things when it comes to technology, so I’m probably not the best person to ask! 

11. Could you share a personal story or anecdote that highlights the connection between food, community, and culture in Fermanagh?

I was the first chef in Fermanagh to appear on 'The Great British Menu', which is a cookery programme on the BBC. You have to be invited to the show.

This is probably my biggest achievement, to date, and It’s probably the hardest thing I have ever done.

Being under nine cameras and being broadcast to millions is nerve-wracking, but overall representing Northern Ireland as a young lad from Lisnaskea was surreal.

It's one thing that I can take my grave that I was the first Fermanagh person on it!

12. Looking ahead, how do you envision the future of food tourism evolving in Fermanagh, and what role do you hope to play in that evolution?

I want to do as much as I can to promote Fermanagh and the food scene. In ten years I see Enniskillen rivalling the likes of Galway, Hillsborough or Bangor in terms of the food and hospitality.

We have so much to offer. If you come in for a night on the town, you will have an amazing night.

I want to keep pushing it and promoting the town in order  to draw people in and give them a really good dining experience.

As chefs, we must rise to the challenge of showing people what Enniskillen and Fermanagh is all about!