Neven Maguire

Biography

Neven Maguire was born to Joe and Vera Maguire. He began cooking at the age of twelve in the kitchen of his family restaurant, MacNean's in Blacklion, County Cavan. The restaurant, purchased by Joe in 1969, was to be greatly affected by The Troubles, being bombed twice and shutting down for more than a decade between 1976 and 1989. Maguire exited school following his Junior Certificate at the age of sixteen to pursue his love of cookery. He took over the business as Head Chef and Proprietor in 2003.

Neven attended Enniskillen College of Food. Upon graduating from college, he worked in several Michelin starred restaurants in Europe. He commenced his overseas career in Berlin. Neven also worked in Roscoff Restaurant, Belfast, Northern Ireland (1 Michelin Star), The Grand Hotel Restaurant, Berlin, Germany (2 Michelin Stars), Lea Linster Restaurant, Luxembourg (2 Michelin Stars) and Arzac Restaurant, San Sebastian, Spain (3 Michelin Stars).

Neven is married to Amelda. He is a father to twins born on 8 February 2012. Amelda went downhill and nearly died during labour after her heart failed.

Media work

Maguire is a regular contributor to The Marian Finucane Show on RTÉ Radio 1 and also writes a weekly column and recipe in the Irish Farmers Journal. He has contributed recipes to the Mayo Advertiser. In 2009, he performed at the National Ploughing Championships in County Kildare at a stand sponsored by the newspaper. He has made television appearances on Tubridy Tonight, The Late Late Show, Nationwide, Podge and Rodge and The Restaurant.

Neven was Resident Chef on Open House television series from 1998 until 2004. He has also featured in a number of other television programmes including 10 of the Best; Neven Cooks, a 6-part series which is broadcast in South Africa, Australia and on Food Network; Cook with Love, a documentary on his participation in the World Cooking Competition in Lyon in 2002 and Neven's Food from the Sun. Maguire is currently featured on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) television network, Create TV where he hosts a cooking show entitled Neven Maguire: Home Chef.

Books

Neven has published several books:

He has also launched a cookbook for those with Parkinson's disease for the Parkinson's Association of Ireland.

Controversy

Maguire was involved in a controversy in August 2009 when he appeared alongside the bikini-wearing model Georgia Salpa and a plate of food on the cover of Food & Wine magazine. A national radio debate on Liveline saw feminists object to the treatment of Georgia Salpa and the magazine's publisher apologised and admitted it had been an error which had occurred whilst she had been absent from work. One female caller suggested the photos were "evidence of a pernicious heteronormativity", whilst another complained that "women are here to please men and we're supposed to have these perfect bodies". Another caller also expressed disappointment: "I really don't see what this [bikini model] has to do with the pic [sic]. And I'm really disappointed with the women that they partake in this as well". Callers also expressed fears that the photos would lead to rape and the sexualisation of children.

John Masterson, writing in the Irish Independent, accused Liveline of "manufacturing" the fight, called the radio show a "kangaroo-court" and questioned why football manager Giovanni Trapattoni ("who had one more model than Neven in the same paper") was not equally guilty according to the feminists. However, Catherine O'Mahony, writing in The Sunday Business Post, praised the apology given by the magazine publisher as the whole affair was "pretty embarrassing for everyone connected with it". Model Nadia Forde furthered the controversy by saying "I don't think any chef would make it into a newspaper on his own", causing upset in the Irish cooking community and leading chef Derry Clarke to respond with the remark: "We [chefs] don't need models to make the papers. I have been in plenty of papers without the help of models". Neven Maguire remained tightlipped on the issue. He was not paid for his involvement in the photo shoot and five other chefs were also present to be photographed.

Awards