“Marco gave catering a meaning”. Ray McArdle remembers the impact the big man had on him towards the end of the 1980s as he decided on a career path. Since the decision was taken, McArdle has remained the most devoted student of cooking. Others cook: Ray McArdle is immersed in the world and the culture of cooking, his devotion single-minded, his dedication unflinching. He not only lives for food: he lives food. He got lucky twice with the inspiration, for next in line was the brilliant Michael Deane, another of those chefs with that ability to tun raw talent into polished professionalism. McArdle worked with Deane for a full seven years, before taking up the kitchen at The Nuremore Hotel in Monaghan, and he has had a decade now to make his mark there, and make his mark he has, in no small way thanks to the indulgent tutoring of owner Julie Gilhooly.
Outside of the food business, Raymond remains unknown, and it's probably possible to say that he hasn't much time for the elements of cooking that don't directly involve the kitchen, and getting his food out to customers: Marco tied him to the stove a long time ago, and he's happy to be enslaved to the creativity of the kitchen.