A Coffee with Kyle Greer, Executive Head Chef at Europa Hotel

WHEN DID YOU FIRST GET INTO COOKING, AND WHAT INSPIRED YOU?

I worked part-time in a hotel in Antrim while at school. I loved my job and found myself wanting to learn more and more. At the weekends when I was on breakfast, I would try to cook random things that the boys could use for lunch specials. The drive comes from the fact that you never stop learning – cooking is constantly reinventing itself.

DO YOU HAVE ANY CULINARY QUALIFICATIONS?

I don’t hold formal culinary qualifications. I’m very much of the mind-set that the role is very practical and experience is the best way to learn. I am a practical thinker so my best route was on the job learning. Everyone is different, hence why there are so many routes into the industry.

HAS ANYONE INSPIRED YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER?

Many people have inspired me. I have worked with some amazing talent throughout my life at all levels. Nowadays anyone can provide inspiration to me with social media, mainstream media, the multitude of restaurants in the city, all I have to do is look around me. The driving force in my career is my family, Gemma and Fia.

WHEN DID YOU JOIN YOUR CURRENT VENUE?

I first started working in the Europa Hotel in 2011 as Junior Sous, after gaining my experience I left to gain further skills in another city and eventually made my way back to the Europa in November 2018.

WHAT IS YOUR FOOD SOURCING POLICY?

Hastings has a fantastic food sourcing policy, Howard really is the driving force behind all of it, he is very passionate about this small country and the fantastic food it produces. We work with local companies and have such a great relationship with them that we can produce and source anything we need. We highlight all of our suppliers big and small, our guests love to read about them and with our guests coming from all over the world, it is such a great showcase for our food culture.

DO YOU HAVE ANY INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF WORK?

I mostly enjoy spending time with Gemma and Fia, we will eat out a lot, go walking, and spend quality family time together. I play a lot of golf and will sometimes be found releasing some stress on the range at Laganbank.

To find out more about the Dining options in The Europa Hotel click here