Declan Horgan – Following the American Dream

The experience being on Hell’s Kitchen was one of the maddest things I've ever done in my life. It was spectacular because you're behind the cameras and each service was like a proper restaurant service. So all the emotion, the adrenaline, everything is pumping!

I know I'm a strong chef, but I wasn't getting the opportunities I wanted in Ireland. So I took it to America.

Hard work pays off. Don't ever give up on your dream. If you have to make a move at a late stage in your life, make a move! I’m so delighted that I made a move.

Part of the reason that I moved to America was that I saw Irish food on the Food Network from America. And I was like, yeah, that's really bad. Really bad!

People in America believe the Irish were raised on corned beef and cabbage. Actually, we were actually raised on bacon and cabbage.

Italian and Irish cuisines had their roots in feeding poor families, trying to make the most out of it. So I don't want to complicate the dishes. I just want to accentuate the components of the dish to get the best out of it.