“Small but near-perfect,” is William Barry’s summation of what Anne Zagar and Dave Devereaux are achieving at 51 Cornmarket in Cork. The 51 secret lies with the continual and inexorable improvement that Devereaux exhibits in his cooking: more control, more personality, more balance offset with more contrast, and finally, more fun. Start with the pickled mussels with grilled sourdough and fermented chilli mayonnaise and the rollercoaster begins: duck liver parfait with boozy prunes; crab raviolo with bouillabaisse; confit pork belly with crispy pork cheek; perfect Basque cheesecake. Most of the exceptional wine list is available in 150ml glasses. Zagar is one of the finest front-of-house operators in the business — commanding the room at every turn. Small, near-perfect.
David Devereaux (Owner/Chef)
David has cut his teeth at the helm of many Cork restaurants, having started his culinary journey under the mentorship of Michael Flemming some 20 years ago alongside an MTU degree. After sharpening his skills in a variety of kitchens in Cork and some seasons spent in Rhode Island and London, his sights were set on having his own space. David’s food style is classical clean cooking with a modern refinement. Flavour and seasonality run hand in hand with his providence driven menu. His food reminds diners of their fondest memories while also awakening them to flavours lost. He is constantly creating and has the bar set high for the future of 51 Cornmarket.
Anne Zagar (Owner/Manager)
Anne’s attitude to hospitality is that of generosity, personality and warmth. She sees the restaurant as her home to welcome diners into. Her background in cheffing as well as courses in Ballymaloe and Le Cordon Bleu Cookery Schools have fine-tuned her ethos to that of the importance of locality and seasonality when building a business. Her enthusiastic passion for wine and its production has led to a carefully curated list where diners can expect exciting and knowledgeable choices that have been ethically created to reflect their terroir. Her approach to hosting is that of familiarity, professionalism and detail-driven.
Both Anne and Dave will be joining the Married to Hospitality panel on the Scoot & A Yarn Stage, Sunday, 12.30pm.
