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First published in 2026 by Merrion Press 10 George’s Street Newbridge Co. Kildare Ireland www.merrionpress.ie

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book.

Photography by Ruth Calder-Potts Food styling by Orla Neligan Cover and book design by edit+ www.stuartcoughlan.com Typeset in Questa and Questa Sans Printed in Malta by Gutenberg Press Merrion Press is a member of Publishing Ireland.

G A RY RO G E R S with forewords by

JOHN J. MULLEN &

NEVEN MAGUIRE

‘Right from the beginning, I knew that for Carton House to truly come alive in this new era, it needed a heartbeat. It needed a soul. And a kitchen is always the soul of a home.’

Contents

Foreword by John J. Mullen

Foreword by Neven McGuire

Introduction

Carton House: A Brief History

Kitchen Essentials

Chapter One: Breakfast

Chapter Two: Kathleen’s Kitchen

Chapter Three: The Morrison Room

Chapter Four: Cocktails at Carton House

126

Chapter Five: The Carriage House

151

Chapter Six: Iconic Afternoon Tea

187

Chapter Seven: Pastry

211

Chapter Eight: Christmas

249

Chapter Nine: Staples

278

Carton House Kitchen Playlist

296

Acknowledgements

298

Index

299

Foreword

John J. Mullen Owner, Carton House

When my family and I first walked onto the grounds of Carton House, we felt an immediate, overwhelming sense of responsibility. We weren’t just stepping into a luxury resort; we were taking stewardship of a breathtaking 1,100-acre piece of Irish history that has stood since the twelfth century. From the grand Palladian mansion to the winding waters and championship golf courses, every corner of this estate whispers stories of the past. But right from the beginning, I knew that for Carton House to truly come alive in this new era, it needed a heartbeat. It needed a soul. And a kitchen is always the soul of a home. That heartbeat was found when Executive Head Chef Gary Rogers gathered a formidable team of brilliant chefs into our kitchens. I remember our early conversations vividly. We shared a dream to transform Carton House into a world-class culinary destination, but it is the collective passion, grit and tireless creativity of Gary and his entire staff of chefs that actually made it happen. Together, they looked at our historic estate, the surrounding land and the local purveyors, and they saw a canvas. This book is the beautiful result of the culinary revolution the entire kitchen brigade has led here. What I admire most is the sheer breadth of imagination this team brings to the pass every single day. Managing the culinary offerings across a massive estate requires immense synchronisation, and our chefs handle our three distinct restaurants with seamless artistry. The Morrison Room: I will never forget the moment this kitchen team earned our Michelin Award. It was one of my proudest days as owner. Standing in that historic room and seeing the chefs’ modern, ix

deeply creative culinary vision recognised on the world stage was unforgettable. Their ability to collaborate, experiment and elevate local Irish ingredients into pure art is nothing short of breathtaking. Kathleen’s Kitchen: Walking into this space, set in the mansion’s original eighteenth-century kitchens, always feels like coming home. The chefs here have a rare gift for taking traditional, comforting Irish food and infusing it with a contemporary spark that honours our history while delighting the modern palate. The Carriage House: This is where we gather after a day on the fairways. The team treats our casual, vibrant gastropub with the exact same respect as our fine dining, pouring their creative energy into flawless comfort food that brings people together. If you ask Gary, or if you ask me, we will both tell you the same thing: the magic of Carton House doesn’t belong to the bricks and mortar. It belongs to our incredible staff. Gary has built a kitchen culture rooted in shared leadership, mentorship and collective passion, and that energy flows right out into the dining rooms. Every single day, I watch our chefs and front-of-house teams pour their hearts into delivering a warm, genuine, unpretentious fivestar experience. They treat every guest who walks through our doors like family. Through these pages, Gary and his exceptional team of chefs are inviting you into our home. You aren’t just getting recipes; you are getting a piece of the shared passion, the late-night brainstorming sessions and the creative joy that defines our daily life here. I am immensely proud of what this culinary team has built and I am honoured to celebrate their craft. I hope these flavours bring as much joy to your table as they have to ours.

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Foreword

Neven Maguire MacNean House & Restaurant

A few years back I had the great pleasure of recording a segment from my TV show with Gary at Carton House. He is a chef I have always greatly admired. That day he cooked two dishes from the breakfast menu and they were outstanding. His attention to detail and love of food and cooking were special to watch. Later he took me around Carton House and went though the splendid menu with me. I was hugely impressed by the variety and choice. I brought my restaurant team there on more than one occasion and we were blown away by the standard of the food. We will be back soon. Gary was a gentleman to work with. This is a stunning cookbook full of delicious recipes, and I wish Gary continued success.

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Introduction

Gary Rogers Executive Head Chef

It was May 2021 when I started working at this amazing property, and my years here have been some of the toughest but most rewarding of my career. I started one week before the hotel reopened after refurbishment, a prospect I found hugely exciting but also challenging. If you get openings or re-openings wrong, it can be detrimental to the business and take a long time to recover. So we had to get it right – and happily we did! It has always been my philosophy that the right team with the right attitude is vital to the success of any culinary operation, and this was my first challenge at Carton House. Luckily, we managed to recruit some amazing chefs and kitchen porters for the team quite quickly. Of course, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, but I am very proud of what we have achieved over the last five plus years at Carton House. Our standards have improved steadily in that time in all the gastronomic areas. It’s safe to say that no two days are ever the same at Carton House. A large part of what we do here is hosting conferences and events, such as corporate events and weddings. A particularly exciting aspect of this is when we get to host elite sports teams. In the past we have been lucky enough to entertain GAA teams, NFL teams, English and Scottish Premiership football teams, international football teams and rugby teams, including, of course, our beloved and extremely successful Irish rugby team. All of these squads have been hugely inspiring to the Carton House team, while at the same time being a joy to have on our amazing property. Moreover, we have all learned a great deal from each team’s nutritionists and chefs, which allows us to gather more data and continue to improve our own culinary skills in that area.

It is opportunities like this that prove what I always emphasise to the members of our culinary team – that Carton House is an amazing place to work, not only because of its grounds and history, but because we have so many opportunities for chefs to evolve their skills across all our different outlets. For myself, the more time I spent working here, the more of a grá I had to write a cookbook. Food and beverages are such an important part of our brand, and I felt a cookbook could be a perfect accompaniment to our culinary offerings. However, it was not until 2025 that I really started giving this a lot of thought and started planning how I would go about it. The first question was whether it would be possible from a financial point of view. Early in the process I ran the idea past our owners, John and Jeff Mullen, and the general manager at the time. When they all reacted positively and gave me the go-ahead, I was delighted and encouraged. My first step was to meet with publisher Conor Graham from Merrion Press. He was the first publisher I met with and I immediately felt a very positive connection with him. It turned out that, for all their years of experience and strong reputation in the world of publishing, Merrion had never done a cookbook before. But, from our first meeting, I trusted Conor and had no doubt about his talents and knowledge as a publisher. In fact, it felt exciting that we would be embarking on this journey of discovery together. So that was that – we had our publisher. My next call was Ruth Calder-Potts. I knew her from previous photography projects here at Carton House, and, for me, she is the best food photographer in Ireland. Ruth was also able to advise me on a food stylist, who would assist with the layout and design for the photographs. She recommended Orla Neligan, and the two became known to me as ‘the dynamic duo’. They were both all-in and poured all their experience and passion into each photograph. As you will see from the book you’re holding in your hands right now, they did an absolutely outstanding job for us. Once I had my publishing and design team in place, it was time to meet with all Carton House’s senior chefs and the greater culinary team to tell them about the project. I wanted this to be a very collaborative effort and I think everybody in the team contributed in some way to the book, either by sharing recipes, helping to cook the dishes for the photography, or simply helping to clean up afterwards (everyone’s least favourite job!). Cloe Walsh, our compliance officer, was also a fantastic help throughout the process and deserves great credit, as does Sophie Gioviale, for assisting with the history chapter, among other things. Even with all the help, the task I had set myself now meant I had many hours of work to do, and with ‘self-diagnosed’ ADHD, it 2

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‘Carton House is an amazing place to work not only because of its grounds and history, but because we have so many opportunities for chefs to evolve their skills across all our different outlets.’

didn’t come naturally to me. There were many days when my concentration level just wasn’t where it needed to be, but I took advantage of the days when it was to move ahead at full speed. The monthly meetings with the publisher were particularly helpful in this respect. I always found some new energy after those chats and, of course, I had a schedule from him that I had to stick to if I wanted the book out in time for Christmas. I would like to take the chance here to express my thanks to John and Jeff Mullen, who gave me great support throughout and encouraged me every step of the way. I am very grateful to them for everything. It was my aim, with this book, to present a wide range of recipes, ranging from the easy to the more complex. I chose ones that I really hope people will enjoy cooking, as well as enjoying the end result. I also wanted to include a little dip into the history of Carton House, along with absolutely stunning images of our food and our property, both inside and out. I’m proud of what the team and I have achieved, and I really hope you enjoy the book and the recipes. 3

Carton House: A Brief History

Set within 1,100 acres of parkland in County Kildare, Carton House is not merely a country estate, it is a layered chronicle of Irish social, political and culinary life. For more than eight centuries, the land has evolved from monastic farmland to aristocratic demesne, from private ancestral seat to contemporary luxury retreat, yet its essential character has always been rooted in the soil, something that, as you’ll see, is still the foundation of the menus today. The earliest recorded history of the estate traces back to the twelfth century, when lands in the area were associated with the Augustinian Priory of St Mary in nearby Maynooth. Agriculture was the foundation of survival and prosperity. Grain, dairy, livestock and freshwater fish sustained the community. Though the kitchens of that era were rudimentary by modern standards, the rhythm of seasonality, sowing, harvesting and preserving established a pattern that still underpins the culinary philosophy of the estate today. Walking through the estate on any given day, you might just be fortunate enough to see some of the deer who continue to populate the land. In the fourteenth century, the lands passed to the powerful Fitzgerald family, earls of Kildare and later dukes of Leinster. For nearly 700 years, Carton became their principal country seat. The Fitzgeralds were among the most influential families in Irish history, deeply entwined with the politics of both Ireland and Britain. It was under James Fitzgerald, 1st Duke of Leinster, that the house as we recognise it today began to take shape. In the 1730s, architect Richard Castle designed the Palladian mansion that remains the architectural heart of the estate. Later refinements by architects, including William Chambers, further elevated its grandeur. 7

The house was built not only as a residence, but as a statement of power, taste and refinement. And refinement, inevitably, extended to the table – a tradition carried into today, with the Michelinstarred Morrison Room. Eighteenth- and nineteenth-century life at Carton revolved around hospitality. Lavish banquets, shooting parties and seasonal gatherings filled the calendar. The estate’s walled gardens supplied fruit, vegetables and herbs; the surrounding parkland provided venison and game birds; the River Rye yielded trout. By then, Irish beef and dairy were already renowned. Menus from the Georgian and Victorian periods would have reflected Anglo-Irish tastes at the time: roasts, pies, puddings, shellfish, preserved fruits, trifles and fortified wines. French culinary influence, fashionable among the aristocracy, shaped techniques and presentation. The kitchens would have operated as disciplined brigades long before the codification of Escoffier. Food at Carton was not simply sustenance; it was theatre, diplomacy and status. The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries brought political upheaval. The Fitzgerald family’s fortunes waned, and after Irish independence many great estates struggled to survive. Carton was sold in 1949, ending nearly seven centuries of Fitzgerald stewardship. In the early twenty-first century, Carton House entered a new chapter as a restored luxury hotel. Its most recent evolution came under the stewardship of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, bringing the estate into an international collection of landmark properties while maintaining its Irish identity. Restoration works revealed layers of craftsmanship: stucco ceilings, carved stone, sweeping staircases. Equally important was the revival of the estate’s agricultural potential, areas which can be 8

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viewed on the History Tour with our knowledgeable concierge. The kitchen gardens were reimagined. Today, the food of Carton House reflects both inheritance and innovation. Local suppliers – fishermen from the Irish coast, farmers from Kildare’s pasturelands, and artisan producers – are partners in shaping a distinctly modern Irish cuisine. The ethos is clear: • Respect for seasonality • Celebration of Irish produce • Precision in classical technique • Modern expression without losing context Ingredients such as wild turbot from Atlantic waters, estate-grown herbs, Irish beef matured with care, and dairy from grass-fed herds all connect the present kitchen to centuries of cultivation on the same soil as our new orchard, used to make the preserves we share today. The story of Carton House is, therefore, not confined to its architecture or its lineage. It is written in fields and forests, in orchards and rivers, in the quiet discipline of gardeners and the craft of chefs. This cookbook is an extension of that narrative. Each dish carries a fragment of the estate’s history, not as nostalgia but as continuity. To cook here is to participate in a living tradition, where heritage is not preserved behind glass but plated with intention. Carton House has always been a place of gathering. The faces may have changed, but the principles of exquisite hospitality carry forward. And it begins, as it always has, with the land. 9

Kitchen Essentials

Knives and Cutting Essentials Sharp chef’s knife Paring knife Serrated knife Honing steel Good-quality chopping board Microplane Mixing and Prep Tools Mixing bowls in multiple sizes Balloon whisk Silicone spatula Fine sieve Tongs Cooking Essentials Heavy-based frying pan Non-stick pan Saucepan set Roasting tray Oven gloves Instant-read thermometer Kitchen timer Baking and Sweet Touches Baking trays Baking parchment or reusable silicone mats Rolling pin Cooling rack Piping bags or squeeze bottles Digital kitchen scale Measuring jug Finishing and Presentation Micro tweezers or small tongs Small brush Squeeze bottles Small serving spoons or ladles

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Organisation and Kitchen Flow Clear storage containers Labels and markers Cling film / foil / reusable wraps The Quiet Essentials A good apron Natural light or good kitchen lighting Great music!

‘We put a lot of emphasis on delivering an excellent guest experience for breakfast at Carton House. Without doubt, the most important meal of the day!’

Breakfast

‘Breakfast is everything. The beginning, the first thing. It is the mouthful that is the commitment to a new day.’ – A.A. Gill Without doubt, the most important meal of the day! We put a lot of emphasis on delivering an excellent guest experience for breakfast at Carton House. It’s the last meal guests will have with us, so we want to make sure it’s a memorable one. As with our restaurants, we try and change some dishes according to the seasons, but there are some dishes that never come off the menu, such as the Full Irish Breakfast and our Eggs Benedict. In this chapter, you will find dishes that appear throughout the year. We always have pancakes on the menu, but the garnish will change: fresh berries in the summer months and different compôtes in the winter months, for example. We’ve also included some Overnight Oats recipes, which are very simple, healthy and delicious, and ideal for busy parents, as they can be made the night before.

Buttermilk Pancakes, Mixed Berry Compôte, Vanilla Crème Fraîche

Serves 4 2 eggs 280ml buttermilk 315g plain flour 35g icing sugar 1 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt 35g butter, melted, plus an extra knob for cooking 1 lemon, zested Vanilla Crème Fraîche 120g crème fraîche 1 tsp vanilla seed or extract 20g icing sugar, sieved To Serve Mixed berry compôte (see page 290) Fresh summer berries for garnish Icing sugar for dusting Maple syrup (optional)

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In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and buttermilk together until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and sieve them into the egg mixture one third at a time, whisking gently until there are no lumps. Slowly add the melted butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add the lemon zest and allow the batter to rest. Vanilla Crème Fraîche Combine the ingredients and mix well. To Cook Melt the butter over a low heat in a large non-stick frying pan. Spoon some of the batter to desired size and cook for 3–4 minutes before flipping, cooking the other side for an additional 3–4 minutes until golden. Assembly Serve 3 pancakes per portion, with a quenelle of crème fraîche on top and a spoonful of compôte on the side. Finish with some mixed berries and a dusting of icing sugar.

Brioche French Toast, Cinnamon, Orange-scented Mascarpone and Orange Segments

Serves 4 French Toast 4 eggs 150ml milk 100ml cream ½ tsp vanilla essence 4 thick slices brioche 1 knob of butter 1 tbsp oil 50g caster sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon Orange-scented Mascarpone 120g mascarpone cheese 1 orange, zested and juiced To Serve 2 oranges, segmented Icing sugar for dusting Fresh berries (optional)

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Combine the eggs with the milk, cream and vanilla essence in a bowl and whisk. In a separate bowl, add the mascarpone with the zest and juice of the oranges. Place the brioche in the egg mixture and soak each side for 2 minutes to absorb the liquid. Gently heat a non-stick frying pan with butter and oil. Add the soaked brioche and cook for 3 minutes on either side until golden. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and coat the toast on both sides. To Serve Place 1 slice of brioche per portion. Serve with 3 or 4 orange segments on top – if you have a blowtorch dust the segments with a little icing sugar and caramelise. Divide the mascarpone between your four plates with a neat spoonful on each. Dust with icing sugar and finish with fresh berries, if using.

Full Irish Breakfast

Serves 4 4 portobello mushrooms Butter 2 plum tomatoes, halved Small bunch of thyme, picked and finely chopped 4 large, good-quality pork sausages 4 slices good-quality back bacon 4 potato farls 4 slices black pudding 4 slices white pudding 4 eggs Vegetable oil, for frying

Peel the outer layer off the mushroom, remove the stem and pop a knob of butter inside each cavity. Season the mushrooms and the tomato halves with salt and pepper, and scatter the tomatoes with the thyme. Place all the ingredients except the eggs on a tray under a medium grill until cooked to taste. Fry the eggs in some vegetable oil. Serve immediately.

‘Breakfast was just super ... I love having my hot breakfast plated to order and not having to queue up ...’ 24

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Vegetarian Irish Breakfast

Serves 4 200g baby spinach 4 portobello mushrooms 2 plum tomatoes, halved 100g tomato relish Plant-based Sausage 260g chickpeas 2 banana shallots, finely sliced 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp chilli powder ½ tsp onion powder ½ tsp garlic powder 50g oats (optional, substitute with glutenfree oats) 1 large beetroot, cooked and peeled 200ml neutral cooking oil Potato Rosti 3 Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and grated 1 tsp potato starch ¼ tsp baking powder Sea salt and ground black pepper Small bunch of thyme, picked and thinly sliced 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil

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Plant-based Sausage Drain and wash the chickpeas. In a medium-sized pot on a low heat, sweat the shallots and spices, covered with a lid, for about 5–6 minutes until the shallots soften and turn translucent. Add the oats and cook for another few minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning or sticking. In a food processor, blend the beetroot and chickpeas with the oil until the mixture is smooth, reserving 1–2 tablespoons of oil for frying. Fold in the cooked oats and season with salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to cool completely before shaping into sausage patties. Fry on a medium heat for 5–6 minutes, until golden. Potato Rosti Using a kitchen cloth, squeeze any excess water out of the grated potato. Add the dried potato to a large bowl and mix in the dry ingredients. Mould into your desired shape. Heat the oil over a medium heat and cook the rostis for 5 minutes on both sides until golden and crisp. To Finish Season the mushrooms and tomato halves with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Fry the mushrooms and tomatoes and season further. Sauté a handful of the baby spinach with oil and season.

Steak and Crispy Egg

Serves 4 10ml distilled white vinegar 4 eggs, for poaching 50g plain flour 2 beaten eggs, for pané 100g panko breadcrumbs 50g butter 2 tbsp olive oil 4 fillet steaks, room temperature 4 flat cup mushrooms 100g baby spinach 150g hollandaise sauce (see page 283) 4 x 4 cherry tomatoes on the vine Salt and ground black pepper Ice cubes Neutral oil for deep-frying

Preheat your oven to 180°C. Prepare a bowl of water and ice cubes. In a medium-sized pot, bring the water to a gentle simmer and add the vinegar and a generous pinch of salt. Stir the water to create a vortex and add 1 egg at a time to the centre, poaching the egg for 3 minutes or until barely set before transferring with a slotted spoon to ice cold water. Once cooled, transfer the eggs with a slotted spoon onto a cloth to remove excess moisture. Set up three containers to pané (coat) the eggs: one with flour, one with beaten egg and one with breadcrumbs. Carefully coat each egg in flour, then egg mixture and then breadcrumbs. Cook in a deep fat fryer on a medium heat. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, melt the butter with olive oil. Season the steaks and add to the hot pan. Cook to your desired taste and rest for 6–7 minutes. In a medium pan, cook the mushrooms in oil and butter for 2 minutes on both sides. Remove the mushrooms and sauté the spinach, seasoning both well. Serve with hollandaise sauce.

Chef’s Note All oven temperatures in this book are for a fan oven.

‘All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.’ – John Gunther

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Eggs Royale

Serves 4 8 eggs 20ml distilled white vinegar 4 breakfast muffins, halved 15g butter 400g smoked salmon 200g hollandaise sauce (see page 283) 80g Goatsbridge trout roe

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In a medium-sized pot, bring water to a gentle simmer and add the vinegar and a generous pinch of salt. Stir the water to create a vortex and add 1 egg at a time to the centre, poaching for 3 minutes before transferring with a slotted spoon to a cloth to remove excess water. Spread the butter on the muffins and toast on a medium-heated pan until golden on both sides. Place one of the muffin halves on each plate and top with a poached egg each, then wrap 100g smoked salmon around each egg like a crown, spoon over the hollandaise and place a spoonful of roe on top of each.

Wild Mushroom Toast

Serves 4 1 tbsp olive oil 500g wild mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced Fresh chopped thyme Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 thick slices sourdough 2 tbsp butter, melted 50g curly leaf parsley, chopped 50g Parmesan cheese 2 tsp truffle oil

Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pan and add the sliced mushrooms. Season well and add the thyme, cooking for 5 minutes under golden and tender. Brush the sourdough with the butter and toast on both sides on a medium non-stick pan on a medium heat until golden. Top the sourdough with the mushrooms and add the parsley. Microplane Parmesan cheese on top and finish with a drizzle of truffle oil.

Chef’s Note This can be made plant-based by removing the butter and using a plant-based Parmesan cheese.

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Avocado Croissant

Serves 4 4 left-over croissants (a day old is perfect) 4 avocados Salt and black pepper 1 tbsp lime juice 2 tbsp sunflower seeds 2 tsp Ume-flavoured sesame seeds 50ml extra virgin olive oil 4 x 4 cherry tomatoes on the vine

Press your croissants between two chopping boards. Smash the avocado with a fork and season with salt, pepper and lime juice. In a small pan, toast the sunflower and sesame seeds gently, being careful not to burn them. Brush the croissants with butter on both sides and cook on a hot pan on both sides. Place the vine tomatoes in the same pan until they blister. Place the avocado on top of the croissant. Sprinkle with the sunflower and sesame seeds on top. Garnish with the vine cherry tomatoes.

Chef’s Notes At Carton House we are always seeking ways to save on food waste, so croissants that are left over from breakfast are perfect for this dish. You can add extra elements to this dish, like poached eggs on top and a grating of Parmesan or another hard cheese.

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