CELEBRITY TABLE
Action station: Tommy rustling up some Peruvian-inspired treats
READY, STEADY, BOWE!
From Irish international to Ireland AM, Tommy Bowe reflects on an incredibly multifaceted career over tacos and tostados at Zampas in Dublin... Interview: Lucy O’Toole
Zampas Bar & Restaurant Hard Rock Hotel, 16/18 Lord Edward St, Dublin 2 (01) 482 5017 zampas.ie
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onsidering he’s been up since before the crack of dawn, Tommy Bowe’s enthusiasm is remarkable. In fact, by just past midday, the former Irish and Ulster rugby star has managed to charm his way into the kitchen at Zampas – a Peruvian-inspired, bistro-style restaurant based inside Dublin’s Hard Rock Hotel, which, despite the challenges of lockdown, has become a local favourite since opening its doors on Lord Edward Street in 2020. Donning an apron, Tommy is guided through a quick masterclass by the chefs in the open kitchen, as he learns how to put the final touches on his own Peruvian Spiced Pulled Pork Tacos. Clearly, the cookery slots on Ireland AM have rubbed off on the Monaghan man, who joined the popular Virgin Media Television
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show as a presenter over lockdown. He’s joined me at the restaurant fresh from the TV studio in Ballymount, Co. Dublin – a serious commute from Belfast, where he’s based with his wife, former Miss Wales Lucy Whitehouse, and his two young children. “We would move here, but the price of everything at the moment is insane,” he tells me back at our table, leaving the rest of the food preparation in the hands of the professionals. “Since last year, house prices in Dublin are up 15%,” he resumes. “I feel there could be a crash coming, so I don’t want to buy now, and regret it. My dad always says, ‘When everyone’s spending, keep your hands in your pockets!’ “I was a rugby player who just started getting paid at the start of the last boom,” he adds. “Everyone was always telling us to get out there and invest in properties and all sorts. And then everything crashed. So I don’t want to make the same mistake again.” Housing and inflation are some of the many subjects Tommy’s been tackling on Ireland AM. He sparked a notable reaction online earlier this year, following his fiery interview with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath. “I was frustrated,” the former winger reflects. “We get messages from the public everyday, about what they’re going through. The cost of living and housing are massive ones. People
