Ben O'Donoghue's website

In the presence of legends
Wow what a day! I am down in Sydney for the day giving my support to a fantastic charity called Odessey House. The event was called "Real Men Cook" which was put on at Bel Mondos in the the rocks. The aim was to raise money and awareness for Odessey house who help people with alcohol and drug addiction. It was a great day and some heavy weight guys got involved. Nick far-jones, Tom Carrol, Vince Sorrente, Kieron Perkins man it was awesome I felt like a little fish in a big pond. I hope we raised loads of money because its a great cause! On a lighter note, loving the Brizvagas life!! the family and I head to the sunshine coast on the weekend for quick surf, nice little swell running and managed to pick off a few nice waves arond Moffits beach. Its all pretty new for me on the qld coast and just learning the spots. I am off to South Africa in a few weeks for the Durban Food Show. Ben 

Getting Settled
Hi People!! Finally things are settling down. I have just been to Perth for the Good Food and Wine Show, which was a hoot!! I had a great time bing back in W.A. and the shows were great fun. I managed to get a surf in at Rottnest Island. My Mate Ben and his business partner took me out to Strickland Bay in their boat. Great Surf! it was about 4-5 foot with some nice pits on the left hander. Thanks Benny!! We have finally found a house and have put an offer in, so hopefully we will be living in our new home in Brisvagas in two or three weeks!! Cant wait. Next step is to get little Ruby into school, she is going mad with out the stimulation. next mission is sorting outthis website and setting up my kitchen. I want to start doing some live cooking slots on the website and get soem more content up for you all! so watch this space/ 

Sydney Good food show
Hey People, I am in Sydney! its been pretty flat out since I have been on the east coast. The Melbourne food show was fantastic, now I am here in Sydney for the food show. It should be fun! i am going to give away some more surf boards so make sure you come along for a laugh and learn something abut BBQ's and good food. I have just done a lunch at Zeta bar at the Hilton which was great. Six courses matched with some great cocktails, I am absolutly bugggered as it was hard work, but fun. Looking forward to spending some time at home soon as I have been all over the lace with work. Keep cooking Ben 

dawn patrol
I Had my first surf for 6 months today!! 5am dawn patrol of the metro beaches of Perth. Great to be back in the water, 3 foot and clean. I managed to pick of a few nice little barrels at Scabs. The crowd is still an issue in Perth. It seems like the lidders have been breeding. they move like stinger, in bloody swarms!! Surfed for two hours and then back on set for the 4th day of shooting for the next series of "the Best" On the menu today "best egg dish" and "the best Veal". with a bit of luck i might win one today!! I am loving the Australian weather a mild 22 degrees today not a cloud in sight, beats the hell out of London! ben 

The eagle has landed
Hi Folks, Well the family has finally made it Back to Australia to start a new chapter in our lives. After 13 years of living in the UK we have decided to trade out wellington boots for thongs and get back into the wonderful lifestyle that Australia has to offer. We are currently in Perth where i am filming the second series of " The best' for lifestyle channel. and it looks like it is going to be a grest show. I am also doing the Good Food Shows this year which are great fun so make sure you come down to the shows and check out my Demos. Dee and the Kids are loving being back home. Herb has settled down well! he was a little out of sorts with the relocation and disruption to his routine, Ruby just loves it here but is starting to miss her friend from hackney but i am sure she will make plenty of new ones quickly. Little Cash is great and as long as there's milk and mum around he could be on the moon! As for me!I cant wait to hae a surf!! ben

Moving Home
Hi All, Things having hotting up! My family and I are moving back to Australia after 13 fantastic years in London. We are all quite sad about leaving but in the same breath are very excited about moving home and I am looking forward to some very exciting opportunities back home. i will still be traveling back to the UK to work on my Pie business which will be run on the ground in the UK by my partners. I also hope to extend our pie brand in Australia. I am due to start filming the second series of the Best in Australia in April as well as doing all the good Food Shows this year. To celebrate my return to OZ I will be giving away four surf boards designed by David Parks from Byron Bay as well as some surf gear from West at one of my Demos in each city. So make sure you check out the Good Food Shows and come along to my demos. Amazingly I have been nominated for favourite male TV personality in the Astra TV awards so please help me get at leats a few votes and get on line and cast a vote for me! See ya all soon Ben 

My worst critic
You would think that being a chef your cildren would love the food you cook! It seems that my little boy Herb is now my worst critic. His standard reply to food placed in front of him is " I dont Like It" What to do? it seems his only likes are Fish finger, sausages and rice bubbles. Cash my youngest son woofs down his grub. I made him a very appetizing cauliflower, potato and spinach puree the other day which didn't even touch the sides. I hope that herb is just going through a stage, he doesn't even like our famous smoked mackerel fish cakes, tempting to even the most difficult eater! The strange woman on rollerskates in Vic park with me the other day was my wife!! I thought that she looked quiet hot on her skates!! She thinks she is Olivia Newton john in Xanadu when she's got them on! On the Pie front we presented to Waitrose today. You never quiet know how these thing will turn out, I think it went quite well. Hopefully we will get a break. I think the English public deserve the opportunity to eat our pies. They are bloody good!! But I would say that!! Fingers crossed. For those that do want them, check us out at The gold cup at Cheltenham race course in March. Our website should be live again next week so you can check out the pie menu ben 

The Big Pie push
Hello All!!! Finally I get down to writting my Blog. Man things are busy, but not conplaining. I have been at the Hotelympia for the last three days. Cooking and Sampling our famous pies to some very nice people whom I hope will start buying them buy the truck load!!! We are now working with one of the UK's Leading wholesale butchers to distribute and sell our pies. They are called Nigel Fredericks and are based in Colindale London. There details will be on My pie website. Check it out through the link on this site. Sainsbury's said no!! You know they are scared we will sell more of our pies than theirs in their own shops!! I am also on Market kitchen all this week. I had a great Time filming the shows and cooked some cool recipes. Tom and Matt are a laugh, I hope you get to check it out. I am told it actually ends up on TV in Australia. While on the subject of Australia! two things. Check out the blog "Crash Test Kitchen". These guys were on Market Kitchen. Lenny and Waz all the way from Brisvagas. Sensational cooks keeping it real!! I love the video recipe diary. Secondly but not least inportantly. Good On you Kevin Rudd for saying Sorry. Its about bloody time we had a government with a bit of sensitivity and strength of mind to do the rigth thing. Only 8 weeks to go!!! I need more banana cake recipes! well any banana recipes will do send them in!! Ben 

Mayhem in Mile end
Hi All, What a weekend! It was my daughter Ruby's 5th birthday. we held a Birthday bash for her at Mile End recreation centre. Pure Carnage! The three legged race nearly turned into a mass amputation as the kiddies set off It was so funny to see, as some partners miss the start and then got dragged along for the first couple of steps! The bouncy castle was a sea of tears as per usual. Ruby and her friends loved the food, I made a her a beautiful pink number five cake. Big thanks to Annie for probably the best banna cake I have tasted in years!! If anyone has a banna cake recipe they think is the bee's knees send it in and I'll compare it to Annies. Things are looking good on the Pie front. We were present at the England Wales rubgy game on Saturday and had a good result both interms of pie sales and the fact that the Poms got stuffed by Wales!!! If your interested in buying my pies we have a distributor in London, call Nigel Fredericks on 020 89059005 for delivery in london and the home counties. ben 

Happy New Year
Hi everyone, sorry I have not been updating my diary lately, things have been Crazy!! I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and New Year! I have just spent four awesome weeks back in Australia with my family. I spent the first week filming the results for the "I LOVE FOOD AWARDS" for lifestyle food channel which was great fun. Its shuld be on your screens in Oz around now! The family and I then spent the remaining time with family and friends in Noosa and Byron Bay eating, drinking and being generally merry. This trip has re enforced our love and desire to return home to Australia so that we can enjoy the wonderful lifestyle and food that Australia has to offer. We are now back in the UK and man the weather is cold and gray. Its proving a little hard to adjust to. I am really missing the sun and surf. This year is looking like a great year. I hope the pie business really takes off as we hope to launch into the supermarkets early this year so everyone can get their hands on my Great Aussie pies!! My cook book is due out later this year which is something I am really excited about. Its full of awesome authentic and funky BBQ recipes from around the world. I am also due to start filming the second series of "The Best in Australia" which we also hope to be doing a book with. Also I will be kncking up some great recipes at all the Good Food Shows around Australia so make sure you come along and check out the action. I am also working with Barbeques Galore developing recipes and useful tips and tricks to puts some trills in your grilling so watch out Australia. I promise that this year I will be even more reliable on the diary front and I hope to hear from everyone that visits my site. I wish you all a fantastic 2008 love Ben