My Weekend: 'When we entertain, it's pizza of course'

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work:

I grew up in Baltimore, eldest of four (three sisters). Finished school in Skibbereen in 2004 with no intention of going to college – I was done with classrooms.

Started an apprenticeship as an electrician in 2005 and ended up becoming self-employed in early 2008 – just before the world fell off a cliff! Pizza was a hobby back then, backyard pizza parties, festivals, markets. Took the dive into bricks and mortar in 2010 in Skibbereen (The Oak Fire Italian Pizzeria) without a notion of what I was doing. After five years in Skibb, I moved the business to Clonakilty and rebranded to ‘Oak Fire Pizza’.

Now living in Clonakilty with my partner Siggy, who moved here from Estonia back in the early noughties, and two daughters Rhianna (18) who works in our Clonakilty pizzeria, and Sienna (13), and our two mad spaniels.

Our Clon pizzeria is 10 years old this year, the 10 years has flown, but thinking back, it feels like a very long time ago. Subsequent openings were Bandon in 2017, Cork city in 2018, our production unit and warehouse near Clonakilty in 2019, near UCC in 2020, Douglas in 2021, Marina Market also in 2021, and in 2023 we partnered with Griolladh to launch two locations in Cork. Currently standing at nine locations with two on the way, and currently with about 90 staff.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

Love cooking, I usually end up cooking several different meals due to some picky eaters, and we don’t eat meat, so a nice piece of fish with some veg from the polytunnel for Siggy and myself. Sienna is a carnivore and makes light work of a tomahawk steak (yes the 13-year-old), Rhianna looks after her own plate these days. Then a glass of vino and a movie is perfect.

Lie ins or up with the lark.. which is it for you?

Alarm or not, I always wake up at 6am.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

It’s impossible to get away from it really, being open seven days a week in all locations for 362 days of the year, there’s always something. I prefer to nip things in the bud and deal with it rather than letting it wait until Monday; it might be a much bigger problem by then..

If money was no object where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

It would have to be Lisbon with Siggy and the girls, one of my favourite cities. We were due to get married in Quinta da Murta vineyard, an hour north of the city, in August 2020 – covid had other plans. The very day we landed in Lisbon to view venues was the day of the first case confirmed in Ireland.

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries? Can’t beat Inchydoney with the dogs, or a cycle around the back roads of West Cork.

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

I do enjoy an occasional catch up in Scannell’s in Clonakilty over a few pints. Nights out are a rarity though, usually saved for trips abroad.

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

I started flying lessons last year, I’m about halfway through a PPL (private pilots license) with AFTA in Cork. Flying over West Cork and over and back to Waterford is stunning. I also took up coastal rowing last year with Siggy and Sienna, with Ring Rowing Club in Clonakilty. I absolutely love both activities. Can’t be worrying about stupid stuff while behind an oar, or at the controls of a Cessna 172! It’s full on but also a switch-off.

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter do you have a signature dish?

I don’t do much entertaining; we’re all on the go so much. Anytime it does happen — pizza of course.

We have so many places to eat out in Cork - where are your go to spots for coffee/lunch/special meal?

Lunch in Inchydoney is a regular family gathering place for us. Can’t beat Sonny’s Deli on Albert Road for a quick grab and go sandwich and coffee when on the road. If just the two of us, The Fish Kitchen in Bantry is amazing.

Sunday night comes around too fast.. how do you normally spend it?

If it’s a regatta Sunday, the evening is usually a few pints with other club members to over-analyse every stroke. A quieter Sunday is a wind-down evening and aviation documentaries after walking the dogs.

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

It doesn’t, the built in alarm has me awake at 6am without fail.

Anything else you are up to right now...

Currently have two new projects on the go at the moment. Can’t say a lot about that right now except ‘watch this space’. I’m 40 next year so starting to think about what the future looks like and how I fit into it all. Midlife crisis looming? Maybe! Or maybe just feeling a bit more precious about time. I love travelling, hope to get to some new places over the next year.