The economy may be slowing, but there appears to be no slowdown in the numbers eating out.

There is also no shortage of up-and-coming chefs, if the Baileys Euro Toques Young Chef of the Year Competition is anything to go by.

Last Sunday, five young chefs (the oldest was 24) prepared five dishes for around 90 guests in Luttrellstown Castle.

The winner, Abigail Colleran from Sligo, scooped the award for her desert plate, which included a Baileys mousse in a cone.

She currently works in Bang Cafe in Dublin.

Judges included Mr Derry Clarke of L'Ecrivain restaurant in Dublin and Mr John Howard, now retired, who ran what was probably the Republic's best known restaurant, Le Coq Hardi, a favourite of Charles Haughey and other luminaries.