Ross was honoured to be asked to create the menu and lead the kitchen team at the State banquet held at Dublin Castle for Queen Elizabeth the II's historic visit to Ireland.The dinner was hosted by President Mary McAleese and guests included An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, British Prime minister David Cameron as well as people from the world of the arts and sport. Ross created a menu that represented Ireland selecting a number of small and artisan suppliers to showcase the best of Irish food and produce.

Cured salmon with Burren smoked salmon cream and lemon balm jelly, horseradish and wild watercress, Kilkenny organic cold pressed rapeseed oil

Rib of Slaney Valley Beef, ox cheek and tongue with smoked champ potato and fried spring cabbage, new season broad beans and carrots with pickled and wild garlic leaf

Carrageen set West Cork cream with Meath strawberries, fresh yoghurt mousse and soda bread sugar biscuits, Irish apple balsamic vinegar meringue

Glebe Brethan
Produced by David Tiernan in Dunleer, Co. Louth.
Hard Comté style cheese made using raw cow's milk from the Tiernan's own herd of Montbéliarde cows.

Cashel Blue
Produced by the Grubb Family in Fethard, Co. Tipperary.
Semi-soft blue cheese, made using cow's milk from their own and selected neighbouring farms.

Milleens
Produced by the Steele Family in Milleens on the Beara Peninsula, Co. Cork.
Semi-soft, washed rind cheese made in a classic Munster style from pasteurised cow's milk.

Knockdrinna
Produced by Helen Finnegan in Stoneyford, Co. Kilkenny.
Semi-firm goat's milk cheese in the classic French Tomme style.

White soda bread, brown soda bread, sourdough wheaten bread Kerrygold salted butter and Glenillen unsalted butter

Summary of Suppliers:

• Smoked Salmon – Brigitta Hedda-Curtin, Burren Smokehouse, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare
• Salmon – Clare Island Organis Salmon, Clare Island, Co.Mayo
• Lemon Balm – Paul Flynn, The Tannery Cookery School Gardens, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford
• Organic Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil – Kitty Colchester, Drumeen Farms, Co. Kilkenny
• Wild Watercress, Cabbage, Carrots and Garlic Leaf– Denis Healy Farms, Co. Wicklow
• Rib of Beef – Kettyle Irish Foods, Drumshaw, Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh
• Ox Cheek & Tongue – M & K Butchers, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin
• Potatos and Spring Onions – McNally Family Farm, Ring Common, Co. Dublin
• Black Pudding – McCarthys of Kanturk, Kanturk, Co. Cork
• Butter, Milk, Cream and Crème Fraiche – Alan and Valerie Kingston, Glenilen Farm, Drimoleague, Co. Cork
• Irish Apple Balsamic vinegar – David LLewellyn, Llewellyn Orchard Produce, Lusk, Co. Dublin
• Strawberries – Pat Clarke, Stamullen, Co. Meath
• Milk – Cleary Family, Glenisk, Tullamore, Co. Offaly
• Dittys Irish Oatmeal Biscuits – Robert Ditty, Belfast
• Stoneground Wholemeal Flour – Kells Wholemeal, Bennettsbridge, Co. Kilkenny
• Buttermilk & Butter – Cuinneog Ltd. Balla, Castlebar Co. Mayo