"We're in the middle of nowhere, aren't we?" asked chef Dan Merriman as he and MasterChef: The Professionals contestants George Birtwell and Chiara Tomasoni approached West Cork by boat at the start of Tuesday's episode.

Over a couple of days, the three finalists were put through their culinary paces at Dede at the Customs House in Baltimore, west Cork.

One of only five two-star Michelin restaurants in Ireland, Dede is run by Turkish-born chef Ahmet Dede and offers a fusion of Turkish and Irish foods.

Born in Ankara, Dede grew up surrounded by family, and he remembers his mother was always cooking from morning until night.

In the summer, he worked at his uncle's coastal restaurant, where his aunt taught him about fine dining.

Aged 25, he moved to Dublin and he initially worked in pizza shops before training at Chapter One, Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud and The Greenhouse, and later at Maaemo in Oslo and &moshik in Amsterdam.

He returned to Ireland in 2017 to take up his first head chef position at The Mew's Restaurant in Baltimore, achieving his first Michelin star the following year. It was there that Dede met business partner Maria Archer, a Dalkey woman with an advertising and product design background who purchased the village's Customs House in 2019.

Together, they opened Dede at the Customs Houses, building a menu around Turkish cuisine. The restaurant was awarded its second Michelin star last year, and was recently crowend the all-Ireland winner at the 2024 Irish Restaurant Awards.

"Turkish food is just so delicious, so tasty so powerful, so inspirational, it's just so unique," Dede said on the programme.

The 18-course tasting menu is made with all local ingredients, which Dede described as "the best of the best, adding that "this is a dream for a chef."

The Michelin Guide describes Dede as a "warm, inviting restaurant" that offers "a masterful marriage between his Irish surroundings and his Turkish heritage.

"Superb local produce is the bedrock of the cooking, enhanced by skilful, judicious spicing which delivers multiple layers of authentic Turkish flavours while never overpowering the core ingredients," it continues.

"The charismatic Ahmet and his mostly Turkish brigade deliver their dishes with pride, while co-owner Maria runs the service with a friendly charm."

In the episode, Dede demonstrated how to make lahmacun adana kebab with local lamb, a ribeye steak with Ottoman spices, and barbecued turbot glazed with hot sauce for the finalists. They were then asked to prepare two dishes from Dede's tasting menu for the guests and judges.

Writing on Instagram, Dede said he had "an incredible time" filming such an "amazing show," before thanking the Masterchef crew.

"Sit back relax and watch our beautiful restaurant @dede_at_the_customs_house and most gorgeous place in West Cork @inishbeg tonight. Thank you so much to everyone who involved, helped, worked and make this project happened," he said.

Dede was supposed to open in March 2020, but the launch was delayed due to the first Covid lockdown, and Dede pivoted to a profitable takeaway business before the restaurant belatedly opened with a €50 three-course dinner menu that July.

Speaking to Hospitality Ireland, Archer said the first two years were "a baptism of fire" for Dede, with lockdowns and restrictions on dining, but the restaurant is still grappling with energy costs, a lack of staff accommodation and squeezed margins generally.

The restaurant is co-owned and run by Archer, and she and Dede opened a second restaurant, Baba'de, next door earlier this year offer breakfast, brunch and dinner.

“Also in the mornings we will have lots of takeaway items available such as sourdough bread, breads, cakes, tarts, sweet treats, savoury treats and some of our signature flavours from Dede at the Customs House," Dede said in June.

“After six months of hard work and dedication to this project, we are finally ready. Looking forward to welcoming you all and can’t wait open the door and switch the lights on in our new home!” 

Photo: Ahmet Dede (back row, third from left) and Maria Archer (pink top). (Pic: Ahmet Dede/Instagram)