Acclaimed Aussie Chef joins Bartali in the North Coast
Dean Coppard, of Uluru Armagh fame, has been appointed as Executive Chef of North Coast restaurant
Bartali, Portballintrae.
The Australian chef who revolutionised the food scene in Armagh with his Aussie style restaurant Uluru,
which opened over a decade ago, has decided to bring his unique style of cooking to the North Coast where
he takes up the position of Executive Chef in Bartali.
Bartali opened just over a year a go and is part of the Thornyhill Group, the group behind famous Belfast
restaurants Coppi and Il Pirata.
Dean is excited by the challenge of moving North and can’t wait to utilise the local produce there is on the
coast. Commenting on the local produce available Dean said: “Irish seafood is some of the best in the world and there is an abundance of it available on the North Coast.
I love to show off local ingredients in innovative ways, and may even bring a few Eastern flavours with me on
the journey up the road, not to forget a bottle or two of Armagh cider!”
Andrea O’Neill, Sales and Marketing Manager for Thornyhill Group, said of Dean’s appointment:
“We are delighted to have a chef of Dean’s reputation join us in Bartali where we are sure he’ll put his own
spin on our beautiful seaside restaurant. Dean is a great talent and we can’t wait to have him behind the pass!”
Coppard takes charge off the kitchen on the 18th of August when he will be introducing the people of the
North Coast to his new menu which features a host of wonderful dishes. The ‘Hang 10’ main course of chicken breast, garlic and herb marinated local King prawn skewers with whipped potatoes is sure to be a hit with locals, with the classic Dunluce burger using Hannan’s award winning salt aged Shorthorn beef another winner on the menu.
Tony O’Neill, Director of Thornyhill Group, said of Bartali’s next step: “We at Thornyhill are proud of what we’ve achieved on the North Coast so far and look forward to taking Bartali to the next level, making it a destination restaurant for locals and beyond.”
Bartali is open from 5pm to 10pm Thursday and Friday and from 12pm to 10pm Saturday and Sunday with
booking advised as interest in Dean’s arrival has already been huge. Visit www.bartali.co.uk or call
02820732405 to reserve a table.
