STUDENTS with the skills to be top chefs and beauty therapists were honoured at a special awards night at the Moylish campus of Technological University of the Shannon.
The dinner was held in honour of the recent winners from the Department of Hospitality, Tourism & Wellness at World Skills 2024 and the Knorr Student Chef of the Year 2025.
The six students cited for their excellence on the night were: Kieran Bolger, Keri Doyle, Natalia Kace, Charlie Ward, Yeshuah O’Brien Bayer and Lucas Maier.
Kieran Bolger, a former student at Árd Scoil Rís, won the Cookery Gold medal at World Skills Ireland last October. As part of his Year Three Culinary Entrepreneurship work placement, Kieran is currently rustling up dishes at Chapter One in Dublin which holds two coveted Michelin stars.
Kieran, who also won the Silver Medal at the 2024 Knorr Student Chef of the Year awards, said: “I’ve always had a keen interest in cooking and was always by my mother’s side growing up helping her cook the family dinners. I immediately fell in love with the energy of a professional kitchen and knew straight away that I wanted to be a chef.”
Also honoured on the night was Keri Long, a student of Business with Beauty & Spa Management, who won the Gold medal in Beauty Therapy at World Skills Ireland 2024.
Keri, from Kileely, County Limerick, and a former student of Thomond Community College, said: “I have always had a keen interest in beauty from a very young age. I was incredibly honoured to win the Beauty Therapy category, a moment that truly solidified my passion and dedication to the industry.”
Natalia Kaca, from Newmarket on Fergus in County Clare, a student of Business with Beauty & Spa Management , won the Silver in the Beauty Therapy at the World Skills in 2024.
She said: “The World Skills competition was a huge opportunity for me and competing in the RDS allowed me to gain a lot of confidence and allowed me to expand my skills.”
Also honoured was Charlie Ward, a runner-up in the World Skills 2024, who said: “Cooking and becoming a chef have been my passion since as young as I can remember. I was always drawn to the endless combinations of flavours, textures and colours.”
Charlie was also chosen by Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Ireland’s seafood development agency, as one of its Young Chef Ambassadors for 2024.
Tributes were also paid to Yeshuah O’Brien Bayer, who came home with the Gold at the Knorr Student Chef of the 2025 awards.
From Killaloe in County Clare, Yeshuah is a second-year student of Culinary Entrepreneurship.
Yeshuah said: “It was tough work but I enjoyed the competition immensely. My time in the college has been brilliant and the lecturers are amazing.”
His assistant during the competition, Lucas Maier, was also honoured at the awards ceremony.
Paying tribute to the students on the night, Dr James Griffin, Dean of Faculty, Business and Humanities, said: “The past year has showcased some of your incredible talents and skills on the national stage.
“Participation and completion at these competitions is indeed remarkable, but lifting the gold medal is an extraordinary achievement.
“To each and every one of you, we offer our utmost congratulations and wish you continued success on your studies and career.”