Later this month, chef Barry Sun steps into the kitchen of the iconic China Sichuan for a special birthday collaboration. As part of a series of events marking China Sichuan’s 50th year in business, Sun, the chef-owner of Volpe Nera, will join forces with the Sandyford team for a collaboration dinner on Tuesday, 26th May. Following overwhelming demand, with the first night selling out almost instantly, an additional date has now been added on Tuesday, 2nd June.
Originally from Liaoning province in Northern China, Barry Sun arrived in Ireland in 2002 as a teenager to improve his English, before rising through the ranks of some of Dublin’s finest kitchens to open his own Michelin-recommended neighbourhood restaurant.
“It is an immense honour to be asked to contribute to China Sichuan’s 50th anniversary,” says Barry Sun. “I arrived in Ireland over twenty years ago to find my way, and to now return to these traditional flavours with my own perspective and the techniques we’ve honed at Volpe Nera is incredibly special. This menu is about celebrating that journey for me, but, more importantly, honouring the legacy of a restaurant that has defined Chinese dining in Ireland for half a century.”
Barry Sun brings his signature style, with its technical precision and playful elegance, to a menu that honours both heritage and adopted home. Dinner begins with Sun’s duck fat brioche and Giga oysters with chilli and rose vinegar, before moving into substantial collaborative plates like lobster ‘Ma Po’ tofu and tea-smoked Skeaghanore duck. Volpe Nera’s modern Irish sensibilities and the bold, traditional techniques of China Sichuan are woven together to create a menu that celebrates both 50 years of culinary excellence and the unique evolution of this chef.
The 2nd China Sichuan x Volpe Nera collaboration dinner takes place on Tuesday, 2nd June at 6.30pm. Tickets are €150 per person and include a curated wine pairing by Liberty Wines. Early booking is highly recommended and can be made directly through China Sichuan by emailing info@china-sichuan.ie