The Food Interview: Hannah O’Sullivan
Portrait by Emilija Jefremiva
Cooking has always been a healer for me, a grounding act of service, and I know it can be transformative for others too. Wildfolk began as a retreat in 2019, born from a deep desire to create a nourishing space where people could rest, heal and connect.
I’ve always loved making preserves and started with small, seasonal batches for local shops in Connemara. During lockdown, I expanded this into a range stocked in supermarkets nationwide. I’m incredibly proud of that journey, but I realised I didn’t want to upscale or outsource production. Keeping things small felt more aligned with my values, so now I only create preserves for special events.
I always sing while cooking, it brings me so much joy and I want to share that with others. I’m planning retreats in Dromgarriff Rainforest, rooted in singing and cooking – think “songs for your supper”!
Cooking has brought me to incredible places and connected me with amazing people. Last summer, I cooked for the dancers and musicians of Teac Damsa at their studio on the Dingle Peninsula. Being close to artists as they created magic was so inspiring.
I believe that food is an essential part of creativity. How can you fully embody your art if you don’t nurture your body? There’s something symbiotic about feeding people while they are creating and then being nourished and inspired by what they create. Magic.
One of my earliest food memories is picking apples from our trees with my dad and making pies and crumbles, which we’d eat by a bonfire before roasting marshmallows.
Eating seasonally and sourcing locally can be such a fun and rewarding way to make connections. It encourages a slower, more intentional rhythm – letting nature guide what we eat rather than the media or supermarkets.
I love quick dinners, so peanut butter, coconut milk, tamari, honey, garlic,
and ginger are staples for an easy satay sauce with rice noodles. I’m also such a big fan of frozen peas and will put them in almost every meal! And of course White Mausu’s Peanut Rayu is always on hand.
Tasty three: Hannah’s West of Ireland Food Picks
1. Sweet Nothings, Ballyconneely
Take away something delicious and enjoy it on the coral strand.
Their cinnamon buns are sacred in our family. If you go without picking one up for everyone, you’re in trouble!
Grab a flat white made with Calendar Coffee and one of Laura’s lemon cakes – if my mum hasn’t bought them all first!
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