Calor Customer Spotlight: The Hungry Donkey

Calor BioLPG Customer, Chad Byrne recently established The Hungry Donkey, a food truck based in Killarney, Co. Kerry. Chad is head chef at The Brehon Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry where he is working and managing a large, busy kitchen of over 25 staff. Chad has received a number of awards for his food including the Irish Examiner 2020 Chef of the Year.

As a result of the pandemic and the circumstances of restrictions, Chad displayed his adaptability and commitment to continuing his love of the culinary arts. This determination and drive led to the creation of The Hungry Donkey.

The Hungry Donkey was created from a recycled horsebox and is equipped with a fully functioning kitchen. The trendy trailer is located beside Rosscastle, Killarney.

Speaking about the idea behind the Hungry Donkey, Chad Byrne stated: “The Hungry Donkey was born during lockdown out of the want to continue my love of cooking and making delicious food for my family. It started out as a passion project, something which I could work on with all the extra free time. I am so proud that we have officially launched and people can come and try our delicious meals”.

Sustainability is hugely important to Chad Byrne and The Hungry Donkey team. Not only is the trailer made from an upcycled horsebox but Chad uses Calor BioLPG 100% renewable gas to power the trailer’s kitchen. All food prepped and served in The Hungry Donkey is used in as many ways as possible to reduce food waste. The Hungry Donkey also offers a 10% deduction if customers bring their own crockery or takeaway containers to the trailer, allowing customers to also make sustainably conscious food choices when eating at The Hungry Donkey.

Speaking about sustainability, Chad Byrne said: “When I first thought of the idea of creating a small, functional kitchen area, I wanted to go about it in the most sustainable way which is where I got the idea of the horsebox. It’s also why I chose BioLPG to fuel my business”.

In addition to The Hungry Donkey, Chad Byrne works with the ‘Ability at Work’ social enterprise, which supports adults with learning difficulties make the transition between education, training and employment. Chad has run a number of live cooking demonstrations teaching key kitchen skills through the ‘Ability at Work’ teaching programme.

For more information on The Hungry Donkey, you can find them on Instagram @TheHungryDonkey.