Meet Theresa Keane

World Ferment Day Ambassador for Ireland

Chef, food safety consultant, fermentation educator and forager, Theresa shares how her ferment journey began, what continues to inspire her, and why she believes everyone should try a ferment.

Hello everybody. My name is Theresa Keane, and I am the Irish Ambassador for World Fermentation Day, and I'm delighted to be so. I've been asked to answer a few questions, so here we go.

What led you to fermentation, and when did your journey begin?

As a chef, I have been dabbling in fermentation for quite a while, maybe 20 years. Back in 2015, I was attending UCC in County Cork, doing a degree in Food Science and Technology, and I saw the APC Microbiome Centre there. That really piqued my interest, and I wondered, what is this? What does the microbiome mean?

I started to investigate and research it, and that led me to become interested in fermented foods, their potential health benefits and, as a chef, their flavour and potential. Down that rabbit hole I went, and I've been there ever since.

‎‎What motivates you to continue fermenting?

Many things. The potential health benefits, the science of it, and the cultural significance of it. I love finding out what different countries did, what different cultures did, why they did it, the necessity, the flavour, all of those things.

I find it hugely varied as well. There's so much nuance in fermenting and so many different avenues to go down, and I'm attempting to go down all of them!

The other thing that motivates me is nature. I forage a lot, so I get great inspiration from wonderful wild plants, their flavours, their seasonality and their potential health benefits.

‎‎What was your first fermentation experience?

I think my first fermentation experience, in terms of tasting it, was probably sauerkraut. My first attempt at making a ferment was kombucha.

I was absolutely mesmerised by what I thought then was the SCOBY, the pellicle. I was fascinated by this jelly-like thing, the bubbling sounds and the transformation from sweet tea into this effervescent, fruity, delightful drink.

I now use kombucha in many different ways. I make it from many different substrates, not just tea. I use it in my cooking, as a cooking liquor, as a marinade, and in so many other ways. I still love kombucha.

What is an easy way to introduce ferments to someone who has never tried them?

A lot of fermentation is very simple. One of my main jobs at the moment is as a food safety consultant and trainer, so I find that the safety side of things is what people are often concerned about. They're just not quite sure. I think we're so far removed nowadays from microbes that germ phobia has definitely set in.

I think the simplicity of milk kefir is probably a good way to start. It's literally putting some kefir grains into milk, covering it in a tight jar and leaving it for 24 hours. I think most people can handle 24 hours.

Other than that, I think sauerkraut, or any hard vegetables where you're chopping them up, massaging salt into them and putting them into a jar with a tight lid, are probably the easiest ways to begin.

I would also suggest that if people are new to fermenting, they buy a good ferment and start to play around with it in the kitchen. Add it to their food. If they're making mashed potato, add a spoonful of milk kefir. Add a tablespoon of kimchi to a stir-fry, or have a teaspoon with your eggs. Play around with it.

If you want to start fermenting, which I really suggest that you do, then lacto-fermented vegetables and milk kefir are definitely the way to start.

How does fermentation fit into your life?

Now there's a question. I think it's more a case of my life fitting into fermentation.

Foraging is a huge part of what I do, so any free time I have, I make the time to get out into nature, see what's available, see what's in season, and then I bring it home and ask, "How can I incorporate this into my ferments?"

I used to have a small food van where I would go around to markets selling fermented drinks and vegetables as refills, so people would bring their own jars. It just got too much because I was too busy.

Now I ferment for myself, for the potential health benefits and the culinary aspects. I also ferment for friends, but mostly for workshops. I teach workshops all around the country, both in casual and academic settings.

That's really how fermentation fits into my life. It's become part and parcel of my life. It's a huge part of what I do, part of my job, and really just part of me.

Which ferment or ferments did you eat/drink most recently?

This morning I had some strawberry kombucha. I'm about to have some heirloom yoghurt made using the Yonah Shimmel culture, one of my favourite ferments to make.

I use it simply as yoghurt with berries and granola, or as a marinade or to finish dishes. It's delicious. So this morning it has been yoghurt and kombucha. Later, I'm planning to make some kimchi pancakes with a fried egg and a little salad.

One of my favourites is a pickled wild garlic stem with lots of Indian-inspired flavours. I lacto-fermented the stems first and then put them into my wild garlic bud oxymel. I'll have some of those today as well.

Thank you so much for listening. I'm really looking forward to continuing with World Ferment Day, and I encourage everybody to pledge to try a ferment, either by making one or tasting one.

You won't regret it. If nothing else, it's a flavour bomb for everyday food.