Meet the Team

Canadian born chef/owner Heather Connolly has had a love affair with food from an early age. Raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in a family obsessed with food, she has been creating and experimenting in the kitchen for as long as she can remember.

While studying Fine Arts at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, BC Heather worked in various bistro and café kitchens. As a student, she would also host weekly Sunday dinners for her friends and always claimed that one day she would have her very own café. After a brief career in the arts, Heather packed her bags for Ireland. She wanted to travel, cook & live a new adventure abroad.

Her adventure is still ongoing. Since moving to Ireland, Heather received a Bachelor of Business & Culinary Arts from GMIT before she became the Head Chef opening The Gourmet Tart Co. Salthill and the Executive Chef opening the restaurant Upstairs @ McCambridge’s.

Heather’s love of food is infectious. She will babble on about an ingredient, a supplier, a dish or a meal with an enthusiasm that borders on obsession. She considers it a bit of a mission to share the joys of cooking and eating good, healthy, wholesome food with the world.

In 2015 Heather’s dream of owning her own café became a reality. She took over the successful Builín Blasta Café & Bakery in Spiddal- in her mind, the perfect spot to spread her love of food. Her motto remains the same- keep it fresh, keep it wholesome and keep it tasty. She works hard to ensure every dish, bread & cake is delicious and that every customer is treated with warmth & proper Irish hospitality.

Heather has a great team of chefs and service staff behind her helping her make her dream a reality. Jenya Hardziyuk from Belarus has been working with Heather since 2011 and now runs the busy Builín Blasta kitchen working at a fierce pace to get the food out to hungry customers.

Eimear Killian joined the business in 2021 and has been key to growing the cafe business, introducing a growing retail and wine off-license and opening the popular wine bar 2 night a week. Eimear’s warm hospitality makes all guests feel at home at Builín Blasta.

Heather will be the first to admit Builín Blasta Café & Bakery is a work in progress. From the small beginnings of a kitchen garden to the evolving menu and service style- the team work hard to learn and improve with every customer to create a dining experience full of welcome, warmth and soulful satisfaction.

EOLAS FAOIN CHEF AGUS FOIREANN S’AICI

Rugadh an chef agus úinéir Heather Flaherty i gCeanada agus tá scil aici sa bhia ó bhí sí ina gasúr óg. Tógadh í in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan do theaghlach atá gafa go mór le cúrsaí bia, agus chomh fada lena cuimhne bhí sí riamh i mbun miasa a chruthú agus a thriail.

D’oibrigh Heather i gcistineachaí i mbialanna beaga agus caiféanna le linn di a bheith i mbun staidéir ar Na Mínealaíona in Ollscoil Simon Fraser in Vancouver, British Columbia. Mar iníon léinn, thugadh sí cuireadh dá cairde teacht chun a tí chuile Dhomhnach le haghaidh dinnéir, agus dúirt i gcónaí go mbeadh a caifé féin aici lá eicínt. Tar éis di tréimhse ghearr a chaitheamh ag obair leis na mínealaíona, chroch sí a seolta le dul go hÉirinn. Ba é a bhí uaithi ná dul ag taisteal agus ag cócaireacht agus dul ar thóir eachtraíochta thar lear.

Tá an tóir eachtraíochta fós idir lámha aici. Ó bhog sí go hÉirinn, fuair Heather céim Baitsiléir sa Ghnó & sna hEalaíona Cócaireachta ó GMIT, agus ansin rinneadh Chef Ceannasaí di ar oscailt an Gourmet Tart Company i mBóthar na Trá, agus ansin Chef Feidhmeannach ar oscailt na bialainne Upstairs @ McCambridge’s. Áiríonn Heather fós bainistiú na bialainne agus an delicatessen in McCambridge’s ar cheann de na dúshláin is mó a bhí roimpi fós, agus ar cheann de na héachtaí is mó a bhfuil sí mórálach as.

Téann grá Heather don bhia i bhfeidhm go mór ar dhaoine eile. Is deacair stop a chur lena cuid cabaireachta faoi chomhábhair, soláthraithe, miasa nó béilí, agus is geall le galar an díograis seo atá aici. Misean dá cuid atá ann an t-aoibhneas a bhaineann sí as an gcócaireacht a roinnt leis an domhan mór, gan trácht ar bhia breá, folláin agus sláintiúil a ithe. Mar gheall air seo, ba éasca an cinneadh é glacadh leis an tairiscint dul ar an gcoiste don chéad Féile Bia na Gaillimhe in 2011, agus rinneadh Cathaoirleach di in 2014. Cuid lárnach dá gairm bheatha é an fhéile a mhúnlú agus é úsáid mar ardán chun a díograis thógálach a roinnt.

Fíoraíodh aisling Heather in 2015 nuair a ghlac sí úinéireacht ar a caifé féin. Ghlac sí ceannas ar an mBuilín Blasta Café & Bakery sa Spidéal – dar léi, áit idéalach atá ann lena grá don bhia a roinnt. An mana atá aici i gcónaí ná an bia a bheith úr, a bheith folláin, agus a bheith blasta. Oibríonn sí go crua le cinntiú go bhfuil chuile mhias, arán agus císte blasta agus go ndéantar freastal ar chuile chustaiméir le fáilte cuí croíúil.

Tá foireann iontach chefanna agus freastalaithe aici ag cabhrú léi a haisling a fíorú. Tá Jenya Hardziyuk ón mBealarúis ag obair le Heather ó bhí 2011 ann, agus tá sí anois i mbun an chistineach sa Bhuilín Blasta a rith faoi luas lasrach le cinntiú go ndéantar freastal ar chustaiméirí in am.

Is í Heather an chéad duine a déarfaidh go mbíonn forbairt i gcónaí á déanamh ar an mBuilín Blasta Café & Bakery. Ón tús sa gcisteanach garraí go dtí an biachlár agus stíl an fhreastail a bhíonn i gcónaí ag forbairt – oibríonn an fhoireann go crua le go bhfoghlaimeodh agus go bhfeabhsódh siad le chuile theagmháil a dhéantar le custaiméir, le cinntiú go bhfaightear eispéireas itheacháin atá fáiltiúil agus anamúil.