Blasta Books #19: Toasties

Sinéad Ni Shithigh is a culinary artist, co-owner of Cáis and owner of Milis and Mil cake studio. Her love for cooking came from her grandmother, Cáit Uí Chearna, a Blasket Islander who always had something cooking on the range, from fresh pollock dusted in flour cooked in butter to soda bread. Food was an act of sharing, bringing friends and family together.

Sinead went on to do cheffing and Culinary Arts in CIT and GMIT and more recently a Post Graduate Diploma in Irish Food Culture at UCC. Her culinary career, while always food focused, has been varied, ranging from managing a cheese shop in Cheshire, UK, where her love for all things artisanal cheese grew, judging at the World Cheese Awards in Nantwich and working at Blas na hÉireann.

Ann Ní Chíobháin is an award-winning documentary producer who creates compelling stories and thought-provoking programmes. Her business degree has led her down many paths, from documentary producer to sustainability project co-ordinator. Being a farmer's daughter, she always had a keen interest in bringing Irish farming stories, especially Irish dairy, to the fore.

Ann and Sinéad spent years working together in cafés, restaurants and pubs around the Dingle peninsula. In 2020 they began their Cáis journey together. The Cáis food truck opened seasonally and nestled behind Dick Mack's pub in Dingle. With mismatched furniture and graffitied walls, they have made their own identity in Dick Mack’s yard, a vibrant place to meet locals and tourists alike. Since 2024 they have focused on Cáis boxes, catering and pop-up events on the Dingle peninsula, building a loyal Cáis fan base.