John Flahavan is the 6th generation of his family to work at Flahavans, owning the company that bears his name. The company itself is thought to be the oldest privately owned company in Ireland – it’s certainly the oldest food company. Eighty years ago, there were seventy oat mills in Ireland, now there are just two. Neven meets John and visits the factory to see how oats are turned into porridge flakes, and other products. The Brady family started curing ham the old fashioned way in the 1970s and the company is now the largest producer of traditionally cured ham in the country. It’s a simple process, but requires great skill to get right, especially the butchery skills which are needed to bone and reshape the hams. It’s a world away from the mass produced ‘processed’ ham which is injected with water and ‘tumbled’ before being reformed. Neven meets the current owner, Tipperary farmer Bill O’Brien for a tour of the factory. Delicious dishes prepared by Neven in tonight’s programme include muesli (including a variation for granola) and MacNean porridge. Neven shows viewers how to make baked ham and leeks au gratin, and he also prepares a ham, Irish cheddar and pickled shallot platter.