Jump to: Chefs | Restaurateurs | Bars | Front of house | Media | Behind the scenes | Producers
As second-generation Irish, Gavin and I decided six years ago to bring together in a single list all the Irish people we'd met over the years of covering this city's hospitality industry. We wanted to celebrate our own heritage through shining a light on all the passionate people from Ireland who work in London's restaurants, pubs and bars.
In the run-up to St Patrick's Day, we proudly present our sixth annual Murphia List, the launch of which is being celebrated with a party at Gibney's London.
Chefs
Kenneth Culhane
Job: Head Chef
Where: The Dysart
Originally from Lisselton, North Kerry, Roux scholar Kenneth has a wealth of experience behind him. In Ireland, he worked at The Shelbourne and Patrick Guilbaud, but since then has worked with Tetsuya Wakuda in Sydney and Brett Graham at The Ledbury. For his Roux scholarship internship, he worked across Jean Georges Vongerichten's restaurants in New York. He’s now at The Dysart in Richmond, which last year won its first Michelin star.
More: Follow him on Twitter @kennethculhane
Shauna Froydenlund
Job: Chef Patron
Where: Marcus
Shauna hails from Derry where her family is in the restaurant industry. While a student in Sheffield she was offered a placement at Gordon Ramsay Holdings where she first met Marcus Wareing at the original Petrus. Since then she's worked on the launch team of the Gilbert Scott and in 2017 she and her husband Mark became joint Chef Patrons at Marcus. But we're most jealous about her claim to fame when she worked with Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller as a consultant on the film Burnt.
More: Follow Shaun and Mark on Instagram @thefroydenlunds.
Fiona Hannon
Job: Head Chef
Where: Bentley's
Born in Bray, Country Wicklow, Fiona came early to the hospitality trade, starting as a kitchen porter in a local hotel during the school holidays when she was 15. She moved to London to work for Richard Corrigan where she took the position as demi-head de partie at Corrigan's much-lauded Lindsay House. From there she helped open Bentley's in Dublin, then Corrigan's Mayfair and is now at Bentley's in London where she is head chef. Referring to her long term working relationship with Corrigan as a 'life sentence', she says he gives her "the freedom and space to get on with my job."
More: Follow Bentley's on Instagram @bentleysoysterbar
Anna Haugh
Job: Chef Patron
Where: Myrtle
Anna is chef-patron of recently opened Myrtle restaurant in Chelsea, London. She has been cooking for almost 20 years. Dublin born Anna started her cooking career in that city's famous L’Écrivain restaurant before heading to London where her bosses included everyone from Shane Osborn and Philip Howard to Gordon Ramsay. In Myrtle restaurant, Anna is bringing a taste of Ireland either through lightened modernised old Irish recipes or through fantastic Irish produce. Anna is a regular on TV's Saturday Kitchen and Sunday Brunch and will be one of the new chefs to be in the relaunch of Ready Steady Cook on the BBC.
More: Follow Anna on Instagram @haughser
Colin Kelly
Job: Head Chef,
Where: 22 Grosvenor Square
Kelly is from Tullamore and 16 years ago moved to London ‘for one year’, having been at Dublin's L'Ecrivain. He first worked with Anthony Demetre for eight years, ending up as Head Chef at Wild Honey. Along with Tom Slegg and Alan Christie he opened the highly rated Picture restaurants on Great Portland Street and Picture Marylebone, which have now closed. For the past five months he's been group head chef at the Corrigan Collection of restaurants and next month starts as head chef of new hotel opening 22 Grosvenor Square (from the team behind Blakes) where he's teaming up once again with Alan Christie to run the kitchen there.
More: Follow him on Twitter @colinkelly10
Marguerite Keogh
Job: Head Chef
Where: The Five Fields
County Clare born and bred (she goes home every month) Marguerite Keogh apprenticed at Dromoland Castle hotel before skipping over to London. For five years she worked alongside Marcus Wareing - first at Petrus and then at Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley before launching The Five Fields in Chelsea with Taylor Bonnyman and quickly gaining a Michelin star.
More: Follow her on Twitter @magschef
RE-ENTRY: Simon Lamont
Job: Raw bar head chef
Where: Seabird
Having shucked oysters everywhere from Dublin to the Dordogne via Boston and Capetown, Simon Lamont was a clear front-runner for the job of Head Chef of the oyster bar at the Hoxton's high rise restaurant Seabird. There he oversees "the most extensive oyster list in Britain." Last year he also won the best dressed Irish oyster competition, held in London.
More: Follow Simon on Instagram @simonmlamont
NEW: Adrian Martin
Job: Chef Patron
Where: Wildflower
Born in County Cavan, Adrian Martin trained in MacNean House and Michelin-starred restaurant, Bon Appetite in Malahide. In Ireland, he's best known for his regular appearances on TV and Radio, appearing on Ray Darcy's show on RTÉ Radio 1 and Virgin Media One’s ’The Six O’Clock Show’. He's the author of two cookbooks and has opened his first London restaurant, Wildflower, at Buck Street Market. He'll next be seen on TV on the BBC's new show Wild Cooks.
More: Follow Adrian on Instagram @chefadrianm
Dave McCarthy
Job: Head Chef
Where: Scott's
From a restaurant-owning family in Midleton, County Cork, Dave moved to London when he was 22 to work at The Ivy. He stayed there for two years before moving to Harvey Nichols to work for Henry Harris as Chef de Partie. From here he moved to J Sheekey under Tim Hughes where he worked for nine years. In 2006 he was in the team that helped to relaunch Scott's and has been Head Chef here since 2009.
Aidan McGee
Job: Head Chef
Where: Corrigan’s Mayfair
Aidan was born and bred in Donegal. After training in Ireland including at the award-winning O'Gradys on the Pier in Galway he moved to London where he worked at the Mandarin Oriental followed by Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and at Launceston Place. As Head Chef of the Truscott Arms, his Sunday roasts became the stuff of legend. Since 2018 he's been running the kitchen at Corrigan's Mayfair as Head Chef.
More: Follow Aidan on Twitter @mcgeeaidan
Tom Mullin
Job: BOH Operations
Where: Pizza Pilgrims
Tom was born in County Derry, where his parents had their own pizza business in a couple of small neighbouring towns. After living in Belfast for a number of years he moved to London where he met brothers Thom and James Elliot, founders of Pizza Pilgrims, in June 2013. He spent that first summer travelling around London, working at many festivals and events, leading up to the opening of their first permanent site on Dean Street, Soho. And now, he runs everything back of house for the company, looking at revamping menus and training new chefs.
More: Follow Tom on Instagram @mullin_tom
Patrick Powell
Job: Head chef
Where: Allegra
Mayo-born chef Patrick says his early inspiration for cooking came from his grandmother and her vegetable garden. He apprenticed at Dublin’s Michelin-star restaurant L’Ecrivain and worked at top Melbourne restaurant Cutler & Co before landing in London where he worked for Anthony Demetre at Wild Honey and then spent four years as Head Chef of London’s most talked-about restaurant, Chiltern Firehouse. He's now Head Chef at the highly-rated Allegra, his own restaurant on the 7th-floor rooftop of Manhattan Loft Gardens. This high rise hotel/loft project from the folk behind both the Chiltern Firehouse and St Pancras also allows Powell to use ingredients from its own, local and organic farm.
More: Follow him on Instagram @ppowellchef
Clare Smyth MBE
Job: Chef Patron
Where: Core by Clare Smyth
Born on a farm in Country Antrim, Smyth moved to England at the age of 16, building a career which included working at Alain Ducasse’s Le Louis XV in Monaco and also under Gordon Ramsay for 13 years. she remains the first and only female chef to run a restaurant with three Michelin-stars in the UK. She opened her own restaurant, Core by Clare Smyth in Notting Hill in August 2017, which became the first restaurant ever to enter The Good Food Guide with a perfect score of 10 out of 10. This multi-award winning chef has two stars in the 2019 Michelin Guide, five AA rosettes and was named The World’s Best Female Chef by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2018. She also received the Chef of the Year Award at the National Restaurant Awards in 2019. She recently announced plans to open a new restaurant at Crown Sydney in Australia in February 2021.
More: Follow her on Instagram @chefclaresmyth
Restaurateurs
Sinead Campbell
Job: Restaurateur
Where: Bong Bong's Manila Kanteen
"Growing up in Ireland has always been a huge inspiration for me," says Sinead, who's from a farming family background in Galway. "However we wouldn't be where we are today without the support and influence of Lee's mother Leah. She introduced me to Filipino food 15 years ago and we've never looked back. She's a truly inspirational woman." As one half of the BBQ Dreamz team who won big in the second series of My Million Pound Menu, Sinéad Campbell and partner Lee Johnson have recently opened their first permanent restaurant, Bong Bong's Manila Kanteen, in Bethnal Green.
More: Follow them on Instagram @bongbongshackney
Richard Corrigan
Job: Chef Patron of Corrigan Collection, which operates Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill, Corrigan’s Mayfair and Daffodil Mulligan in London, as well as a 100-acre hunting lodge Virginia Park Lodge
Where: Corrigan’s Mayfair, Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill and Daffodil Mulligan
Dublin-born, but raised in Meath, Corrigan is one of the leading forces among the Irish in London’s hospitality industry, running Bentley's in Piccadilly and the eponymous Corrigan's in Mayfair. Most recently he went into partnership with John Nugent and Tony Gibney to open Daffodil Mulligan in Old Street. All three of his restaurants are supplied with vegetables, fruit and salads from Corrigan’s Irish estate, Virginia Park Lodge in Cavan.
More: Follow him on Twitter @CorrigansFood
John Devitt
Job: Owner
Where: Koya Soho, Koya City
Former city boy (and Dubliner) John learned his trade in the kitchen with Giorgio Locatelli at Zafferano and front of house at Pengelley’s. He opened Koya in 2010 after being inspired by a Parisian restaurant devoted to the udon noodle, having cunningly spotted that London was undersupplied in decent noodle joints. Koya Bar followed pretty smartly after and both developed an almost fanatical fan base. Koyo Soho was joined by Koya City which opened at the Bloomberg Arcade, where they've recently started offering udon noodle masterclasses.
Garrett Fitzgerald
Job: Restaurateur
Where: Butchies
Bray boy Garrett founded Butchies in 2013 with the intention of creating the ultimate fried chicken sandwich for London's street food scene. In November 2017 he and wife Emer opened their first permanent restaurant, in Shoreditch. Since then, they've opened a second site in Market Hall Fulham - and they also took over the rooftop restaurant at John Lewis flagship store on Oxford Street in Summer 2018. Garrett hopes to further expand with more sites in 2020.
More: Follow them on Instagram @butchies_london
Robin and Sarah Gill
Job: Restaurateurs and chef
Where: The Dairy, Counter Culture, Sorella, Darby's and The Yard
Both from Dublin, this powerhouse restaurant couple are now behind two of the best restaurants in South London, The Dairy and Sorella. Robin earned his stripes working at La Stampa in Dublin before heading to The Oak Room under Marco Pierre White followed by an extensive period with Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons. In 2016 they opened the snack bar Counter Culture beside the Dairy. They opened the critically acclaimed Darby's in 2019 in Embassy Gardens right beside the American Embassy as well as The Yard at Great Scotland Yard Hotel in Westminster.
Follow Robin on Twitter: @robingillchef
Brian Hannon
Job: Restaurateur
Where: Super 8 Restaurants - Smoking Goat, Kiln, Brat
Dubliner Brian Hannon came to London as a graduate working for Bass where he worked for 18 years, eventually running over 400 sites. He then spent two years as Selfridges Food & Restaurants director. From there he teamed up with Ben Chapman to open the first Smoking Goat in Denmark Street and they now co-own Kiln and Smoking Goat in Shoreditch. He also co-own's Shoreditch's hot restaurant Brat together with Tomas Parry and Chapman.
Follow Smoking Goat on Instagram @smokinggoatbar
John King
Job: Restaurateur
Where: Bowling Bird
King, who hails from Carlow, began as a barman at Goodman before working his way up to the position of GM at Goodman City for five years. Then he decided to head out on his own in 2017 to open his own restaurant, Bowling Bird, with wine wholesaler Joseph Pelosi. After three years in business, they've gained a reputation for serving some the best steak in the area, along an extensive wine list of over 300 choices including some very rare California offerings.
More: Follow them on Instagram @bowling_bird
NEW: Aoife & Johanna Ledwidge
Job: Restaurant owners
Where: J+A Cafe
From a large Irish family, restaurateurs Johanna and Aoife, split their childhood between Wicklow and England. They launched J+A Cafe in 2008 in a Victorian diamond-cutting factory and courtyard in Clerkenwell. Specialising in Irish home cooking and baking J+A Cafe has built an intensely loyal clientele who love their soda bread and chocolate Guinness cake. This year they're also working with their brother JP on Cabü by the Lakes - where they're opening 28 log cabins and lake houses, a restaurant, bar and lifestyle store in Cavan's Killykeen Forest.
More: Follow them on Instagram @jandacafe
David Moore
Job: Founding Director
Where: Pied à Terre
Moore was born in Monaghan and got his first taste of the trade working in his mother's hotel. Having worked everywhere from The Box Tree in Ilkley to Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons, when Moore opened Pied à Terre in 1991 he achieved almost instant success - the restaurant won its first Michelin star 13 months later and still retails it. The restaurant has also just launched a first-floor Chefs Table and Cookery School. Moore's latest venture is The Devereux pub, which he runs with publican Tony Bennett, just off The Strand.
More: Follow him on Twitter @davidpied
John Nugent
Job: CEO - Green & Fortune
Having learned his craft as MD of Corrigan Restaurants and at Searcy’s, Dublin-born Nugent was clearly the right man to take over the catering at King’s Place when it opened in 2008. There he runs the recently redesigned restaurant, Rotunda, King's Place Events and the Green & Fortune Cafe. Across town at Sea Containers, he runs the restaurant, bars, even and roof terrace spaces and his company is also behind the hospitality, conferencing and cafe operation at Central Hall Westminster. The latest string to his bow is his partnership with Richard Corrigan and Tony Gibney in Daffodil Mulligan and its downstairs bar, Gibney's London.
More: Follow John on Twitter @_JohnNugent
Oliver Peyton
Job: CEO
Where: Peyton & Byrne
Born in Mayo, Peyton’s practically an honorary Londoner having been a restaurateur here since the early 90s, revolutionising the scene with The Atlantic in which Hot Dinners lost many an afternoon to the loose concept of the ‘working’ lunch. He's founder/chairmen of Peyton and Byrne with restaurants at the Wallace Collection and National Gallery among others. When you add in his starring role on The Great British Menu, he’s clearly part of the city’s establishment.
More: Follow Oliver on Twitter @oliverpeyton
NEW: Siobhan, Marie and Caitriona Peyton
Job: Cafe owners
Where: Roastery + Toastery
The Peyton sisters have a longstanding career in hospitality, having co-founded Peyton & Byrne with brother Oliver back in 2005. But most recently Siobhan, Marie and Catriona have joined up to open this smaller enterprise in Camden. Serving up toasted sandwiches and top coffees, Roastery + Toastery, which opened last year, is proving to be very popular with Camden locals.
More: Follow them on Instagram @roastery.toastery
Mark and Alan Wogan
Job: Directors
Where: Homeslice
The sons of the late, legendary Sir Tel, Alan and Mark Wogan, their pizza business Homeslice, has gone from strength to strength since it moved from street food status in 2013 to the six-strong restaurant group it now is. The sibling duo both bring different talents to the table - Mark used to be executive chef at The Groucho and Alan runs the business side of things for the group.
More: Follow Mark Wogan on Instagram @markwogan13.
Bars
Patrick Dardis
Job: CEO
Where: Young & Co.'s Brewery
Dublin-born Dardis came to London at the tender age of 19 where his first job was working in the bar for Courage Brewery. Working his way up through the industry via Whitbread, Guinness and Marstons, he joined Young’s in 2002 and was made CEO in 2016. Priding himself on allowing each Young's pub to be individual and not identikit, he's built an empire that's as well known for its Scotch Egg Challenge as the legendary Guinness brunches for St Patrick's Day at the Ship in Wandsworth.
Follow Patrick on Twitter @dardisp
Gearoid Devaney
Job: Club founder, wine importer and sommelier
Where: Trade
Gearoid left his hometown of Belfast 20 years ago to immerse himself in the world of wine - initially working in the vineyards of Bordeaux and as a sommelier in one, two and three Michelin starred restaurants in both London and Paris. Now director of Burgundy specialist importer Flint Wines, Gearoid is also co-owner of Cabotte, a Burgundy-centric restaurant in the City and has recently opened TRADE Soho, a members’ club exclusively for the hospitality industry. One of only 220 Master Sommeliers, and the only Irish one, Gearoid also sits on the Board for the Court of Master Sommeliers, setting exam papers, teaching courses both in Europe and Asia and guiding the next generation of sommeliers through the rigorous exam programme.
More: Follow Gearoid on Twitter @gearoid_devaney
NEW: Cormac Gibney
Job: Bar Manager
Where: Gibney's London
Born and bred in Dublin, Cormac was literally born into the hospitality industry, specifically above his family pub, Gibney’s of Malahide. Cormac spent his teenage years helping his family in the pub before moving to New York in 2016. Here Cormac expanded his drinks knowledge and mixology skills while working at Pier A Harbour House and CASK. In 2018 he moved back to Ireland where he was appointed Assistant Bar Manager of Gibney’s. In November 2019, Cormac moved to London to become Bar Manager of Daffodil Mulligan, and now Gibney’s London. The launch of Gibney’s London will mark the family's first international outpost since its opening in 1937.
More: Follow Gibney's London on Instagram @gibneys.london/
NEW: James Goggin
Job: Head of Sales
Where: Empirical Spirits
James first entered the hospitality world in his hometown in Carlow, working in bars and clubs from the age of 16. But it was New Zealand where he properly fell in love with the industry, running top bars, winning cocktail competitions. Returning to London, after a short bartending stint at Happiness Forgets in Hoxton he became an ambassador for drinks distributor Maverick Drinks, training up hundreds of bartenders in the process. He judges whisky, gin and rum for the IWSC, World Drinks Awards and Spirits Masters and is a keen advocate of Irish spirits on the US bar scene. He now heads up sales at the category-defying Danish distillers Empirical Spirits.
More: Follow James on Instagram @barrelagedgoggin
Aaron Wall and Ciarán Smith
Job: Directors
Where: Homeboy
Ciaran Smith and Aaron Wall have known each other for years, ever since Aaron was a Bacardi brand ambassador and Ciaran was working in The Shelbourne in Dublin. It took a few more years - during which Ciaran worked for both the Waldorf Astoria in New York and the Dorchester and Aaron joined London Cocktail Club and then Callooh Callay - before they decided to open their own joint venture. Their Irish cocktail bar, Homeboy, opened on Islington's Essex Road just before Christmas and features "London's smallest Irish pub" hidden within.
More: Follow Homeboy on Instagram @homeboybars.
Front of House
RE-ENTRY: Richie Corrigan
Job: Restaurant Manager
Where: Daffodil Mulligan
From an early age, Richie Corrigan has had hospitality in his blood - working at father Richard Corrigan's restaurants during his school holidays - doing everything from pot-washing & prepping at Michelin-starred Lindsay House to being a waiter at Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill. Following a stint as Assistant GM at Corrigan’s Mayfair overseeing the launch of Dickie's Bar. he moved to Hong Kong where he worked as Restaurant Manager of Belon the year it got its first Michelin star. Now back in London, he's fronting operations at the new Corrigan restaurant Daffodil Mulligan.
More: Follow Richie on Instagram @richiecoggs
NEW: Conor Daly
Job: Restaurant Manager
Where: Allegra
Conor moved to London after finishing his Economics degree at Trinity College, Dublin. Having worked in hospitality throughout school and college the decision to move to London came after a meal at Robin Gill's The Dairy in Clapham ended up with a job offer. He worked at The Dairy and then moved next door to run Counter Culture, before opening Sorella in Clapham as the bar manager. In summer of 2019, he joined chef Patrick Powell's pre-opening team as manager of Allegra in Stratford and was on the 2019 CODE magazine's 30 under 30 list.
More: Follow Conor on Instagram @conor_daly_49
Darren McHugh
Job: GM
Where: The Ledbury
Having studied at University College, Dublin and The Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, Dublin born Darren is General Manager of The Ledbury. He previously worked at Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley and Adam Byatt's Trinity Restaurant. With an unwavering attention to detail and passion for service he takes great pride in mentoring and developing the front of house team. What's less well known is that he also used to be an actor and writer working in theatre, film, television and radio.
More: Follow Darren on Twitter @darrenlmchugh and Instagram @darrenlmchugh.
Oisin Rogers
Job: Publican and restaurateur
Where: The Guinea Grill and The Windmill
Described by the Evening Standard as ‘equal parts soft tailoring and good humour,’ there is plenty more to the Sligo-born landlord of Mayfair’s Guinea Grill than his velvet blazers and fondness for the craic. During his tenure at The Guinea, he's brought the pub to commercial and critical success, recently gaining it 10th place on the Top 50 Gastropubs list. Fans of the Guinea Grill will be pleased to know that Young’s have also handed Oisin the reins for the Windmill, just down the road. Rogers has many strings to his bow - when not running between his two pubs you can find him pulling shifts as a chef on the grill. He is also founder and organiser of the Scotch Egg Challenge, now in its tenth year. Oisín is a seasoned publican of 30 years, much in demand for his industry insights.
More: Follow Osh on Twitter @mcmoop and Instagram @mcmoop
Garreth Walsh
Job: General Manager
Where: Kimpton Fitzroy London
Dublin-born Garreth Walsh began his career in hospitality in Dublin at Jurys Ballsbridge Hotel, quickly working his way up to GM position, moving over to London to open Jurys Inn Chelsea aged just 28. After 15 years at The Doyle Collection, he joined Kimpton Fitzroy London on Russell Square in late 2019 where he'll be overseeing some exciting updates to the hotel’s food and beverage spaces this year.
More: Follow Garreth on Twitter @garrethwalsh
Media
Jessica Corrigan
Job: Co-Founder
Where: Crab Communications
The middle child of Richard Corrigan, Jess entered the PR side of the London food world in early 2015 under the tutelage of Maureen Mills at Network London. She then moved to Sauce Communications where her clients included Sat Bains, Tom Brown and Paul Ainsworth. Earlier this year Jess launched her own PR agency, CRAB Communications, with friends Tess Berry and Tom Rogers.
More: Follow Jessica on Instagram @jesscorrigan1
Diana Henry
Job: Food Writer and broadcaster
Born in Northern Ireland, Diana's been cooking since the tender age of six. In her early career as a TV producer - during which she took a year out to do a Leith’s Diploma Course - she worked on many of Hugh Fearnley- Whittingstall’s series. Following parenthood, she started writing about food and is now the author of 12 acclaimed cookery books. Her latest has just been published - From the Oven to the Table - and was an instant bestseller.
More: Follow Diana on Twitter@dianahenryfood and Instagram @dianahenryfood
Niamh Shields
Job: Food & travel blogger, freelance writer and author - Eat like a girl
Niamh seems to know everyone of note on the food and drink scene in London. A Londoner for over 18 years, she hails originally from Dungarvan in Co Waterford. She’s a total globetrotter, always on the go in search of new food inspiration. As well as her blog Eat Like a Girl, Niamh has a Podcast, Fingers in Pies. Niamh’s first book, Comfort & Spice, was published in 2011 and her second book, Bacon, the cookbook, will be published in April this year. Niamh was shortlisted twice for Red Woman of the Year and her blog won the Observer Food Monthly Blog of the Year. In 2017 her blog was also voted Best Food Blog by Good Housekeeping and Great British Food Magazine (twice!).
More: Follow Niamh on Instagram @eatlikeagirl or Twitter @eatlikeagirl
Joe Warwick
Job: Food Writer and broadcaster
Where: World Restaurant Awards
Joe Warwick is from the north of Ireland, Strangford in County Down to be more precise. He’s lived in London for the last 25 years and writes about restaurants, food, drink, travel and – very occasionally – other things. As a journalist, he has worked in print as a restaurant critic and magazine editor, on radio as a reporter for the BBC Radio 4 Food Programme, and on TV once suffered as a judge on Celebrity Master Chef. ‘Where Chefs Eat’, his bestselling international restaurant guide and iOS app is currently in its third edition. His latest project, The World Restaurant Awards, was launched in Paris last year.
More: Follow Joe on Twitter @joewarwick
Behind the scenes
Richard O'Connell
Job: Restaurant consultant
Where: Seasoned Consultancy
Born in Limerick and trained in Galway, Richard has worked on the London food scene for 27 years, starting at The Landmark under Andrew McLeish. He launched both Chiswell Street Dining Rooms and The Jugged Hare in the City and for the past few years has been Executive Chef at Tom's Kitchen. Now he's branching out on his own, offering advice to those in the industry through his Seasoned Consultancy. Last year he was behind the Murphia Games dinner at The Jugged Hare, featuring chefs on this list.
More: Follow Richard on Instagram @richard_o_connell
NEW: Gary Dunne
Job: Director of Culture
Where: The London Irish Centre
Laois-man Dunne first moved to London in the early 2000s as a young musician and cultural producer. Over the past 15 years plus, Gary has built a career as one of the leading presenters of Irish culture to international audiences. The current context for his work is the historic London Irish Centre in Camden, where Dunne is one of the central figures of an ambitious, flagship development of the Centre a world-class venue for the very best of all things Irish. The multi-million-pound campaign will feature new event spaces, café/bars, food offerings, cultural experiences and community services. The campaign is supported by Niall Horan with whom Gary is running events.
More: Follow Gary on Twitter @garydunne and the London Irish Centre on @LDNIrishCentre.
NEW: Jim Lyons
Job: Food & Beverage Manager
Where: Claridge's
Born in Sixmilebridge, County Clare, Jim Lyons was destined for a career in hotels,attending Shannon College of Hotel Management to gain a degree in Business and International Hotel Management. On graduating he went straight into top-flight hotel life, joining the Ritz Carlton Powerscourt as part of the pre-opening team in 2007. After extensive travels across South America Jim joined Claridge’s in 2009 as In-Room Dining Supervisor. Since then he's worked across the Food & Beverage department of the hotel as Events Operation Manager, Deputy Foyer & Reading Manager before becoming Claridge’s Food & Beverage Manager in 2018.
More: Follow Claridges on Instagram @claridgeshotel
Noel Mahony
Job: Chief Executive
Where: BaxterStorey
You may not have heard of BaxterStorey, but the odds are that you've eaten in one of their restaurants or cafes. As one of the UK’s leading independent food service management companies with 9000 employees, they provide food at universities and banks right through to fashion houses and historic venues. Noel, who originates from Kilkenny and trained with Trust House Forte, has been working in hospitality since 1984 arriving in the UK in 1987. He also helped build their Chef Academy whereby top chefs like John Campbell and Monica Galetti mentor BaxterStorey's culinary talent.
More: Follow Noel on Twitter @noelmahony1.
Sinead Mallozzi
Job: CEO
Place of work: sketch
With a background in hotel management - at one point she was the youngest and only female London hotel General Manager - Sinead, who's from County Clare, moved into events when she created London's first ice rink whilst working for Somerset House. Now as CEO of the sketch empire in London - including its three Michelin-starred restaurant - she oversees more than 8500 guests through the doors every week and was credited by owner Mourad Mazouz as being the restaurant’s saviour when it first opened. Sinead couldn't make this year's Murphia party but she had a good excuse - she was at Buckingham Palace for dinner with the Duchess of Cambridge who is Patron of Place2Be - the charity sketch supports (and has raised a lot of funds for).
Charlie McCarthy
Job: Business Development Manager
Where: WSET
Hailing from Skibbereen, Charlie has been in London since 2000 and is a veteran of the London cocktail scene. After a stint as UK Brand Ambassador for Hendrick's Gin & consulting on Tullamore DEW's cocktail programme and running his own consultancy A Drop of Irish, he's now taken up a new role with the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) as Business Development Manager EMEAI (Spirits) which means he delivers spirits education across the world from Dublin to Durban to Dubai to Delhi. He also works closely with Bord Bia on projects to help promote various Irish alcohol brands.
More: Follow A Drop of Irish on Instagram @adropofirish
Paul McKenna
Job: Managing Director
Where: Red Branch Hospitality
Born in Ireland to a family of restaurateurs, Paul’s first major role was leading the opening team for Sushinho in Chelsea. In 2013 he began working with Des McDonald with whom he opened Holborn Dining Room. Red Branch Hospitality have worked on various projects for the Irish-owned Doyle Collection; repositioning their restaurant and bar business across UK, Ireland and the USA and have recently grown their team to add a creative studio, allowing us to oversee brand and concept development, design, websites and social media strategy. Their clients include the Intercontinental Hotel Group, Poons and an exciting new project with Lock studios in Dalston.
More: Follow Paul on Twitter @armaghpmckenna
Alex Muir
Job: Deputy Director of Operations
Where: Sketch
Dublin-born but raised in Doolin County Clare in West Ireland, Alex started his career in London at Four Seasons London at Park Lane. From there he moved to the Mirror Room at Rosewood London before taking on a role at Nathan Outlaw's The Capital London. In 2016, Alex joined the Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square to launch La Dame de Pic London, the first UK outpost from French Michelin Star Chef Anne-Sophie Pic. He started the role of Deputy Director of Operations at sketch in January and says he's been enjoying the varied nature of the job, as well as getting to know each of the unique spaces within this historic building.
The producers
Evin O’Riordain
Job: Founder
Where: The Kernel Brewery
Indisputably one of the leaders of London’s modern craft beer scene, Evin arrived in London in 1999 from Waterford. For years he worked at Neal’s Yard Dairy before setting up his own cheese shop at Borough Market. A trip to New York inspired him to start homebrewing which led to opening his brewery in an arch at Druid Street by Maltby Street Market back in 2009. Now he's producing around 7600 barrels a year and Kernel beer is stocked in restaurants all over London from Andrew Edmunds to Hawksmoor. Kernel also has a popular taproom in Bermondsey just a few doors down from their brewery.
More: Follow them on Instagram @thekernelbrewery and the new taproom on Twitter @thekernelarch7
Darragh O'Shea
Job: Owner
Where: O’Shea’s Butchers
Darragh is the 8th generation of his family involved in the meat business, which originated in Tipperary back in 1789. Today he works with some of the top restaurants in London, supplying the best meat to the restaurant trade as well as serving up at O’Shea’s counter on Druid Street by Maltby St Market at the weekend. Most recently he's expanded the business to supply the cruise industry - you can now order a Cunarder burger featuring O'Shea beef or an O'Shea steak on board Cunard luxury liners.
More: Follow them on Twitter @osheasbutchers
Steve Ryan
Job: Food Photographer - Co-Founder of Root + Bone and 40FT Brewery
Where: Root + Bone, 40FT Brewery
Steve Ryan is a food and drink photographer from Kilkenny. Based in East London since 2010, he shoots both commercial and editorial photography for clients such as Guinness and Jamie Oliver. In 2014, he founded the independent food magazine Root + Bone, which distributes 30,000 copies to restaurants and bars throughout London. Having found a love for making beer with his housemates, in 2015, he co-founded 40FT Brewery, which throws an epic St Patrick's Day party every year and he's been a supporter of the Murphia List party for two years now.
More: Follow Root + Bone and 40FT on Instagram @rootandbone and @40ftbrewery/ and Steve on Instagram @_steveryan_/
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