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Meet the Irish chefs making waves in top London restaurants
Meet the Irish chefs making waves in top London restaurants

Irish Examiner

time5 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • Irish Examiner

Meet the Irish chefs making waves in top London restaurants

We all know London is a culinary powerhouse and one to watch when it comes to what's hot in food. Do you know what's hot there right now? Ireland. Irish food, Irish pubs, Irish cooking. And it's no wonder when there has always been a constant stream of chefs making the pilgrimage over the water to sharpen their skills. Some chefs do their time and head home and we're all the better for it. Kevin Burke returned and opened Library Street; Niall Davidson came back and launched Allta; and, more recently, Adam Nevin returned to his home town of Maynooth, earning the first Michelin star for Carton House. Then there are the chefs who put down roots in London and become an intrinsic part of the food scene, led by the formidable Richard Corrigan, who's been the flag bearer for Irish cuisine in his restaurants and on British TV screens for decades. There are plenty following in his footsteps, most notably Anna Haugh, who runs Myrtle, a contemporary Irish restaurant in Chelsea, and has become a familiar face on the BBC, and Dubliner Robin Gill, with his expanding group of brilliant restaurants across the city. Anna Haugh of Myrtle In fact, there are so many significant Irish names in the hospitality game that each year one of London's top restaurant websites, Hot Dinners, publishes the Murphia list, highlighting the 50 most influential Irish people in the food scene in the city. Corrigan, Haugh, and Gill are always in the mix along with other stalwarts such as Antrim-born Clare Smyth, one of the most accomplished chefs in Britain, Kerry man Kenneth Culhane, the head chef at Michelin-starred The Dysart Petersham, Corkonian Dee Rettali, of Fortitude Bakehouse, and Dubliner Nick Fitzgerald, chef-owner of Tacos Padre in the famous Borough Market. Newer additions include Tipperary native Christine Walsh, who's now the head chef at Chishuru, a West African Michelin-starred restaurant, and Paddy Maher, who's cooking at the Pearly Queen in east London, where his mashed potato with Guinness and seaweed gravy has been getting rave reviews. Robin Gill at Darby's Speaking of Guinness, the whole of London's Soho seems to have a pint of Guinness in hand since The Devonshire opened its doors in late 2023 under the watchful eye of pub landlord and Sligo man Oisín Rogers. It joins a long list of Irish hospitality stories making noise in London. In 2021, chef Max Rocha opened Café Cecilia in east London and quickly garnered a cult following, becoming the darling of the fashion and foodie crowds. Then there's the Yellow Bittern on Caledonian Rd, a restaurant from Belfast-born Hugh Corcoran and his partner Frances Armstrong-Jones that got every food critic scribbling an opinion on their purposefully anachronistic approach to doing things, only taking bookings by phone and only accepting cash payments. At the other end of the spectrum is the upscale Marylebone bistro Lita, which made headlines partly because of its pricey menu but more recently because they gained a Michelin star within a year of opening. Guess where head chef Luke Ahearne is from? Tipperary. Gone are the days, it seems, when finding something Irish in London meant a grotty pub and a pack of Tayto. Christine Walsh Christine Walsh of Chishuru Christine, originally from Tipperary, gained recognition while cooking in Galway at Loam and then Éan. She moved to London three years ago and is now the head chef at Chishuru, a modern West African, one-star Michelin restaurant in Fitzrovia. Irish ingredients: We use a lot of Irish protein — lamb and beef. Not intentional but we source the best fish at the most sustainable time for fishing it, and it often comes from the Irish Sea, which I love. Irish spots in London: Brendan The Navigator in Highgate. They host huge trad sessions on Sundays. For a pint, The Winchester on Archway Rd (my local), The Lamb on Holloway Rd, or The George in Fitzrovia. Favourite thing about London: The diversity of food and culture. Middle Eastern food and hospitality are beyond some of the best you'll find and so, so reasonably priced. For Turkish, I go to an ocakbasi grill in Green Lanes called Hala. For Palestinian, I love Akub in Notting Hill. Homesick for: The sausages in my local butcher, O'Dwyer's in Killenaule, Tipperary. My dad has them stocked in the fridge when I come home. Luke Ahearne Luke Ahearne of Lita Luke is the head chef at Michelin-starred Lita in Marylebone. He grew up in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, and moved to London at 23, honing his skills at The Clove Club, Luca, and later as head chef at Corrigan's Mayfair. Irish ingredients: My menu is very much south Mediterranean focused but my cooking is very seasonal and produce-driven so prime Irish produce does make an appearance on the menu. At the moment, I use Irish beef and Irish butter. Irish spots: The Devonshire and Homeboy in Islington, for sure. Any Richard Corrigan restaurant is always a good bet. Darby's by Robin Gill. In East London, Molly Bloom's for a pint. Favourite London food: There are great, diverse food markets. I love eating Turkish food in Dalston and, for pizza, Gordos Pizzeria, and also Crisp W6 at The Chancellors. Homesick for: I miss Tayto crisps — they always come back in the suitcase with me. Patrick Powell Patrick Powell of The Knave of Clubs Hailing from Killala, Co Mayo, Patrick has been cooking in some of London's top restaurants for over 14 years, having previously worked in Ireland and Australia. He is culinary director for East End pub The Knave of Clubs and adjoining restaurant One Club Row. Irish ingredients: I use a lot of Irish oysters, brought in by Simon Lamont. They are exceptional. Irish influence: I like to cook stuff that's quite comforting and generous and I think a lot of that stems from Irish hospitality. Irish pubs: Nancy Spains, a new pub done up like an old pub. Doesn't serve Guinness, only Murphy's, which is interesting. I like the Auld Shillelagh. We were hoping to get Beamish into our new pub but I'm not sure we can get it. Homesick for: My big one is always Hunky Dorys. I get my mum or sisters to bring them over. The Irish Dairy Milks are better too. You don't get Golden Crisp or Mint Crisp here. Beth O'Brien Beth O'Brien Dublin-born Beth has been in London for nine months working on a new opening in west London called The Fat Badger, where she will be the sous chef. In Ireland, she worked at Ballymaloe House and made a name for herself by sharing recipe tests on her Instagram page @bethcooksthings. Irish influence: I make soda bread quite regularly, which is quite similar to my mum's brown bread. I also incorporate some elements in the dessert menu that are inspired by my childhood, like the marmalade steamed pudding. Irish spots: Cafe Cecilia in Hackney and Fortitude Bakery in Bloomsbury. My local, Angie's in Westbourne Park, is my favourite place (and the cheapest I've found) for a pint. Favourite food in London: The bacon maple pastry at Pophams, pain au choc at Layla, morning bun at Fortitude, bacon sandwich at The Devonshire, tortilla txistorra at Sabor, and pasta at Canteen. Homesick for: I miss a good, consistent pint of Guinness. I can get most of the Irish food I love in London, so the only thing I bring back regularly is stoneground wholemeal flour, which is quite difficult to find in the UK. Diarmuid Goodwin Diarmuid Goodwin Diarmuid grew up just outside Belfast and has been cooking in London for well over a decade, training with Angela Hartnett and then heading up some of the city's favourite restaurants. He's currently freelancing and focusing on pop-up events and residencies. Irish influence: I've been leaning more into this recently, which I'm finding incredibly fulfilling. Roast skate wing with smoked eel peppercorn sauce and colcannon has become a bit of a signature dish for me. Irish pub: You can't beat the Auld Shillelagh, one of my favourite Irish bars in London — they've a very good pint of Guinness. Favourite thing about London: The endless food and drink places. Every week, a new place opens. London is full of incredibly talented and creative people. It's a melting pot of so many different people and cultures, especially restaurants, and it's really beautiful to be immersed in this. Homesick for: Veda bread, with mountains of butter, and Harp Ice on draught. Five signature Irish dishes to try in London Chicken fillet roll at Inis Chicken fillet roll at Inis 13 Rookwood Way, Fish Island, E3 2XT, This East London restaurant has plenty of Irish influence on its modern, seasonal menu and the lunchtime chicken fillet roll has become a fast favourite for locals. Guinness and oysters at Darby's 3 Viaduct Gardens, Nine Elms, SW11 7AY, Darby's may be Robin Gill's New York-inspired spot but this pairing is purely Irish. Don't miss their great value oyster happy hour. Shpuds n' butter at Shankey's 221 Well St, E9 6RG. At this Irish-Indian restaurant and bar, there is lots to love including an epic cocktail list featuring the unique Shpuds n' Butter made with Kerrygold washed Ban Poitín. Guinness bread at Café Cecilia 32 Andrews Road, Hackney, E8 4FX, Chef Max Rocha cites his Guinness bread as the backbone of Café Cecilia. Every meal begins and ends with it from the bread plate when you first sit to the Guinness bread ice cream for dessert. Beef stuffed boxty at Myrtle 1a Langton Street, Chelsea. SW10 0JL The menu at Anna Haugh's contemporary Irish restaurant changes seasonally but you'll always find a version of her famous boxty stuffed with braised Irish beef.

Mark English produces career highlight to break his own Irish 800m record in Poland
Mark English produces career highlight to break his own Irish 800m record in Poland

Irish Independent

time11 hours ago

  • Sport
  • Irish Independent

Mark English produces career highlight to break his own Irish 800m record in Poland

That rewrote the national record of 1:44.53 that English ran in June last year and continued his fine start to the outdoor season, having clocked 1:44.75 to also win in Los Angeles last weekend. Once again, English unleashed a flying last 100 metres, having run towards the front throughout, and his kick carried him clear of Croatia's Marino Bloudek (1:44.74) and Poland's Filip Ostrowski (1:44.96). The Donegal native has taken time out from his medical career and is currently a full-time athlete, training under the guidance of Australian coach Justin Rinaldi. In March, English claimed his fifth European medal, winning 800m bronze at the European Indoors in the Netherlands. Cathal Doyle also impressed in Bydgoszcz, the Dubliner clocking 3:34.67 to finish third in the 1500m behind Spain's Mohamed Attaoui (3:33.30) and Italy's Federico Riva (3:33.79). Doyle had opened his season with a 3:33.32 clocking at the Rabat Diamond League last weekend and his latest run, while short of the automatic world qualifying standard, will again improve his world ranking and all but ensure his place in Tokyo later this year. Jodie McCann was in action in the women's 1500m in Bydgoszcz, the Paris Olympian clocking 4:09.78 to finish eighth, a race won by Poland's Weronika Lisakowska in 4:01.99.

Duo kick off epic run the length of Ireland in aid of Pieta House
Duo kick off epic run the length of Ireland in aid of Pieta House

Sunday World

time14 hours ago

  • Sport
  • Sunday World

Duo kick off epic run the length of Ireland in aid of Pieta House

The lads say they are doing the run 'for those who can't' Dubliner Bill Staunton and Donegal man Barry Lee yesterday kicked off their 10-day journey by beginning their run from Mizen Head to Malin Head. 'I've always had a strong sporting background and a passion for pushing myself both mentally and physically,' explains Bill, who hails from Balscadden in north Co Dublin and currently lives in Sydney. 'The Wild Irish Run is my first endurance challenge of this scale, and it's something I've felt deeply compelled to take on.' Poster for the Wild Irish Run Barry, who hails from Letterkenny, also lives in Sydney. 'He has a strong sporting background and, last year, he ran 126km in a single day around Centennial Park in Sydney, raising funds for the Irish Heart Foundation,' explains Bill. The lads are geared up for their epic run. 'The run is a 10-day journey from Mizen Head in Co Cork to Malin Head in Co Donegal, covering approximately 550km,' notes Terenure College and UCD graduate Bill. 'It's in support of Pieta House, a charity that provides vital services for people affected by suicide and self-harm. 'Our tagline is 'Do it for those who can't', which reflects our motivation to honour those who are struggling or no longer with us. 'We're grateful to have the support of Donegal Motorhomes, who have kindly sponsored a camper van for the event. 'This will serve as our base each day throughout the run, and their support has been a huge help in making this journey possible.' The duo hope to complete their run on June 7. Bill Staunton and Barry Lee News in 90 Seconds - May 30th 'Our aim is not just to raise funds, but also to spark conversation, connection, and hope across the country,' he beams. 'This is a very personal mission for both of us, and it means a lot to have support from family and friends. 'We're also inviting anyone who feels inspired to join us for a few kilometres along the way, to help us spread the message that no one has to face mental health struggles alone. Whether people run, walk, or just show up for support, every bit of energy adds to the cause.' The lads have so far raised over €8,000 of their €20,000 target for the charity. * Donations can be made on GoFundMe here.

Conor McGregor called out for bare knuckle fight by UFC star
Conor McGregor called out for bare knuckle fight by UFC star

Irish Daily Mirror

time15 hours ago

  • Sport
  • Irish Daily Mirror

Conor McGregor called out for bare knuckle fight by UFC star

Former UFC welterweight standout Mike Perry has challenged Conor McGregor to a bare-knuckle fight. McGregor hasn't competed since suffering a devastating first-round loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021, though recent training footage hints at a potential return. The Dubliner was set to face Michael Chandler last year but pulled out after sustaining a training injury. Meanwhile, Perry has carved out a dominant presence in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) — a promotion partially owned by McGregor — following his UFC departure four years ago. Since making his bare-knuckle debut in 2022, the 33-year-old American has remained unbeaten, notching five impressive victories and establishing himself as a force in the sport. His last bout was in professional boxing, where he lost to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. He's yet to make a BKFC comeback after being jokimgly fired by McGregor. The 'Notorious' has often hinted at a BKFC fight, and Perry is more than ready to welcome the former dual-weight UFC champion into the ring. Keen to get back into action, 'Platinum' has challenged McGregor to get off his "a**." Speaking on the Pound 4 Pound Podcast with UFC legends Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo, he said: "Bare-knuckle is really fun and exciting, I'm 5-0 and I got a lot of credit over there, I'm the king of violence over there. "Conor's over there messing about. Get back in the ring and let's do something, Platinum Tequila vs Proper 12. Your whiskey dropped you, I'll drop you. Yeah (I would like to fight McGregor in BKFC), I would like to fight Jake (Paul) in bare-knuckle but he wouldn't do it, so we created Dirty Boxing." Back in March, McGregor hinted that he may be done with the UFC after stating that he was happy with everything he had accomplished inside the cage. 'I've got two fights on the contract, I'm in negotiations," he said at a BKFC event. "Last week something happened to me, I went to the White House and my heart bleeds for my country right now. So there's a lot of stuff going on back home, I'm happy with what I've done. There's something else for me that's in my gut right now and that's kind of where I'm going.'' That said, just moments later, when asked if he could fight and be president at the same time, the Irishman gave a quick response, replying: 'F*****g right I will, of course, are you crazy? That's part of why I want to do it! To be announced as the President of Ireland while having a fight? Imagine that. But for sure, hell yeah, hell yes.'

Kellie Harrington pivoting to showbiz world as she announces Dublin live show with famous comedian
Kellie Harrington pivoting to showbiz world as she announces Dublin live show with famous comedian

The Irish Sun

time20 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • The Irish Sun

Kellie Harrington pivoting to showbiz world as she announces Dublin live show with famous comedian

BOXING fans will be able to take in "An Evening with Kellie Harrington" at Dublin's Ambassador Theatre across two days in September. The pride of Portland Row hung up her gloves after 4 It will have a two-day run across September 5 and 6 Credit: @kelly_harrington14 4 She retained her crown as the gold standard in the women's 60kg category by Wenlu Yang in the final 4 Harrington's show will also have a musical component to it 4 Comic and radio DJ PJ Gallagher will join her onstage Credit: PA It will essentially be an intimate long interview with the ring legend about her journey from adolescence to becoming a national treasure. Those who've read her autobiography will know that means it'll include her stint in the army before ultimately deciding to fully commit herself down the amateur boxing path which meant she had to take on a job as a personal trainer instead. Over the course of her adult life she's mostly been employed as a cleaner at St. Vincent's Hospital in Fairview. While it might not seem like a glamorous job for an Olympic champion, the 35-year-old has continually spoken of how she adores forming bonds with patients there. Read More On Irish Sport MCD Productions' promotional post for her looming show read: "Kellie Harrington, double Olympic gold boxing champion and national icon, is bringing her inspirational story to the stage in a powerful live show 'An Audience with Kellie Harrington' to The Ambassador Theatre, Dublin!" Comedian PJ Gallagher will chair things as the guest interviewer. It won't be straight talking for the whole show, however, as there's also the promise of live music. Given Harrington is well able to belt out a few tunes herself, we imagine she'll be an active participant in that portion of proceedings too. The show will take place on the evening of Friday September 5 as well as two shows on the Saturday between a matinee and evening session. Most read in Boxing The two evening shows are restricted to those aged 18 and over. But the Saturday matinee on September 6 is open to kids too. Adult tickets are priced from €40.90 and have gone on sale Jake Paul is 'not a boxer' and Tommy Fury 'can't fight' says legendary promoter Bob Arum is sensational double blast As recently as March, the Dubliner had seemed to However, definitive confirmation that she was finished up as a fighter came when She had returned to training towards the end of 2024 and And, underlining her decision to officially retire, she explained: 'I'll be following the girls, just watching their fights online. "I know they're going to do great because they've had great preparation . . . but I won't be there.'

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