Chapter One has been chosen as Ireland’s top restaurant of the year by an expert panel of judges. The award follows a series of similar industry accolades for the eatery based in Dublin’s Parnell Square. Chapter One won restaurant of the year last year and was selected as the capital’s top restaurant in 2008, 2004 and 2002.
l’Ecrivain and Gregans Castle in Ballyvaughan, Co Clare, were highly commended and commended respectively. Chapter One’s Ross Lewis won the chef of the year award. Kevin Thornton of Thornton’s Restaurant and Derry Clarke of l’Ecrivain were highly commended and commended respectively.
Ross Golden-Bannon, editor, Food & Wine magazine with top chef Ross Lewis of Chapter One.
This year’s hall of fame award was shared between Adriaan Bartels of the Cliff House Hotel in Ardmore, Co Waterford and Darina Allen of the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Shanagarry, Co Cork. Deanes restaurant in Belfast won the Ulster best restaurant award and Gregans Castle was the Munster winner.
Kilkenny eatery Campagne won the Leinster prize and its chef, Garrett Byrne, was voted the province’s best chef. Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites was the winner for Connaught. One Pico won the Dublin best restaurant award. Neven Maguire of the McNean House & Restaurant in Co Cavan was Ulster’s top chef.
The awards are organised by Food & Wine magazine. Harmonia publisher Norah Casey and comedian Barry Murphy hosted the awards show. Among the guests were broadcaster Gay Byrne; former government junior minister Liz O’Donnell; actor Pat Shortt; John Pearson, Edward Dillon; ex-TV3 presenter Lorraine Keane; photographer Barry McCall; Julian Davis of Fleishman-Hillard and marketing consultant Carolyn Odgers.
