Meet the Irish movers and shakers shaping London’s food and drink scene
Life & Style

Meet the Irish movers and shakers shaping London’s food and drink scene

THE ninth annual Murphia List, celebrating the best of Irish talent on London’s food and drink scene, has been released.

The 2023 list, published in association with Bord Bia, The Irish Food Board, was celebrated at a party held last night at The Bloomsbury Hotel in London.

Head chef at The Five Fields, Marguerite Keogh

The party was attended by chefs, restaurateurs and London’s food media and showcased some fantastic Irish produce such as grass-fed Irish Hereford beef, Clonakilty black pudding and native oysters.

Celebrity Chef Anna Haugh makes the list for another year

This year’s publication sees 57 names on the prestigious list with nine new entries joining the ranks for the first time.

Additions include a clutch of chefs working at London’s top restaurants along with the head of an award-winning design agency and a hotel butler whose appearance on two TV documentaries have made him a star.

New to the list is Adam Nevin, Head Chef at The Grill at The Dorchester

Adam Nevin, who has just been promoted to Head Chef at The Grill at The Dorchester, is one of two new chefs on the list to have trained up at the internationally renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork.

He joins fellow alumnus Conor Gadd, the Chef Owner at Islington’s Trullo.

Trullo owner and chef, Conor Cadd

Across town at Claridge’s, head butler Michael Lynch is another new name on the list and one familiar to those who’ve been watching the BBC’s The Mayfair Hotel Megabuild documentary this year.

It’s a busy time for many of the Murphia names.

New entry Fionnan Flood, of The Chelsea Pig

Chef Patrick Powell, best known for his work at Allegra in Stratford, is about to open the Midland Grand Dining Room at St Pancras this spring.

Well-known pub landlord Oisin Rogers is gearing up to open his own pub in central London, while The Wolseley’s general manager Fergal Lee will be heading over to the city to open up The Wolseley City later this year.

Olivia McGowan, Assistant General Manager at Humo

Meanwhile, new entry Shayne Brady, of design studio BradyWilliams, is preparing himself for a guest TV judge spot on the BBC’s Interior Design Masters show.

Hot Dinners co-founder Catherine Hanly said: "Every year we love hearing about the creative contributions being made by Irish people to London hospitality.

Restaurateurs Robin and Sarah Gill are staples on the annual list

“Whether they’re opening new restaurants, running fabulous pubs or serving up amazing food the London food and drink scene wouldn’t be the same without them."

New addition Michael Lynch is the Head Butler at Claridge's

Donal Denvir, Bord Bia’s UK General Manager added: “Bord Bia is thrilled to partner with Hot Dinners for this year’s acclaimed Murphia List.

“The event is a true celebration of the best of London’s Irish food and drink scene, shining a light on the wealth of talent and creativity Ireland brings to the city.”

Diarmuid Goodwin, Head Chef at Sager + Wilde, in action

The Murphia 2023 list in full...

Chefs  

NEW: Adam Nevin – Head Chef: The Grill at the Dorchester

NEW: Fionnan Flood - Head Chef: The Chelsea Pig

NEW:  Conor Gadd - Chef/Owner: Trullo

NEW: Diarmuid Goodwin – Head Chef: Sager + Wilde

Kenneth Culhane - Head Chef: The Dysart

Nick Fitzgerald - Chef/Patron: Tacos Padre

Fiona Hannon - Head Chef: Bentley's

Anna Haugh - Chef Patron: Myrtle

Colin Kelly - Head Chef: 22 Grosvenor Square

Marguerite Keogh - Head Chef: The Five Fields

Niamh Larkin – Pastry Chef; 45 Park Lane

Dave McCarthy - Head Chef: Scott's

Patrick Powell - Head chef: Allegra

Max Rocha – Chef/Owner: Café Cecilia

Clare Smyth MBE - Chef Patron: Core by Clare Smyth

Restaurateurs:

Richard Corrigan - Chef Patron of Corrigan Collection

Mark and Alan Wogan - Directors: Homeslice

Robin and Sarah Gill - Restaurateurs and chef: Bermondsey Larder, Darby's & more

John Devitt - Owner: Koya Soho, Koya City

Sinead Campbell - Restaurateur: Bong Bong's Manila Kanteen

Garrett Fitzgerald - Restaurateur: Butchies

Brian Hannon - Restaurateur: Super 8 Restaurants - Smoking Goat, Kiln, Brat

David Moore - Founding Director: Pied à Terre

John Nugent - CEO: Green & Fortune

Ciara O'Shea and Ken Nally - Owners: F. Mondays

Pubs, bars, cafes and bakeries      

NEW: Colin Maher – Group Bars Manager: JKS Pubs

Oisin Rogers: Publican and Restaurateur

Gearoid Devane - Founder: The Black Book

Cormac Gibney - Bar Manager: Gibney's London

Aaron Wall and Ciarán Smith - Owners: Homeboy, The Bottle Cocktail Shop

James Hennebry – Co-Founder: Rosslyn Coffee

Dee Rettali – Owner: Fortitude Bakehouse

Front of House   

NEW: Michael Lynch – Head Butler: Claridge’s

NEW: Olivia MacGowan – Assistant General Manager: Humo

Richie Corrigan - Operations Director: The Corrigan Collection

Conor Daly - General Manager: The George

Fergal Lee - GM: The Wolseley

Shane McHugh - Wine Buyer/Group Head Sommelier: Goodman Group

Joe Warwick - "Vieille Prune Dispenser": Bouchon Racine

Behind the scenes   

NEW: Shayne Brady – Co-founder and Director of Hospitality: BradyWilliams

NEW: Andrew Fowler - TBC

Darren McHugh - Operations Manager - MJMK

Molly Hutchinson - Founder - MIAM Management, Event Director of Meatopia

Fiona Leahy - Founder: Fiona Leahy Design

Sinead Mallozzi - CEO: sketch

Producers & Retailers

James Goggin - Head of Sales: Empirical

Simon Lamont: Founder: Rocks Oysters

Evin O’Riordain - Founder: The Kernel Brewery

Darragh O'Shea - Owner: O’Shea’s Butchers

Steve Ryan -Food Photographer - Co-Founder: Root + Bone and 40FT Brewery, Director: Acme Fire Cult

Media 

Jessica Corrigan - Co-Founder: Crab Communications

Diana Henry - Food Writer and broadcaster

Niamh Shields - Writer and cookbook author