2021 Award Winners CHEF OF THE YEAR 2021

Damien Grey Liath

Serving an exquisite tasting menu, Damien Grey and a superb team deliver a fairy tale experience at his stylish little restaurant. Underpinned by seasonality, excellence and genuine warmth it offers a sense of escapism and exclusivity and is widely recognised as one of the finest dining experiences in Ireland. But, with sittings of no more than 12 diners, the question everyone is pondering is: how do you make that pay? It seems that Damien is making it clear that the age of cheap food is over; low prices in a high cost economy are not sustainable. As consumers, this is just one example of a truth we will have to accept - that quality costs money, that quality is not quantity, and that consuming better in terms of quality will lead to consuming less in terms of quantity. The message is timely and, during Covid-19 restrictions, reinforced by a number of innovative initiatives including an outstanding Liath To Go offering and a virtual dining experience, ‘Liath Uncut’. Small, yes. But mighty.