LIFE
THE RESTAURANT
A vintage market in a leafy Dublin suburb may not seem like a foodie haven but among the stalls of antiques, second-hand books and pre-loved clothes at Blackrock market, a smorgasbord of food offerings can be found, from sweet treats to vegetarian Indian and authentic Italian. Heron & Grey is a petite fine dining restaurant – the 22-seater is one of the world’s smallest Michelin-starred eatery – that opened in 2015 with Australian chef Damien Grey and native front-of-house manager Andrew Heron at the helm.
The pair met through a mutual friend. “Damien drew me a dish,” Andrew says, “and I thought, this guy is perfect.” When a restaurant space became available in the market, they jumped at it. “Over the years my peers told me to buy the worst place in the best street,” Damien explains, “and we are in a tiny market, off the street, but in one of the best areas in Dublin, so it made sense immediately.”
Keeping an eye on the bottom line was a priority from the beginning, says Andrew who points out that its off-beat location made it financially accessible. “We started in the black from the beginning. Damien has run kitchens and I’ve run restaurants all our lives and we’ve always managed the money as well. A lot of people who get into the industry don’t understand that it’s still a business.”
It was the food rather than the business model that drew the attention of Michelin, who deemed it , ‘quirky, innovative and original.’
“The Michelin star was amazing,” says Damien. “We didn’t set out for it but as far as business goes, it’s a godsend and with that knowledge we immediately reinvested back into the project knowing we can afford to do so.”
“There’s no reason why Ireland can’t
is our meat and our vegetables. We have an abundance of wild products.”
Modern Asian and Australian notes appear on a tasting menu of seasonal and local fare that changes regularly, with dishes like Fermanagh black bacon with fried capers and cured pineapple, hake with seaweed and salsify, oyster with fermented rice and buttermilk cream appearing just once, never to be repeated. “Irish people travel, they always have, and they want different things. They are very experimental.”
46 18 INNOVATION IRELAN REVIEW
be the food capital of the world – we have everything: our fish is good, so
When it comes to the food scene, Damien believes Ireland is the best it’s ever been and is only getting better. “We are at a point now in Irish cuisine where there is variety, the standard of the food has gone up, people are more conscious of where it’s coming from. When I first came to Ireland, finding a Thai restaurant was a nightmare, now they’re all over the place. You have Italian, French and Mexican food. The Celtic Tiger brought so many foreigners with them into the country and they brought their knowledge, their ideas and flavours with them.”
And Irish produce is more than holding its own weight. “I love Irish beef, and Irish lamb is amazing, both the fish and seafood is ridiculously good. It’s unbelievable,” the chef enthuses. “We have Waterford lamb and Irish snails on the menu. We have a lady who grows all of our vegetables on an allotment in Ratoath in Meath.”
He continues: “There’s no reason why Ireland can’t be the food capital of the world – we have everything: our fish is good, so is our meat and our vegetables. We have an abundance of wild products. The seaweed industry could be huge.”
And it seems the customers are pretty great too, according to the Aussie who has lived here for 19 years. “The people here are genuine, they’re real. They’re creative as hell and curious. Life is always good fun here. No matter how bad things get, you have the craic and have a laugh at the end of the day.”
heronandgrey.com
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