Roisin O’Connor has been appointed Head Chef at The House Restaurant in Cliff House Hotel, which holds a Michelin star.
Roisin joined House Restaurant almost seventeen months ago as Senior Sous Chef under Head Chef Ian Doyle, and is thrilled to be taking the reigns at this stunning cliff side restaurant.
Roisin is enjoying planning her dishes and menus for the restaurant, commenting: “During my time here, I’ve been working alongside Ian and the rest of the team to build tremendous relationships with the local suppliers and producers, and I’m very keen to maintain and build on those relationships. We have incredible ingredients available to us locally which I love to work with, and which will be incorporated into my new menus simply and elegantly, so they are showcased and enjoyed at their best.”
Roisin grew up on a farm in North Kerry, overlooking the sea, where they grew their own vegetables, and reared their own lambs and chicken, so she’s always had a deep connection with and appreciation for quality ingredients and where they come from.
Roisin attended the Shannon College of Hotel Management, and was just 17 years old when she moved to France and fell in love with the kitchen, starting her career in the Michelin star Four Season Hotel in Provence, France as a Commis de Cuisine and staying there for two years before moving to the five-star L’Apogee Courchevel in the French Alps.
Roisin then moved to the Michelin star Château Saint Martin, part of Relais & Châteaux. From France, Roisin moved to London in November 2014 and added another Michelin star restaurant to her CV as senior Chef de Partie at Petrus in Knightsbridge for two and a half years before moving onto their sister restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsey, in Chelsea. London thought Roisin self-discipline and gave her a strong work ethic, and she enjoyed having the opportunity to work with some of the country’s best Chefs at that time, gaining a wealth of knowledge from them.
Roisin returned to Ireland in April 2016 and joined the esteemed team at McNean House in Cavan, working with Neven MaGuire, where she enjoyed the team spirit and shift to a better work-life balance. The move back to Ireland reawakened her love of the countryside and she started to develop an interest in foraging, which grew immensely upon her move to Aimsir Restaurant, where it became an integral part of her work. In October 2021, she took the opportunity to move to Ardmore and work in House Restaurant.
Along with her culinary talents, Roisin completed a Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety from AIT in 2018 and a Diploma in HR from Dublin Business School in 2020.
General Manager of Cliff House Hotel, Patrick Shields, is delighted to appoint Roisin as Head Chef: “From when she joined the CLIFF group in Aimsir three years ago, Roisin has shown immense talent and capability, so there is no doubt in my mind that she is the perfect person for this position. We have a brilliant team in House Restaurant, and beautiful plans for a soft refurbishment, so we’re very excited for the year to come.”
