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Driving Force: Meet Laura Chabal and Kevin O’Donnell, the culinary visionaries behind Comet
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This creative couple have crafted a neighbourhood restaurant serving exceptional Irish food.
For Laura Chabal and Kevin O’Donnell, opening Comet was never about creating the city’s next exclusive dining destination. Instead, the husband-and-wife team set out to build something far more enduring: a warm, welcoming neighbourhood restaurant, serving exceptional Irish food. “Although we’re in the centre of the city, we’re tucked away on Joshua Lane, which makes it feel like we are in our own little bubble,” says Kevin. The couple wanted to create a space that would allow diners to forget what time of day it is once they are inside.
For French-born Laura the design of the space was crucial to the overall experience. “Utimately, regardless of how good the food is, the way people feel in the restaurant is going to be what stays with them… and that feeling starts from the moment you walk in the door.” Evidence of the couple’s years spent working abroad in Denmark and France can be found in the sophisticated continental interior design touches, including rich wood panelling, softly lit mirrors, linen fabrics and polished bare tables.
“The restaurant is almost exclusively shaped by our experiences abroad,” continues Kevin, whose culinary journey has seen him cooking in some of the world’s most impressive Michelin-starred kitchens, including Kadeau in Copenhagen, Le Doyenne, outside Paris, and Bastible in Dublin. “I always gravitated towards places that were highly dictated by the seasons and the kitchen at Comet is no different. We keep our menu flexible to work with what’s coming in from the farmers and suppliers we work with, and always use the best seasonal ingredients we can get our hands on.”
Interestingly, the decision to return was not originally part of the couple’s masterplan. “We’d been travelling and working abroad for years and never really had the urge to move home,” recalls Kevin. “Then we spent one random weekend at home, seeing friends, having dinner with Laura’s mum, just normal stuff – and suddenly, sitting in the airport afterwards, I got the first feeling of homesickness in my life.”
That feeling proved impossible to ignore. Soon after, the couple handed in their notices and planned a period of travel before an unexpected opportunity arose. When restaurateur Barry FitzGerald offered them the chance to create something of their own, they seized it.
Since opening in June 2025, Comet’s ascent has been remarkable. Awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand within just five months, it rapidly cemented its status as one of Dublin’s most exciting new eateries. But it’s refreshing to hear that their ambitions remain solidly grounded. Rather than expansion plans or accolades, success is measured by sustainability, both for the business and the people within it. “We’re not flashy; having a healthy business would be the greatest marker of success for us. Making sure we are looking after ourselves and our staff; paying everyone properly, ensuring we all get time off, but still constantly striving to improve our offering. That’s the magic for me,” declares Kevin.
More broadly, the talented couple are optimistic about the future of Irish food. Increasing numbers of talented young chefs and hospitality professionals are returning home after gaining experience overseas, bringing fresh ideas and global perspectives with them. “It’s exciting to see Ireland increasingly becoming an international food destination, and it’s these young people making that happen,” concludes Kevin.
If Comet is any indication, the future of Irish hospitality has never been more assured.
7 Quickfire questions with Comet
What is your favourite food film of all time?
Laura: Julie and Julia. Kevin: Barbaque
The best meal you’ve had on your travels in the last year?
Planque and Brawn in London
Favourite foodie road trip in Ireland?
Driving out west, oysters in Morans on the weir, Dinner at Lignum.
Where did the name Comet come from?
After a champagne from one of our favourite producers: Etienne Calsac.
A hidden Irish food destination you always recommend?
Assassination Custard
An Irish producer worth driving across the country to visit?
Kevin is obsessed with pigs so driving down to see Dermot Allen in Wicklow is always a great day out.
Your aperitif of choice?
A very dirty martini
To celebrate Driving Force: Designing the Future, IMAGE and Range Rover are shining a light on the people shaping tomorrow’s Ireland. Across food, design, business, culture and innovation, this series celebrates a new generation of visionaries whose creativity, ambition and determination are helping redefine what progress looks like.
Photography Melanie Mullan, Ruth Maria Murphy and Ruth Calder Potts
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