The Murphia List 2019: The most influential Irish people on London’s food scene

The fifth annual Murphia List, celebrating the 50 most influential Irish people in the food scene in London, has been announced. The list is always an exciting read and it’s a real eye-opener to see how many of the top chefs, restaurateurs, food names in London are Irish.

The list itself is run by second-generation Irish brother and sister duo Catherine and Gavin Hanly, the brains behind Hot Dinners, one of London’s top restaurant websites.

Where and who?

The List-ees gathered in the glam surrounds of Number Six, part of Irish owned The Marylebone hotel, sipping Black Velvets on arrival followed by an all Irish line up of Red Breast, Dingle Gin and Porterhouse beers.

There was a big buzz around chef Anna Haugh, new to the list, who’s about to open her first solo venture in April in Chelsea named Myrtle, after the eponymous Myrtle Allen.

Haugh politely answered plenty of questions on location, menu and opening dates for curious partygoers.

Food writer and blogger Niamh Shiels, who’s been on the list from the start, chatted potatoes with Joanna Hughes, shop manager from the Quality Chop House (apparently their’s are the best) and Niamh did a stellar job introducing list newcomers Simon and Cairene Whiteside from Roe in Brixton around the room.

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Shauna Froydenlund, chef patron at Marcus welcomed her friend and old flatmate Marguerite Keogh, head chef at The Five Fields to the list, reminiscing on when they started out together on the London restaurant scene ten years ago.

Niamh Shiels 

Kevin Burke, head chef from The Ninth was celebrating what might be his last year on the list, he’s planning on moving back to Ireland later in the year.

Richard Corrigan, one of the biggest names on the list, popped in straight from a flight only to be gone again, no doubt busy getting ready for his infamous St. Patricks Day breakfast later in the week. The party marked the start of a busy St. Patricks week for many of the London Irish who as you can see from the list below have had quite the impact on the food world here.

The Murphia List 2019

Chefs

Kevin Burke – Head Chef, The Ninth

Kenneth Culhane – Head Chef, The Dysart

Shauna Froydenlund – Chef Patron, Marcus

NEW: Fiona Hannon – Head Chef, Bentley’s

NEW: Anna Haugh – Chef Patron, Myrtle

Marguerite Keogh – Head Chef, The Five Fields

Dave McCarthy – Head Chef, Scott’s

Aidan McGee – Head Chef, Corrigan’s Mayfair

NEW: Colin McSherry – Head Chef, Gridiron

NEW: Tom Mullin – BOH Operations, Pizza Pilgirms

Patrick Powell – Head chef, Allegra

Rory Shannon – Head Chef, Duke of Richmond Public House & Dining Room

Clare Smyth MBE – Chef Patron, Core by Clare Smyth

Restaurateurs

NEW: Sinead Campbell – Street food trader, BBQ Dreamz

Richard Corrigan – Chef Patron of Corrigan Collection

John Devitt – Owner, Koya Soho, Koya City and Koya Ko

Garrett Fitzgerald – Restaurateur, Butchies

Robin and Sarah Gill – Restaurateurs and chef, The Dairy, Counter Culture, Sorella

Brian Hannon – Restaurateur, Super 8 Restaurants – Smoking Goat, Kiln, Brat

Colin Kelly – Job: Chef/Co-owner, Picture Portland Street and Marylebone

John King – Restaurateur, Bowling Bird

David Moore – Founding Director, Pied à Terre

John Nugent – CEO, Green & Fortune

Oliver Peyton – CEO, Peyton & Byrne

NEW: Simon and Cairene Whiteside – Restaurateurs, Roe

NEW: Mark and Alan Wogan – Directors, Homeslice

Bars

Patrick Dardis – CEO, Young & Co.’s Brewery

NEW: Gearoid Devaney – Club founder, wine importer and sommelier, Trade

NEW: Aaron Wall and Ciarán Smith – Directors, Homeboy

Front of House

Joanna Hughes – Shop manager, Quality Chop House

Darren McHugh – GM, The Ledbury

Alex Muir – Restaurant Manager, Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square

Oisin Rogers – Publican and restaurateur, The Guinea Grill

Garreth Walsh – General Manager, The Marylebone

The producers

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

Media

Jessica Corrigan – Senior Account Manager, Sauce Communications

Diana Henry – Food Writer and broadcaster

Niamh Shields – Food & travel blogger, freelance writer and author, Eat like a girl

Joe Warwick – Food Writer and broadcaster, World Restaurant Awards

Behind the scenes

NEW Richard O’Connell – Restaurant consultant, Seasoned Consultancy

Noel Mahony – Chief Executive, BaxterStorey

Sinead Mallozzi – CEO, sketch

Charlie McCarthy – Cocktail consultant and editor, A Drop of Irish

Paul McKenna – Managing Director, Red Branch Hospitality

About Hot Dinners

Hot Dinners was founded in 2009 by brother and sister team Gavin and Catherine Hanly and covers the London eating out scene. Described as “The first place anyone goes to see where they should be eating dinner tonight,” by the Evening Standard, the pair have been on the 1000 most influential people in London list for the past seven years.

Images: Sim Canetty-Clarke