Head chef at Taphouse, Gavyn O’Sullivan shares his life in food
Head chef of Taphouse Ranelagh, Gavyn O’Sullivan shares his life in food, from his earliest memories to his favourite flavours and culinary inspirations.
Growing up with his father working in prestigious restaurants in both Dublin and London, Gavyn O’Sullivan’s interest in food was piqued from an early age. Now head chef at Taphouse Ranelagh, Gavyn’s approach is fresh, creative, and ingredient-driven.
Providing everything you’d expect from a contemporary neighbourhood bar and then some, Taphouse was recently refurbished and has launched a brand new seasonal small plates menu curated by Gavyn. Standout dishes include wagyu sliders, tuna ceviche, and salt-baked beetroot carpaccio, all designed to complement the venue’s vibrant Hi-Fi Lounge and terrace spaces.
Here he shares his life in food.
What are your earliest memories of food?
They say that smell and memories are stored in the same part of the brain and that’s certainly true for me! The earliest food memory I have is the smell of freshly baked apple pie wafting through the air after Sunday dinner at home with my parents and two sisters. My Mum made everything from scratch – fresh pastry, stewed the apples. The fact she baked it on a plate in the oven still blows my mind!
How would you describe your relationship with food?
All-consuming! Cooking is generational in my family. My Dad was a chef, so food has played a huge part in my life for as long as I can remember. It’s part of my work life, my social life and my family life. There is nothing I like more than floating around town with my son Oran – who’s also just started a job in a kitchen – checking out any new or interesting places to eat.
What was the first meal you learned to cook?
Chicken Kiev! Probably not the most inspirational dish you were hoping to hear, but I was a young lad in the ‘90s and Chicken Kiev was all the rage. I did serve it with proper chips out of a chip pan too!
How did working with food become your career?
I mentioned my Dad was a chef. He had a long and successful career in a number of prestigious restaurants and hotels in London and Dublin and also did a lot of catering work as well. One of the venues he worked at was Croke Park. When I was a kid, he used to bring me to bigger games like the All-Ireland finals to help him out in the kitchen, prepping meals for thousands of corporate guests. I think I was always destined to follow in his footsteps from then on!
What’s your go-to breakfast?
I very rarely eat breakfast, but if I am in town early before service, my guilty pleasure is a double sausage egg McMuffin from McDonald’s! Food is not all fine dining, you know!
If you’re impressing friends and family at a dinner party, what are you serving up?
I am a big believer in food as a shared experience, so I will probably start off with some pre-prepared tasters like crab and crayfish tostadas, tuna cerviche, wasabi peanuts – in fact, many of these have made an appearance on the Taphouse menu! For mains, I might do something like baked rice with everything in the pan—prawns, pork, chicken thighs—fill it with stock, bang it into the oven. When it’s ready, I just stick it in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves! That way, I get to spend more time with my guests rather than slaving over a stove in the kitchen!
Who is your culinary inspiration?
I’m going old school here. Keith Floyd was a huge inspiration to me when I was a youngster and well before I was in the industry, watching his TV shows – I still watch them now! I thought he was amazing, traveling around the world cooking on a camper gas cooker. One of my prized possessions is a signed copy of his autobiography.
What would your last meal on earth be?
I want to be happy if I’m going out, so something simple and tasty like a bowl of fried chicken thighs and a large Coca-Cola. I might sneak in a glass of full-bodied red wine – if the time allows!
What’s your go-to comfort food?
I have so many dishes I would consider go-tos, so I asked my son and he said any spicy chicken wings are my comfort food. Apparently, I order them everywhere we eat out!
What’s the go-to quick meal you cook when you’re tired and hungry?
If it’s gotta be quick then I like to whip out a wok and fry something like noodles with Taphouse black garlic, peanut and chilli rayu.
What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?
Melon and cucumber. Not many people realise they’re from the same food family. I like to describe them as water masquerading as food!
Hangover cure?
Probably a pizza. Our sister pub, the Cat & Cage in Drumcondra makes amazing hand-crafted pizzas, branded as ‘Knead Pizza’. Any of Chef Rikki’s more adventurous spicy pizzas certainly hit the spot for me!
Sweet or savoury?
Definitely sweet. On my trips around Dublin checking out new places with my son, I am as likely to order a dessert in some places as I am anything else!
Fine dining or pub grub?
Given my position, you would probably expect me to say pub grub, but actually I veer just as much towards fine dining, so a bit of both! The menu at Taphouse is definitely influenced by this, particularly the small plates section. It’s designed to bring you on a culinary journey across multiple continents and cultures, focused on quality ingredients and the joy of food as a shared experience.
Favourite restaurant in Ireland?
Hang Dai on Camden Street is a place I have been to more times than I can remember – and not just for the food! It’s the whole social experience—great space, great food and drinks, converting into a dance club supporting the best of Irish DJs at night-time—it’s still one of the best nights out in Dublin.
Best coffee in Ireland?
Proper Order in Smithfield does spectacular coffee and fantastic baked goods and 3fe in Ranelagh because it serves great coffee and is conveniently across the road from Taphouse!
What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene?
I think the Irish food scene is thriving at the moment, it’s full of creativity and innovation. This is certainly being helped by the rapid improvement in quality ingredients and produce. Chef owners are becoming a thing, where chefs are funding their own places rather than relying on outside investors. Chubby’s in Clontarf is a great example of this. I’m also loving the recent trend of chef collabs. Aishling Moore of Goldie’s in Cork collaborating recently with Daniel Hannigan’s Orwell Road Restaurant is one of many examples of this.
What’s your favourite thing about cooking?
The feeling of accomplishment at the end of service, despite all the stress! There is something deeply gratifying in turning raw ingredients into meals for people and seeing them leave the restaurant happy after eating your food.
What does food — sitting down to a meal with friends, mindfully preparing a meal, nourishment, etc — mean to you?
As I have mentioned before, I am a firm believer in food as a shared experience. Just an opportunity to sit down and relax, catch up with people. Everyone seems to be in a rush all the time now, so it’s nice to take a couple of hours to chat over some great food.
Food for thought — What are some areas for improvement within the Irish food/restaurant/hospitality scene?
For a variety of reasons, the industry does not seem to be attracting people looking for a career in hospitality. The demand to get bodies on the ground has meant there’s a lot more casual labour servicing the sector. That lack of structured training, combined with a lack of truly passionate industry pros, is holding back the real potential of what is a thriving food scene.
Chef’s kiss — Tell us about one standout foodie experience you’ve had recently.
D’Olier Street Restaurant and it was unbelievable. We had the 13-course tasting menu and sat at the chef’s counter throughout. The quality of the food was matched only by the extraordinary standard of hospitality. A very memorable experience.
Compliments to the chef — Now’s your chance to sing the praises of a talented chef, beloved restaurant, or particularly talented foodie family member.
We went on a number of fact-finding trips before re-launching the Taphouse menu last year and one of the places we ended up in was Pluto in Copenhagen. They describe themselves as ‘upscale bistro entrees and tapas, plus elevated cocktails, served in a cool space with an upbeat vibe’. The place was packed when we went there but what struck me was the way they managed the service despite the volume of guests with an effortless yet exceptional level of hospitality.
Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?
When the front of house and kitchen are in sync and combine to create a memorable experience for guests, from when they walk in the door to when they leave.
Also Read
