Photography by Kristy Lyons
Head chef of The Pumphouse Gavin McDonagh shares his life in food
Head chef of Wicklow’s The Pumphouse Bar & Restaurant in Dunlavin, Gavin McDonagh shares his life in food, from his earliest memories to his favourite flavours and culinary inspirations.
Former Chef Patron of the Michelin-listed Brioche in Ranelagh and former Head of Culinary Development for the Dylan McGrath Group, Gavin McDonagh is now at the helm of The Pumphouse, a new family-run 70-seater contemporary bar and restaurant in the historical village of Dunlavin, Co. Wicklow.
What are your earliest memories of food?
Being in the 35th scout troop and cooking over a campfire. That fire ignited a lifelong passion for food.
How would you describe your relationship with food?
How long have you got? Just kidding. I love food, but I constantly want to challenge myself and the people around me… as the tendonitis I suffer from in my arm is currently reminding me.
What was the first meal you learned to cook?
Fried eggs, chips, and beans. It was from my mother and although it’s a simple dish, it’s so comforting and immediately evokes memories, which is what I want my food to do for others.
All of the dishes we have on the menu at The Pumphouse are from my childhood in different shapes and forms. The bacon and cabbage is a memory of eating my mother’s bacon ribs, and the fish and chips we had on a Friday night when my dad got paid.
The beetroot dish in fact, comes from my hatred of beetroot but wanting and knowing it can be so much better than the beetroot we all grew up with. Of course, I also know I am cooking for our guests so I want them to enjoy all of these elements to the best standard they can while using the best quality local ingredients.
How did food become your career?
I loved to party. I bet that’s not how you thought this answer would start out! I hung around with a group of friends that all loved the good life, out every weekend and generally doing things we shouldn’t be in and out of school.
Unfortunately, they are not all still around anymore but I was fortunate enough to have a series of events that led me to work for, and be taught by, the likes of Tom Meaney in TU Dublin and Derry and Sallyanne Clarke (of L’Ecrivain Restaurant in Dublin), where I worked for four years.
These people nurtured me, but also pushed me and I found the competitiveness I didn’t know I needed in my life. I then pushed those boundaries by competing in and winning the likes of Euro-Toques’ Young Chef of the Year, the Culinary Olympics, World Cups, Bocuse d’Or, and opening up my own restaurant, Brioche, in Ranelagh, which I ran for 15 years.
What’s your go-to breakfast?
Anything with eggs – scrambled eggs, batch loaf, real butter. The simple things, done perfectly!
If you’re impressing friends and family at a dinner party, what are you serving up?
It’s got to be seafood, something like a piece of pan-fried Turbot with Alsace Bacon and Bean Cassoulet. The Buttermilk Pannacotta we have on at The Pumphouse is a real crowd-pleaser too!
Who is your culinary inspiration?
It depends on the moment, theme or thoughts at that moment, but some of the chefs who have really mastered their art nationally and internationally like Derry Clarke, Patrick Guilbaud, Paul Bacus, and Marco Pierre White in his early days of Harvey’s. Nowadays, Josh Kratz and a lot of the London food scene are where I would look to for inspiration and take note.
What would your last meal on earth be?
Dublin Coddle.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Ramen and anything Japanese. Some Indian dishes too, but lovely, clean and fresh, vibrant dishes.
What’s the go-to quick meal you cook when you’re tired and hungry?
I don’t know if I should admit to this, but it’s Koka Noodles. You know you love them too!
What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?
Tripe, I just can’t do it. Give me pigs’ tails, or anything else, just not tripe.
Hangover cure?
Eggs and Koka Noodles.
Sweet or savoury?
I do have an awfully sweet tooth, but I am going to have to choose savoury here first.
Fine dining or pub grub?
Pub grub, but done really, really well.
Favourite restaurant in Ireland?
Moosashi for ramen, or Senbazuru Izakaya in Fairview is also brilliant.
Best coffee in Ireland?
Right now, it has to be a Proper Order in Smithfield. They’re doing things the right way — no fuss, just consistently excellent coffee and people who really care about what they’re serving.
Go-to beverage accompaniment?
A cold, crisp pint of Asahi beer with a plate of Nigiri. But if we’re talking dinner, a Riesling or even a funky skin-contact white wine — something with personality to match the food.
What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene?
It’s come on leaps and bounds, but more than that, it’s found its confidence. We’ve stopped trying to be something else and started being proud of our own food story, from incredible producers to young chefs doing exciting things. It’s a good time to be cooking in Ireland.
What’s your favourite thing about cooking?
I just love it, the diversity of it, the ability to tell a story without saying a word. When someone tastes something and it reminds them of a place, a person, or just makes them smile — that’s it! That’s the whole point. That and the organised chaos of a busy service, nothing beats that adrenaline rush.
What does food mean to you?
It means connection. To people, to places, to memories. It’s the way I express love, frustration, joy, creativity… it’s my outlet and my constant driver.
Food for thought — Is there room for improvement within the Irish food/restaurant/hospitality scene?
Definitely. We need more support from the ground up: better training, better work-life balance, and proper investment in sustainability. Also, the respect for the craft needs to extend beyond the Michelin star crowd. The local chippers, cafés, food trucks, they’re all part of our food identity and deserve just as much recognition.
Chef’s kiss — Tell us about one standout foodie experience you’ve had recently.
A Sunday lunch at Library Street. Everything was just on point. From the front-of-house warmth, to the perfectly balanced dishes, it was thoughtful, relaxed, and showed how refinement doesn’t need to mean fussy. I left inspired and very full.
Compliments to the chef — Now’s your chance to sing the praises of a talented chef, beloved restaurant, or particularly talented foodie family member.
Gabriel Hoefling Ossani over in Galway. He is relentless in his pursuit to learn and evolve. Also, my mom taught me how to cook with feeling, even if she didn’t realise she was doing it. And of course, Derry Clarke. His kitchen taught me discipline, precision, and how far a bit of pressure can push you to do better.
Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?
It’s the unspoken things: warmth, timing, flow. Great service that makes you feel at home but not hovered over. And food that tastes like someone cared. That’s it. It’s not about the fancy stuff, it’s about the heart.
Photography by Kristy Lyons.
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