Columns - Irish Examiner

Joe McNamee

A former chef, Joe McNamee is Senior Food Writer at the Irish Examiner. Holding a BA in Culinary Arts, he writes about food and reviews restaurants for Weekend.

Joe McNamee: What does it take to be the food capital of Ireland?

There has been a drive for some time to make Cork ‘Ireland’s Gastronomy Capital’, and to secure the official title of ‘World Region of Gastronomy’, by 2030

Sat, 08 Aug, 2026

S Restaurant review: Catch of the Day flounders where Lennox's flourished

I will be handing out no merit badges here. Maybe Lennox’s wasn’t so bad after all.

Tue, 04 Aug, 2026

Joe McNamee: Pop-up food events are thriving, but are restaurants paying the price?

Joe McNamee explores the growing appeal of pop-up dining and why some restaurateurs see the trend as a threat

Sat, 01 Aug, 2026

Joe McNamee: How a glut of greens became a good news story

Everyone should endeavour to support local growers of fresh, seasonal Irish produce, which can still be enjoyed without melting yourself in the kitchen

Mon, 27 Jul, 2026

Joe McNamee: My tomatoes are thriving in this summer heat, offering a taste of my childhood

I will most bring them back indoors over the coming weeks, but those al fresco days of outdoor “tanning” will only enhance the plants’ health, vitality and flavour.

Sat, 18 Jul, 2026

S Restaurant review: Uncle's Deli has a great concept but falls behind its English Market peers

The recently opened English Market restaurant was possibly over-concerned with nailing a US-style concept rather than nailing a really good sandwich.

Fri, 17 Jul, 2026

Elegant dinner table setting with shallow depth of field

Joe McNamee: Vat cut is no bonanza, it’s a Band-Aid on a serious wound

It can be tricky to unravel the multiple factors that challenge hospitality in 21st century Ireland, especially since the pandemic

Sat, 11 Jul, 2026

S Restaurant review: Habibi Grill on Cork's Northside will convert more Corkonians to Syrian food

This delicious, homely fare, is elevated by the sophisticated spicing born of an upbringing in Aleppo

Sun, 05 Jul, 2026

Joe McNamee: The traditional restaurant model is irreparably broken

Is this a solution for the economic woes of Irish hospitality the ‘pay-what-you-want’ restaurant?

Sat, 27 Jun, 2026

Joe McNamee: Practical cooking is not taught in schools and it’s a shame

Who’s going to teach those next-generation cooks?

Sat, 20 Jun, 2026