Ross Lewis: Life after Chapter One

Ross Lewis. Photograph Moya Nolan
In a world of Covid, climate change and Trump, and whatever else you fancy from the smorgasbord of catastrophe, chaos and calamity, the internal machinations of Irish hospitality rarely trouble the general public.

“There's a big hole in staff levels,” says Lewis. “We’re down to two chefs right now, a Hungarian and a Brazilian, and not a word of Italian between them. We’ve been fine doing meal kits during lockdown but setting up for service is a different matter.


"It was one of the great honours to be asked to do that dinner, a bit like getting a cap for Ireland, they can’t take it away from me."
"Larger than life, looked like a fellow that wanted to live forever."
"One of the first celebrity guests and my first ever celebrity."
"There were a load more people over the years, Danny De Vito, was funny, came into the kitchen and took the piss out of the people, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, and Gary Seinfeld. All the great customers of Chapter One."
- Pig’s Tail Stuffed With Lobster, with lime mustard fruits, basil and fresh apple.
- Goat’s Cheese Tapioca with Green Asparagus and Black Truffle, a savoury risotto, with whole pearl grain tapioca.
- Braised Oxtail with Ravioli of Dick Willems Coolea Gouda with a vegetable minestrone. The diced root veg, the richness of the oxtail complemented by the liquid centre of the ravioli.
- Poached West Coast Lobster with concentrated lemon butter, with mango, ginger and chilli with violin courgettes and pickled red dulse.
- The Hot Chocolate Mousse. We’ve sold two or three hundred thousand in various forms but my favourite was flavours of Guinness, lots of temperatures and textures.