You've Been Served: Chad Byrne, head chef at The Brehon
hears from Chad Byrne, head chef at the Brehon, Co Kerry
I had left school at 15, but had already started washing pots and peeling onions down the local Chinese for pocket money — 13 quid a night for four nights.
Living the highlife, had the world at my feet, eating all the Cadbury cream eggs I wanted and treating my mam to some gifts.
Great times! Although I peeled so many onions my hands turned brown so my schoolyard crushes were having none of it, so I decided right, better get a little better at this cooking lark so I’m not going to be on onions all day, every day.
But the very first time I walked into the Merrion Hotel kitchen, coming from steak houses and canteen cooking, that was the biggest eye-opener for me as a young chef.
From working in a back-street Chinese to going into a kitchen like the Merrion was just incredible.
I knew then I had the bug for this, I absolutely adored it, how they presented food, how they worked, their work ethic, and the pure adrenaline of the kitchen.
Well that's spring right there!
— Chad Byrne (@chadpbyrne) March 7, 2020
Cromane Mussels just coming into season, elf caps finished with some oxtail vinegar, wild garlic and mussel broth, fried bracias
Little restaurant special tonight @TheBrehon, nice one Lucasz for the foraged gear 🙌🙌👌 pic.twitter.com/gVICBsrtli
I will always be grateful to the kitchen team there for taking me under their wing.
It was the biggest learning experience I’ve encountered to this day.
Growing up in the 80s money would have been very tight and I can remember my mam and dad going to a steak house to treat us as it was my confirmation.
I had never been to a restaurant before. We got all glammed and glitzed up. I knew they had been saving for this, but my dad and mam had a terrible dinner.
My mam, being Irish, told the staff everything was fine, but getting the bus home I could hear her talking to my dad saying they only wanted one nice day. My dad hugged her and she started to sob a little.
It’s always stayed with me. I picture every customer as my mam and want what’s best for them.
At the Brehon, I feel we have pushed boundaries year on year and our collective planning for this year will be very rewarding.
There’s a lot happening at the moment.
We are always learning, a team growing together. It’s never ever too late to do what your heart wants you to do.
This inspires and makes me feel I have the ability to change people’s lives. A negative team that’s downbeat is my idea of kitchen hell.
How can you cook with passion if you don’t feel it around you?
Good vibes, good food.
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