Joe McNamee: Kitchen nightmares - restaurant uncertainty a cruel kick in the teeth

There appears to be a curious failure to fully appreciate how vital the hospitality sector is to the economy

Chef Rob Krawczyk at Restaurant Chestnut in Ballydehob. Picture: Emma Jervis Photography

Chancing on a seat for Restaurant Chestnut’s opening night, in April 2018, it was immediately obvious this was a particularly special restaurant. 

I had eaten chef/proprietor Rob Krawczyk’s food elsewhere and was fully aware of his culinary calibre but this was in a different league altogether, a precise, empathetic, and exquisite delivery of superb hyper-local, seasonal produce from the restaurant’s immediate hinterland.