Against the Grain

The wonderful thing about the wonderful people who work in the food business is the way in which they view every new year as a new challenge. This sense of seeing their work as a constant provocation is what makes their work so special. We asked some of the brightest and buzziest talents working today in Irish food to reflect on the year past.

"People said to me 'People in Carlow wouldn't eat that type of food'"

"There was nothing else on offer in this area ­ well, nothing healthy"

"A lot of people said to me I could never compromise that much floor space to wine, and actually work with the margins I put on wine. But I'm still here, and making money."

"This is the first restaurant I've worked in that doesn't have a Michelin star. That's what's getting me out of bed in the morning."