Against the Grain

"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."

Aiden Byrne, The Commons

"This is the first restaurant I've worked in that doesn't have a Michelin star, and we're holding out for that, it's announced in mid January, and that's what's getting me out of bed every morning.

I've been in Dublin for three-and-a half years, and because I've come out of a background of working with chefs like Conrad Gallagher and Paul Rankin, I've been enjoying doing my own thing now. I've enjoyed making more of an effort to source new products and to come up with a menu that is totally different to what anyone else is doing. Most of my days are spent sourcing produce, trying to better myself.

"It's hard to predict what is going to happen next year, because we're still in limbo with the threatened recession. But for us it's an exciting time, very motivated".

The Commons Restaurant, St Stephens Green, Dublin 2,

Tel: (01) 478 0530