Mint restaurant closed down

doomedtofail

Yeah that's right - you know your man's place in Ranelagh? Sums up perfectly the Irish boom bubble...

antoniosicily

what's the source of this news?

Bandara

antoniosicily wrote: »

what's the source of this news?

Your source is me.

The owner Trish did not deserve this to happen to her, a lovely lady who put everything on the line for the place.

The real shame her chef didn't know/care how to run a restaurant and realise that it takes far more than just knowing how to cook.

antoniosicily

Hammertime wrote: »

Your source is me.

The owner Trish did not deserve this to happen to her, a lovely lady who put everything on the line for the place.

The real shame her chef didn't know/care how to run a restaurant and realise that it takes far more than just knowing how to cook.

I'm sorry for Trish but the website (mintrestaurant.ie) does not say anything about this, and I was not able to find the news on local newspaper, can you point me to a better and more reliable source than a forum account?

NewFrockTuesday

The phone isint being answered. Other than this forum I havent heard it anywhere.

AndyP

Yep its true. Liquidation.

MoominPapa

Unfortunately looks true: herald.ie

NewFrockTuesday

Unlike OP, I dont take any glee from the fact that its closed. Forgive if Ive picked you up wrong OP.

He did seem like a bit of a turf head but one hell of a chef in fairness. Sorry to see it go.

spongeman

Not just the recession - the place was too small.

Many places up for sale in Ranelagh now.

newcome

I thought McGrath owned the place. I didn't realise there was another owner. Who is she? Does she have other places to fall back on?

spongeman

If she has they are probably shagged as well. Just like the country in general.

Mr.Boots

Im realy not surprised at all, realy tallented guy even if he is a bit of a mutton head.
Good chef but no business head on him.
40 covers on a good night, imagine what the bad nights were like.
5/6 chefs doing a service
5/6 floor staff
Flying in produce from abroad when he could have got just as good in Ireland for a fraction of the price
Closed Bank Holiday weekends????
I could go on...and on....but its a bit like poking a dead person ...so i wont.
Sorry to see it go but i think Mint was always to small for Mc Grath.
The premises would make a nice quality bistro.
Wounder where he will go now???
I do wonder wht the owner( The Lady) wanted from this venture.

spongeman

As they say, " how do you make a small fortune in the restaurant business ? start off with a big one. "

Running Bing

Sorry to hear this.

Glad I had the experience of eating there...food was truly amazing (even if it was going to be a long long time before I was back;)).

He is obviously an immensely talented chef but it was always going to be an uphill battle in that premises. The only thing Michelin star about it was the food and staff tbh. Its just too small and it can be slightly uncomfortable with 5 or 6 staff pottering about in such a small area (even if they are very good/discreet).

I found it a lot harder to relax there than in other restaurants.

How he managed to produce the food he did in such a tiny kitchen also amazes me...hardly room to breathe in there (it must've been horrible to have to work in there alongside what appears to be such a difficult personality).

Anybody any idea what he'll do now? Id love to see him get a nicer premises over here and have another go at it but its hardly the best time for that now:(

antoniosicily

Babybing wrote: »

Sorry to hear this.

Glad I had the experience of eating there...food was truly amazing (even if it was going to be a long long time before I was back;)).

He is obviously an immensely talented chef but it was always going to be an uphill battle in that premises. The only thing Michelin star about it was the food and staff tbh. Its just too small and it can be slightly uncomfortable with 5 or 6 staff pottering about in such a small area (even if they are very good/discreet).

I found it a lot harder to relax there than in other restaurants.

How he managed to produce the food he did in such a tiny kitchen also amazes me...hardly room to breathe in there (it must've been horrible to have to work in there alongside what appears to be such a difficult personality).

Anybody any idea what he'll do now? Id love to see him get a nicer premises over here and have another go at it but its hardly the best time for that now:(

From my understanding of the article, he wants to reopen a mid-range restaurant, I hope it is true, I've never been there but from what I heard he was a great talent. Unfortunately michelin stars can be deadly because you have to keep certain level of qualities, or even spend lot of money to widen your wine list otherwise you could lose the star. Obviously to do this you have to raise the price.

I think that there are lot of people looking for mid-range resturants in Dublin and they are not easy to find

Running Bing

antoniosicily wrote: »

I think that there are lot of people looking for mid-range resturants in Dublin and they are not easy to find

Absolutely. Definite gap in the market here.

It appears to me the majority of choices in Dublin seem to be either at the lower end (places like joels, red cow, pubs etc.) or the very high end.

There seems to be a pretty limited choice for people who love good food but dont always have the cash to enjoy it;)

I was looking up the restaurant of the Irish guy on great British menu this week. Its called Balloo house and I would love something like that down here. Top quality food at fantastic prices in really cosy surroundings.....not a lot of places you can get that in Dublin.

antoniosicily

Babybing wrote: »

Absolutely. Definite gap in the market here.

It appears to me the majority of choices in Dublin seem to be either at the lower end (places like joels, red cow, pubs etc.) or the very high end.

There seems to be a pretty limited choice for people who love good food but dont always have the cash to enjoy it;)

I was looking up the restaurant of the Irish guy on great British menu this week. Its called Balloo house and I would love something like that down here. Top quality food at fantastic prices in really cosy surroundings.....not a lot of places you can get that in Dublin.

Last Friday I've tried Venu Brasserie (venu.ie) and it was great, perfect cooking of meat and the staff was very corteous, the price was also good and I strongly advise it.

Probably we should open a new thread for this kind of restaurants

Qprmeath

I have a €150 voucher for Mint. Can I be forgiven for not wishing Mr Mc Grath well in the future after robbing my money?

Seaneh

McGrath is the reason the place is closed, he was(is) a great chef but he has zero people skills, I met the man for half an hour and after that decided I'd never have any interaction with the man on any level again.

I've met some real tommy tough nuts in the last few years in this trade but he made the rest of them seem like pussy cats.

Hope the owner bounces back as she doesn't deserve it, she gave that place everything she could and he wasted it.

johnnybhoy

the most hedonistic,..egotistical,..tool of a chef..dylans gone back to work for tom aikens in chelsea..

Seaneh

Ah, Tom, the only man who could possibly stand Dylan's rubbish for more than a week because he's worse again.

antoniosicily

Who cares about how this guy behaves or if he is a good guy or not? I suppose this is a forum for food lovers and we should talk about food.

You can either like or not his food, the fact that Dublin has lost a Michelin star is surely a pity but if he reopens a different type of restaurant it will surely be a good thing for a city like Dublin where good food is difficult to be found (that is also true for many big cities in Europe).

Probably the fact that there are many shows in TV about chefs have influenced our approach to the food, and we started caring more about how a chef behaves rather than how well he cooks. Just my opinion, anyway.

NewFrockTuesday

Who cares about how this guy behaves or if he is a good guy or not? I suppose this is a forum for food lovers and we should talk about food.

You can either like or not his food, the fact that Dublin has lost a Michelin star is surely a pity but if he reopens a different type of restaurant it will surely be a good thing for a city like Dublin where good food is difficult to be found (that is also true for many big cities in Europe).

Probably the fact that there are many shows in TV about chefs have influenced our approach to the food, and we started caring more about how a chef behaves rather than how well he cooks. Just my opinion, anyway

It is a pity Dublin has lost Mint. It cant be denied that his food was spectacular - no doubt about it. I just dont like being eyeballed by the chef when I go to visit their restaurant. You can be a decent chef and not a gob****e to boot - it is possible....contrary to the GR school of conduct.

An expmple of how his attitude damages up and coming chefs. I know one brilliant girl who was pretty outstanding by all accounts in her field. She has done the rounds in most of the top restaurants here in Dublin - but Mint was like a poisioned chalice to her. She doesnt need to be abused to do her job. Shes quite capable of learning without the shocking abuse and ego stroking that he ruled by. Of course lots of chefs did go and work under him, but a revolving door gives some insight into how he works it.

Still, hes brilliant and its a shame Mint is closed. Why would anyone like that its gone? Dont think thats been suggested at all.

I have a €150 voucher for Mint. Can I be forgiven for not wishing Mr Mc Grath well in the future after robbing my money?

Bad luck there. Maybe send it back to the restaurant requesting cash? Im sure they will still be picking up post.

hungrylad

I find it funny how he was always slating other restaurants, now he's talking of opening a middle of the road place.

There are alot of mid range places doing great, places that he has publically slated and frowned upon,
Places like, l 'gueleton, Restaurant Ten Fourteen, Gruel etc

fixieboy

Absolutely disgusted...I bought a E500 voucher there on credit card a month ago as a wedding present!

Is there any way I can get this back or am I fecked?

i71jskz5xu42pb

fixieboy wrote: »

Absolutely disgusted...I bought a E500 voucher there on credit card a month ago as a wedding present!

Is there any way I can get this back or am I fecked?

Call the credit card company immediately. They should be able to refund you.

fixieboy

Daniela CoolS Mask wrote: »

Call the credit card company immediately. They should be able to refund you.

Just belled them and they said there has to be an official notice up if they are to refund....is there any obligation on Mint to put up such a notice or do I have to go after it myself? This is crap...

i71jskz5xu42pb

I'd say open a thread in the consumer affairs forum. I guess a liquidator has been/will be appointed you should be able to get something from them.

Did you not tell the CC company about the article in the Herald?

fixieboy

Daniela CoolS Mask wrote: »

I'd say open a thread in the consumer affairs forum. I guess a liquidator has been/will be appointed you should be able to get something from them.

Did you not tell the CC company about the article in the Herald?

Right will do....I did but they said it was just speculation and they couldn't refund on that basis.

Thumpette

Its funny I was just listening to a podcast driving home from work yesterday with yer man being interviewed by Eamonn Dunphy. I just thought he was very arrogant (which in fairness I think you have to be to cook at the level he does) but also seemed to have incredible contempt for his customers and the food culture in ireland.

I think the majority of people who would eat at this level do so as a very special treat, and probably never have eaten in a simar place previously. He was going on about some customer who came in and questioned or commented on the trend (new at the time) of dragging his spoon through the sauce that everyone seems to do now. He just came out and threw the guy out. I just thought this was arrogance and vanity to the extreme and must have been very embarassing also for the man.

I do think people should respect the level of culinary and creative artistry in this level of dining- but I also think this has to be met by the resteraunt with some good old fashioned customer care.

dunner09

yeh i knew the owner , i dont think she got on with dylan so that probs didnt help. the food was amazing though. i thought he was quite pleasant when i met him. truly a shame.

Aud2009

It is a shame Mint Restaurant is closed and I think it is an awful shame for the staff who worked so hard for Dylan McGrath, that many of them were not even informed that the restaurant was closed until they arrived back from the Easter holidays. Everyone talks about what a great Chef Dylan McGrath is, yes he is a good Chef and like many of the top chefs they all have a team of chefs working for them who help them make them what they are. Some nights in Mint Dylan McGrath wasn't even there so who do people think ran the restaurant, yes the staff.
And many of the recipes and dishes were thought up by members of the team, so I'm not sure what Dylan McGrath will do without some of the best chefs he had working for him. Also I think it must be highlighted to the public who must realise its a tough industry to work in, where it seems to be the norm for staff to be verbally abused and threatened with violence, I wonder if customers saw behind the scenes of all these fancy restaurants would they want to eat in them again....

antoniosicily

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/from-mint-to-skint-but-we-put-up-a-hell-of-a-fight-says-fiery-chef-1734472.html

kerno

Well the reasons behind it closing down..
They had only a 38 seater restaurant, tiny kitchen that was always packed and for a team of chefs to move around was impossible, the sheer amount of staff they had on, on a night..