Yamamori restaurant chain founder Derek Ryan dies

The death has occurred of Derek Ryan, founder of the Yamamori chain of Japanese restaurants in Dublin.

Mr Ryan was a carpenter and operated a waste company before opening Yamamori, the first Japanese restaurant in Dublin, in the mid-1990s.

He had made the decision to venture into the restaurant business after observing the success of Japanese restaurants in London.

His first restaurant opened in premises on South Great George's Street that had been derelict for nine months, where it followed a string of failed Chinese restaurants, he recalled in 2019. "George's Street back then was derelict," he recalled. "There were trees growing out of the front of Dunnes Stores, and over half the street was empty".

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Although the first few years of business were, in his words, “very rocky”, business improved as Dublin’s nighttime economy boomed. “It was the bohemian quarter and I felt like I had to be there. It was probably the best move I made.”

Two further Yamamori outlets were later opened, on Ormond Quay and a second premises on George’s Street.

Mr Ryan’s funeral takes place on Tuesday.