One of Ireland’s most prominent chefs has revealed his Michelin-starred restaurant lost €80,000 two years ago. *
Aniar in Dominick Street, Galway, first won a Michelin star in 2013 and has retained it since although the original chef, Enda McEvoy, left to set up his own restaurant Loam, which also has a Michelin star.
Aniar’s owner and chef JP McMahon said his restaurant lost €80,000 in 2014 but made a profit last year.
In an interview with Hot Press, he said he kept Aniar open because it increased his profile and "brought a lot of international recognition to Galway".
Mr McMahon, who writes a column in The Irish Times, said there were times he regretted winning the Michelin star.
“I’ve lost a lot of friends through the star, and I’ve attracted a lot of good and bad press,” he said.
“Half of me regrets it and the other half of me enjoys it.
Myth
“I’ve seen an awful lot of the world that I wouldn’t have seen and I really enjoy that. It’s not something I’d ever pursue again.
“I’d never open up another restaurant to get a star. Getting it is a lot different from keeping it.”
Mr McMahon said he intended to shut the restaurant during the Galway Races next year having said during the festival that there were many drunken and abusive customers around.
“This year someone had a piss on the door and one of my staff had to open the door and say, ‘Sorry do you mind? There are still people in here,’” he said.
“It is a myth that all this money comes into the city. Well it does, but it mostly comes into the pubs and hotels, and, to a certain degree, into the restaurants. The Galway Races is not the most important week of the year in Galway.”
* Correction September 30th: An earlier version of this story said the restaurant lost €80,000 in 2015. Mr McMahon has since pointed out that in his interview with Hot Press that he erred in his comments on the financial results and that the restaurant lost €80,000 in 2014 not 2015 and that last year was a profitable year for the company.
