Olivier Meisonnave’s bastion of fine French dining on Pembroke Street, Dax Restaurant, has a new Head Chef ; Connor O’Dowd. Connor’s background includes Chapter One and Locks Brasserie; he brings with him a wealth of creativity and culinary skill from all over the world.
Connor studied catering at DIT, Cathal Brugha Street, which has been the foundation of some of Ireland’s greatest young kitchen talent.
Connor’s career began in Dublin where his first kitchen role was in Gary Rhodes’ celebrated D7 restaurant. Head chef at the time was the very talented Paul Hargreaves who had been sous chef at the Michelin starred Rhodes 24 in London for six years.
After three years in Rhodes he moved to Norway which included a 6 month spell at Charlotte Mohns Opaker Gård. The following year he returned to Dublin and took a position at Ross Lewis’s Michelin-starred Chapter One restaurant.
Three years at Chapter One saw him move to Sebastien Masi and Kirsten Batt’s Locks Brasserie in Portobello as sous chef to work with Rory Carville.
"It was in Locks where I was really able to develop my own thinking on food and strong relationship with suppliers. I was also exceptionally lucky to be working with a very young, talented and energetic kitchen which went on to win its own Michelin star in 2012," said O'Dowd.
"My main aim at Dax Restaurant will be to serve innovative modern contemporary dishes, to work in tandem with suppliers and staff, and to promote the best of seasonal and local produce we have to offer from both the land and the sea.”
