Famed chef Niall McKenna will be back in his native West Belfast later this month to cook up a storm at the West Belfast Small Business Roundtable.
Well, not exactly, as at the breakfast grill will be Dónal O'Reilly, proprietor of Bia Loch Lao in An Chlutúrlann.
The West Belfast Small Business Roundtable is the premier network for entrepreneurs in the west of the city. Previous guests at its monthly breakfast meetings in An Chultúrlann have included Brendan Mooney, CEO of Kainos, Westie and founder of Staffline, Tina McKenzie and Rich Davey, CEO of the Massachusetts Port Authority.
"If you own a business in the greater West Belfast area and are interested in hearing from exemplary entrepreneurs and meeting likeminded folks, come along and join us on Tuesday 29 September to hear from one of West Belfast's most famous sons," said Business Circle founder Máirtín Ó Muilleoir.
Tickets for the breakfast are now on sale with an earlybird rate available until next Wednesday.
A proud Westie and a former pupil of La Salle College, Niall McKenna has been a leading light of the Belfast culinary scene and, with his wife and business partner Joanne, an unrivalled ambassador for the city.
The opening of his first restaurant, James Street South in 2003 signalled a step change in the Belfast food scene. In the years since, the McKennas have expanded their business, opening The Bar and Grill at James Street, followed by Hadski’s on Commercial Court, Cast & Crew in Titanic Quarter, and most recently, Waterman on Hill Street, which is also home to their popular Cookery School.
Whilst varying in style, McKenna’s unwavering commitment to quality and showcasing local produce from the best Irish produce has been at the heart of every endeavour.
In 2024, he distilled his knowledge of cuisine and his two decades-plus of experience on the kitchen frontlines in his book, ‘What’s it all about?’, featuring 140 recipes served over the last 20 years across Niall’s revered eateries.
