Michael Ryan (chef)
Irish chef, born 1953
Michael Ryan (born 1953, Cork) is an Irish Michelin star winning head chef and hotel/restaurant owner in Cork, Ireland. He is best known for the Arbutus Lodge and Isaacs restaurant. In the period 1971-1999, he and his family were owners of the Michelin-star-winning Arbutus Lodge. The Arbutus Lodge was the first ever Michelin starred restaurant in Ireland. One year after the Arbutus Lodge was awarded its Michelin star, Ballymaloe would go on to become Ireland's second Michelin-starred restaurant.
The Ryan family also purchased the Cashel palace hotel in 1980 which won a Michelin star after only 1 year in operation.
In his early years Michael followed in the footsteps of his older brother Declan, Ryan did a part of his chef training abroad, working in France with Paul Bocuse in Lyon and the Troisgros family in Roanne. Afterwards, he worked as chef and head chef in Arbutus Lodge, till its closure in 1999.
Michael opened Isaacs Restaurant with his wife Catherine Ryan and their business partner Canice Sharky (formerly of Ballymaloe) in 1992.
His son Philip took over the business in 2020 upon his retirement
Michael also opened other restaurants over the years.
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