It’s a Friday night at The Local in Dunbrody House and the place is hopping. A guitar player belts out a Bruce Springsteen tune, the craft beer is flowing and right in the middle of the action is Kevin Dundon, hosting it all. Chef he may be, business owner, too, but at the crux of it, Kevin is an entertainer and his hearty laugh with the regulars proves he just wants people to enjoy themselves at his gaff.In fact, as soon as you drive into Dunbrody, it’s got a relaxed feel even for a luxury hotel. The Georgian house is impressive and we immediately presume it’s a family house that Kevin was lucky enough to inherit.
It’s a Friday night at The Local in Dunbrody House and the place is hopping. A guitar player belts out a Bruce Springsteen tune, the craft beer is flowing and right in the middle of the action is Kevin Dundon, hosting it all. Chef he may be, business owner, too, but at the crux of it, Kevin is an entertainer and his hearty laugh with the regulars proves he just wants people to enjoy themselves at his gaff.
In fact, as soon as you drive into Dunbrody, it’s got a relaxed feel even for a luxury hotel. The Georgian house is impressive and we immediately presume it’s a family house that Kevin was lucky enough to inherit.
“No, myself and Catherine came across it 19 years ago and fell in love with the place,” he says. Kevin packed up his job as executive chef in the Shelbourne, they sold up in Dublin and moved to the beautiful Hook Pennisula.
Taste those carrots
“When we came here, I was in my element back in the kitchen. The higher you go as a chef, the more marketing meetings and client consultations you have, discussing menus and concepts as opposed to actually cooking.
“Dunbrody is a chef’s paradise. Fish is dropped to the back door and we have our own kitchen gardens where the gardener brings in the veg every day. Dealing with fresh produce like that, it’s hard to go wrong and one of the biggest comments we get is the flavour of our carrots. I figure it has to be the intense flavours coming straight from the ground.”
A fine-dining experience simply wasn’t enough for this couple and a few years ago when the local pub in Arthurstown closed, Kevin and Catherine decided to take a stab at it themselves.
“Kings Bay was a great little local but the owner got sick and it closed. It left us in a bit of limbo because our visitors would often head to the pub before a meal to relax. We tried to buy it but it didn’t work out so we had this old, unused coach house and said let’s open our own.”
The Local
Creating a good local isn’t just about having the building though. It’s a delicate blend of the right atmosphere, loyal clientele and a little ‘je ne sais quoi’.
“I built it as a local that I would love. We barely touched the building, keeping it raw and unpretentious.
“The chandelier behind the bar is made from jam jars, the floor is old roof slates and the kitchen wall comes from a corrugated shed. Everything was upcycled and it’s really old-school.”
The casual menu that uses the same ingredients that arrive to the back door of Dunbrody House is also attracting the locals.
“Wood burning pizzas for a tenner, fresh fish and hand-cut chips for €12.50. We do chicken burgers, beef burgers – we’ve kept it simple with a casual service so we can keep the prices down. Our apple crumble dessert is served in a jam jar and we even do ha’penny ice creams for €1. Who didn’t love them as a child?”
In fact, even the craft beer has a Dunbrody stamp on it.
“We set up our own micro-brewery about two years ago. We started distributing in November but we’re only penetrating into pubs now. It started with four of us sitting around a table saying wouldn’t it be nice to start a micro-brewery. We said we’d put €10k a man in – €500,000 later, we have a brewery. Yeah, you can pick your jaw up from the ground now,” he laughs.
Keeping the Show on the Road
These were big investments in a business that, quite simply, suffered badly during the recession. The saving grace was that Kevin had his food demos, TV shows and cookery books to keep the place going.
“No doubt about it, all those extras carried us through those seven years of hardship. It meant we didn’t have to drop our standards or dilute what we did at Dunbrody.”
I only take on projects I’m interested in, instead of doing it just for the sake of it
As a celebrity chef though, does Kevin feel pressure to constantly have a new book on the shelf or a TV show under his belt?
“I think if you’re true to yourself and believe in what you do, it’s not a matter of pressure. I only take on projects I’m interested in, instead of doing it just for the sake of it. For the main part, whether it’s demos, shows or books, it comes down to this – I’m teaching people to cook and if I can get more families cooking at home, I’ve achieved something.”
This is certainly the ethos that ties in with SuperValu’s Good Food Karma campaign and Kevin says those adverts with the likes of Martin Shanahan, Sharon Hearne Smith, David Gillick and the lads from the Happy Pear aren’t too staged.
“We all have a different approach and bring something unique. We’ve had some great nights here at this table. I’ll just put out a load of ingredients, we’ll get cooking and, afterwards, sit around eating and chatting. They’ve captured this on camera so that people at home know how the food is developed for the dishes they can access online.”
Taste of Dublin
As if on cue, the oven pings and Kevin, oven gloves in hand, whips some sizzling ribs from the oven.
“Have a taste of these,” he says enthusiastically, as he pulls up his sleeves.
“These pork ribs are marinated in our new Dunbrody Proclamation Porter glaze and we are serving them at Taste of Dublin. We’ll also have pan-seared scallops as well as elderberry jelly with fresh strawberries and pouring cream. But I really think these ribs will fly. Simple but really good food.”
Kevin has been doing demos at Taste of Dublin since it started and this year he will be hosting a BBQ masterclass in association with Flogas.
“In all the years I’ve been going to Taste of Dublin though, this is the first time that Dunbrody House will have its own pop-up stand. It’s great and I’m really excited to see how our craft beers will do.”
Budding Chef
Straight from Taste of Dublin, Kevin will be heading over to the States where he has another restaurant, Raglan Road in Disneyland Florida (yes, he is a very busy man). Then it’s home for the summer and he admits he is considering taking on a special staff member – his 14-year-old daughter Sophie.
“I’m not joking. I’m usually trying to get my oldest daughter Emily into the hotel to do a few shifts, but she has no interest. She has a real interest in sports medicine. Sophie, on the other hand, will make a beeline for the pastry department, she just loves it. It’s usually a case of me saying: “Get out, you’re too young.”
This summer I’m thinking of giving her a few hours work so she can get a bit of experience. If she is interested in the business then great, but I would never push any of them into it.”
And then there is Tom, the youngest.
“Ah sure he is eight and spoilt,” he laughs. “He is the blue-eyed boy, always smiling. He basically loves football, training and his mum.”
And why wouldn’t he. While Kevin is very clearly the face of Dunbrody, spending just one night there it becomes clear that Catherine is the heart. Warm and welcoming, you can see her touch everywhere from the decor of the stylish guest rooms to the atmosphere. Her presence may be subtle but it’s a team effort down there in Wexford and there is no forgetting it.
Taste of Dublin takes place in the Iveagh Gardens from June 16 to 19. For tickets, log onto Dublin.tastefestivals.com
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