Stephen Hartigan - A Quick Bio

I moved to New York City in 2005 to head up private dining at Café Gray where I regularly created multi-course tasting menus for Manhattan’s business, entertainment and social luminaries.  When Allen Grubman asked me to come over and work as his personal chef, I jumped at the chance.

Here are some places I’ve worked at before I came onboard at the Grubmans:   

CAFÉ GRAY, New York, NY

Head of Private Dining

Rewarded a Michelin star in 2005, Café Gray was one the top 10 restaurants in New York.

BARNABROW HOUSE AND HOTEL, Cloyne, Co Cork

Head Chef

This is an exclusive five star fine dining, function hall and wedding destination. 

CELTIC ROSS HOTEL, Rosscarbery, West Cork

Head Chef (Consulting) 

This four star hotel restaurant specialized is shellfish and seafood but also catered to the carnivore.

OZ CORK, Cork City

Consulting Executive Chef

I helped with the start-up of this modern bistro cuisine serving Irish and Mediterranean classical influence. I consulted on restaurant and kitchen design, business planning and forecast, menu planning ,design, and costing.

FAILTE IRELAND, Gizitsko, Poland

Consulting Chef Instructor

A training center for hotel personnel, chefs, waiting staff  bar personnel, and accommodation, I worked as a trainer, helped with placement, and monitoring of Polish catering students for the Irish hotel and restaurant industry.

CERT INTERNATIONAL, North Mall, Cork & Pleszew, Poland, 

Chef Instructor

This was a multi-ethnic training center for hotel personnel, chefs, waiting staff, bar personnel, and accommodation assistants for Irish Hotel Industry.  

THE BLUE HAVEN HOTEL, Kinsale, Co Cork

Head Chef

This small boutique hotel set in a popular fishing village had a significant dining operation.

THE WINE VAULT, Waterford

Head Chef

Opened in a converted church, this eclectic bistro was tops for fresh, local seafood.

THE IVY and LE CAPRICE, London, UK

Sous Chef  

These two prestigious west end restaurants (same owners) caters heavily to A-list diners serving traditional English food to perfection, with a no nonsense, nothing but superb attitude towards food.

LE CAPRICE EVENTS, London, UK

Head Chef

This outside catering company for Le Caprice handled everything from large Royal events to elite house parties. 

CAFÉ FISH, London UK

Chef de Partie

Their seafood and shellfish restaurant menu featured 31 types of fish and 15 types of shellfish. 

THE LANESBOROUGH HOTEL, London, UK

1st Commis

This prestigious five star hotel in central London catered to large functions and offered a 24-hour food operation.

CHEZ JEAN-MARC, Kinsale, Co Cork

Chef de Partie

The Red M restaurant in the Good Food Circle was a fine dining destination set in a quaint fishing village.

CLANCY’S BISTRO, Cork City

3rd Year Commis

This buzzy bistro is set in downtown Cork City and a super place to work.  

GREGAN’S CASTLE, Ballyvaughan, Co Cork

Commis Chef

Set in an upmarket converted castle with old style charm, we served a cozy crowd a menu compiled wholly on local produce.

JURY’S HOTEL, Cork City

Cork City’s only Five Star Hotel (at the time), it had a function hall, as well as al la carte restaurant serving traditional Irish cuisine.

CAPE COD RESTAURANT, Euro Disney, France

Commis de Cuisine

Where I “cut my chops”, this 24-hour food operation set in Europe’s second largest hotel  catering up to 4500 diners per day.