Dublin born Dylan McGrath, was raised on the Falls Road in Belfast. Surprisingly enough in his younger years Dylan had no interest in food. It wasn’t until in his twenties that Dylan really made the connection with cooking. He briefly studied in Portrush Catering College and the Belfast Institute, but wasn’t inspired by either course.
Dylan went on to work as Head Chef in in Jury’s Inn, Belfast, At the age of eighteen he was responsible for ten to twelve chefs in the new city centre hotel. He later left Jury's to work in Roscoff, Northern Ireland’s only Michelin starred restaurant.
After a year at Roscoff, Dylan moved to the UK to work at John Burton Race's two-star Michelin restaurant in Reading, L'Octolan. It was there that Dylan spent three years gaining the discipline, and honing the precision and skill essential for cooking at that level.
In July 2002, Dylan returned to Dublin to work with an old friend, Aidan Byrne, at the Michelin-star, Commons Restaurant, where he stayed until the following March. He then returned to London, where he worked with Tom Aikens, in his new restaurant in Chelsea where he became Head Chef.
Working with Tom Aikens was tough, but Tom recognised Dylan's ability and drive, and pushed him to his limit. Tom had a huge influence on Dylan and his career.
Dylan returned home to Ireland take up his own Head Chef position in Mint restaurant where he received a Michelin star. While in Mint Dylan was the subject of a fly on the wall documentary, Pressure Cooker.
In 2009 due to the economic downturn Mint was forced to close.
In August 2010, Dylan opened Rustic Stone. Dylan and his team worked to create an original concept that maintained his own distinctive innovative style and creativity, but at an affordable price. Rustic Stone is casual dining in a contemporary setting in which the food delivers on the flavours Dylan is so passionate about but without the formality he previously would have been associated with.
Dylan’s latest venture is Fade Street Social by Dylan McGrath which is one of the most ambitious restaurant projects to happen in Dublin for a very long time. The new venture opened its doors in October 2012 and consists of two different restaurants with separate menus and kitchens in an 8,000 square foot building in the heart of Dublin city.
