The Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland Awards will arrive in Ireland for the first time on Monday, 9 February, in partnership with La Rousse Foods.
Taking place in the Convention Centre in Dublin, the prestigious ceremony will see the Michelin Stars for 2026 presented to restaurants from across the UK and Ireland.
On the big night, the Guide will unveil stars, Bibs Gourmands, Green Stars for sustainability and special awards for "the most talented restaurant teams and chefs from Great Britain and Ireland".
The event will also be livestreamed globally.
In the run-up to the event, public relations company Host has been working to create a lively, walkable programme of pop-ups and collaborations across the city.
The result is The Chef Sessions: a series of one-off events, collaborations and late-night gatherings across the city centre designed to add a little sparkle, a little craic, and a proper sense of occasion to the days around the awards.
Órla Dukes, Director of Host, told RTÉ Lifestyle: "Having worked with the industry for over 20 years, we see every day and at first hand the passion, dedication and talent that chefs, front of house, and restaurateurs bring to their work."
She continued: "We really felt it was important to help roll out the green carpet, so we created and coordinated the Chef Sessions — events and chef collaborations in the city during the Michelin weekend, celebrating our chefs and the wider hospitality community."
From a chef's perspective, Barry Sun of Volpe Nera said that the sessions are a chance to show off the amazing standard of Irish restaurants.
"Having Michelin come to Dublin feels like a real moment of pride. It's recognition of the journey the Irish restaurant industry has been on and the hard work happening quietly in kitchens across the country.
"The standard of Irish restaurants, from the day I started as a kitchen porter to now, is something to be genuinely proud of — especially our local produce, ingredients that are among the best in the world when treated with respect. "
To give you a taster of The Chef Sessions, here are some of the confirmed events:
Marcus O' Laoire x Thom Lawson at Rei Momo
- 'A Substantial Meal’ – new-school chicken in a basket & DJ
- Rei Momo, 56 Drury Street, Dublin 2, D02 HT29
- Saturday 7 February, 6pm til late
- €20 per basket
From the 60s until the year 2000, Irish venues looking for late-night licences had to serve ‘a substantial meal’. The Special Exemption Orders menu often meant the clubbers were dished up curry, sausages, or even chicken in a basket.
Kicking off the Michelin weekender on Saturday night, the substantial meal, created in partnership with his brother in music and food, Thom Lawson at Rei Momo, is a Bistro Brazil take on chicken in a basket – dende and urucum half chicken, malagueta chimichurri and chips in that classic red plastic basket.
From 6pm til late, with a mandatory raffle ticket, nobody will be turning down the music in Rei Momo.
Barry Sun X Hang Dai
- Hang Dai, 20 Camden Street Lwr., Dublin 2, D02 T275
- Sunday 8 February, 2 sittings (4-5pm/7.15-8.30pm)
- €80 pp for supper with a cocktail or glass of champagne
Chef Barry Sun of Volpe Nera in Blackrock is bringing his light and elegant touch into the perfect city centre home, hosted by Will and the team at Hang Dai.
Like the rest of this emerging weekend roster, it will be casual, with two supper sittings featuring plenty of small plates (Volpe Nera oysters, dumplings in broth, char siu tart and chicken siu mei) and sharing platters in the middle of the table of crispy pork, black bean steamed sea bass, typhoon cabbage and aubergine mapo.
There’s green Sichuan pepper ice cream to finish, and then there’ll be cocktails and dancing afterwards in the Gold Bar upstairs at Hang Dai.
Cúán Greene & team Ómós x Frank’s
- Frank’s Wine Bar, Camden Street
- Sunday 8 February, from 5pm
- €10 per hot dog
Cúán Greene, chef-owner of upcoming Ómós, spent a large slice of his early career working in two of the most well-known, challenging and diametrically opposite kitchens on earth – Noma and Geranium, in Copenhagen.
Cúán is partnering with the team in Frank’s for his take on hot dogs on Sunday night – two dogs, one a classic pølse, the other seasonal, and a little more left field. Franks at Frank’s are €10, served from 5pm until they are all gone.
First-come, first-served and walk-ins only, and can be paired with that other, more contemporary Danish staple – natural wine from Frank’s super list.
Mark Moriarty x Egan’s x Bar 1661
- The Mother of All Breakfasts in the Hand
- Egan’s, 17 Aungier Street, Dublin 2, D02 XF38
- Monday, 8 February, 10.30am to 1.30pm
- €25 pp for breakfast muffin and a choice of drink
Egan’s on Aungier Street will collaborate with chef, TV host and author Mark Moriarty, and Dublin’s most regarded cocktail bar, Bar 1661.
This dreamiest start to the week is based on Mark’s take on a certain Golden Arches breakfast staple (a M*rkMuffin if you will) of double sausage and egg muffins featuring Rick Higgins’ pork sausage patties with melted lardo, Irish cheddar and spicy dill pickled mayo.
Dave Mulligan from Bar 1661 will be serving up Belfast Coffees and Bloody Monks while Oisín from Egan’s will be pulling pints in this modern Dublin pub, and the muffins will be served until sold out.
The €25 pp includes a sausage and egg breakfast muffin and either a Belfast Coffee, a Bloody Monk or a Midleton Very Rare Irish Coffee. Midleton will also have its 2024 vintage available to taste neat at Egan's.
Rob Krawczyk x Row Wines
- A Starry Toastie by Restaurant Chestnut
- Row Wines, Coppinger Row, Dublin 2, D02 Y973
- Monday 9 February, 1pm to 3pm
- €12 toastie, €5 glass of wine
From the simple sophistication at the gorgeous gem Restaurant Chestnut in Ballydehob, Rob has created a toastie in partnership with the crew at Row – kassler with sour cabbage and mature Gubbeen on sourdough.
To celebrate Ireland welcoming Michelin to Dublin, Row are opening early, serving toasties from 1pm to 3pm, and are generously pairing a glass of wine for only a fiver.
The Sisters of Smithfield
- Sister 7 @ Fidelity, 79 Queen St., Smithfield, Dublin 7, D07 DW3R
- Monday 9 February, 8pm to 12am
- Swanky Swanky Spice Bags €22
Chef Chun Li and DJ Sally Cinnamon will be adding extra swank to the long weekend with luxe spice bags at Sister 7 and incredible tunes to go with them.
The ridiculously rich Swanky Swanky Spice Bags feature Irish lobster, Irish confit duck, master stock braised Irish short ribs, with mini edamame bean spring rolls, and parmesan potato puff ball for €22.
Legendary DJ Sally Cinnamon is on the decks, scholar of sound, at the helm of some of the best Irish dance parties for over 25 years.
