Adrian Martin (chef)
Adrian Martin | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1991 or 1992 (age 33–34)[1] |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation(s) | Chef, restaurateur, author, TV presenter |
| Years active | 2014 – present |
| Website | https://chefadrianmartin.ie/ |
Adrian Martin is an Irish chef and author from Cavan. He is the owner and head chef of Wildflower Restaurant, formerly of Camden in London, and as of 2025, in Blackrock Market, Dublin.
Early life and education
[edit]Martin is from Cavan.[2] His father John is involved in the food industry, running an event management company which sets up cookery demonstrations and food festivals.[citation needed]
Martin studied culinary arts at the School of Tourism, Killybegs,[3] studied at South West College, Enniskillen,[citation needed] and studied baking and pastry arts management at Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street.[3]
Career
[edit]Starting at the age of 14, Martin trained at Neven Maguire's Mac Nean House[3] and at Bon Appetit in Malahide.[citation needed]
In 2020, days before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, he opened Wildflower in London's Camden neighborhood in a shipping container. Closed multiple times under pandemic measures, he later stated that it had cost him financially.[1] In 2021, he moved the Wildflower concept to Dublin's south inner city, opening in a listed Georgian-era building on South Richmond Street in February 2022.[4][2][5] With over 120,000 euro invested, Wildflower had two dining rooms and a bar,[6] and was serving 60-80 diners nightly. The restaurant received a harsh review in the Irish Times. It closed later in 2022.[1] Martin describing himself as having burned-out but in 2024 prepared to open a one-table Wildflower Restaurant \("3.0") in Dublin's Blackrock Market, which launched in December of that year.[7] In October 2024, he announced having taken ownership of Dublin's Luigi Malones in Temple Bar with the launch of Luigi Malones Bistro & Bar by Adrian Martin. In April 2025, it was announced that Luigi Malones was closing after 28 years of trading in the Temple Bar location due to plummeting turnover.[8]
Media work
[edit]Martin is one of the resident chefs on the Six o' Clock show on TV3/Virgin Media 1 which is hosted by Martin King and Lucy Kennedy.[1] He also led Chef Adrian Eats Ireland (Amazon Prime, 2021) and Wild Cooks (BBC, 2020),[1] having previously led two shows on the RTE Player platform in 2016.[1]
Bibliography
[edit]- 2017: Fakeaway: Fast Food Made Healthy [9][better source needed]
- 2019: Create Beautiful Food at Home [10][better source needed]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "Chef Adrian's Culinary Flops". The Phoenix. 23 March 2023.
- ^ a b Audley, Fiona. "'It's always been my dream': Irish chef Adrian Martin opens first restaurant at home". The Irish Post. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
- ^ a b c Brennan, Colin (23 September 2016). "Cavan chef Adrian on how starting in Maguire's restaurant at 14 taught him a lot". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
- ^ Thornton, Katie (2 February 2022). "Chef Adrian Martin opens new Dublin restaurant Wildflower". Lovin Dublin. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
- ^ Audley, Fiona. "Fine dining in a shipping container - Irish chef reopens his London debut after lockdown". The Irish Post. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
- ^ "Chef Adrian Martin Opens Wildflower Restaurant in Dublin". www.hotelandrestauranttimes.ie. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
- ^ Hanlon, Patrick; Alford, Russell (5 January 2025). "Ireland's restaurants turn the tables after a tough year". The Times (of London).
- ^ Pepper, Diarmuid. "Prolonged street works 'straw that broke camel's back' as Dublin restaurant closes after 28 years". The Journal. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ Martin, Adrian (2017). Fakeaway: Fast Food Made Healthy. ISBN 9781781174906.
- ^ Martin, Adrian (5 April 2019). Create Beautiful Food at Home. ISBN 9781781176306.