About Us
Richard O’ Connell
Born, schooled and trained in rural Ireland, Richard came to England in 1992,
following his desire to gain experience within London’s expanding hospitality scene. His first role was with The Landmark Hotel, where his passion for cooking was fueled further by the mentor ship of Michelin Star chef, Andrew McLeish.
From there, Richard went on to work at some of London’s most respected restaurants, such as Indigo at One Aldwych and The Famous Groucho Club in Dean Street Soho , as well as launching and running ETM Group’s Chiswell Street Dining Rooms and The Jugged Hare in Barbican . Earlier in his career, Richard was Director and Executive Chef of Dylan’s Restaurants in Hertfordshire, running his two-AA Rosette fine dining restaurant and two Gastro-pubs.
Richard became Executive Chef of Tom’s Kitchen in August 2014. Familiar with Tom Aiken’s pure but inspirational style of cooking and his ‘field-to-fork’ ethos, Richard knew instantly that Tom’s Kitchen was a concept he believed in fervently, and could help grow. “I believe that building enduring relationships with high-quality suppliers is one of the most important aspects of my job” says Richard. “It is the only way to drive quality and consistency in everything we do at Tom’s and this is fundamental to Tom’s unique and individual style.
Now after 25 years in the industry I have decided to take the plunge on going at it alone as a chef consultant, helping people in the industry to achieve their goals.“