Anna Haugh: pioneering modern Irish cooking in London
Tucked away off the King’s Road in Chelsea amid London’s bustling dining scene, Dublin-born Anna Haugh has carved out a fresh new take on Irish cuisine.
Cutting her teeth among great chefs such as Philip Howard, Derry Clarke, Gordon Ramsay and Gualtiero Marchesi, Haugh is no stranger to a challenge. In pioneering modern Irish cuisine, she draws not only upon two decades of cooking, but importantly her roots growing up in Tallaght, South Dublin.
The day I walked into an empty stainless steel kitchen, in my belly I thought: ‘I belong here’
Speaking about her inspirations behind the dishes at Myrtle Restaurant, her first independent venture as a chef, Haugh took us back to her home kitchen in Ireland.
Amassed over generations, the recipes made by her mother, and taught to her by her mother before, are authentically Irish and represent an unmistakable and unbroken heritage. This, she credits, is an incredible resource to draw on in devising a modern Irish menu.
Myrtle Restaurant, now six years old, represents Haugh’s journey as a chef, blending the traditional Irish flavours she grew up with, with contemporary technique.
In this video interview, you can see this in action with Anna preparing one of her signature dishes, Chef Anna’s Carrot Salad.
Anna makes a point of using her work as a form of acknowledgement to one’s ancestors. Reflecting on the generations of Irish emigrants to Great Britain, she stresses the importance of giving “gratitude to the hard work that people have done before you.”
In a similar vein, the name Myrtle Restaurant nods to another Irish trailblazer, being named in part after legendary chef Myrtle Allen.
As an Irish woman in London, I know that my journey is much more enjoyable than what some of my ancestors went through.
Watch our full interview with Chef Anna Haugh
Myrtle Restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday serving an incredible seasonal menu at 1a Langton Street, Chelsea, SW10 0JL. Find out more at myrtlerestaurant.com.