Our Kitchen Philosophy

Great dishes start with great ingredients, and only the finest Irish ingredients get past Executive Chef Ed Cooney. Our suppliers are as homegrown as the goods they deliver to us fresh each day.

Working closely with his network of Irish artisan producers, Ed Cooney is able to secure the very best grass-fed beef and lamb, the highest quality fish and seafood, and the freshest of fruit and vegetables for his kitchen. A flexible approach means that if a trusted supplier comes up with superb fish or game that is not always on the menu, the chefs will welcome it into the kitchen and know how to make it shine.

Guests at The Merrion can look forward to great food that is distinctively Irish, yet definitively world-class.

“Partnerships are crucial and producers need to have the same obsession for detail that we do,” says Ed Cooney. “I’ve walked the fields with the farmers, I’ve been to the smokehouses and I’ve made the black pudding myself with Tommy Doherty so that I know how it’s done. I’ve visited the cheese-makers and the yogurt producers. It’s only by sitting in a farmhouse kitchen drinking tea that you understand how character, a sense of place, and a passion for quality can create something unique. That’s when you know you’re onto a winner.”

Provenance – The Origin of our Food

Food should taste of where it comes from – the soil on which it is grown, the pasture on which it is reared, the water in which it swims. Food that reflects its origin – the wild Atlantic Ocean, the rugged Kerry hills, the lush Golden Vale – simply tastes better. Provenance matters because it shapes the raw materials, the final ingredients, and gives them a flavour that’s unique and distinctive, that sings of their terroir.

Seasonal freshness matters too and we’re passionate about sourcing locally. Picked, plucked, caught or harvested, the shorter the journey from farm to fork, the better. It’s why we go the distance to make sure that our food doesn’t.

We are very proud to have created a genuine Irish food experience at The Merrion Hotel

*We strive to source all of our fish and seafood from sustainable sources. All of our meat and poultry is 100% Irish and is traceable from farm to fork.

All menus can also be tailored to a Gluten free diet. Our teas and coffees here at The Merrion are also sustainably certified.