Matt Dowling

Matt Dowling
Born	1945 Crumlin, Dublin
Nationality	Irish
Occupation	Chef
Known for	Michelin star

Matt Dowling (Crumlin, Dublin, 1945) is an Irish head chef. He was leading the kitchen brigade of the Michelin starred The Russell Hotel in Dublin, County Dublin, when it earned his star in 1974.^{[1] [2]}

Dowling started his career as 14 year old boy, in 1960, as a kitchen hand in The Russell Hotel.^[3]After six months he started his formal training and worked his way through the different parts of the kitchen. In 1965 he became a full chef.^[4]He was head chef in 1974 when The Russel Hotel earned his Michelin star, just before it closed.^[5]

After the closure of The Russel Hotel Dowling moved to the "Sachs Hotel". He worked there for four years as head chef, until this hotel closed too.^[6]From there he went to Leinster House as a head chef. In 1980 Dowling left here to take up a position at a training school of CERT (now Failte Ireland).^[7][8] Around 1978 he took part in the "advanced cookery courses for senior chefs" from Jimmy Kilbride to modernise his skills and theoretical knowledge.^[9] In a later stage Dowling was invited to do some TV-work. It turned out to become much more and he took part in TV-series as "Ready Steady Cook" and "Live at 3". Dowling used these shows for the courses he was giving. Trainees would often help him with research and preparations, what served as a huge moral booster for the trainees.^[10]

In 1978 he joined the Panel of Chefs Ireland, a organization aiming to improve chef standards and to promote Irish food by taking part in (international) competitions.^[11][12]

As part of his job at Failte Ireland, Dowling often acts as judge in cooking competitions, like the Rotary Club Young Chef Competition.^[13]

Awards

• 1974: Michelin star The Russell Hotel
•  ?: Silver medal with the Panel of Chefs at the competition in (the??) Olympia^[14]
•  ?: Gold medal with the Panel of chefs at the competition in Germany^[15]

Personal

Dowling is married and has at least three children.^[16]

Trivia

• Dowling was, as commis chef, involved in the State Dinner for president Kennedy during his visit to Ireland in 1963.^[17]

References

Sources

• The emergence, development and influence of French Haute Cuisine on public dining in Dublin restaurants 1900-2000: an oral history. Thesis DIT by Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire, 2009. 3 downloadable volumes.

1. ^ Michelin Online Republic of Ireland
2. ^ Pierre Rolland: Ireland's First Michelin Star Chef. Mac Con Iomaire, M. (2004). Pierre Rolland: Ireland's First Michelin Star Chef. Hotel and Catering Review. Vol. 37, No. 12, p.45.
3. ^ Iomaire Mac Con. Volume 3, p. 248
4. ^ Iomaire Mac Con. Volume 3, p. 251
5. ^ Iomaire Mac Con. Volume 2, p. 289
6. ^ Iomaire Mac Con. Volume 3, p. 260
7. ^ Iomaire Mac Con. Volume 3, p. 261/262
8. ^ Iomaire Mac Con. Volume 3, p. 267. Interview was in 2004.
9. ^ Iomaire Mac Con. Volume 3, p. 264
10. ^ Iomaire Mac Con. Volume 3, p. 266
11. ^ Iomaire Mac Con. Volume 3, p. 267.
12. ^ Panel of Chefs of Ireland Ltd.
13. ^ Budding chef Joel cooks up a storm in competition
14. ^ Iomaire Mac Con. Volume 3, p. 267
15. ^ Iomaire Mac Con. Volume 3, p. 267
16. ^ Iomaire Mac Con. Volume 3, p. 261
17. ^ Iomaire Mac Con. Volume 3, p. 259

Persondata
Name	Dowling, Matt
Alternative names
Short description	Irish chef
Date of birth	1945
Place of birth	Crumlin, Dublin
Date of death
Place of death