The Chamber
Dublin’s Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud profits rise by €120,000
Business at Ireland’s most celebrated eatery— Dublin’s Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud — is on the up and up with its eponymous co-owner yesterday confirming it has just enjoyed its best ever year since it opened 35 years ago.
Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud is Ireland’s only two Michelin star restaurant and Mr Guilbaud said the last three years have all been record-breaking.
He was commenting on new accounts for the restaurant’s firm, Becklock Ltd, showing that accumulated profits increased by €120,236 to €564,531 in the 12 months to the end of last August.
During the same period, the company’s cash pile rose from €274,561 to €371,419.
The famed restaurant is housed in the five-star Merrion Hotel in Dublin and counts two of Ireland’s best-known businessmen, Martin Naughton and Lochlann Quinn as minority shareholders.
Mr Guilbaud said that the restaurant’s performance in 2016 “is very strong, very steady — it does reflect the economy”.
Asked if he had any plans to expand and open up another restaurant, the 64-year-old joked: “I’m too old for that.”
He said: “At the restaurant, we do the best that we can do and always be nice to the customer.”
The 20-table restaurant employs 38 people while Mr Guilbaud; celebrated chef, Guillaume Lebrun and restaurant manager, Stephane Robin, continue at the helm of the business.
The three are also shareholders in the company.
Mr Guilbaud confirmed the restaurant will close from next Sunday, August 14 until mid-November to accommodate building works at the Merrion Hotel and a full refurbishment of the restaurant itself — from its front-of-house to its wine cellar.
He said that tourists drive business at the restaurant during the summer months while “locals” make up most of the business between September and May.
The restaurant was first established in 1981 and has retained its two Michelin Stars since 1996.
It moved to its current surroundings from St James’s Place in 1997.
The restaurant’s wine cellar has 25,000 bottles from all over the world.
Source: www.irishexaminer.com
