OVER A QUARTER of the restaurants listed in the latest edition of a leading Irish guide are new entrants – one of which is owned by guide re-entrant Dylan McGrath.

The “100 Best Restaurants” guide for 2013, by John and Sally McKenna, comes at an increasingly difficult time for eateries in Ireland.

McKenna says that being a “holistic chef” is increasingly important, with the ability to teach, demo, forage, use social media and speak publicly all helping restaurants stand out.

Chef and Masterchef judge Dylan McGrath is a re-entrant (Mint had been on the list) with his Fade Street Social restaurant, while The Pig’s Ear, The Chop House, The Greenhouse, Paris Bakery and San Lorenzo’s, all located in central Dublin, have also made the list.

Mayo also saw a number of its restaurants added to the list, including An Port Mor in Westport and Rua and Café Rua in Castlebar.

The annual list of the 10 hot chefs included Cormac Rowe from Mount Juliet in Co Kilkenny, Caitlin Ruth from Deasy’s in Clonakilty, Co Cork, Alan Foley from The Step House Hotel in Borris, Co Carlow and Kevin Aherne from Sage in Co Cork.

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