Thornton's Restaurant
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fine dining restaurant |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Defunct | 2016-10-29 |
| Fate | Closed; premises now occupied by Glovers Alley |
| Headquarters | Dublin , Ireland |
Key people | Kevin Thornton (head chef) |
| Products | Fine dining cuisine |
Thornton's operated between 2002 and 2016 within the Fitzwilliam Hotel located on St. Stephen's Green, County Dublin, Ireland, having initially launched on Portobello Road in 1989. This fine dining venue received a one-star Michelin rating during the periods 1996-2000 and 2006–2015, while it was awarded two stars from 2001 to 2005. The restaurant ceased operations on 29 October 2016, with its premises now occupied by Glovers Alley.
The head chef, Kevin Thornton, became the first Irish-born chef to be honored with two Michelin stars, marking a significant achievement in Ireland’s upscale culinary scene. Although Patrick Guilbaud obtained his second star earlier, he was originally from France.
Origin
In 2002, Thornton's Restaurant commenced service at the Fitzwilliam Hotel on St Stephen's Green.
Controversy
Thornton's Restaurant encountered controversy in 2007 when Kevin Thornton reportedly declined to serve chips to a patron, drawing parallels to British chef Gordon Ramsay. After the customer reconsidered and returned the chips, Thornton allegedly slammed them down, stating, “They were cooked specially for you, so you eat them, you dickhead,” and subsequently referred to the guests as "wankers" before requesting their departure.
On RTÉ Radio 1's Liveline, Thornton explained that his irritation was not truly about serving chips—he often provided them to younger diners—but stemmed from the customer's demeanor. This episode associated Thornton with a public aversion to chips and has been used in Irish media as a humorous reference for eateries that do not offer them. Additionally, he has openly opposed including casual dishes such as pizza on his menu.
Awards
In 2007, Thornton received the title of Food & Wine Magazine's Chef of the Year for Ireland. Although his restaurant once held two Michelin stars, it lost one during that period; media coverage included a cartoon portraying Thornton setting fire to the Michelin Guide.
Trivia
- In 2002, Kevin Thornton took over the former Michelin-starred establishment Peacock Alley after the Fitzwilliam Hotel ended its lease agreement with Conrad Gallagher.