Aidan McGee reveals plans to open Irish bar in Boston

Aidan McGee has left Corrigan's Mayfair, where he was head chef for the past four years, and revealed plans to open an Irish bar in Boston in the US, where he and his wife have relocated.

Irishman McGee previously worked at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London hotel, and the Truscott Arms in Maida Vale before its closure in 2016. He joined Corrigan’s in 2018 following the departure of chef director Ross Bryans. The new head chef at Corrigan’s is yet to be confirmed.

“[Richard and I are] still good friends and I chat to him for advice,” said McGee. “He’s always there at the end of the phone… [after] 14 years in London, I just needed that break.”

McGee has taken on a 250-cover former Irish pub at 2 Central Plaza in partnership with the East Coast Tavern Group, which he plans to relaunch as the Dubliner in April after “ripping out nearly everything” to give the venue a 1960s Dublin pub aesthetic.

He plans to bring what he learned in London to Boston to create an authentic Irish gastropub experience.

“We’re going to try and do good, honest food that people walk away and just go ‘wow, that was super tasty, I’ll definitely come back’. Hand & Flowers-style food but not that intricate, not a two-star level, but that kind of feel – like the fish and chips is the best it can be, and a burger that is prime Irish beef, or a sirloin steak cooked perfectly, and triple-cooked chips," he said.

“Obviously there will be mashed potato on the menu, but getting away from people thinking that’s all we do is key for me… I think the concept of what Irish food is globally is changing.”

He plans to use imported Irish beef and cheese and showcase Irish produce, as well as Irish musicians, and the bar will host live music events.

“[Boston's] very young, it’s very international with Harvard and MIT, and they’re really nice people. The seafood’s amazing – you go into North Maine, the Berkshires, it’s game. It just felt right to try and build something here,” he added.

“You never know, down the line we could open something in London.”