He's one of Ireland's most respected and decorated chefs, but JP McMahon also proves he might be the most interesting, outspoken and controversial figures in the food world too as he lets loose in a frank Hot Press interview in the new issue published tomorrow, September 29.

In it, he reveals the secrets that diners don't see – including the hedonistic lifestyle that chefs tend to lead – as well as what happens when the doors close for the evening. "I've had sex in the restaurant – but never in the kitchen!" he tells Olaf Tyaransen. "I’ve found plenty of my staff having sex in the restaurant. It’s funny because once or twice you open the door – it’s after hours – and you go, 'Oh yeah, sorry... yes... see ye later!' And it’s not even, 'What are ye doing having sex on table 15?'. But then it’s almost just part of it. It’s almost accepted. It’s a very bizarre lifestyle. Maybe that’s what attracted me so much to cooking initially, the kinda rock ‘n’ roll element."

As a man who bears a tattoo of Jim Morrison of The Doors, the owner of three hugely popular Galway restaurants – including the Michelin-starred Aniar – certainly has the rock'n'roll credentials, but he admits that drugs have never held any great appeal. "I smoked hash, but I never got into the psychedelic side of things. I was always tempted. I remember plenty of times there was a tab of acid right in front of me, and I was always tempted but I never did it. I wouldn’t say I’m afraid of my imagination, but I have a very active imagination – and I’ve had enough fucking psychological issues without having to take acid!"

Indeed, he also reflects on one of the more challenging developments of the past few years; how the success of Aniar in claiming a Michelin star began a chain of events that destroyed a life-long friendship with chef Enda McEvoy.

"All of a sudden, there was all this attention on Enda and on myself. That caused a lot of problems as well because it became like... who owns the star? Is it the restaurant or is it the chef?" He goes on to reveal that the two are no longer friends: "For as much as I would love to be, circumstances, just you know... He was the best man at my wedding. We were best friends for 17 years. Did a Michelin star destroy that? I dunno. I went one way and Enda went another way."

In an honest and forthright exchange, he also details:
– The reason he doesn't call himself a 'Michelin Star chef'
– Why the doors of Aniar will close for the Galway Races
– His period as a vegetarian
– The importance of college education
– And why he sometimes regrets his success.

The fascinating interview can be read in full in the new issue of Hot Press on shelves now.

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