'This honour is a testament to the hard work and dedication of so many, who share our desire to bring Belfast on, and make this a city we can be proud to call home'

Belfast chef and restaurateur Niall McKenna has been named in the King’s New Year Honours List.

The popular chef, who has been at the forefront of the Northern Ireland food scene for over two decades, will receive an MBE for services to hospitality and tourism.

For the last 21 years, the Belfast-born chef has poured his passion into pushing the city’s restaurant scene forward, championing innovation, local produce and first-class hospitality, whist inspiring and spurring on the next generation of young chefs.

The opening of his first restaurant, James Street South in 2003 signalled a step change in the Belfast food scene. In the years since, Niall and his wife Joanne have expanded their business, opening The Bar and Grill at James Street, followed by Hadski’s on Commercial Court, Cast & Crew in Titanic Quarter, and most recently, Waterman on Hill Street, which is also home to their popular Cookery School.

Whilst varying in style, McKenna’s unwavering commitment to quality and showcasing local produce from the best Northern Ireland producers has been at the heart of every endeavour.

In 2010 he appeared on the BBC TV series Great British Menu, where his dessert was served at the series finale banquet, and in 2014, he was named Northern Ireland Tourism Hero at the NI Tourism Awards.

Education and training have been a core focus throughout his career, and for the last eight years, Niall has led a dedicated in-house apprenticeship scheme. He has also been a visiting professor at University of Ulster since 2017.

Earlier this year, McKenna released his debut cookbook, sharing a handpicked collection of recipes for iconic dishes from his popular Belfast restaurants, including James Street, Hadskis and Waterman. Featuring 140 recipes served over the last 20 years across Niall’s five restaurants, the book – in its tongue-in-cheek title and throughout its 300 pages - asks one question: What’s it all About? The book is available to purchase from Waterman House, selected local stockists and Amazon.

Niall said: “Belfast has changed so much over the years, and I’m proud to have played a part in that. Belfast’s world-famous hospitality has put our city on the map. We now have a restaurant and food scene here to rival the best on a national and international stage.

“This honour is a testament to the hard work and dedication of so many, who share our desire to bring Belfast on, and make this a city we can be proud to call home.

"But the most important thing to me is that we’ve stayed true to what we believe in - good food, good people, and hard work.”