Earlier this year, Michelin presented the 2025 restaurant selection of The Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland, which was unveiled during the annual Michelin Guide Ceremony in the beautiful surroundings of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.
The most esteemed dining establishments across the United Kingdom and Ireland were honoured on the night along with some of the most creative and dynamic chefs currently working in the industry.
There was much to celebrate and many newcomers. However, a small wine bar in Galway was one of the main talking points on the night.
Opened in July 2023, Daróg Wine Bar was founded by husband and wife team, Zsolt Lukács and Edel McMahon. The Michelin Guide 2025 recognised the establishment with a Bib Gourmand, while Zsolt Lukács was honoured with the prestigious Sommelier Award. ‘He is an engaging, dedicated man who is clearly so passionate about the wine list he has curated here,’ according to The Michelin Guide.
In this interview, Zsolt Lukacs tells Robert McHugh about his surprise at winning the award and why Galway will always be his home.
How did it feel to win the Michelin Sommelier Award last month?
It took me by surprise. I should have known better. We hadn't thought we would win. We were only open 18 or 19 months at that stage, a tiny wine bar.
We wouldn't have believed a few months ago that we would be considered for such an honour. I was a bit gobsmacked when my name appeared on the screen in front of all those people, among the best Michelin three-star chefs from Ireland and the UK. It was a big surprise.
What is the ethos of Daróg?
I know from my own wine journey in the past that we can delight people by showing them what wine can do besides the obvious.
Apart from the obvious and well known grape varieties in certain regions, there is so much more out there to be discovered, but you may need someone with a deeper insight to guide you, which I would have. It is not always obvious to customers, they need a bit of guidance in a good sense.
Let's say you are a film nerd. You will be knowledgeable about many more films than what is shown in mainstream cinemas. It is very much the same with wine to be honest with you. Once you know a bit more about wine and can explain it to people, you can see how delightful the response is. That is whole idea behind why Daróg was set up.
The ethos behind our wine selection is that we prefer to work with small artisan producers rather than larger scale. We prefer wines that are made in a less invasive way with low-intervention using organic and biodynamically grown fruit.
Please tell me a little bit about your own background.
I was born in Budapest, in Hungary. I grew up in Reutlingen in the South West of Germany. I have been in Ireland for 20 years and the majority of that time I have been in Galway.
What attracted you to Ireland?
The first time was for a holiday. I then decided to come over for ten months to improve my English. Twenty years later I am still here! The beauty of the West of Ireland is magical.
What inspired your love of wine and hospitality?
I started working in restaurants when I was 15. It was just to earn a few bob while I was still in school.
I changed careers completely after that but I was always dipping in and out of hospitality. When I came to Ireland, it was an easy way to learn the language and communicate with people.
It got a bit more serious when I moved to Galway. I worked in Sheridan's on The Docks, which has since closed. Enda McEvoy was the head chef. That ultimately led to restaurants like Kai in Galway. It just naturally and organically grew.
I worked in Aniar at a very early stage and seeing them win a Michelin star was amazing. I never intended to work in a Michelin star restaurant. It happened around me.
When you see people all around you at the top of their game, it motivates you to up your own game as well.
What do you love most about your job?
Simply seeing people have a good time. They come into the restaurant in the evening and enjoy nice food and wine. It just creates such a nice atmosphere.
Who was your first mentor in hospitality?
Gerry Flynn. He was a well known character in Galway who passed away last year. He worked in Sheridan's Wine Bar for a long time and he worked in Sheridan's on The Docks as well. I found him to be a very inspiring character. His way of hospitality was to be genuine to people.
What are the changing trends in hospitality – people’s expectations, new elements, etc.?
It is a fast changing environment. Trends are coming and going. You need to adapt all the time to be ahead of the game. We talk frequently about the current economic situation because it is quite challenging. You can make things more expensive but you want to stay attached to the customer as well.
I have lived in Ireland for 20 years. I remember having my first pint of Guinness outside the Bulman Bar in Kinsale and watching the sunset. When I remember what I paid for a pint of Guinness back then compared to now, it has doubled since then.
We don't want prices to go through the roof. Our aim is to give people a good time. At the same time, we are a business not a charity. Quality is something that has a very high standing for us. We only want to work with quality ingredients and quality wines.
What do you like to do when you are not working?
When you are self-employed and only a year and a half into a new venture, when is there a time when you are not working?! Other than that, I like to spend time with my family.
Name one white wine and one red wine that you could not live without.
It would have to be a sparkling white wine.
My wife and I like to share a nice bottle of champagne on a Sunday. Champagne is so versatile in terms of food, and you can enjoy it on its own merits. It mixes with different styles of cuisine. We love Champagne from small producers.
For the red selection, it would have to be a Pinot Noir.
