Seamus O’Connell was raised in Arizona and began his culinary apprenticeship under acclaimed French fusion pioneer Vincent Guerithault (Vincent’s on Camelback, Scottsdale, Az.) and ‘New American’ chef Christopher Gross (Christopher’s, Phoenix, Az).

A move to New York in the early eighties saw him working in the dynamic kitchens of 24 Fifth under Michel Fitoussi, La Reserve with Andre Gailliard, La Tucano under Jaques Maxime, and the newly opened Le Bernardin. Seamus then moved to Ireland for the first time, and spent some time sculpting in the west of Ireland. Following this, Seamus moved to France where he worked under Alain Chapel in Mionnay and at La Tour Rose in Lyon with Phillipe Chavent – both 3 *** Michelin restaurants.

Returning to Ireland he opened The Riverbank Inn in west Cork in 1987 but left to work in The Arbutus Lodge in Cork when his first child Sarah was born 1988.