ANTHONY O’TOOLE
Advisor. Researcher. Disruptor. Enabler. Explorer. Leader. Designer. Educator. Dreamer. Eater. Drinker. Gardener. Keeper.
Anthony O’Toole is a chef, writer, and international specialist in food and drink culture and hospitality design, with a passion for biodiversity, sustainability, and Irish food heritage. He is an avid collector of food, garden, and cookery books, boasting over 2,000 volumes in his library.
Anthony is one of Ireland’s foremost authorities on food, sustainability, and tourism, with cross-sectoral experience shaping the future of Irish food culture, immersive tourism, and place-based storytelling. A specialist in Irish food and drink, he works at the intersection of gastronomy, sustainability, innovation, hospitality, and design - helping brands, personalities, communities, and regions unlock the full potential of their offerings.
Through his agency, he supports clients throughout Ireland and internationally with food and travel research, benchmarking, strategy, product development, hospitality, experience design, and one-off showcase events. Whether curating food trails, advising on policy, designing new hospitality experiences, or mentoring artisan producers and hospitality professionals, his work is rooted in Ireland’s culinary and craft heritage and driven by a visionary approach to its future.
Anthony works with a small client list, ensuring every project aligns with sustainability, quality, and a meaningful experience. Known for his future-focused vision, he collaborates with leading experts to bring exceptional projects to life, crafting solutions that elevate brands and shape the future of food, drink, hospitality, and tourism.
A natural connector and storyteller, Anthony brings together food, drink, people, and place to spark innovation and drive change. He has worked ‘behind the scenes’ with many of Ireland’s leading artisan producers, chefs, business developers, hospitality establishments, design agencies, and tourism attractions to define brand identities, create experiences, and explore wider opportunities.
After eight years in the making, Anthony launched Fat Tomato in 2024, his edible garden and horticulture project in North Wexford. It is home to over 500 varieties of organic heritage seeds and plants, including 100 types of heirloom tomatoes, alongside a diverse selection of herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Fat Tomato serves as a living pantry, an honesty farm shop, a biodiversity haven, and, in time, a novel community and educational space. Rooted in the belief that we should grow for flavour rather than yield, Fat Tomato unites his culinary and horticultural realms. Every product tells a story, and every harvest sparks a new idea. Anthony was listed in The Independent’s (Ireland) “Faces to Watch in 2025” for his work on Fat Tomato.
Background
Anthony’s career spans Ireland, the UK, and France, beginning at a young age with a variety of roles. He has experience as an office administrator, hospitality manager, chef in multiple kitchens, and head cookery school tutor and course developer.
Anthony worked as a business and culinary development specialist with a major restaurant solutions company for five years, collaborating closely with directors and senior management to introduce innovative ideas, new concepts, and sustainable practices across a broad portfolio of brands.
A natural entrepreneur, Anthony has balanced full-time roles with working independently as a private chef, caterer, creative director, and event planner. Since 2013, he has focused on independent projects, contributing his expertise to a diverse range of initiatives both in Ireland and internationally.
Education and Training
In 2020, Anthony completed an Advanced Diploma in Media and Social Media Law at the internationally renowned King’s Inns law school. He has also attended workshops and seminars covering public procurement, employment law, and data protection.
Anthony holds a Master of Science in Culinary Innovation and New Product Development from Technological University Dublin, along with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree in Culinary Arts and Related Sciences. His passion for drinks is reflected in his WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) Level 2 and Level 3 certifications.
Throughout his career, Anthony has received numerous academic and industry accolades, including awards for best new product with market potential, a Silver Chef Award, a semi-finalist position in the Bolton Trust Entrepreneur Competition, a Guild of Sommeliers in Ireland Award, and a scholarship to study Sherry in Jerez, Spain.
Committed to giving back, Anthony dedicates at least 10% of his personal and professional time to social causes. Since childhood, he has volunteered with a variety of local and national communities, including his family’s decade-long involvement with the Chernobyl Children International project.
Industry Involvement
Anthony is a highly respected figure within Ireland’s food, hospitality, and travel communities. As an activist for Slow Food International, he champions biodiversity, sustainability, and the preservation of traditional food cultures. He is an active member of The Guild of Sommeliers in Ireland, the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and the World Food Travel Association.
He proudly participates in Chefs’ Manifesto, a chef-led initiative supported by the United Nations’ SDG2 Advocacy Hub, which unites over 1,200 chefs worldwide committed to advancing sustainable food systems. From 2018 to 2023, Anthony served as Head of the Food Council for Euro-Toques Ireland, a respected network founded in 1986 by leading European culinary figures to support small-scale food and drink producers and strengthen chef-producer relationships.
A passionate advocate for biodiversity and organic food, Anthony is a member of Talamh Beo, the Seed Sovereignty UK & Ireland Programme, and an enthusiastic supporter of Irish Seed Savers and Brown Envelope Seeds.
Food Advocacy and Ambassadorship
Anthony is recognised as one of Ireland’s leading Food Ambassadors. From 2016 to 2019, he was appointed a Food Champion by Fáilte Ireland, the country’s national tourism development authority, where he played a pivotal role in championing and developing Ireland’s food tourism sector at a grassroots level. Anthony contributed as an advisor to Fáilte Ireland’s Food and Drink Strategy 2018–2023 and served on the steering group for the internationally focused ‘Taste the Island’ campaign, a collaborative initiative with Tourism Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland.
He co-founded Taste Wexford, a pioneering food tourism network that unites producers, chefs, tour guides, and heritage sites to deliver immersive food experiences. He also spearheaded the global #thisisirishfood digital campaign. He co-founded the Irish Food Champions Assembly, a network of leading food, beverage, and tourism professionals who influence, nurture, and champion food visitor experiences that offer a ‘sense of place’ across the island of Ireland.
An active participant in food festivals, symposiums, and industry events at home and abroad, Anthony is a strong advocate for collaboration and networking to elevate Ireland’s food heritage on the global stage. He has also worked closely with leading national and international award bodies like Blas na hÉireann, Great Taste, the Euro-Toques Ireland Young Chef Competition, and the IACP International Food Awards, lending his expertise to recognise excellence, talent, and innovation within the food and hospitality sectors.
Anthony’s extensive involvement has led to regular features in prominent media outlets such as The Irish Times, Irish Whiskey Magazine, The Irish Examiner, The Sunday Times, Hot Press, Food & Wine, The Independent, and The New York Times.
Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn and Instagram.