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Corinna Hardgrave, one of Ireland’s best-known food writers, has died at the age of 64 after an illness. Her reviews and features helped shape how Irish diners and chefs think about food, and tributes from the hospitality sector have underlined the scale of her influence.
From Carlow to a career in food writing
Born in County Carlow and raised in Dublin, Corinna Hardgrave began her working life in the city, taking a post with Guinness straight after school. She later worked as a flight attendant and spent time living in the Middle East before moving to England, where she worked in promotion and public relations.
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Hardgrave returned to Ireland after the birth of her eldest daughter and turned to food writing as a profession. Over the years she wrote as a restaurant critic and wine columnist across several national titles, including Irish Tatler, the Irish Independent, The Irish Times and The Sunday Times.
A respected voice across food and travel
Colleagues and readers praised Hardgrave for the combination of deep culinary knowledge and clear, engaging prose. She also wrote about travel, bringing a widely read perspective to food culture both at home and abroad.
Her work earned numerous industry accolades. Most recently she received the Restaurant Critic Award at the Irish Food Writing Awards in 2025.
Tributes from the hospitality sector
Chef and Chapter One co-owner Ross Lewis was among those to pay public tribute. He said: “Corinna will be a great loss to us all, because she understood our industry and always told it as she saw it.”
Lewis added that Hardgrave “had an amazing ability to champion new Irish restaurants and food producers. Her praise meant something, and her passion inspired those in hospitality.” He concluded that “her words changed how we saw and consumed food just as much as anyone on our side of the pass.”
Family and personal note
Hardgrave is survived by her husband, Steve, and their daughters, Katherine and Isabelle. Speaking to The Irish Times, her husband described her role at the paper as her “dream job” and “the culmination of all her writing and eating.”
Her death has prompted widespread condolences across Ireland’s food community and media. Many have highlighted how her reviews and features supported new talent and helped widen public appreciation for Irish food and producers.
