Chef Frank McMahon, originally from Limerick, Ireland, began his culinary journey working in his family’s restaurant and other renowned Irish establishments, including the Dunraven Arms Hotel and Adare Manor. In 1985, he relocated to the United States, gaining valuable experience at the Stamford Yacht Club and Homestead Inn in Greenwich, Connecticut. McMahon graduated with high honors from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, in 1989, where he was recognized by his peers as “most likely to succeed.” After an externship in Germany, he joined the acclaimed team at Le Bernardin in New York City.
In 1992, McMahon became sous chef at Opus in Santa Monica, a restaurant recognized by Esquire magazine as one of “America’s Best New Restaurants.” He later moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where he held executive chef positions at several top local restaurants, including Restaurant Million, McCrady’s, and Elliott’s on the Square. Through these connections, he joined Peninsula Grill Associates to help launch Hank’s Seafood Restaurant, which opened in 1999 to critical acclaim and was again featured by Esquire as one of “America’s Best New Restaurants.”
In 2012, McMahon published “Cool Inside,” a cookbook inspired by Hank’s. After the restaurant was sold in 2016, he remained as a consultant before joining Makeready/Rockbridge Capital in 2017 as Culinary Operations Manager. As of 2025, Chef McMahon serves as Culinary Advisor, continuing his distinguished career in the culinary industry.
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
