Great family cooking was a part of Gráinne Mullins’ childhood, and she grew up in Galway with a love and respect for good food. Setting foot in a commercial kitchen as a teenager only deepened her connection with food and she began working part-time in the pastry section of five-star hotels. Interrupting a science degree to move to France, she spent two years working in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Aix-en-Provence. Cooking won out over science, with Gráinne following her heart. Returning home to work in pastry in many of Ireland’s leading kitchens, the self-taught chef was the winner of the prestigious 2019 Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year. Channelling the skills, artistry and joy she has learned from some of the country’s most talented chefs, Gráinne founded Grá Chocolates in her hometown of Kilchreest in 2020.