Dublin was a very different city when Yamamori first opened its doors back in 1995. “George’s Street back then was derelict,” says Derek Ryan, who had the single-minded vision to introduce Japanese food to the city. “There were trees growing out of the front of Dunnes Stores, and over half the street was empty,” he recalls, “Hogan’s hadn’t opened yet, but there was the Long Hall and The George, and they made up the nucleus of the street.
The desire to start in the family business was there from a young age for Graham. “When I was in school, it was strange that my Dad owned a restaurant. Most of my friends’ parents had jobs that seemed less adventurous to me,” he says. “I remember thinking that I would like to do what my Dad was doing, and I was always very happy to be in the restaurant as a kid, I was happy to be around him and learn things.
Each Yamamori location has its own personality, explains Julie. “They are like three children so of course I love them all equally,” she says, “we always joke about how Izakaya is where you meet someone first, then Yamamori North is where you take them on a date, and the original Yamamori on George’s St. is where you go when you’ve married them and had kids.”