To find Tomahawk Steakhouse, step off the bustling cobblestone streets of Temple Bar and follow the stairs down to this intimate and unique dining setting where the steaks are the star of the show…
The ethos is for people to enjoy their beef like they would wines, whiskeys or cheeses, experiencing the different flavour notes due to the aging, smoking and cooking processes on the charcoal burning grill. The Tomahawk team believe there is no better beef than Irish and are proud to serve only the market-best. They work closely with the team at Dollard & Co. Food Market to source top level Irish beef, which are hung in the Dollard & Co. Dry Aging Chamber.
Tomahawk’s Head Chef Kamil Pekar has a passion and respect for cooking with high quality produce and ingredients. Here we ask him to tell us a little about his background, his experiences – and his favourite cut of beef.
Tell us a little about yourself? What has been your journey so far in the lead up to becoming head chef at Tomahawk?
I’m the middle child of my family and I’m from a small city in Slovakia. During my youth, I did lots of things – from working on motorcycles and car engines, DJing, building, being an electrician, working in air conditioning, even being a piano player. That was until I found my dream job – working with food. I was always looking for the pressure that would challenge me, and I found that in kitchen work.
How have you evolved as a chef working at Tomahawk? What did you learn coming from your previous background?
I always say that you can’t skip the basics. Basics are the foundations of success. To build something big, you’ve got to start at the very beginning. I started working in a staff canteen, then a coffee shop, a pub and then a large restaurant. I learned a lot about food service and working under pressure. I also learned a lot from the colleagues and amazing chefs I worked with along the way. I learned that behind the success of every great restaurant is not only the look and taste of the food or the location – but the team of colleagues and friends who work hard to create plates of food with love.
Every single job I have worked at has given me more ideas and experience – both good and bad! I’ve worked with an amazing Michelin star chef, who was not just an amazing chef but an incredible person. I worked with a celebrity chef who had brilliant ideas. Every previous job and every chef I’ve worked with has helped shape me into who I am now.