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Google the name ‘Conrad Gallagher’ and you will find a long, long list of unflattering stories.

We’ll save you the bother and remind you of our 2015 story, detailing allegations made against him by staff of his since-shuttered Cape Town restaurant.

The following year, we were alerted to a now-defunct Facebook page, ‘Class Action against Conrad Gallagher’, where irate staff and suppliers gathered to share war stories of their dealings with the Irish chef.

After that, the trail goes cold, until reports started popping up earlier this year of Gallagher opening two new business ventures in St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape.

The Irish Sun has taken it upon themselves to expose Gallagher, with this from October 7:

…despite the series of controversies, we can reveal the credit-dodger is back trading again in the Rainbow nation.

Cocky Gallagher yesterday took to social media to boast of his new openings.

Speaking about Bistro Vin De Boeuf in St Francis Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa, he said: “The countdown has officially begun!

…The launch comes after Gallagher recently opened Off the Menu Food Emporium in St Francis Bay, a delicatessen, coffee and wine shop serving tapas-style meals.

According to its website, “Bistro Vin de Boeuf is a Parisian influenced meat & wine restaurant. We value rare, South African wines and prime, A-grade meat. BVDB is dedicated to serving the finest, aged Angus, 100% Grass-fed and Wagyu beef, cooked over wood-burning chargrill, paired selectively with boutique wines, for the ultimate dining experience.”

It’s also reported that Gallagher was evicted from a restaurant he started in Port Elizabeth, called Gallagher’s on Stanley, after suppliers accused him of non-payment.

With his name back in the news, Gallagher took aim at critics, accusing the Irish media of “poison venom attacks”.

Naturally, this led to The Irish Sun sharpening its knives and revealing further unsavoury reports about the chef:

…disgruntled Irish staff branded debt-dodging Gallagher “the Grinch” as the runaway businessman would even pull disappearing acts without paying employees in the run-up to Christmas.

[One former staff member said] “And on many occasions, Conrad would actually hide on payday, with staff including kitchen chefs and porters all being left in the lurch.

“Some of the staff were offered wine instead of their wages. It was outrageous and there was so much mayhem…There was always trouble with money and wages. My fear would be that he’ll do exactly the same thing, this time in St Francis Bay.”

The same source accused Gallagher of hiding behind the bar, or running away, when unpaid suppliers would arrive at the restaurant.

Gallagher is said to refer to himself as a Michelin star chef, despite the fact that his restaurant lost that star back in 2002.

He’s clearly still at, with this from the Off the Menu Food Emporium website:

A concept created by Michelin Star Chef Conrad Gallagher, Off the Menu takes you back to an era before the modern supermarket and is the perfect blend of a deli, wine bar and food emporium.

There’s something wonderfully Irish about this rant from one of his former staff:

“It’s all bull**it with Conrad. His name isn’t even Conrad, his real name is Finian. He used Conrad because he thought it was a stronger name to trade with.”

I think Finian is a grand name.

So where does this leave us? One more report from The Irish Sun, published earlier this week, speaking with irate South Africans who have been stiffed:

South African baker and entrepreneur Jacqui Biess told how Gallagher left her with a trail of unpaid bills in his time in Cape Town.

Ms Biess — who has previously made cakes for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former South African president Thabo Mbeki, TV legend Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — told us last night: “I’m horrified that Conrad Gallagher is opening a business to rip off innocent South Africans yet again.

“A leopard does not change its spots.

“He left so many people out of pocket, with unpaid bills. And of course he will do it again, it is Conrad Gallagher.”

Jacqui went on to say that Gallagher has already ruined many local businesses, who can ill afford to be out of pocket again in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,

She also warned suppliers of his two St Francis establishments to insist he pays in cash on the day.

Chris von Ulmenstein, perhaps best known for her ‘Whale Tales’ blog, said she can guess what’s coming next:

“St Francis Bay is a holiday town, and I can presume that he will ride the summer season from mid-October until Easter, and the same pattern of closing down and leaving the town with debt is likely to repeat itself.”

Does anybody in the vicinity of St Francis Bay feel like popping in at one of his businesses and having a word?

Gallagher shared this video on Twitter earlier in the week:

Ready for service chef … pic.twitter.com/2GdvvOGr7d

— Conrad Gallagher (@ConradGallagher) October 17, 2021

The restaurant’s Facebook page has shared plenty of images of very succulent looking meat, and states that it operates “exclusively by reservations only”.

Best you book ahead of time if you want to give Gallagher a piece of your mind.

[sources:irishsun&irishsun&irishsun]