TO say it’s been a long road for restauranteur Ammar Ghafrji to opening his own business in Skibbereen is something of an understatement, considering that the talented Syrian chef has previously worked in no less than 16 different countries.
BY DAVID FORSYTHE
Ammar is the owner and chef at Judy’s Café (formerly Judy’s Falafel) in Skibbereen on North Street – just a few doors up from the tourist office.
The cosy café and restaurant has quickly gained a reputation for delicious food since opening at the end of 2023.
Judy’s is named after Ammar’s eldest daughter who encouraged him to make the leap and go into business for himself.
After training in hospitality in his native Damascus, Ammar went on to work for top-end hotel groups including Meridian Hotels and Sheraton Hotels around the world in 16 countries, including the United States, France, Lebanon, Jordan, Cyprus, Egypt and Turkey, before coming to Ireland in 2000.
Ammar explained how he came to be living in West Cork.
‘In 2000 my friend I worked with in France invited me to his wedding at the Inchydoney Lodge and Spa in Clonakilty. It was a new hotel at the time and I met the head chef who asked me if I might be interested in working there,’ he said.
Ammar took up the offer and it was a decision that would change his life. Having lived in multiple countries in the preceding years, he would work in Inchydoney for the next 20 years.
Through working in Inchydoney, Ammar got to know many people in the local area, including Eugene Scally, owner of the award-winning SuperValu in Clonakilty.
Eugene wanted to offer a wider range of spices and flavours and enlisted Ammar’s help in developing the ‘souk’ at Scally’s.
‘Eugene told me about the idea, and I thought it was very interesting,’ he recalled. He asked me if we could do something with spices, how we use spices in cooking and that was how the idea started.’
After 20 years at the Inchydoney Lodge, Ammar went to work at Scally’s developing the souk idea.
‘It was to show Irish people how you can use spices. We were trying to develop the idea of a Middle Eastern market – like the souk idea from my home country, we have them in Damascus for spices and other ingredients.’
After completing the project at Scally’s, Ammar was ready for a new challenge and his daughter Judy suggested it was time he opened his own restaurant.
Now firmly rooted in West Cork with his wife Nancy, and their young daughters Judy, Carla and Elsa, the opportunity presented itself in Skibbereen and Judy’s Falafel opened in November 2023.
For Judy’s Ammar follows a simple philosophy of only using the freshest ingredients. Everything is prepared freshly every day using local ingredients, so much so that Ammar does not even use a freezer.
He said: ‘We have something to suit everyone – gluten free, celiac, vegan and all the food is made fresh daily.’
As well as the house special falafel, Judy’s offers a wide ranging menu, with something to suit all tastes ranging from carbonara to burgers, curries, fish and chips.
Although raising a family and running a business in West Cork Ammar would love to be able to visit his home country Syria again, but the turmoil of recent years means he has not been able to go home, which was especially hard when both of his parents passed away last year.
‘My dad and my mum passed away last year and I couldn’t go to say goodbye to them.
‘We hope it will be better soon. We wish the best for the Syrian people and the new government.
‘We are looking to the future because the Syrian people, they deserve a good future, a good country,’ said Ammar.
Ammar has not been able to return home since he and Nancy married in 2010, the year before the war broke out, but he says that he is hopeful he will be able to bring his daughters to Syria one day to visit their extended family.
‘My wife Nancy has been a great support to me. I thank her for everything, for what she has done for all of us.
‘I hope, I wish, that one day all of us can return, I wish to see my brother and my sister, so they can meet our children as well.’
