Jess Murphy is the award-winning chef and co-owner of the iconic Kai Restaurant, located in the heart of Galway City. Coming from Wairoa, New Zealand, Jess moved to Ireland in 2003 and has since made Galway her home. She opened Kai in 2011 with her husband, Dave Murphy.
With a clear emphasis on community and sustainability, Jess has made it her mission to provide sustenance through food as well as friendship. With the only Michelin Green Star in Ireland, Kai is celebrated for their environmentally focused menu, working closely with over 300 local producers and farmers.
When Jess isn’t feeding or minding people, she is quietly fighting for an underdog somewhere here or abroad. She has been a formal High-Profile Supporter of the UNHCR since 2017. Everything that Jess does has a vitality, immediacy and generosity based on relationships and respect.