Team HQ

Claire McCabe - Head of GROW HQ

Claire McCabe is orginally from Tramore, Co. Waterford. She has worked with some of the largest companies in Ireland and spent time with the EU Commission in Brussels. She has had extensive exposure to Corporate Social Responsibility delivering Schools Programmes and organising Charity and school events for past employers; so really gets the ethos of the GIY movement.

More recently she has transitioned into retail, and relished the opportunity to source great local and national craft talent for a County Waterford based business. She comes from a family food background, with her father being a well-respected chef and all the family being growing enthusiasts.

With a down-to-earth approach and a determined streak, Claire is the perfect person to steer GROW HQ as it grows.

JB Dubois - Head Chef

JB is from a small town called Luneville, not far from the city of Nancy in Lorraine in the north east of France. His early career was in the sciences, biology and sociology. He also worked in childcare until the age of 20 when he decided to study to become a chef. He took an accelerated, intensive course in Rennes, Britany. He moved to Ireland to work in Galway 16 years ago, though you could never tell from his accent that he has been here so long. JB has a wealth of experience in boutique hotels, 4 star hotels and prestigious restaurants and he’s bringing all that knowledge and experience to GROW HQ. He has a strong focus on fresh, local, seasonal products of impeccable quality. He combines this with a lifelong love of traditional methods of preserving veg like pickling, fermenting. Using produce,grown right outside the door in his meals and sauces and preserves will be a dream come true for this chef. Every item served in GROW HQ will be handmade on site under JB’s supervision, from the vinegar to the bread to the ketchup.  The secret ingredient will always be time, passion and dedication.

Richard Mee - Head Grower

Richard Mee started growing at only 3 years old with his dad. He learned about commercial gardening by growing veg & fruit & keeping poultry for his parent’s small hotel, all the more impressive as he was only a teenager at the time. He studied for a BSc in Horticulture at Reading University and an MSc in Organic farming at the Scottish Agricultural College. He sustained himself through his studies from his own allotment and by working before, during & after his degree on historic gardens, at research stations, through commercial veg growing and landscaping. In addition to the UK, Richard has grown veg all over the world, including Central America & Africa. He has most recently been working with people with special needs, as an organic Grower, as a trainer at level 4 and 5 in horticulture and teaching uncertified gardening courses and as an organic inspector and consultant. Richard lives in Carrick on Suir on a few acres where he grows for his family, including three children and commercially in his tunnel.

Thomas Laser - Sous Chef

Thomas started cheffing 25 years ago in Austria. He worked around the world from Switzerland to America, and  finally to Ireland climbing the kitchen ranks from apprentice all the way to head chef. He met his wife in Borris and they started their family. Four kids later, he's living the dream with a house in the country where he can indulge his passion for seasonal and local produce. Raising his hens, ducks and bees and working in GROW HQ with long time friend, Head Chef JB, is a dream come true for Thomas. 

Katarina Janktova - Kitchen Porter

Katarina is originally from Slovakia and has been living in Waterford for the past 11 years. Last year she married her husband, the love of her life! Their 2-year-old daughter is their sunshine and always keeps them busy!

When she’s away from the kitchen, Katarina loves to indulge in great chocolate and coffee. She likes to be in busy bustling places and enjoys spending time with her friends who make her so happy!

If you ever see Katarina harvesting our edible flowers from the GROW HQ garden, be sure to say hello to her, she’d be delighted if you did.

Emma Byrne - Assistant Centre Manager

Emma, a northern lass from Manchester, England has spent most of her working life in the hospitality industry. Starting off waitressing in some of the Cotswolds finest restaurants Emma achieved her dream of opening her own restaurant in Cheltenham in 2005. Emma sold the restaurant after 5 successful and happy years and after the birth of her first child as she was expecting her second.

Emma and her family moved to Waterford in 2012 where she worked in the family business for 4 years before returning to her first love, hospitality with the wonderful team at Grow HQ.

Paul Kiely - head Barista

Paul a born and bred blaa boy, loves coffee, cycling and anything outdoorsy. Always on the go as he can't sit still for 2 seconds...perhaps the coffee life is to blame for that.

Michelle Murphy - Wait Staff

Michelle is originally from Dunmore East and has been working in GROW HQ since 2017. She says she enjoys every minute of it especially all of the cappuccinos! Michelle is currently studying Food Science and Health in University of Limerick and loves being part of such a hard working team who are always willing to share their knowledge with her and teach her a trick or two when it comes to latte art or carrying extra plates!!

She finds it a real pleasure delivering such good food and coffee to customers and then hearing amazing feedback afterwards makes her especially proud to be part of the HQ team!