Mark Hagan

‘I moved to Doha two years ago, when I was asked to take the executive chef position at Grand Hyatt Doha – previously I worked for the Grand Hyatt in Dubai. I’m from Dublin originally – it is a fantastic city with a great nightlife scene and lots of interesting things to do. Doha is quite a bit different, and has its own charms and special attributes, but it’s an excellent place for young families and allows a good quality of life.
‘The thing I miss most about home is obviously a good pint of Guinness. I’ve met a few other Irish expats in Doha, but not that many. If I start to feel homesick, I usually just put on a CD with some Irish music, and sit back and listen to that. The Irish Harp at the Sheraton has some of the food from home on offer, but as I’m a chef I usually just cook for myself, often making Irish stews and bread. Back home the Irish cooking is fantastic – we are very lucky to be surrounded by water, and the quality of our fish is amongst the best in the world.

‘I try to go home every year, and I’ll probably stay in Doha at least another 12 months. It can be quite a charming place, when you look at areas like the Corniche, and it’s very serene, but after two years you can start to run out of things to do. I wish there were more music concerts, just like we enjoy back in Ireland. I like some of the food here, though, like the kebabs and various Arabic dishes.

‘I won’t get that homesick on St Patrick’s Day. It’s celebrated all over the world, so it’s easy to find a party. I’m not sure what I’ll be doing for it this year – I might be working – but for sure I’ll have a pint of Guinness before the day ends.’