Michael Deane, a Belfast chef who has held a Michelin star for decades and is known for catering private events for golfer Rory McIlroy, apologised after a Facebook post criticising the use of "undocumented" migrant food delivery drivers drew a swift backlash.
In a now-deleted post earlier this week, Deane urged people to "dine out tonight" to support local restaurants and argued the app-based delivery economy had "decimated the high street and [made] strangers of neighbours." He wrote: "Here's the uncomfortable truth nobody wants to say out loud: when you order you're not just ordering food or transport you're effectively inviting a stranger, often an undocumented one right to your front door. Who are they? Where did they come from? What checks were done? You don't know. And you're not supposed to ask."
The post prompted criticism from local political figures and advocacy groups and led to calls by some social media users to boycott Deane's restaurants. Gerry Carroll, a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for People Before Profit, described the comments as "disgusting" and accused Deane of "punching down on migrant workers." Ivanka Antova, chair of United Against Racism Belfast, called the remarks "tone deaf" in light of recent attacks on ethnic minority workers.
Deane removed the original post and published an apology in which he said his words had unfairly blamed migrant workers for the harm he attributes to the app economy. "In attempting to comment on how the app economy has undermined the economic and social fabric of our city, decimating the high street and making strangers of neighbours, I appeared to lay the blame at the feet of the migrant workers who deliver food via these apps. For that, I would like to apologise," he wrote. He added that migrant workers "are the backbone of the hospitality industry, including my own establishments; without them our pubs and restaurants would not function," and described his comments as "poorly thought out and badly timed" before apologising "unreservedly."
The exchange reignited a broader conversation about the gig economy in the United Kingdom and its effects on local businesses, labour practices and community relations. Deane had framed his post as a plea to support independent restaurants and local supply chains rather than relying on app-based delivery services. Supporters of his original post also spoke out online, saying he should not have apologised and that his remarks reflected concerns about the impact of delivery platforms on the high street.
Deane runs multiple establishments in Belfast and has been a visible figure in Northern Ireland's hospitality sector for decades. He frequently hosts private events for McIlroy and was recently asked about the menu he might prepare for the golfer's dinner at the Masters, saying he would focus on local seafood and produce and that McIlroy preferred refined, locally sourced dishes.
The controversy underscores tensions facing restaurants, delivery workers and communities as the market for app-based services expands. Deane's apology leaves unresolved debates over regulation, employment standards and the social consequences of digital platforms, while drawing attention to the role of hospitality workers, including migrants, in sustaining city restaurants and pubs.