Chef Richard Corrigan has a fast-paced life running multiple restaurants in London and Ireland but his life came to an abrupt halt last year when he received a life-changing diagnosis.
The 61-year-old from Meath was diagnosed with kidney cancer following a check-up in October 2024, and within weeks he found himself in the operating theatre undergoing a major seven-hour surgery.
But he told the Irish Independent his ‘lowest point’ came after the operation, when doctors discovered spots on his lungs and he thought his ‘time was up’.
‘I honestly think a time comes when you think you’re f**ked and that’s it,’ he recalled to the publication. ‘You’re not thinking of all the successes you’ve had. It’s: “God, I didn’t go to Istanbul” or wherever… It’s extraordinary how your mind works when you think your time is up.’
Thankfully, he later got good news from his surgeon that his lungs were clear but Richard is not out of the woods yet. He is still undergoing treatment and will need another operation next year however, he is not treating the diagnosis like a death sentence, far from it, saying how ‘amazing’ cancer care is today.
He also praised the steadfast support from his wife Maria, who he has been with for 40 years, since he was 21 and she was 19, saying she is his ‘strength’ through his cancer battle, saying: ‘She is the strength. The lady who carries it all, in silence. More quietness, actually.’
In true Richard Corrigan form, the Michelin-star-awarded chef showed his appreciation for hospital staff who had helped along his cancer journey in the only way he knew how… with dinner and Champagne!
He said: ‘I bought everyone Champagne on the way through – the nursing staff, the doctors, I treated everyone. I had them all in my restaurants, saying thank you to them. I’m the luckiest person in the world. But the more generous you are, the luckier you get. End of story.’
