DAPPER DON IS A GASTRO GANGSTER
»»Cartel chief’s restaurant reviews revealed »»Kinahan has $5million bounty on his head
CHRISTY Kinahan could soon be eating prison food but for now he has established himself as a top restaurant reviewer – earning the title “The Gastro Gangster”.
The Dapper Don has been laughing at law enforcement agencies while rating and slating restaurants and bars from Dubai to South Africa despite a global manhunt for him.
There might be a $5million bounty on his head and he’s on the FBI’S Most Wanted List, but the founder of the Kinahan drugs cartel fancies himself as a “bon viveur” who has been travelling the world rating restaurants and hotels.
The online reviews show he has posted from Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Hungary, Belgium, Turkey, Egypt, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Hong Kong.
While the public’s image of the 67-year old is that of a fugitive laying low and on the run from justice nothing could be further from the truth.
Through his connections he has been able to live a life of extreme luxury while staying in some of the world’s most expensive hotels and dining in exclusive restaurants.
An investigation by the Sunday Times and Bellingcat, the Netherlands based investigative group, has discovered that the Dapper Don certainly lives up to his name.
Using his first and middle name, Christopher Vincent, the painstaking research uncovered Kinahan’s reviews and pictures on Google Maps between 2019 and last year.
The material not only shines a light on the gangster’s preferences and movements, it also highlights the fact the Dubliner and his mobster sons Daniel and Christopher Jnr are still living it large.
Amid much publicity in 2022, the US announced it was offering a collective reward of $15million for information leading to the arrest of the father and his two sons.
The revelations about his global gastronomic exploits also make a nonsense of the claims that he and his sons are about to be booted out of their hideout in Dubai.
The research shows how up until last year he reviewed everything from expensive restaurants to fishing trips
Family friendly, relaxed chilled out atmosphere. Five star. ‘CHRISTOPHER VINCENT’ IN REVIEW OF DUBAI AREA
off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. He became such a prolific Google reviewer his profile earned more than 10,000 points allowing him to obtain a “level 7” guide rating.
The research has rated everything from luxury hotels and rooftop bars to government offices and Covid-19 test centres.
His Google Maps entries contain more than 200 reviews and ratings,
1,100 photographs, and four videos, as well as a mix of “business” meetings and family outings.
According to the investigation his first was a three-star rating to Bareburger, an organic burger bar located on City Walk, an upmarket shopping area close to his home in Al Wasl in Dubai.
The findings also show Kinahan Snr to be concerned about the safety of the streets in Dubai even if his foot soldiers brought murder and mayhem to the streets of Dublin.
Posting a review of City Walk he wrote: “Wonderful place to stroll around, particularly in the evening, lots of restaurants to choose from.
“Family (child) friendly, relaxed, chilled-out atmosphere. I unreservedly rate this area five-star but not cheap.” From his reviews he gives the impression of a fussy businessman, even if his business is murder and the mass importation of narcotics.
One review also shows that he is impatient and doesn’t like it when he has to wait too long for someone to park his car.
He also gets a bit hot under the collar if he has to wait too long for his food and on one occasion walked out of a restaurant before it was served.
In a review of Mitts and Trays Blue Water in Dubai he wrote: “Last visit, I walked out before food was delivered because of the length of wait, which is not so bad for adults, but when you have children with you it can be a hassle.”
On another occasion he took exception to being called “boss” by a member of staff in a Dubai restaurant even if he is the boss of the Kinahan crime cartel.
He stated: “I did explain that I did not like to be called boss and please could you call me ‘Chris, Mr Vincent or Sir’.
“The waitress tittered, I thought nothing more of it until we were paying the bill (my friend was kind enough to pay the bill) and were about to leave when the same waitress made a point of saying ‘thanks boss!’
“Other than my sensitive disposition and taking the dining experience in its entirety I would rate this establishment a four-star.”