Tributes to chef Adam.. gent, friend and brother

La Taqueria founder dies at 39

Adam Lynas brought his passion for authentic Mexican food to the city when he opened the award-winning eatery La Taqueria alongside Andy Rea and Stevie Haller in 2016.

The 39-year-old passed away on Wednesday surrounded by his loved ones after a year-long illness.

What started as a pop-up led to being named the best eaterie in Ireland by Mckenna’s Restaurant Food Guide.

That success then saw the team open their second establishment in Belfast last year with new business p a r t n e r s , S n o w Pa t r o l ’s G a r y Lightbody and Nathan Connolly.

Speaking to the Mirror before he opened La Taqueria in 2016, Adam said: “I travelled back and forth to Mexico 16 or 17 times and wanted to see as much as I could.

“The first time I tried authentic tacos it was like an epiphany and I fell in love with Mexican food.

“I had owned a restaurant in Montreal but thought I could make a great future for ourselves in Belfast by opening an authentic Mexican restaurant.”

Paying tribute to Adam, fellow chef and business partner Mr Rea

Adam Lynas co-founded restaurants recalled how a chance phone call led to La Taqueria being born.

He told the Mirror : “I first met him when he was 16 or 17 and I employed him when I was sous-chef.

“And it was just by chance Adam

LEGACY La Taqueria, Belfast phoned me out of the blue and from that one conversation he ended up coming back home for a holiday.

“We brought him round and showed him the space in Castle Street and that was La Taqueria born.

“Adam’s gift was actually training people, his enthusiasm was brilliant.

The team we have here are all Adam’s team.

“Even though we sort of knew how sick he was, and it was always going to end a certain way, it still has hit us quite hard.

“Even through his illness he had an amazing sense of humour, he was so brave. When he took sick he moved back in with his mum who looked after him and he had a much-loved dog.”

This weekend La Taqueria have announced they will donate all proceeds from their Tu Casa orders to Adam’s family’s chosen cancer charity.