The Employer Excellence Programme, an initiative by Fáilte Ireland, supports businesses by helping them to create better workplaces for their employees. Driven by the employees voice, the programme recognises employers who consistently make tourism an exciting and rewarding place to work. Be part of the Employer Excellence Programme. Attract and retain top talent and shine the spotlight on your business. Find out more at failteireland.ie
Editor: Denise Maguire
Creative Director: Jane Matthews
Art Director: Lenny Rooney
Designer: Neasa Daly
Stock Photography iStock
Infographics: www.flaticon.com
Production: Claire Kiernan Sales Director: Trish Murphy
Managing Director: Gerry Tynan
Chairman: Diarmaid Lennon
Published by: Ashville Media, Unit 55 Park West Road, Park West Industrial Estate, Dublin 12, D12 X9F9. Tel: (01) 432 2200
ISSN: 0332-4400
All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate. The publishers cannot, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © Ashville Media Group 2022. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Hotel & Catering Review. The promoter/advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize.
Ten years ago, Jonathan Sheehan set up a small café in Turner’s Cross in Cork City. Back then, he had just six seats for customers and two sta members. Today, he employs over 18 sta and has moved LISHH to a much larger premises on the South Douglas Road. Over the years, LISHH has won various accolades – Best Café in Cork for five years (Business Cork Magazine), Businessman Of the Year 2019 (Hi Style Awards) – and continues to provide customers with tasty dishes and sweet treats using only the best local Cork produce and ingredients. A few weeks ago, Jonathan opened The Egg Bar, a takeaway o ering with a premium service. The outlet is flourishing, as he believed it would. After all, who doesn’t like an egg? For more on Jonathan’s success over the past decade and his ambitious plans for The Egg Bar, turn to page 20. Also in this issue, we chat with Sean O’Driscoll, Director of Hotels at Cliste Hospitality and CEO of iNUA Hospitality. Cliste recently held its first industry conference, giving delegates the opportunity to hear from a host of experts on topics such as succession planning, Brexit, challenges around recruitment and inflation. Rising energy costs were discussed at the event, with Sean commenting that energy bills at his own hotels went from €2.1 million in 2019 to €4.2 million this year. Hotels that have a mix of room revenue and ground floor food and beverage revenues will manage to cover their bills, says Sean, but for the bar, restaurant and cafe sector, the situation could prove extremely di cult. To read more about the conference and Sean’s thoughts on the market, turn to page 24.
As always, there’s plenty to enjoy in this issue. If you have any thoughts or opinions on this month’s content, please do drop us a line.
Editor: Denise
Email: denise.maguire@ ashvillemediagroup.com
Tomasz Pawlak has been appointed to the role of Executive Head Chef at Fota Island Resort. Originally from Poland, Tomasz graduated with a degree in Culinary Art and Fine Dining from The Karol Libelt Gastronomic School and The Poznan Academy of Fine Dining in 2001. He moved to Ireland in 2007 and started his Irish culinary career at the Michelin starred Aniar restaurant. He then joined Killarney’s world-renowned Europe Hotel where he quickly progressed to the role of Head Chef. He joined Fota Island Resort as Head Chef in 2018. In his new role, he will be responsible for all culinary aspects of the Resort including dining options at The Amber Restaurant, the exclusive Cove Restaurant and The Clubhouse.
The Alex Hotel, Dublin has been certified with the Green Key for a second year. It’s the only hotel in Ireland to hold this certificate of commitment to sustainable practice. Over the last number of years, the hotel has implemented several sustainable practices and actions to reduce its environmental impact including introducing 100% recyclable materials and locally sourced, sustainable toiletries across the hotel collection. New energy efficient air conditioning and sensor-controlled lighting and heating systems have also been installed. Working with local suppliers, all food is sourced from within the island of Ireland and coffee is fairtrade.
Fáilte Ireland recently hosted a special briefing event for the Galway city tourism industry in The Dean Galway. Over 150 tourism businesses attended the event, which was the first in-person Fáilte Ireland briefing of this scale in the city post-Covid. Among the future plans for the city outlined at the event was an upcoming five-year Destination Experience Development Plan (DEDP), aimed at driving and sustaining tourism in the area. Speaking about the DEDP, Miriam Kennedy, Head of the Wild Atlantic Way at Fáilte Ireland said: “As the only city on the Wild Atlantic Way, Galway is in an excellent position to evolve and deliver fresh, exciting, new tourism experiences in the future that match growing trends. Galway is already considered a leading tourism destination with high international appeal and an
ambitious, co-ordinated industry coupled with this upcoming five-year plan will align the exciting developments across the sector to ensure Galway city remains on the must-visit list for years to come.”
Workplace catering services provider The Fruit People, established by brothers Barry and Brian Dennis in 2013, has announced a host of new client wins and new strategic partnerships. The company has seen steady growth in orders for existing customers (127% over the last 12 months) and new client wins, which brings its client roster to over 700 workplaces in Dublin. In September 2021, the company also secured a partnership with Chicago-based workplace food, beverage and events provider, Crafty, to service the American business’s three Irish customers, with more clients coming on stream soon.
Barry Dennis, Co-Founder and CEO of The Fruit People, said: "We feel fortunate to have a great team working with us as well as some top-class strategic partners who have helped develop our product and service over the years, allowing us to grow with our clients as their food and beverage needs evolve. We are happy to see a new flexible working environment as companies are increasingly using food and beverage programmes to create an experience for their teams to collaborate around.”
The iNua Collection has launched a series of Barróg Spa Treatments suitable for guests living with cancer or with a history of cancer, in collaboration with Christine Clinton Cancer Care and Peigin Crowley of GROUND Wellbeing. These specially designed Barróg Cancer Care treatments will be available at the Hillgrove Hotel & Spa, Tullamore Court Hotel and the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa in Cork, Limerick and Sligo. Therapists from each spa have received Cancer Care certification after undergoing intensive training with Christine Clinton, who has over 30 years’ experience in the health and wellness sector. Using GROUND Wellbeing products by Peigin Crowley, treatments aim to relieve anxiety, muscle tension and pain for those going through cancer treatment or for those who have just finished.
After launching the first series of Blasta Books in 2021, publisher Kristin Jensen has revealed the next four books in the quarterly series for 2023.
Blasta Books #5: Soup by Blanca Valencia, Dee Laffan and Mei Chin (Jan 2023)
Blasta Books #6: Tapas by Anna Cabrera and Vanessa Murphy (April 2023)
Blasta Books #7: Wasted by Conor Spacey (July 2023)
Blasta Books #8: Masarap by Richie Castillo and Alex O’Neill (Oct 2023)
“The success of our first series – Tacos,
Hot Fat, The United Nations of Cookies and Wok – shows that there is a real appetite for more stories and more types of food. These books are literally the voices, faces and food of modern Ireland and we are proud to publish them,” said Kristin.
To encourage recruitment within the hospitality sector, the O’Donoghue Ring Collection has partnered with Munster Technological University to launch a series of apprenticeships and trainee schemes. These programmes allow recruits to earn as they learn, with fully flexible, accredited and funded options available. There are two pathways available – the Chef Apprenticeship Programme and the Trainee Management Development Programme. Opportunities within the Chef Apprenticeship Programme range from earning a Certificate in Culinary Arts to taking on a Sous Chef Apprenticeship. The scheme combines practical, in person training in a kitchen environment with the necessary classroom experience required for qualification, giving candidates the skills and experience they need to excel within the restaurant industry.
Adare Manor has announced the promotion of Liz Godfrey and Gillian Griffin, both current members of its sales team who will now be appointed the Director of Sales MICE and Director of Sales Leisure, respectively. Liz has worked at Adare Manor for over 10 years, where she held the role of Assistant Director of Sales since 2019. With 22 years’ experience in the hotel sales industry and over 25 years in hospitality, Liz has held positions in some of the top hotels abroad and in Ireland. Gillian Griffin joined the Adare Manor team in June 2002 after studying Business Studies and has excelled within the company ever since. With her 20 years’ experience in the industry, Gillian has gained a wealth of knowledge from her time working in a range of different departments.
Chefs gathered at the Bord Bia Global Hub in Dublin recently for a chef and butchery pork masterclass organised by Bord Bia in partnership with the Chef Network. Chefs Kwangi Chan, Tom Flavin and butcher Michael Bermingham led the masterclass which featured a live butchery demonstrati on and culinary inspirati on session to showcase the versati lity of Quality Assured pork.
Little Pyg (sister venue of Pygmalion) has appointed a new co-head chef and has just launched an updated menu. The barrestaurant covers the entire centre groundfloor of the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre in Dublin 2 and is, according to owner Paul McGlade Jnr, “the best dining experience in Ireland, at the best price.” Each Little Pyg pizza chef is sent to Italy for one year, to train under famed pizza chef Enzo Coccia, resulting in Little Pyg now offering Ireland’s only Michelin Guide pizzas. The restaurant’s pizza oven, which took over 14 men from Naples to build, is made from the rock of Mount Vesuvius. Italian native Marco Ilii is the venue’s new co-head chef and has introduced new additions to the menu including homemade meatballs and ribs marinated in Guinness stout. Commenting on the menu, Paul said: “With the eversoaring prices of living in Dublin, I was determined to be as sound to our patrons, regarding all our prices, as I could possibly offer. We bring the best fresh ingredients in from Italy twice a week, all of our ‘Pygtails’ are made with the same ingredients as the cocktails made in any of Dublin’s finest 5-star hotels and yet we are offering prices of 40-50% less.”
Mark Commins and Conor Graham, best known for Linnane's Lobster Bar as well as Flaggy Shore Oysters, have opened Barnacles Bar & Kitchen in Salthill. Guests can expect the very best food and drink in a traditional Irish pub setting with menus that change in line with the seasons. Signature dishes include roast whole west coast lobster with dulse seaweed, mint butter potatoes and Celtic salad, and Barnacles fish & chips. An extensive drinks menu includes prohibition-style cocktails, with many featuring spirits from nearby Micil Distillery. Sample cocktails include The Salthill Lady made with Micil Spiced Orange Gin, Cointreau, lemon, rosemary syrup and egg whites and the French 75, made with Gunpowder Gin, lemon, sugar and Prosecco. Inside, the pub features quirky elements like artifacts from Galway’s Druid Theatre.
Trigon Hotels has been named HR Team of the Year at the annual HR Leadership and Management Awards. The Cork-based hotel group employs more than 230 people across its hotels which include The Metropole and Cork International Hotel. It has successfully reduced the turnover of new staff by appointing onboarding ambassadors, an initiative which emerged from a focus group meeting. It also tailors training programmes to cater for team members with different abilities and offers flexible hours to suit all demographics, from parents to students and those wishing to return to the workplace. Introduced recently, a learning hub encourages team members to access training from third-level and industry providers.
‘Classic cocktails with a Dublin accent’ is the philosophy at the newly refurbished Sideline Bar at The Croke Park Hotel. The Bar’s Coffee At 11 Martini, an espresso martini with a festive salted caramel twist, is an homage to ‘Dublin Can Be Heaven’, the famous song written by Leo Maguire and made famous by Irish actor Noel Purcell.
Absolut Vodka 100ml Espresso 50ml Coffee liqueur 50ml 1 tbsp salted caramel syrup
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake vigorously until the outside of the cocktail shaker is exceptionally cold.
Strain into a martini glass, garnish with three coffee beans and a sprinkle of cinnamon for an extra festive flair.
Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel, scooped two awards at this year’s World Travel Awards – Ireland’s Leading Luxury Hotel and Ireland’s Leading Hotel Suite for the hotel’s Presidential Suite. The awards come on the back of the two-year multimillion-euro renovation of the hotel, grounds and parkland. General Manager Martin Mangan said: “The vision and passion invested in Carton House over the last few years has been incredible and these awards and recognition are a reflection of this. I’m so proud of our brilliant team here and grateful to our owners and our operation, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.”
Available through ETBs, the Skills to Advance programme is developing leaders for the hospitality and tourism sector
Two programmes in Developing Leaders for Hospitality and Tourism are available through Education and Training Boards locally to ensure workers can upskill in their current role, but also take on new work areas to progress in their career.
Skill to Advance provides upskilling and reskilling opportunities, anticipating and responding to skill needs. It particularly targets those facing changes in their work due to technology advances, changing work practices and market diversification.
A key feature of Skills to Advance is its focus on sectors experiencing disruption or those with emerging opportunities. An example of this is Developing Leaders for Hospitality and Tourism. Driven by the critical challenges now facing the industry and to boost the retention and career progression of key talent, two new training programmes have been developed by SOLAS and the ETBs in collaboration with the Irish Hotels Federation, Failte Ireland and Regional Skills Fora.
These highly subsidised, accredited programmes are aimed at hotel employees who are currently performing a team leader or frontline management role or are new to a supervisory role. They aim to equip employees in the sector with enhanced skills to lead and manage their teams effectively. Benefits for employers include customised training to equip staff to lead teams effectively, increase staff motivation and retention and customised content to address skills gaps. Benefits for employees include enhancing skillsets, leading teams effectively, managing and motivating teams, developing digital skills and optimising career prospects. These programmes will be delivered in a flexible manner to suit both the business and the employee both online with tutor support and when feasible, a blend of online and in-person training is available.
For more information, contact your local Education and Training Board or visit www.skillstoadvance.ie
Supported by Bunzl McLaughlin and Calor, CATEX is one of Ireland’s most established trade exhibitions. Its success is thanks to the vast array of associations and exhibitors who support the event and have helped mould CATEX – an IFSA event – into what it is today.
Taking place from the 21st to the 23rd February at the RDS Simmonscourt, it’s THE trade expo for those within foodservice and hospitality and is created by the industry, for the industry.
A melting pot for chefs, baristas, pizza makers, sustainability experts, restaurateurs, hoteliers and so many more, the three-day event is firmly focused on putting skills on centre stage and helping visitors from hospitality and foodservice to navigate the new world with solutions, trends, cost savings and new products and services. Commenting on the event, Alan Cruite, IFSA Chair and General Manager of Trinity Purchasing Ireland said: “For over 50 years, CATEX has been the cornerstone expo for the foodservice, catering and hospitality industries in Ireland. As an industry, we’ve never experienced such a turbulent time, but now it’s time to move forward with confidence.
“We’ve exciting plans for 2023 and are ensuring that every aspect of the event is relevant for the challenges and opportunities presenting themselves to the foodservice and hospitality sectors today.”
Home to the National Barista Championships, CATEX 2023 will also present the Chef Ireland Culinary Competitions from the Panel
of Chefs, the National Pizza Championships and recognising and rewarding Irish Foodservice Innovation, the popular ‘IFSA’s’ will be back. Aramark is hosting a Producer Showcase and Chef Network will be representing thousands of professional and student chefs at the event.
The future of food, drink and hospitality, sustainability and predicting new industry trends are the key themes throughout the event. It’s the essential platform for exhibitors to promote their products and services directly to industry buyers. Commenting on its support for CATEX, Sean Martin, Sales Director at Bunzl McLaughlin said: “Bunzl McLaughlin is a recognised industry leader in the hospitality and catering sectors across Ireland. A key component of our success rests heavily on the loyal customer base we’ve assembled over multiple decades of trading. Building these customer relationships has been made possible by trade shows such as CATEX. We rely on CATEX to demonstrate our unique level of industry knowledge and to showcase our level of dedication and product offering to potential, new and existing customers.
“CATEX provides an exceptional networking platform, where such exposure cannot be replicated. For that reason, we see our continued support of CATEX remaining an integral part of our business strategy, indefinitely.”
Larry Smith, Sales Manager at Calor adds: “Calor is proud to be part of the fantastic team that will bring CATEX 23 to the RDS in Dublin. CATEX is one of the flagship exhibitions for the catering and hospitality industry and a calendar must for all. The sponsorship is part of Calor’s long-standing relationship with the foodservice and hospitality sector across the island of Ireland.
“As always, our energy advisors are delighted to attend the event and will be on hand at CATEX 23 to showcase lower-carbon energy options and renewable gas solutions available to businesses in the industry. We’ll be demonstrating our support with a range of offers available exclusively at the event.”
To secure your space, contact EventHaus on (00353) 1 846 0020 or see www.CATEXexhibition.com
Sustainability,
and waste
are top of the agenda for CATEX 2023
Oysters
• 2 Carlingford Oysters
• 10g Burren Balsamic Peat Pearls
Dill Oil
• 100g dill
• 50g ice
• 100ml water
• 50ml of vegetable oil
• 1g salt
Seaweed & Turf Garnish
• 50g fresh Irish seaweed (I use sea lettuce)
• 10g fresh turf for smoking
Every oyster should be tightly shut before you open them. If they are already open, they may have perished and are not safe to eat. How to shuck an oyster – Wrap a tea towel over one hand and use it to hold the oyster firmly. Using an oyster shucking knife in the other hand, place the tip of the shucking knife at the base of the hinge, twist the knife using pressure, then without the pressure, lever the knife
Carlingford Oysters and Burren Balsamic Peat Pearls make for pure food at its best, writes STEPHEN HOLLAND
I’m a firm believer that we should always seek high quality ingredients and it’s even better when they are from our very own shores. I love nothing more than a great oyster from Carlingford with its fresh sea smell and its sweet, salted, strong, punchy, bold Unami flavours. I love its purity. I marry the oyster with the amazing awardwinning Burren Balsamic Smoked Peat Pearls; its smoky earthy flavours with sharp balsamic vinegar undertones really enhance the stunning purity of the oyster and I finish it with a small intense dill infusion. I serve this in the Catalina Restaurant with Traditional Turf and fresh Irish Seaweed. This is pure food at its best.
upwards or twist it to prise the hinge open. Slide the knife under the top shell to release the oyster and remove the shell.
Dressing the oyster – Once you have shucked the oyster, I always remove the inner muscle and flip the oyster over to present better. Add 5g of pearls to each oyster directly on top, making sure they don’t fall o .
• Add 100ml of water to saucepan and bring to the boil. Repeat this process four times while chilling the dill on ice.
• Blend the dill in a small blender and slowly add the oil. Blend until dill is smooth, but try not to over blend as you will lose flavour and colour quickly.
• Once finished blending, taste and adjust your flavour with some salt to enhance the dill flavour.
• Strain through a fine mesh cloth or filter paper to remove sediment.
• Once completed your dill oil is ready to use, best to store in a sealed container in the fridge.
To Plate and Serve
• I use a cast iron pot for presentation. Fill the bottom with fresh turf, cover with the lid and place the fresh seaweed in a nest-like form on top.
• Place the oyster directly on top of the seaweed. Add 2ml of the dill infusion to each oyster and to finish, smoke turf on the bottom to release the distinctive turf smell. It may seem di erent to use turf, but our senses and smells are enhanced before we eat the oyster. Enjoy some amazing oysters!
The Independent Craft Brewers of Ireland (ICBI) has launched a new podcast series entitled ‘Craft Community, the local Irish beer podcast’. Hosted by beer sommelier Susan Boyle, the series aims to raise awareness of the craft brewing sector and encourage people to find out more about local craft beers being produced. The first episode has been released and is available on all major podcast streaming apps. www.irishbeer.ie
Craft Cocktails has released a new margarita collection, with a trio of exciting flavours and a fresh new look. This is the first collection to join the permanent range of bottled cocktails. The brand’s popular Spicy Margarita is back for good, joining two new original recipes, the Mezcal Margarita and Pineapple Margarita. Craft Cocktails’ range of ready to serve cocktails are now stocked in over 40 independent retailers and venues nationwide. www.craftcocktails.ie
Irish Distillers is launching a digital e-label system to better inform consumers about the products they are consuming. The initiative is beginning with a European pilot program across Pernod Ricard’s international brands, including Jameson and Absolut in the Irish market, before being rolled out globally across all brands. The aim is to offer consumers a quick and easy way to access product and health information on packaging via a QR code. www.irishdistillers.ie
PJ and Denise Rigney (founders and owners of The Shed Distillery/Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin) had cause to celebrate recently after Gunpowder Gin won the International Spirit Brand of the Year at the 2022 Wine Enthusiast Star Awards. The Leitrim brand was the only Irish brand and one of just two European distilleries to make the shortlist. The win was announced live on screen from the US to over 80 staff and locals gathered at The Shed Distillery. www.thesheddistillery.com
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE TWELVE?
I’m originally from the UK but my family are from Ireland. I’ve been coming to Galway my whole life. Anytime I’d be over in Galway, I would always choose to eat in the bar at The Twelve. There’s always been a big emphasis on the food here compared to a lot of other hotels in Galway. When I moved over, it was really the only place I wanted to work.
HOW ARE YOU FINDING LIFE IN GALWAY CITY?
I love it. There’s a big di erence between living here and living in London. I’ve got two kids and we’re all really enjoying living in such a beautiful city.
WHERE WERE YOU WORKING BEFORE JOINING THE TWELVE?
In the Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel in London. I was there for five years initially and then I went back for a further four years. It’s quite a small hotel but really well run and a great place to work.
In the UK, you do two weeks work experience when you’re in Year 10. I was late to the career o cer so my only option was to work in a restaurant. I did my two weeks work experience in a kitchen and I just thought it was amazing. It was an Italian restaurant in Tower Bridge and the chef at the time said, when you get your national insurance number, come back and work for me. The day I got the card I went back to him and ended up
working there full-time for a year. I didn’t know I wanted to be a chef until I started that work experience and once I started, I found that I was actually quite good at it.
Getting the best local produce and cooking it quite simply. I like a little bit of heat in there and also like to experiment with pickled flavours but I think essentially, I like clean, simple dishes. For me, it’s all about the ingredients and presenting something in an interesting way.
I’m still able to write the type of menu that I want, but it is becoming challenging. You don’t want to sacrifice quality. At the moment,
“It was an Italian restaurant in Tower Bridge and the chef at the time said, when you get your national insurance number, come back and work for me. The day I got my card I went back to him and ended up working there full-time for a year”
it’s a very fine balance. I don’t know what the situation will be in the next couple of months and that’s definitely a concern.
Yes we are. I started in May and since then, I’ve been looking for a sous chef for The Pins Gastro Bar. I haven’t managed to find anyone or even get someone in for a trial shift for the position. Kitchen porters are also really di cult to find.
Probably the head chef that gave me the opportunity during my work experience. I learned quite a lot in that short space of time and he gave me the opportunity I needed to get started in this industry. I’d also say that Ben Kelleher, my chef at the Chesterfield,
has inspired me. Under his guidance, I started as a commis chef and worked my way up to junior sous chef and when I returned to the Chesterfield a few years later, I took up the role of Executive Head Chef. He’s definitely been a mentor and has guided me along the way.
I’ve seen it change hugely over the years, there’s a lot more restaurants across the country that are interested in doing di erent things. In saying that, there’s only a couple of handfuls of restaurants in Galway that are di erentiating themselves. I see a lot of menus across lots of restaurants that are very similar; there’s nothing wrong with these menus, but you do see the same dishes popping up all the time. I think we’ll see a lot of great restaurants opening up here over the next few years as people start to experiment more.
I’ll have to think about that one! I quite like the venison and the turbot dish we do. Cooking seafood is a real passion for me, so I’d have to say the oyster dish on our menu is also delicious.
To maintain the good relationships we have with our suppliers and to continue to evolve our menu. It’d be great to win more awards. I’d love to win a Michelin plate or star but that’s something to strive for down the line. Do I think I can? I’m not sure but I’ll at least try. Long-term, I’d also like to have my own restaurant one day.
Definitely in Ireland. I like Galway and I think there’s a lot of potential here. The fact that not everything has been done here yet is very exciting. A small restaurant in Galway would be nice!
s the Christmas season returns in full swing for the first time in two years, Coca-Cola HBC is excited to bring Real Magic once again with the return of its annual Designated Driver initiative. The campaign seeks to reward the Designated Drivers who stay sober on nights out to ensure friends and family get home safely with two free soft drinks or water from the Coca-Cola range.
AAs the Christmas season returns in full swing for the first time in two years, Coca-Cola HBC is excited to bring Real Magic once again with the return of its annual Designated Driver initiative. The campaign seeks to reward the Designated Drivers who stay sober on nights out to ensure friends and family get home safely with two free soft drinks or water from the Coca-Cola range.
As we gear up to welcome the full return of festive celebrations, enjoying meals and nights out together, Coca-Cola wants to take the worry out of how customers will get home this Christmas. Not only will Designated Drivers be rewarded with two drinks across participating venues in Ireland and Northern Ireland, but Coca-Cola is also partnering with Q-Park to offer free parking spots in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Belfast every weekend in December.
As we gear up to welcome the full return of festive celebrations, enjoying meals and nights out together, Coca-Cola wants to take the worry out of how customers will get home this Christmas. Not only will Designated Drivers be rewarded with two drinks across participating venues in Ireland and Northern Ireland, but Coca-Cola is also partnering with Q-Park to offer free parking spots in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Belfast every weekend in December.
To add even more Real Magic and recognise the important role Designated Drivers play, this year the Coca-Cola elves will add some sparkle and valet two Designated Driver cars at each location every
To add even more Real Magic and recognise the important role Designated Drivers play, this year the Coca-Cola elves will add some sparkle and valet two Designated Driver cars at each location every
Friday, Saturday and Sunday in December. The initiative is supported by all leading trade associations in both Ireland and Northern Ireland. Designated drivers can avail of the two free soft drinks from the Coca-Cola range by simply making themselves known to bar staff at participating venues. Drinks from the range include Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Sprite, Deep RiverRock and Fruice.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday in December. The initiative is supported by all leading trade associations in both Ireland and Northern Ireland. Designated drivers can avail of the two free soft drinks from the Coca-Cola range by simply making themselves known to bar staff at participating venues. Drinks from the range include Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Sprite, Deep RiverRock and Fruice.
To find out how to book a Designated Driver parking space for free and be in with a chance to have their car valeted, consumers can visit www.coca-cola.ie/designated-driver
To find out how to book a Designated Driver parking space for free and be in with a chance to have their car valeted, consumers can visit www.coca-cola.ie/designated-driver
Designated Driver runs from 1st December 2022 to 1st January 2022. Publicans, hoteliers and restaurateurs can sign up now until the 4th of November and stock will be available from the 14th of November. Participating venues will be featured on www.coca-cola.ie/designated-drive
Designated Driver runs from 1st December 2022 to 1st January 2022. Publicans, hoteliers and restaurateurs can sign up now until the 4th of November and stock will be available from the 14th of November. Participating venues will be featured on www.coca-cola.ie/designated-drive
Designated Driver 2022 is rewarding responsible drivers with free soft drinks or water, free car parking and a valet to add some festive sparkle to your car
Asponsor of the Afternoon Tea category in the 2023 Gold Medal Awards, Barry’s Tea is synonymous with Irish culture, a brand that reflects a long-standing unique tradition of tea buying and blending in Cork, dating back to 1901. Today, the black tea blends are carefully crafted by the fourth generation of the Barry’s Tea family. “We meticulously mix and tweak our blends based on our consistent quality, promised and delivered to our customers”.
The Masterblenders in Barry’s Tea have built strong and trusted relationships with tea growers in the Assam Valley of India, Kenya and Rwanda which are Rainforest Alliance Certified. “We are very particular in how we buy our teas and where we buy from, maintaining special relationships with tea buyers from quality tea gardens. You have to ask, why do we never compromise? Specifically, we consistently blend to taste and never to cost,” said Denis Daly, Master Blender at Barry’s Tea. Denis has worked in the business for over 50 years. Here are some of his tips for the perfect cup of tea:
1. Treat your water kindly – Run the tap a little so the water’s nicely aerated and only boil it once to keep the oxygen level up. Oxygen in water helps flavour.
2. Keep everything toasty – Tea likes hot water but a cold teapot cools things down, so swirl a little boiling water around the empty pot first. Use that water to warm the cups too.
3. Add tea and water – Add two tea bags to a regular teapot or one tea bag to a mini teapot. If you’re using loose tea, add one teaspoon per person and one for the pot. Pour the hot water in and stir a bit.
4. Wait patiently – Tea needs time to unlock all its flavour, so give it 3-5 minutes depending on how strong you like your tea.
5. Customise your tea – We like a splash of semi-skimmed or whole milk, but your tea is unique to you. Add milk before or after you’ve poured your tea, sugar, honey, lemon, or nothing at all. Most importantly, enjoy!
6. Sip, Breathe and Savour – Tea is not just a drink, it’s a way to nourish and connect so don’t rush it. This is your moment so take five, 10, or even 15 minutes to relish in this practice without distractions or demands from the outside world.
7. A tea caddy to keep it fresh – Invest in an air-tight container to keep your tea at its optimum.
Listen back to an interview of Denis Daly with Ray Darcy on the Radio 1 website which delves deeper into the tea buying, blending and tea tasting process that makes the perfect cup of Barry’s Tea.
The Barry’s Tea range of 500 and 600 teabags, their stringtag and enveloped 200 teabags, black loose-leaf tea and their speciality blends can be purchased from Musgrave Market Place, Stone House, Sysco Ireland, Value Centre, Valeo Foods Group, J.J. Darboven and Seery’s Cash & Carry.
Barry’s Tea Master Blender Denis Daly knows just how to make the perfect cup of tea
We
“We meticulously mix and tweak our blends based on our consistent quality, promised and delivered to our customers.”
Ireland and Northern Ireland’s number one mixer, Schweppes, is kicking off the festive season with its campaign, ‘You’ve got the Christmas spirit, we’ve got the tonic!’ The popular Christmas campaign will once again raise people’s spirits, driving relevance with the brand at this key time of year.
Kicking off in November, the campaign will create cut through in moments that matter spanning across TV, out-of-home, social and PR and experiential activations across both on and off trade. Schweppes will drive footfall into on-trade venues this festive season, by offering consumers a complimentary Gin & Tonic. The campaign will see over 2,500 drinks served to target consumers across participating bars on the island, positioning Schweppes as the mixer of choice this Christmas.
Andrea Whyte, Marketing Director, Coca-Cola HBC said: “Christmas remains a pivotal time for the Schweppes brand. Demonstrating the popularity of the number one mixer, over 1 million litres of Schweppes was sold in the grocery channel last December, which is around 24 litres every minute!* Together with our customers, we will ensure that Schweppes plays its part in spreading Christmas spirit across the country.”
Aisling Wilde, Frontline Activation Lead at Coca-Cola Ireland also said: “Our hope is that Schweppes forms part of the enjoyment during the festive season this year with friends and family. We will continue with that
tone of voice and we will also respond to consumer demand for a highquality product to pair with premium spirits during the holiday season.”
The brand’s mission this Christmas will be to support the on-trade during one of the busiest periods of the year. On-trade deals and free stock will be provided to outlets, driving transactions and availability of key Schweppes packs. The support will include glassware and ‘gin trees’ to keep the brand top of mind for customers and patrons alike in outlet.
Schweppes is also continuing to build relationships with bar staff across the country and will share a newly developed ‘suggested serve’ booklet, to provide some new Schweppes inspiration for Christmas menus. The Schweppes sales team will also work in partnership with outlets to activate the brand on menus, highlighting mixability opportunities and suggested serves.
Schweppes will also provide mixability gift boxes including samples of Schweppes Pink Soda and Elderflower, glassware and miniature spirit bottles for key on-trade customers to provide as giveaways on their own social media channels, driving interaction this Christmas. With additional takeovers by the brand at flagship venues in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Belfast, visibility of Schweppes will be at an all-time high this Christmas.
Schweppes retains the crown as Ireland’s number one mixer, holding 47.6% value share of the category*. It has also proven itself to be a resilient and adaptive brand. As the country’s best-loved premium mixer, Schweppes has over 200 years of experience creating sensational tonic waters and mixers. In 1783, Jacob Schweppe created the first carbonated tonic water and since then, the brand has introduced a variety of new flavours that continue to excite Irish customers, including award winning Slimline Elderflower Tonic Water & Pink Soda Water.
For more information, visit www.coca-cola.ie
To kick o the festive season, Schweppes has launched its Christmas campaign
From
This year, Jonathan Sheehan is celebrating 10 years of LISHH, a little café he started up in Turner’s Cross a decade ago. Back then, he had just two staff members and six seats for customers. Today, he employs over 18 staff and his small café in Turner’s Cross is located in a much larger premises on South Douglas Road. A few weeks ago, he opened The Egg Café in Cork’s gastro-economic hub, the Marina Market. The idea of establishing an egg-based outlet is one that’s been fermenting in the back of his mind for a couple of years and what had initially been envisaged as a breakfast take-out has morphed into an all-day offer. “Myself and my partner Patrick were driving home one day and I said to him, I have an idea that’s been in my head for a couple of years and I need to either get rid of it or do something about it. He asked me what it was and I replied, takeaway eggs. I told him not to say anything, just to think about it. If he had a tenner for every ludicrous idea I came up with, he’d be a wealthy man but I knew this was something that could work. After all, who doesn’t love an egg?”
LISHH to The Egg
Jonathan Sheehan is on a mission to shake up Cork’s food o ering
Jonathan’s belief that a takeaway eggs outlet would not just work but work wonderfully, has paid off. Featuring established favourites such as eggs benedict and smoked salmon royale as well as salads and buttermilk chicken, The Egg Bar’s menu is going down a storm with customers. With food trends moving towards restaurants that can offer an increasingly diverse menu, spaces like the Marina Market and outlets like the Egg Bar are well placed to cater to people who want something a bit different. “The food on offer in places like the Marina Market is tasty and very much on trend. It’s what customers want today; it brings a whole community of people together. If you have five friends and they all want something different, you can go to five different vendors and sit down and eat together. I adore everything about this industry; I love my businesses and the people I work with but right now, the trends seems to be diversity and a takeaway option. I don’t think we can afford to ignore them.”
Presentation is just as important as taste at the Egg Bar, with dishes served on good quality disposable plates and garnished to restaurant standards. Everything is made by Jonathan and his team, apart from the brioche which is sourced from a local bakery. Excellent feedback and rave reviews have Jonathan already considering his options. “I’m only a few weeks into the project, but I can see that it has legs. This is a business that I’d love to expand; we’re hoping to open five additional units over the next two years and then maybe franchise it, maybe get involved with one of the big food brands, who knows. I think I’m onto a winner because as I said earlier, who doesn’t like eggs?”
From an early age, Jonathan figured that the route to happiness lay in baking. Today, any challenge or issue can be resolved by turning to the pastry kitchen and baking something delicious. “Food didn’t play a major role in my family, but once I started to cook, everything changed. It just suited me. My first job in the industry was at The Bosun in Monkstown, Co Cork. Mickey Moynihan was absolutely amazing and to this day, I have enormous respect for the man. I still hear him over my shoulder, teaching me what to do and how to do it.” From there, Jonathan moved onto Jury’s on the Western Road where, under the guidance of the Executive Head Chef, he learned discipline, speed and to trust his gut. “That’s the beauty of working in a hotel – you’ll fairly quickly learn discipline and structure. That’s what you need when you’re running a tight ship.” Ten years ago, he opened a deli and hot food counter in Turner’s Cross. Perseverance and long hours turned LISHH into the success story it is today. “I’d often arrive in at 4am and keep it open until the evening, thinking people might want to grab a takeaway coffee or ready meal on the way home. That’s how I built the business.” The ethos at LISHH is simple – create tasty dishes and sweet treats using only the best local Cork produce and ingredients and all importantly, serve with a smile. Catering quickly became a profitable element of LISHH, which led to a new, larger premises. “At that stage we were feeding the Munster Rugby team. The catering side of LISHH has grown hugely and actually stood us in good stead when Covid hit, as our online presence was already well established.” Recently,
“The food on o er in places like the Marina Market is tasty and very much on trend. It’s what customers want today; it brings a whole community of people together“
Jonathan and the team have been helping other hospitality businesses in the area with chef shortages by providing their desserts and dessert menus.
Success is down to the people around him, says Jonathan. “I couldn’t have done any of this without my partner Patrick. He is always by my side. Our families have also been an unwavering support to us during the highs and the lows.” Some staff members at LISHH have been with Jonathan from the very start. “My staff are invaluable. I recently promoted two of them – Rita and Kathriona – to kitchen supervisor and restaurant supervisor respectively. They’ve flourished so much in their roles. Because of that, I was able to side-step a little to develop The Egg Bar. I never have to worry because I know that my staff all support me and support each other.
Four years ago, a young lad called Jesse started with us on wash-up and now, he’s enrolled in the professional chef course at MTU. Every Friday, we work together and he tells me what he’s learned in college that week. I give him the industry view of whatever he’s learned that week; college is great but it’s really helpful to have an insider take too.”
At LISHH and at the Egg Bar, the aim is to have a positive impact on someone’s day, but when things get a bit out of hand, there’s a saying that goes around the kitchen. “When my staff are panicking that something isn’t ready or they’re not working fast enough, I ask them to take a step back and realise that it’s just flour and water. That’s it.”
“When my sta are panicking that something isn’t ready or they’re not working fast enough, I ask them to take a step back and realise that it’s just flour and water. That’s it”
Hosted by Cliste Hospitality, over 200 delegates attended ‘Irish Hospitality Perspectives’ in Dublin recently, an event that aimed to give conference goers an insight into what lies ahead for the industry and to spark curiosity and conversation around issues such as succession planning, Brexit recruitment and innovation. “One of our key ambitions with this event was to create a networking opportunity for independent hoteliers, banks, lenders, investors and business advisors. Within our own client base, I think most are aware of the pillar banks but there’s a certain lack of awareness around other sources of capital. Getting those stakeholders in the same room increases that awareness and opens up opportunities around financing,” said Sean O’Driscoll, Director of Hotels at Cliste Hospitality and CEO of iNUA Hospitality.
As well as networking, delegates also got to hear from an expert speaker line-up covering a broad range of issues. First up was economist Jim Power who talked about the impact of inflation, interest rates and rising costs on the industry.
“From a geopolitical point of view, we’re in very uncertain times but Jim’s point was that we must balance that uncertainty with the fact that the Irish economy is quite strong right now. We’re at full employment, we have strong tax takings, exports are up and household savings are at a record high of €146 billion. Those of us who were in business during the last recession are probably still scarred by the ‘r’ word, but Jim explained that thankfully, circumstances are very different this time around.” It was more good news from three of Ireland’s main hotel auctioneers – JLL, Savills and CBRE – who emphasised that hotels did not lose value during Covid. “Buyers of high net worth are still purchasing hotels, while hoteliers are also still interested in purchasing hotels and adding to their portfolio. They very much expect the hotel market to continue to trade.”
While the good news was welcomed by attendees, some of the challenges impacting the industry were also discussed at the event. The specific issues affecting hotels in family ownership were discussed by a panel that included Sean along with John Cuddigan at Ronan Daly Jermyn, Mairea Doyle Balfe at Crowe Ireland and Niamh Walsh at TDL Horizons. “We talked about the fact that there’s quite a few Irish hotels in family ownership, where the next generation aren’t interested in taking over. The panel laid out the options around succession planning, bringing in a management company to run the business, along with lease and sale options. It's a very emotional decision but the key message from the panel was that sometimes, seeking independent business advice is the best route.”
Rising energy costs were also discussed, with speakers and delegates alike sharing stories about receiving exorbitant energy bills. “Just recently, we had our own group manager meeting at Cliste and to see the bills that came in during September was frightening. To give you some context, in 2019 our energy bill across our eight hotels was €2.1 million; this year, it will be €4.2 million. For every room I sell this year, it'll cost €10 more to heat compared to what it cost in 2019. We welcomed the announced in the Budget of a payment of up to €10,000 a month to help businesses with soaring energy costs, but in September one of my hotels had an energy bill of almost €100,000. Hotels that have a mix of room revenue and ground floor food and beverage revenues will perhaps manage to cover their bills, but I think it's a horrific situation for the bar, restaurant and cafe sector. With labour inflation rising 10 to 15% over the previous year and food and beverage inflation up about 15%, it really is a perfect storm.” Additional government supports for small and medium businesses are needed, says Sean, particularly for those operating outside the larger urban centres. “If you want people to live outside the main city regions, they need facilities, they need that sense of community on the main street. Two thirds of our population are employed in small and medium enterprises, so I think the government needs to do everything it can to help them get through the next few months.”
“For every room I sell this year, it’ll cost €10 more to heat compared to what it cost in 2019”
Where we are now, where we’re headed to next and how to make the journey a bit easier were the hot topics at Cliste’s first industry conference
The idea that the hospitality VAT rate will increase on the first of March next year is, says Sean, absolute lunacy. “Putting 4.5% on the cost of dining out at a time when inflation is over 8% is just bananas. All it will do is fuel inflation further. I think it could be the death knell for a lot of independent small restaurants and cafes.” Ireland’s unreliable tax system also hinders the industry’s ability to attract international tourism. “At the moment, we’re contracting tour operators for 2023 and 2024 and I think it drives our international tour operators crazy that we have such an unstable tax system that’s decided from year to year. There's no certainty for tour operators in terms of what price they can charge for holidays to Ireland. We've said it time and time again that decisions around tax in the budget need to be made for a longer period.”
Recruitment was of course another hot topic at the event. Last year, there were 40,000 vacancies
in the tourism and hospitality sector. This year, that figure has dropped to 22,000. Higher pay rates for staff have helped improve the situation, says Sean. “Benefits such as pensions and healthcare contributions are very important and something we’re committed to at iNUA. If any of our staff want to pursue a career in hospitality, we pay their college fees, we pay them while they go to college and we provide accommodation for them near their college. We also offer flexibility; we’re open to adjusting the rules to suit someone's work life balance. Hotels must adapt if we’re to attract and more importantly, keep staff.”
Cliste aims to hold the Irish Hospitality Perspectives on a yearly basis. Going forward, a move into Northern Ireland could be on the cards for Sean and the team, along with further growth in Dublin and the west coast. “We have 11 hotels under management at the moment. By the end of 2023, we would hope to have that number up to 15 and ultimately, to grow the group to about 20 hotels. The opportunities are there, we just need to grab them.”
“Putting 4.5% on the cost of dining out at a time when inflation is over 8% is just bananas. All it will do is fuel inflation further. I think it could be the death knell for a lot of independent small restaurants and cafes”
Although most plastic packaging is no longer landfilled we currently only recycle 31%. We need your help to meet future EU plastic recycling targets of 50% by 2025 and 55% by 2030. As an Irish business you are obligated to segregate the waste you generate at your premises for recycling. Waste contractors must provide you with the necessary bin collection systems to maximise the segregation and recycling of your waste.
Repak will provide you with the support and advice to help ensure you are recycling correctly and help to reduce your waste management costs. Please contact our Membership Team and help Ireland remain one of Europe’s top recycling countries.
Recruitment towards the next phase of growth is a huge honour. My previous experience at all levels in the hospitality industry allows me to bring a credible and innate understanding toward clients and candidates alike. This in turn, instils confidence in us as a company and in the recruitment process from start to finish. Never before have we witnessed such a complex jobs market in this country and as a proven successful Director working across the sectors at Excel Recruitment, I welcome this next challenge to support the business in all areas of growth, strategic development and regional brand awareness to show what we do and the range of services Excel Recruitment provides.”
Shane is a huge advocate for the hospitality industry and regularly speaks to mainstream media to raise awareness of the challenges the hospitality sector faces. His knowledge of this sector is unparalleled which led to the latest promotion within the group of Jennifer Maher, who was recently promoted from Client Relationships Manager to Director of Hospitality Recruitment. Jennifer will focus solely on the hospitality division and the hospitality team, concentrating on supporting the hospitality consultants to perform to the best of their ability, whilst helping with the day-to-day priorities of the division to take some of the pressure off the team.
One of Ireland’s leading recruitment agencies, Excel Recruitment has announced the promotion and appointment of Shane McLave from a Director in the business to Managing Director of the group. As Managing Director, Shane will continue to drive the business forward by leading a team of consultants in sourcing and supplying talent nationwide. Since joining Excel, Shane has been instrumental in helping the business grow by delivering instant temporary workforce solutions and permanent solutions across a broad range of sectors. This enables Excel’s clients to deliver their business goals in a time of acute labour shortages. Shane has also been an integral part of Excel’s island-wide expansion which saw the recruitment agency opening an office in Belfast to complement their existing office locations in Dublin, Galway, Cork and Kildare, along with many exciting plans in the pipeline for internal recruitment drives to be announced in the near future.
Commenting on the announcement, McLave said: “Moving to a Managing Director role and leading Excel
Speaking on her recent promotion, Jennifer said: “I am absolutely thrilled and delighted that my efforts have been acknowledged, allowing me to receive this fantastic promotion as Director of Hospitality recruitment. We have an amazing team who go above and beyond to support our clients and candidates and we are on a mission to transform the hospitality industry even more than we already have. I’m excited to drive this division forward and achieve continued growth and success throughout the island of Ireland. I believe my natural ambition and dedication, combined with Excel Recruitment’s superior sourcing and selection capabilities, will continue to allow our hospitality division to supply exceptional talent for our clients’ teams. This naturally takes the headache and risks out of the recruitment process for our clients and I cannot wait to grow the team even further and continue supporting our clients in the most productive way possible.”
If you’d like to speak to Jennifer about your hospitality recruitment needs, she would be happy to assist with your requirements. Email Jennifer at: jennifer@excelrecruitment. com or call her at 087 996 4404.
Excel Recruitment has appointed Shane McLave as Managing Director and Jennifer Maher as Director of Hospitality Recruitment
the people you meet in this role. Just recently, I got talking to a man who turned out to be the designer of the Phantom, a fighter jet in the US. Another weekend, I met the owners of a popular football club in the UK.
Nothing too strange or startling yet! We had a gentleman staying a couple of weeks ago who was going for a meeting. He realised he didn’t have an appropriate pair of shoes so he asked me where he could quickly buy a pair. Luckily, we both wore the same size shoe so I gave him mine and he went o happy to his meeting. I also keep a few ties in the hotel which guests have availed of a few times.
A hotel is somewhat similar to an airport but without the planes! You have people coming in and out, losing and finding their luggage, looking for entertainment and needing a bit of help. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the airport. If you enjoy what you do, it’s not hard to get up in the morning and go to work.
The Metropole Hotel’s new concierge on the importance of first impressions
I’m generally the first person that guests meet when they arrive at the hotel and that welcome is important. First impressions count; I want guests to feel like I’m approachable and friendly and that they can ask me questions about the area or just sit and have a chat.
You don’t have to know everything. Guests are usually looking for your take on which pub they should go to or what sights they should visit. You have to have a bit of personality; it’s important to interact with people and I think it’s about being genuine and friendly more than anything. I love chatting and it’s amazing
President Michael D Higgins. He’s a proud Irish man and I admire his intelligence, knowledge and Irish culture. He reminds me of a di erent time.
I think it would be the public transport system. In an ideal world, free public transport would be amazing. We have students from Malta working with us here and back home, they pay €20 for travel for the year. It would incentivise people to use public transport and combat tra c in the city.
