Hotel & Catering Review June 2017

JUNE 2017

Dromoland Destination

EASING THE IMPACT OF

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JUNE 2017

Dromoland Destination

EASING THE IMPACT OF

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Cover image by: Dromoland Castle

JUNE 2017

CONTENTS IN THIS ISSUE

COVER STORY

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OPERATION RESTORATION

This restoration programme combines all the modern luxuries expected of a five star property with the unique welcoming atmosphere and sense of history that a stay at Dromoland Castle offers our guests.”

Mark Nolan, General Manager, Dromoland Castle

REGULARS

03

NEWS

16 18 KEY TO THE DOOR

ON THE

MOVE

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SUPPLY

LINE

20 22 26 28 29 32 36

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Digital Two leading hotels give their direct booking revenue a major boost.

Interview Celebrated chef launches one-stopshop consultancy business.

Business Matters Why reducing excise duty will ease Brexit impact.

Style Trends Discover Dublin’s latest culinary addition at The Westin.

Trail Blazers Sligo chefs set the standard for culinary entrepreneurship.

Food Heroes Food gurus flock to Galway for Food on the Edge symposium.

A Quick Chat With Niall Sabongi Owner of newlyopened Klaw Poke.

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Editorial & Production Manager: Mary Connaughton Editorial Assistant: Orla Connolly Art Director: Alan McArthur Creative Director: Jane Matthews Stock Photography: Thinkstock.com Infographics: www.flaticon.com Production: Nicole Ennis Sales Director: Paul Clemenson Managing Director: Gerry Tynan Chairman: Diarmaid Lennon

Published by: Ashville Media, Old Stone Building, Blackhall Green, Dublin 7.

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 2017. 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.

Editor’s

VIEW T

he tourism and hospitality industry can’t say that it wasn’t warned. Leading industry organisations such as Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation, among others, have cautioned businesses about the need to remain competitive and provide value for money. After all, we didn’t want to return to the Celtic Tiger era when Irish hotels, particularly those in Dublin, were perceived to be charging exorbitant prices when compared to other capital cities around Europe. However, it looks as if the warnings have been falling on deaf ears.

Professor Michael Hall of the University of Canterbury got quite a bit of coverage in the national media recently following his statement that he would never recommend Dublin to anyone for a short break. Speaking at a tourism and hospitality conference in Sligo on June 15th, he said he was ‘horrified’ when he went to book a hotel room for a Saturday night in Dublin and found that it would cost more than two nights in Helsinki with the same hotel chain. “I would never, ever recommend anyone to come to Dublin for a short break because I think it is an absolute rip-off,” said the academic, who was charged 400 for a night in the capital. He was quoted in the Irish Independent as saying “I had already booked my flights so I was stuck...There were rooms which were even more expensive on booking.com.”

Our tourism representative organisations have embarked on extremely innovative and progressive campaigns to promote Ireland abroad. The ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ has been an unqualified success. The ‘Dublin, a Breath of Fresh Air’ brand promotes what the entire county, as opposed to the city, has to offer, which is great. But if visitors to our capital city are coping with over priced accommodation and other services, as well as massive Luas works disruption to an already deficient public transport system, how can we expect them to go away with a positive image of Dublin, one that will prompt them to return?

www.hotelandcateringreview.ie @HC_Review

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@

Editor: Maev Martin Email: maev.martin@ ashvillemediagroup.com Telephone: 01 432 2271

info@hotelandcateringreview.ie

www.facebook.com/hotelandcateringreview

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NEWS

BUDGET HOTELS GROW AS OTHER BRANDS STAGNATE

CHEVALIER AWARD FOR MARGOT SLATTERY Margot Slattery, Country President of Sodexo Ireland, was named Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite by Jean-Pierre Thébault, the French Ambassador to Ireland, at a ceremony at the French Residence on Ailesbury Road on June 8th. It is bestowed to reward distinguished civil and other achievements by French citizens and other nationalities. Margot’s role in promoting diversity and inclusion, as well as promoting the role of women in business, has been regularly recognised by her peers in the industry. Margot is also involved in the promotion of France-Ireland relations and has played an important role within the France Ireland Chamber of Commerce.

Bronagh Kelleher, The Fitzwilliam Hotel, Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, and Yvonne Donohue, The Shelbourne Dublin

GROWING TOURISM FROM THE US AND GERMANY

Tourism industry leaders from around the island of Ireland joined Tourism Ireland in Dublin on May 24th to take part in two workshops looking at ways to maximise growth from the US and German markets for Irish tourism over the coming years.

Tourism revenue from the US grew by +72% and visitors by +48% over the period 2010 to 2015. Over one in 10 American travellers to Europe now visits Ireland. Germany is the largest source of visitors and tourism revenue from mainland Europe to Ireland.

The market had its best year ever in 2016, with 650,000 German visitors contributing almost 400m to the Irish economy.

Budget hotels now account for nearly twothirds of the UK’s top 10 brands, as global hotel companies continue to diversify from their traditionally more upmarket offerings to the ever-popular budget sector. According to Hotel Bulletin Q1 2017, published by HVS, AlixPartners, STR and AM:PM, Premier Inn and Travelodge between them account for 52% of all branded rooms in the UK’s top 10 and are also the most active in terms of future growth.

The Bulletin compares the list of the UK’s top 10 hotel brands in terms of room numbers with the top 10 in terms of the new rooms pipeline.

It finds that Premier Inn, the largest in terms of room numbers with 67,515, and Travelodge, number two with 39,531, also represent almost half of the UK’s active hotel pipeline, with 5,086 and 2,660 rooms planned respectively. In third place in terms of supply is Holiday Inn, with 20,707 rooms but a pipeline of only 430, while fifth-placed Hilton (14,793) has only 200 rooms in its development pipeline. Overall, it is the emerging brands such as Hampton by Hilton (active pipeline of 1,881 rooms), Hub

by Premier Inn (1,396) and Holiday Inn Express (1,244), that have among the most aggressive opening plans.

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HASTINGS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF CULLODEN

Eoin O’Sullivan, General Manager of the Culloden Estate & Spa, was joined by Hugh Margey, the first General Manager of the Culloden.

Northern Ireland’s Hastings Hotels is celebrating 50 years of ownership of the Culloden Estate & Spa. Hastings Hotels purchased the luxurious property in June 1967, and over the course of the last 50 years, under the direction of Sir William Hastings, has transformed the Culloden in size and luxury.

“I purchased the Culloden in 1967 for £100,000, when it was a 13-bedroom boutique hotel with a splendid reputation for luxury and was by far the best in the province,” says Sir William. “Fifty years on, the Culloden Estate & Spa remains Northern Ireland’s foremost five star hotel with 98 bedrooms and suites, an ESPA spa and health club, a superb ballroom, conference facilities and meeting rooms, and the Cultra Inn. I would like to pay tribute to the wonderful staff who have worked tirelessly over the last 50 years - to my first General Manager Hugh Margey, a young hospitality graduate from University College Dublin, and to the current General Manager, Eoin O’Sullivan and his wonderful team who I am indebted to for their hard work and dedication.”

DIT WINS WORLD’S BEST COOKERY SCHOOL BOOK All in the Food: 75 Years of Cathal Brugha Street was recently awarded the World’s Best Cookery School Book for 2017 by Gourmand International. Books from 205 countries participated in the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, which honour the best food and wine books, printed or digital, as well as food television. This year’s awards ceremony was held in Yantai, China. All in the Food: 75 Years of Cathal Brugha Street is published by The O’Brien Press, Dublin and is available in all good book shops. All royalties from the book will be used to enhance educational activities in DIT’s School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology at Cathal Brugha Street in Dublin.

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INCENTIVISING CORPORATE BUYERS TO CHOOSE IRELAND A group of North American corporate and incentive buyers arrived in Ireland in May for a five day fact finding trip hosted by Fáilte Ireland in conjunction with Tourism Ireland.The buyers, who arrived into Shannon Airport, had the chance to carry out a number of site inspections at key venues across the country, including Adare Manor, Co Mayo, The Killarney Park Hotel and The Europe, Co Kerry, The K Club, Co Kildare, and the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin. They also sampled first-hand some of the attractions and experiences that await their clients should they choose Ireland, including whiskey tasting, bódhrán lessons, Gaelic games, and Fab Food Trails. Already this year, Fáilte Ireland’s Meet in Ireland team has supported and delivered 67m in meetings, incentive and conference business for Ireland for current and future years.

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ANIAR KICKS OFF SUMMER CHEF SWAPS Aniar kicked off the summer season of Chef Swap on June 23rd and 24th with Syrco Bakker, a rising star of Dutch cuisine and chef at Michelin star Pure C restaurant. Syrco joined Aniar chef-patron JP McMahon in the Aniar kitchen to collaborate on creating a choice of five-, eight- and 10-course menus which represent both restaurants, both countries and both chefs. The Chef Swap at Aniar programme sees acclaimed guest chefs working alongside JP McMahon in Michelin starred Aniar in Galway, Ireland, on different dates throughout 2017. On July 28th and 29th Aniar will welcome Portuguese chef Alexandre Silva from Lisbon Michelin star restaurant Loco. JP recently returned from a stint working with Silva in his restaurant. Belgian Michelin star chef Benoit Dewitte of Restaurant Benoit Dewitte in Ghent, Belgium, will join the Aniar kitchen team on August 11th and 12th. Chef Swap at Aniar will also run in the autumn, with Michelin star chefs Daniel Burns of Brooklyn restaurant Luksus|Tørst, and Adam Reid of The French in Manchester already confirmed.

(l-r): Matt Spalding, Co-Owner of Kanoodle, Eddie Carty, CEO of Captiva, and Barry Gray, Marketing Director at BOI Payment Acceptance, celebrate the BOIPA and Captiva partnership.

INTEGRATED PAYMENT SERVICE FOR IRISH HOSPITALITY BOI Payment Acceptance (BOIPA) has partnered with hospitality software and system provider Captiva POS to provide integrated payment solutions to its clients. Captiva POS is used for order and payments processing by over 1,000 hospitality outlets in Ireland, including Munchies, Hillbilly’s, Kanoodle, Ramen Thai, Thunders Bakery, Romayos and Sbarro Pizza. Now, with full support for BOIPA’s payment technology included in Captiva Software, Captiva clients will be able to process integrated payments, including contactless, quickly and efficiently, meaning customers spend less time waiting at the till. BOIPA is a marketing alliance between Bank of Ireland and EVO Payments International. The company provides card point-of-sale and online payment solutions for Irish SMEs and corporate businesses.

Ciara Gallagher, Fáilte Ireland, with Stephen Meehan, Convention Centre Dublin.

IMPRESSIVE GROWTH IN BUSINESS TOURISM SECTOR

The latest Fáilte Ireland estimates, based on CSO figures, indicate that business travel from overseas markets is worth in excess of 700m to the Irish economy after growing by seven per cent during the period 2015 to 2016. The sector is estimated to support approximately 21,000 jobs. Reflecting this growth, Fáilte Ireland’s Business Tourism & Events team have directly influenced 198m of promotable business won for Ireland in 2016, an increase of 10% on business won for Ireland in 2015. In addition, new rankings recently released by the International Congresses and Conventions Association (ICCA) show the city rising five places to 13th in the world for hosting conferences and conventions and Ireland, overall, rising six places to 26th out of 133 countries.

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TRIVAGO REVEALS TRAVELLER TRENDS Dublin is the most popular destination for international visitors, the largest number of inbound travellers come from the UK, travellers from Ireland, Italy and France are searching for the longest stays, and hotel guests from Austria are the biggest spenders, with searches for the highest prices-per-night on average. These are just some of the insights from an analysis by trivago of summer travel trends in Ireland, which reveals where international travellers are visiting from, and compares their search behaviour and destinations-ofchoice with those of domestic travellers. The top 10 destinations in Ireland account for more than 87% of searches from international travellers to Ireland destinations.

The most searches from off-shore countries to Ireland destinations are from the UK, Germany, the US, Canada, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, France, Spain and Austria.

The most popular destinations for domestic and inbound travellers is Dublin, with Galway, Killarney and Cork taking positions two to four in varying order. Traveller behaviour from the key markets, for searches to destinations around the globe, show that travellers from Austria are the biggest spenders, with an average clicked price per night of 190, followed by the US with 177, and the UK with 176.

Founder and Managing Director of Teeling Whiskey, Jack Teeling, and Sales and Marketing Director, Stephen Teeling, along with Patricia Lienig and Vwe von Aeewoeselen from Frankfurt, Germany.

TEELING CELEBRATES 2ND ANNIVERSARY Teeling Whiskey celebrated the second anniversary of its awardwinning distillery on June 7th as it welcomed its 185,000th visitors through the door, Patricia Lienig and Vwe von Aeewoeselen from Frankfurt in Germany. Visitor numbers to the distillery have doubled in the past 12 months alone. Teeling Whiskey, which is now Ireland’s fastest growing whiskey brand, has launched three new products over the past year, including the Teeling Whiskey Brabazon Series.

NEW ASSOCIATION FOR VISITOR ATTRACTIONS The new Association of Visitor Experience and Attractions (AVEA) was launched at an event in the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks on May 31st. The AVEA will provide a forum for the exchange of knowledge, information and advice between members, as well as offering external support systems and professional insight into the delivery of best practice in customer care, interpretation, and service standards. AVEA’s board includes Ann Daly, Head of Marketing, the National Museum of Ireland; Michael Counahan, Managing Director, CHL Consulting; Seán Connick, Chief Executive, John F Kennedy Trust, New Ross; Denise Brophy, Managing Director, Dublinia; Anne-Marie Diffley, Visitor Services Manager, Trinity College; Biddy Hughes, Sales and Marketing Director, Westport House; Pat Ó Súilleabháin, Managing Director, National Sea Life Centre, Bray; and John Ruddle, Chief Executive, Shannon Heritage.

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CORK AIRPORT OPENS NEW RESTAURANTS Cork Airport has launched its new and improved food offerings at Food Republic and Kinsale Café Bar following major investment from Aramark food services. Local suppliers for the new restaurants at Cork Airport include Fingal Ferguson (Gubbeen chorizo), Jane Murphy (Ardsallagh goat’s cheese), Bandonvale cheddar, Flahavan’s Oat porridge, G’s jams, Co Laois, Ballycotton smoked salmon, Glenillen yoghurts, Glenown ice cream, and Pallas Green for locally grown fruit and vegetables.

Alan Quinlan, former Irish and Munster rugby star and Aramark ambassador, got the opportunity to sample the new menu and was on hand for guidance and insights into what the ever-increasing health and wellness-conscious passenger seeks while travelling.

David Magee, Head Chef at Cork Airport, with Aramark Brand Ambassador Alan Quinlan Gretel O’Sullivan, The Gleneagle Group, Catherine Moylan, Listowel Writers Week, Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, Joan O’Shaughnessy, Chair of Tourism Ireland, and Breffni Ingerton, The Gleneagle Group, before the Tourism Ireland board meeting at the Aghadoe Heights Hotel in Killarney.

TAKING THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY AROUND THE WORLD The Aghadoe Heights Hotel in Killarney was the venue for the June board meeting of Tourism Ireland, which took place on June 14th. The board members met with local tourism operators prior to the meeting to discuss the tourism season and the extensive promotional programme that Tourism Ireland is undertaking to highlight Kerry, the Wild Atlantic Way, and the island of Ireland around the world this year.

Tourism Ireland profiles Kerry and the Wild Atlantic Way extensively on its global suite of websites, Ireland.com, which attracted more than 19.37 million unique visitors in 2016.

Kerry is also highlighted through Tourism Ireland’s social media platforms - to its 3.9 million active Facebook fans and 403,000 followers on Twitter. In 2016, Tourism Ireland helped generate almost 75m worth of positive publicity for Kerry in key markets around the world, through press releases, press visits, e-newsletters and various media events.

OPERATORS JOIN GLOBAL TRAVEL MARKET Nine Irish tourism companies joined Tourism Ireland at Global Travel Marketplace (GTM) in Nevada in May. The three-day event involved a programme of bespoke one-to-one appointments and networking sessions, providing an opportunity for the Irish tourism enterprises to meet, and do business with, influential travel advisors from North America. Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, said that Tourism Ireland aims to deliver an over six per cent increase in visitor numbers and an in excess of nine per cent increase in revenue from North America for the year ahead. Tourism businesses attending Global Travel Marketplace included Ballynahinch Castle Hotel, Culture & Heritage Tours Ireland, Experience Ireland Golf & Travel, The g Hotel, Manor House Hotels & Irish Country Hotels, Moloney & Kelly Travel, Parknasilla Resort & Spa, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links, and Railtours Ireland First Class.

Carmel Flynn, Parknasilla Resort & Spa, Dermot O’Neill, Moloney & Kelly Travel, Hillarie McGuinness, Tourism Ireland, and John Callely, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links, at GTM in Nevada

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Adrian Mooney, The K Club; Marie McKown, Tourism Ireland; Sandra Russell, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links; Sharon Joyce, O’Callaghan Hotels; Gillian Griffin, Adare Manor; Olwyn Horgan, Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge; Stephanie Hughes , The Westin Dublin; Orla Byrne, Druids Glen Resort; Stephanie Hayes, Clontarf Castle; Lynda Reilly, Dublin Convention Bureau; and John Callely, Odyssey International, at the M&I Forum.

DOING THE BUSINESS IN MEXICO Ireland was promoted as a top destination for business tourism at the annual Meeting & Incentive Forum (M&I Forum) - Americas 2017, which took place in Cancún, Mexico, in May. Tourism Ireland, together with a delegation of 11 Irish tourism companies, met with 185 meetings and incentive buyers from North and South America who were attending the event. Tourism businesses that attended the M&I Forum included Adare Manor, Carton House Hotel, Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge, Druids Glen Hotel & Golf Resort, Dublin Convention Bureau, The K Club, Moloney & Kelly Travel, O’Callaghan Hotels, Odyssey International, Powerscourt Hotel Resort Spa, and The Westin Dublin.

B&B OF THE YEAR AWARD GOES TO KILKENNY Springview Farmhouse in Urlingford, Co Kilkenny, is Ireland’s B&B of the Year. The announcement was made at the recent AGM of B&B Ireland in the Ashling Hotel in Dublin. Springview Farmhouse B&B is owned and run by the Joyce family. The finalists were: Catherine O’Sullivan, An Rosalithir, Rosscarbery, Co Cork; Mairéad Uí Shuibhne, Bun A Bhaile, Ballyvourney, Cork; Anne and Paul Harris, Dromagowlane House, Adrigole, Co Cork; Anna Casey, Sunville House, Ballycotton, Co Cork; Jim and Carol Kearney, Lis-Ardagh Lodge, Union Hall, Co Cork; Eileen Joyce, Springview House, Urlingford, Co Kilkenny; Wilson and Sharon Moore, Riversdale Country House, Carndonagh, Co Donegal; Margaret Elliott, Ocean Breeze, Donegal Town, Co Donegal; and Valerie Gamble, Honeysuckle Cottage, Ballymoney, Co Antrim.

Assessment for the award was based on reviews received in 2016 from those that booked and stayed through B&B Ireland.

Winner of the B&B of the Year Award, Eileen Joyce, receiving her award from Maurice Pratt, Chairman of B&B Ireland (left), and Tom Walsh, House of Waterford Crystal (right).

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PYRAMID ADDS VALUE AT TEMPLE BAR Pyramid Hotel Group recently won the ValueAdd & Repositioning Project of the Year, as well as the Best in Class accolade, across all award categories at Europe’s Hotel Asset Management Association’s awards for its work in repositioning the Temple Bar Hotel in Dublin. The work was carried out over the 21 month period ahead of the group’s 55m sale of the asset late last year. In less than two years, Pyramid (backed

by Angelo, Gordon & Co, its equity partner in this particular deal) executed a 6.2m renovation and operational re-tooling which generated a 100% increase in hotel profit and, upon sale in December of last year, equity returns of nearly 90%. Pyramid was then awarded its new owner’s first ever European third party management contract.

The extensive project included the renovation and expansion of hotel room stock (moving the asset from three to four-star), the introduction of creative food and beverage concepts, including Buskers On The Ball, an interactive gamesfocused sports bar, and the implementation of strategic revenue generation and cost control measures.

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Table for one.

IT’S YOUR FOOD. IT’S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. IT’S THE LAW. Failure to provide accurate food allergen information in writing for your customers can have serious or even fatal consequences.

Visit fsai.ie/allergens to learn how to comply.

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INNOVATIVE PROMOTIONS

Commercial

TUBRIDY SHOWCASES WILD ATLANTIC WAY

PROFILE

FOR CHALLENGING TIMES

T

he Ryan Tubridy Show recently showcased some of the local businesses and many activities available along the Wild Atlantic Way as it undertook a week of live broadcasts along the coastal route. Part of Fáilte Ireland’s domestic marketing campaign, ‘Embrace the Wild Atlantic Way,’ the live broadcasts saw Ryan visit a selection of islands and seaside towns along the western seaboard where he shared the many local tourism highlights and uniquely local experiences with his listeners.

APART FROM CHAMPIONING FOOD TOURISM AND ATTRACTING A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO OUR SHORES, FÁILTE IRELAND CONTINUES TO SHOWCASE ITS THREE CORE BRANDS. THE ORGANISATION ALSO RECENTLY REVEALED IRELAND’S MOST POPULAR VISITOR ATTRACTIONS AND LAUNCHED ITS TOURISM BAROMETER SURVEY, WHICH INDICATES SOME SOFTENING IN THE BRITISH MARKET.

Most Popular VISITOR ATTRACTIONS REVEALED Welcoming 1.6 million visitors in 2016, Guinness Storehouse once again got the top spot

A

year of strong growth has been reflected as Fáilte Ireland published its list of the nation’s best performing tourism attractions in 2016. The most popular fee-paying attraction remains Guinness Storehouse, which experienced a 10% jump in visitors last year, welcoming 1.6 million visitors through their gates. Among Ireland’s ‘free to enter’ attractions, the National Gallery of Ireland continues to lead the way, with numbers up five per cent to over 755,000. Among the nation’s fee-paying attractions, the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience and Dublin Zoo both registered very strong performances last year, with the cliffs enjoying a particularly significant jump in business.

View the full list on www.fáilteireland.ie

TOP FIVE FEE-PAYING ATTRACTIONS DURING 2016

Find out more about the Wild Atlantic Way at www.wildatlanticway.com

Ryan embraces the Wild Atlantic Way as he takes to the sea in Portmagee

TOP FIVE ‘FREE TO ENTER’ ATTRACTIONS DURING 2016

1

Guinness Storehouse

1,647,408 visitors (+10%)

1

The National Gallery of 755,577 visitors (+5%) Ireland

2

Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience

1,427,166 visitors (+14%)

2

Irish Museum of Modern Art

584,856 visitors (+20%)

3

Dublin Zoo

1,143,908 visitors (+3%)

3

National Botanic Gardens

583,539 visitors (+5.5%)

4

National Aquatic Centre

1,037,992 visitors (+4.5%)

4

Doneraile Wildlife Park

480,000 visitors (+11%)

5

Book of Kells

890,781 visitors (+6%)

5

National Museum of Ireland

479,261 visitors (+4.8%)

HOTEL

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Commercial

PROFILE

INTERNATIONAL BUYERS & MEDIA TAKE IN DUBLIN

& IRELAND’S ANCIENT EAST

C

hinese representatives from one of the leading culture and lifestyle magazines in China, CITYZINE, spent 10 days in Ireland recently learning more about Ireland’s Ancient East and Dublin - A Breath of Fresh Air. Included in the itinerary was a trip to the Waterford Greenway, along with visits to Dublin city, Kilkenny, Wexford and Kildare. In addition, more than 100 buyers representing luxury travel potential in Mainland Europe, the US, and the UK, as well as China, Cuba, Ecuador, India and the United Arab Emirates, enjoyed a three day showcase of uniquely Irish experiences at Powerscourt House and Gardens and Dalkey Castle.

TOURISM SECTOR SENTIMENT SOFTENS

ON BREXIT

F

áilte Ireland’s latest Tourism Barometer Survey indicates that, while business sentiment across the tourism sector remains generally upbeat, one in four businesses surveyed reported experiencing a Brexit or Sterling exchange rate impact on their business so far this year. A total of 30% said that Northern Ireland has underperformed, while 35% have seen a fall-off in demand from Great Britain. “The focus now for every business must be on getting their market mix right,” said Fáilte Ireland CEO Paul Kelly. “An over-reliance on one market can leave any enterprise dangerously exposed to unexpected external events, such as Brexit.”

Get the full report at www.fáilteireland.ie

Sarah Fitzpatrick, Fáilte Ireland, with Chinese journalists on Waterford’s Greenway

TOURISM NETWORK PUTS FOOD ON THE MENU

M

ore than 30 members of a recent Food Tourism Development Network, comprised of Fáilte Ireland ‘Food Champions’ from across Ireland, met with Fáilte Ireland to discuss the road ahead for food tourism in Ireland. The meeting looked at findings on, and insights into, food tourism development and outlined a future vision for the development of food in tourism in Ireland in the coming years. Fáilte Ireland Food Champions also presented a progress update on the new food tourism initiatives being undertaken by them as part of their food champion role.

Among them were the recently launched PigTown Food Series, led by Tom Flavin, and Ruth Healy’s Cork Character Cafés.

HOTEL

Among those attending the Food Tourism Development Network meeting were food champions Judith Boyle, Patrick Ryan, Claire Dalton, Kevin Ahern, Olivia Duff, John Relihan, Gearoid Lynch and Anthony O Toole.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO GENERATE OVER 3M

T

he European Congress for Obesity International Congress on Obesity (ECOICO) has chosen Dublin as the destination for their 2020 conference, which will deliver a 3.2m boost for the Irish economy. Fáilte Ireland’s Dublin Convention Bureau worked with the Association for the Study of Obesity Ireland (ASOI) to pitch and win this lucrative piece of business for Ireland.

The four-day conference looks set to attract up to 2,000 delegates to the capital city in early summer 2020, bringing together the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) and the World Obesity Federation for the first time for a joint ECO – ICO conference. This is just one of a number of international conferences already won for Ireland since the beginning of 2017.

Find out more about Fáilte Ireland’s business tourism supports at www.meetinireland.com

Another international conference for Dublin confirmed with the support of Fáilte Ireland

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COVER STORY

Operation

Restoration As Dromoland Castle’s restoration programme remains on target for a March 2019 finish, General Manager Mark Nolan talks to Maev Martin about aiming for the top of the golf tourism leaderboard, keeping pace with the demands of its five star clientele, and competing with recently renovated neighbours, Adare Manor and Ashford Castle.

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COVER STORY

The newly renovated drawing room

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COVER STORY

of the top luxury castle hotels in the world, Dromoland Castle revealed details of its renovation programme, valued at 20m, on May 22nd. The multi-award winning castle, situated in Newmarket-onFergus, Co Clare, is one of the most celebrated baronial landmarks in Ireland. The investment programme has been planned to preserve and perfect this historical building and the 330 acres of surrounding land.

“Dromoland Castle is synonymous with providing an exclusive castle experience, combined with luxury five star surroundings, to both Irish and international guests,” says Mark. “To ensure the continued development and enhancement of the castle, the board of directors at Dromoland Castle committed to a four-year development plan, which is currently near completion. Working with the architects and conservationists, we sought to carefully integrate any new features with the original historic structures of the castle.

Many of the public rooms, such as the Drawing Room or Lower Gallery, still look and feel as they would have done when Lord Inchiquin’s family lived here throughout the 1800s. This restoration programme combines all the modern luxuries expected of a five star property with the unique welcoming atmosphere and sense of history that a stay at Dromoland Castle offers our guests.”

CEMENTING FIVE STAR STATUS The extensive renovations will cement Dromoland Castle’s status within the ranks of the world’s finest five star hotels.They include a complete refurbishment and interior design upgrade of all castle bedrooms, new luxury en-suite bathrooms for each bedroom, an upgrade to all mechanical and electrical works, upgraded heating, the replacement of all piping and the construction of a new energy centre, specialised conservation stone facade repair works to the castle exterior and towers, improved sound insulation and double glazed windows to all bedrooms and public areas, extensive roof repairs, increased conservation standards to prevent deterioration, and a new castle courtyard and limestone steps at the main entrance of the castle.

Dromoland Castle after exterior renovations

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Finished bedroom no 102

There has been little or no disruption to the guest experience during the works to date. “We have continued to welcome visitors, providing the highest standard of service,” he says. “The restoration works have been taking place during winter periods, so we will start again from November to March next year, and the works will take place during the same period in 2019.

We have completed all of the public areas and the main castle rooms. We are currently working on the remaining rooms.”

GROWING THE GOLF MARKET The restoration programme involves wide ranging enhancements to Dromoland Golf and Country Club, including new pathways around the hotel’s 18-hole parkland course, the purchase of a fleet of new golf buggies, and a golf academy. “We held our first Pro-Am on the golf course recently and we feel that there is definitely potential in the North American market because our practice facilities here are so good,” he says. “We are targeting the early arrivals on the red eye flight into Shannon - that is a market we wouldn’t have targeted in the past because we always heard that Americans only wanted to play links golf. However, Carr Golf feel that we should go after the US market, so we are working with them to attract more golfers from overseas, whereas up to now it would have been more domestic club and society golf business.”

POSITIVE GUEST FEEDBACK The new furniture in Dromoland Castle was made

by Robin O’Donnell in Skibbereen with Irish timber, while Tralee-based Quinn Casey and Co were the interior designers on the project. “The public areas were designed by myself in conjunction with Carol

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COVER STORY

The new look main gallery

Roberts of No 12 Queen Street in Bath,” says Mark.

“Our main contractors, Monami Construction, who are working increasingly on hotel projects, have been great throughout the entire programme of works. Based on customer feedback, air handling was a key area that had to be addressed, so we installed it in a very subtle way in the guestrooms. We have since been receiving very positive feedback about the air temperature and control being extremely comfortable throughout the hotel and in our new rooms.”

VOLUME & OCCUPANCY Dromoland Castle and Inn welcome over 100,000 residential guests to stay every year. Over 60% of residents come from outside Ireland. Dromoland Castle receives an annual occupancy rate averaging at 72% of all 98 rooms. From May to October room occupancy rates at the castle climb to 90%, consisting of mostly wealthy visitors from North America. “70% of our business in terms of volume is from North America and 62% in terms of occupancy,” says Mark. “Of that 62%, 65% are leisure travellers. We are hoping to hit a year round occupancy of somewhere around 70% this year and to run somewhere in the region of 90% plus between now and the end of October.” Will Dromoland Castle be hoping to improve on that following the completion of the renovations? “We will have a much stronger product in place by March 2019, so we would be happy with 72% to 73% occupancy at that point.”

THE PERSONAL TOUCH Dromoland Castle offers an exceptional guest experience where, without leaving the grounds, guests can enjoy a horse and hound welcome, the 18-hole golf and

country club, private boating in lake Dromoland, archery, clay shooting, falconry, dinner in the Earl of Thomond Restaurant, a private horse and carriage historical garden tour, afternoon tea, and the tranquillity of the Spa at Dromoland. The Castle also further contributes to local tourism by offering its guests private chauffeured trips to the Cliffs of Moher and Bunratty. Dromoland Castle and the Inn at Dromoland currently employs over 400 staff, with most of the workforce based in Co Clare. This figure is due to rise after the investment project, with the appointment of new positions, including additional doormen and gatemen.

“We increased our staff numbers to ensure that we continue to offer a very personal service and we want to retain the character of our staff,” he says. “We recruit people with personality and we believe that it is important for our team members to retain their individuality - we can always give them the required skills for their role.This four-year investment programme is really about improving on what we have and what we are good at - a caring, personalised service.

Our research tells us that this is what our customers want.”

Mark completed sales calls in the US recently and he reports that the level of enquiries for Ireland from the US are “incredibly strong.” However, there are issues with availability and access - getting rooms on the east coast is a challenge for a lot of operators, but Dromoland Castle has plans to help ease that situation. “We have a good reputation and reservations service, as well as good management structures and expertise, so a move into the Dublin hotel market, maybe a boutique 30-bed hotel, is something we would like to do,” he says. “One of the inhibitors now is the cost of construction and of property, so I don’t see anything happening in this regard in the short term, but it is an ambition of ours.”

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DOOR

KEY TO THE DOOR

KEY TO THE

Openings, Closures, Refurbs and Acquisitions

UNICORN SITE ON MARKET

The Unicorn restaurant site on Dublin’s Merrion Row has been put up for sale with a guide price of 9m. The restaurant is part of a larger Merrion Collection site that is earmarked for development, which also includes three adjoining buildings. The sale is being handled by Peter Stapleton of Lisney. Located just 250 metres from St Stephen’s Green, the Collection has been assembled over recent years to create a substantial block of property.

The Collection is currently fully let through four separate tenancies. Prior to the assembly of the Collection, a portion of the offering was granted planning permission in 2008 for a mixed use development extending to 1,419 square metres.

MCGETTIGANS REGAIN CONTROL OF REGENCY

Broadhaven Credit Partners, the Dermot Desmond and Bain Capital Credit-backed fund, has backed the McGettigan family in successfully regaining control of Dublin’s Regency Hotel. The McGettigans, with the support of Broadhaven, have re-financed the Regency’s debts of about 25m at par, allowing the hotel to successfully exit examinership. The McGettigans’ rescue proposal will protect 109 staff employed at the Drumcondra hotel.

The McGettigan family are understood to be working on an investment plan for the hotel to improve its existing facilities and maximise its site’s significant potential. They are also working on a plan to rebrand the Regency to allow the hotel to move on from the negative publicity surrounding last year’s gangland shooting at a boxing weigh-in at the venue.

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The number of bedrooms in the Mercantile Hotel will triple to about 100. Opium will undergo a 2m refurbishment and 1m will be spent refreshing Whelan’s and the George.

MERCANTILE PLANS MAJOR REVAMP The Mercantile hospitality group is planning a 20m investment programme following the settlement of legal disputes between shareholders which sees the 11 venues in the group being split between the two sides. Former Chief Executive Frank Gleeson will take control of restaurants Green Hen and Marcel’s, Farrier & Draper bar, and two suburban Dublin pub sites. The majority shareholders of Mercantile, including US-Irish building magnates Maurice Regan and Michael Breslin and Danu Partners, will take full ownership of the rest of the group. The bulk of the investment budget will be spent on a scheme to more than triple the number of bedrooms in the Mercantile Hotel on Dame Street to about 100. Work on the Mercantile is not expected to begin until September 2018. Opium is closing for a three-month period to facilitate a 2m refurbishment, and a further 1m will be spent refreshing Whelan’s and the George. Up to 3m will be spent on a major upgrade of Café en Seine.

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Markree Castle images courtesy of Frances Muldoon

KEY TO THE DOOR

The library at Markree Castle

MARKREE CASTLE RE-OPENS

The dining room at Markree Castle

Sligo’s Markree Castle re-opened in March as an exclusive wedding and event venue following a 12m renovation that lasted two years.

Along with weddings, Markree will also offer conference, incentive and team building packages. The 17th century Gothic castle in Co Sligo joins Ballyseede Castle, Bellingham Castle and Cabra Castle in the Corscadden family’s hotel and venue portfolio of the ‘Romantic Castles of Ireland’. The Gothic beauty of the castle was reclaimed under the expert guidance of Niall Small Architects and interior architects Audrey Gaffney Associates. The property has operated as a country castle hotel and wedding venue for the last three decades.

A DECADE OF DYLAN The Dylan Hotel just off Upper Baggot Street in Dublin 4 celebrated a decade since its opening by recently unveiling a 10m renovation that adds 28 guest bedrooms to its 44 guestrooms, creates 15 jobs, including roles in sales and for front of house and chefs, and multiple interior updates to the building. Formerly the Nurses’ Home for the Royal City of Dublin Hospital, the hotel’s renovations began in August 2016. The architect on the project was Gerry Murphy and the interior designer was Jean Feeney of MCA Architects.

DALATA ACQUIRES 62.5M STAKE IN DUBLIN HOTELS Dalata Group has entered into an agreement with receiver Kieran Wallace to acquire the freehold interest of certain elements of the Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane, Dublin 2, and the Clarion Hotel Liffey Valley, Dublin 22, for 62.5m.

It also announced plans to acquire the freehold interest of the Maldron Hotel Portlaoise and adjoining Midway food court from receivers. Dalata has agreed to acquire the freehold of the groundand lower-ground-floors of the Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane, which contain the reception area, bar, restaurant, leisure centre and back of house facilities, 170 bedrooms and vacant ground floor area.

The company holds a lease on these elements until 2040, at an annual rent of 2.5m per annum. Regarding the Clarion Hotel, Dalata has agreed to acquire the freehold of the core hotel, including 159 bedrooms, the leisure centre, meeting rooms, reception, bar and restaurant, car park and two vacant retail units. The company currently manages this hotel under a short-term management agreement for the receiver.

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ON THE MOVE

Move

On the

MAURICE PRATT

JULIE WAKLEY

NEW POSITION CHAIRMAN

NEW POSITION HEAD OF GREAT BRITAIN

EMPLOYER IRISH TOURIST INDUSTRY CONFEDERATION

Maurice Pratt was unanimously elected by the council members of the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC) as their incoming Chairman to serve a two-year term.

Maurice replaces Paul Gallagher and becomes the 18th Chair of ITIC since its foundation in 1984. Ruth Andrews of the Incoming Tour Operators Association, was elected Deputy Chair of ITIC at the AGM. Maurice is currently Chairman of B&B Ireland and has a significant tourism background, including a stint as Director of Tourism Ireland. His business knowledge is in-depth and varied, having been CEO of both Tesco Ireland and C&C. He is currently Chairman of Uniphar Group plc and children’s charity Barretstown.

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New Appointments, Promotions and Recruitment

EMPLOYER TOURISM IRELAND

Tourism Ireland has appointed Julie Wakley as Head of Great Britain. Julie joined Tourism Ireland in January 2016, as Deputy Head of Great Britain Consumer Marketing. Prior to joining Tourism Ireland, Julie was the Marketing Manager for BBC Politics & Current Affairs from 2013 to 2016. Before that, she was part of the team responsible for the UK Government’s ‘GREAT Britain’ campaign, promoting trade and tourism in international markets to maximise economic benefits during 2012, the year of the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

It was this experience of working with key tourism bodies, including VisitBritain, VisitScotland and English Heritage, that sparked Julie’s interest in the tourism sector.

PAUL CARTY NEW POSITION CHAIRMAN EMPLOYER ASSOCIATION OF VISITOR EXPERIENCES AND ATTRACTIONS

The Guinness Storehouse has appointed Paul Carty, Guinness Storehouse Managing Director, as Chairman of the newlyestablished Association of Visitor Experiences and Attractions (AVEA). Paul worked in hotel management for 25 years, nine of which were spent managing five star hotels overseas, before returning to Ireland in 1999 to manage the Guinness Storehouse, Ireland’s no. 1 international visitor attraction.

He has participated at senior level in ITIC, the Irish Tourist Assistance Service, Dublin Tourism, and the Grow Dublin taskforce. He was on a steering committee of the Titanic Experience in Belfast and was a director of the Guinness Enterprise Centre. In 2016 Paul was awarded the Irish Hotels Federation’s President’s Award in recognition of the enormous contribution he has made to the industry.

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ON THE MOVE

SHANNON SWEENEY

CHRIS REES

DANIEL WILLIMONT

NEW POSITION JUNIOR MARKETING EXECUTIVE

NEW POSITION EXECUTIVE HEAD CHEF

NEW POSITION EXECUTIVE HEAD CHEF

EMPLOYER IRELAND’S BLUE BOOK

EMPLOYER GALGORM RESORT & SPA

EMPLOYER DELPHI RESORT

Ireland’s Blue Book has appointed Shannon Sweeney to its marketing team as Junior Marketing Executive. Shannon originally joined the Ireland’s Blue Book marketing team in September 2014 as an intern keen to gain experience for her college degree in marketing from Dublin Institute of Technology. After proving herself a valuable asset, Shannon was offered a full-time position of Junior Marketing Executive, helping the organisation to market its collection of country houses, hotels and restaurants domestically and internationally. Having recently completed her studies, Shannon will bring new ideas to the organisation, taking part in modules in digital marketing, consumer behaviour, and marketplace analysis.

Chris Rees has been appointed Executive Head Chef at Northern Ireland’s Galgorm Resort & Spa. He joins from his most recent position at Ox Restaurant in Belfast where he worked for two and a half years.

Chris worked in the Galgorm Resort & Spa’s kitchen from 2009 until December 2014, working his way up from Sous Chef to the position of Head Chef.

The hotel’s restaurant, The River Room, is one of four restaurants in Northern Ireland to be awarded 3AA Rosettes for culinary excellence.

The menus are packed with seasonal ingredients sourced from local suppliers and the resort’s own kitchen garden.

Delphi Resort has appointed award-winning Daniel Willimont as Executive Head Chef. A UK native, Daniel attended the Royal College of Catering in Cheltenham for three years, specialising in classical training in French cuisine, before perfecting his culinary skills in a variety of hotels and restaurants while travelling the world. Daniel joins Delphi Resort from Mount Falcon Estate in Co Mayo.

The acclaimed chef, who has received an abundance of awards over the years, including Best Chef in Connacht 2015, will head a selection of established eateries, including the 814 Restaurant, a casual restaurant with an à la carte menu offering locally sourced seasonal produce and spectacular views of Mweelrea, the highest mountain in Connacht.

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DIGITAL

DIGITAL

Dynamos O n May 20th Castle Leslie Estate celebrated its 25th anniversary. One of only a handful of Irish estates and castles still home to its founding family, the stunning property has a thousand years of recorded history.

Yet it only became a business in 1992, when Sammy Leslie opened the tearooms in the conservatory, under a leaking roof.

Sammy repaired the roof, restored the castle bedrooms, and took the property through multiple refurbishments to the point where it is today – a €10m business.

However, refurbishments and restorations alone cannot attract this kind of business.

“Eight years ago, Castle Leslie partnered with booking engine and digital marketing services provider Avvio to grow their brand’s online presence, as well as their direct booking revenue,” says Olivia Cannon, Head of Marketing at Castle Leslie. “We have grown hand in hand with Avvio for our online room sales, and I would say this has grown tenfold in eight years. Since we are a small property with essentially 49 hotel bedrooms that’s quite a big difference! Eight or nine years ago we did maybe 10% of our business online and now this has tripled.

Online also allows you to get a message out very quickly – whether that’s via social media or email, or whether it’s a special offer that

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In order to bring in guests from across the country and overseas, a hotel needs a strong online and digital strategy. Olivia Cannon and Brian Baldwin of Castle Leslie and the Killarney Park Hotel’s John Downes talk about how they have been boosting their brands’ online presence as well as their direct booking revenue. you put on the homepage of your website, it’s instant and it’s totally measurable, which is why we love it so much. If I have an ad, whether that’s a re-targeting, an e-zine campaign, or a sponsored Facebook post, I can track how much traffic and revenue it generated – and I can also track our repeat guests. So I just love the whole transparency of digital.”

SOPHISTICATED ANALYTICS Castle Leslie Estate’s latest digital campaign advertised a special offer on their website.

To celebrate the hotel’s anniversary, when guests made a booking they received 25 credit to spend in the hotel, and a bottle of bubbly during the month of May. They also sent this special offer to the 65,000 people on their mailing list on the morning of May 20th to mark the day the business turned 25 years old. Olivia will track the success of this special promotion, using ‘insights’, Avvio’s sophisticated analytics functionality, along with their usual performance figures in their daily, weekly and monthly reports. “We make 100% use of Avvio Insights,” she says.

“We watch it like a hawk, because it’s really indicative of trends. That way we can see if we have an issue with UK bookings or if we see a surge in US bookings, or if our room sales have risen or dropped since this time

Brian Baldwin of Castle Leslie

John Downes, Killarney Park Hotel

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DIGITAL

last year. And we can look into why this is.

For example, it might be because the price is too high, or too low, or it might be because we don’t have availability, and then we can improve from there. We love the reports and they really help us dictate how we sell our hotel on a day-to-day basis across the whole estate.”

SOCIAL MEDIA Castle Leslie also develops digital marketing strategies to attract new guests to book direct on their website and to build loyalty so that guests return for future stays. One of the ways they engage with their guests is through social media. “Social media is really important to us,” explains the Estate’s General Manager Brian Baldwin.

“Our biggest social media presence is on Facebook, with over 100,000 followers, then Twitter, followed by Instagram. We also have a very large mailing list that we communicate with on a monthly basis and we send them special offers, like the one we’re sending for our anniversary.”

THE PERSONAL TOUCH The Killarney Park Hotel has been working with Avvio for over a decade. “Our business has evolved dramatically over the years, from a basic website/booking engine to what it is now,” says the hotel’s Digital Marketing Executive John Downes. “We’ve now incorporated dynamic packaging, dynamic room substitution, landing pages in various languages, and personalisation, to name but a few of the key features. It’s all about working with Avvio to increase our overall conversions.

By partnering with Avvio, we have created a more intuitive, up-to-date website, continually updating and adding new features.”

As the only five-star hotel in Killarney town centre, the Killarney Park Hotel prides itself on personal service, which results in a high level of repeat business, but they have recently adopted Avvio’s personalisation tools to improve this further. “For example, we use the software to make targeted recommendations for our guests on where to go and dine, based on their browsing history and preferences,” says John. “This helps us to build rapport with our guests and keep them coming back. We’re also achieving all the up-sales we want. For example, we can send guests personalised promotions before, during and after their stay to encourage

From here, we focus on building on that loyalty and relationship. We also use personalisation to upsell to our customers, particularly for our restaurant. We will also review and look at incorporating upsells for our spa for quieter periods.

To date, since introducing personalisation to our site, we’ve experienced business growth across all markets. For example, in 2016 we had a 1.81 per cent conversion rate. This has grown to 2.39 per cent in 2017.”

EIGHT OR NINE YEARS AGO WE DID MAYBE 10% OF OUR BUSINESS ONLINE AND NOW THIS HAS TRIPLED. Olivia Cannon, Head of Marketing at Castle Leslie

them to use the hotel’s restaurant and to invite them to return again to the Killarney Park Hotel or to our sister hotel, The Ross.

To date, it has had a positive impact on our conversions. Since January, our direct bookings without any personalisation grew by 14%, while our direct bookings through our personalised booking engine grew by 60%. Personalisation has given an identity to the customers that come onto the site. Our website shows that we recognise them as a returning visitor, even before they stay with us. The very fact that the website remembers their preferred booking date, and possibly their name, depending on how far they progress in the booking process, creates a bond between the customer and the hotel.

COST PER ACQUISITION Avvio has also worked closely with the Killarney Park Hotel to maximise its global reach through a series of digital initiatives and platforms. Acting on Avvio’s advice, in May 2015 they changed their pay per click (PPC) strategy to a model based on cost per acquisition (CPA). “This allows us to adapt our budget to market trends and, as a result, our PPC bookings and revenue have grown year-on-year,” says John. The Killarney Park Hotel recently committed to introducing video to their site, in particular on the landing page of each room type.

YOY May – Dec 2015 v 2014

YOY Jan – Dec 2016 v 2015

YOYJan – Mar 2017 v 2016

PPC Visits

Up 58%

Up 29%

Up 24%

PPC Bookings

Up 99%

Up 10%

Up 46%

PPC Revenue

Up 88%

Up 14%

Up 81%

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INTERVIEW

T New

Industry Welcomes

Recruiter Stefan Matz, former Executive Chef at Ashford Castle and previous owner of the Michelin starred restaurant and hotel Erriseask House,is launching Stefan Matz Catering Consultancy. He talks to Maev Martin about how his new venture is aiming to alleviate some of the recruitment and training pressures in Irish hospitality.

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he new business is being billed as a one-stop-shop for the Stefan Matz Irish hospitality industry’s training, recruitment and chef services requirements. Working in partnership with two other equally experienced professionals, John Masterson and Warren McElhone, the Stefan Matz Catering Consultancy draws on over 75 years combined experience in the Irish and international hospitality industries. Its three principals have previously worked in a wide range of roles within the industry, from employee and manager to operator and proprietor, as well as in supplier roles to businesses ranging from bars, gastro pubs and restaurants, to small country hotels, five-star resorts and hotel chains. The core services on offer are executive chef services, training, recruitment services, and food photography. Stefan is passionate about the importance of strong food photography and, as a keen photographer and food stylist, he is offering his experience of being both in front of the lens and on the opposite side of the camera. The company’s executive chef services include restaurant and menu concept design and implementation, and food safety implementations and maintenance, along with recipe development specific to an individual venue.

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INTERVIEW

OUR VISION IS TO ATTRACT LARGE VOLUMES OF FRESHLY GRADUATED F&B STAFF FROM EUROPEAN COLLEGES AND TO PROVIDE THEM WITH IRELAND-SPECIFIC TRAINING BEFORE PLACING THEM IN THE INDUSTRY. Q: There are a number of very high profile and reputable recruitment firms who are dedicated to sourcing staff for the hospitality industry. What is it about your offering that you think will allow you to thrive in such a competitive market?

A: A large volume of additional

suitable and skilled staff are required to come to Ireland to fill the staffing needs within the Irish hospitality industry, so our focus is to attract F&B staff from Europe to Ireland as there is a limited supply of suitable staff within Ireland. We are therefore not competing with existing recruitment companies, but trying to source additional staff who otherwise would not be available to Ireland. Of course, if we are approached by friends and colleagues, we would assist them in finding suitable jobs. Our vision is to attract large volumes of freshly graduated F&B staff from European colleges and to

provide them with Ireland-specific training before placing them in the industry. Having already placed a number of successful recruits in kitchens around Ireland, I continue to visit catering colleges and institutes in Spain, Germany, Portugal, Hungary, France, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Austria, where I regularly recruit newly qualified chefs and catering staff. The recruitment service takes much of the time and all of the stress out of the process for the relevant establishment, with our team managing everything. From the interview process to police checks, from statutory training in food safety and manual handling to collection

from the airport, and from followup coaching to refresher training for new recruits, all aspects of the staffing process are looked after.

Q: RAI President Adrian Cummins is on record as calling for the return of CERT. Do you believe that the training currently available in the various colleges around the country is meeting the needs of the industry?

A: I believe

that one of the solutions to our staffing difficulties could be provided by the re-introduction of CERT and a successful launch of the apprenticeship programme.

However, in the interim, the industry should come together and operate its own training

facilities and programmes to fill the immediate needs, providing a more industry-focused training in a cost effective way to meet our staffing requirements. Without those or similar initiatives, we will be struggling to meet our recruitment needs over the next few years.

Q: Given your 25-year career in some of the best kitchens in Ireland, what are the key insights that you will be bringing to the business of recruiting people to, and retaining them in, the industry?

A: My experience ranges from

proprietor to manager, employee to consultant, and from traditional bar to five-star resort, so I understand the client’s needs and expectations across the full spectrum of the industry.

Recruiting is primarily the service of identifying a business’s and employee’s needs and expectations and matching both successfully.

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INTERVIEW

I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS TO OUR STAFFING DIFFICULTIES COULD BE PROVIDED BY THE RE-INTRODUCTION OF CERT AND A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME.

Following a successful match, retention needs to be achieved through continuous training, coaching and development of each member within an appropriate and encouraging working environment. These are the key factors for long-term retention of team members.

And with the rising costs and associated difficulties of recruitment, it will become increasingly beneficial to invest in existing teams with a view to retaining and developing them.

Q: Why did you decide to introduce this particular mix of services to the industry?

A: The mix is based on our

personal experiences, skills attained, and interests developed.

It is a unique mix, which in my view will provide a cost efficient service for establishments that will be able to avail of a variety of services and knowledge in a single approach. For example, with our

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Q: Can you explain your restaurant concepts service and the work that you are doing for the Erriseask Restaurant in the Connemara Sands Hotel in Ballyconneely, Co Galway?

executive chef service, whether it’s a new restaurant or the expansion of an existing one, Stefan Matz Catering Consultancy can assist with kitchen design, from complete projects to minor upgrades, and with HR, kitchen administration services, the sourcing of suppliers, stock control and budgeting. Our executive chef services are available on an adhoc basis, for specific projects and also on an on-going fixed term contract. The team at Stefan Matz Catering Consultancy believe strongly in well-trained staff, so they offer extensive training as part of their services, including certified food safety training from a basic level up to management level, certified manual handling training, and culinary training based on client requirements, right down to the food concept and recipe-specific skills training.

A: Restaurant concepts need to be based on each establishment and location, its resources and facilities, their potential customers, and overall business strategies or direction. A successful concept takes all this into account to provide suitable solutions as a platform for a food business. Furthermore, with increasing globalisation, we all need to increase the variety of food outlet styles and food choices in order to build on and increase the popularity and perception of Ireland as an international food tourism destination. In the Erriseask Restaurant at the Connemara Sands Hotel, I want to combine the best of local food and complex cooking and flavours with interesting and varied menus in a relaxed restaurant atmosphere. The Connemara Sands Hotel is located within a holiday destination area where visitors, locals and holiday home

owners want to enjoy the best of food, company (friends and family) and relaxation. Food and menus will change frequently, with regular specific food and beverage themed events running throughout the season. Food, cooking and dining will be part of the holiday entertainment as the kitchen will be located in the centre of the restaurant, allowing for immediate interaction between guests and staff (chefs and service).

Q: Can you tell me about the hospitality backgrounds of your partners in the business?

A: John Masterson is a highly

experienced restaurant and F&B manager with experience throughout Ireland and the UK. He works for James Nicholson Wines. His focus is on the training and coaching of staff to develop their skills and their careers. Warren McElhone is an equally experienced F&B manager who has worked in some of the best hotels and restaurants in Ireland and the UK. He currently lectures at DIT. Both are very passionate about the industry, the people within the industry and, most of all, about serving guests and providing the ultimate guest experience.

Q: Apart from the Connemara Sands Hotel, do you have other clients on board yet?

A: During the first few months,

the primary focus was on establishing the recruitment service and on finding suitable candidates for the Irish market.

Over the next few months we will focus on other planned services. I am already finalising some concept ideas with restaurants and hotels throughout Ireland. The long-term plan is to open a catering school, which will operate a number of times during the year, offering an intensive training programme followed by placement in kitchens around the country.

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Commercial

PROFILE

FLEXIBLE KITCHEN FOR

MIDLAND HOTEL THE MIDLAND HOTEL IN MANCHESTER RECENTLY UPDATED ITS MAIN BANQUETING KITCHEN AS PART OF A £250,000 REFURBISHMENT, AND FRIMA’S VARIOCOOKING CENTERS ARE GENERATING MAJOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES.

A

s well as replacing gas with induction, and installing a new island suite and Rational combi steamers, the new kitchen saw the

introduction of two new multifunctional appliances in the shape of Frima VarioCooking Centers.

“They are fantastic pieces of kit,” says Executive Head

Brian Spark, Midland Hotel

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Chef Brian Spark. “The speed is incredible - we can do 30 lamb shoulders, cooked and plated into 400 portions, in three hours, in just one of the Frimas.

Then there is the versatility – they can do everything, from searing to sous vide. We could even deep fry a banquet of fish and chips if we wanted to. We cook bavette steaks using a Frima as a water bath overnight. They are superb.

Stocks and sauces are brilliant too. We get great flavour in about one third of the time.”

A critical element of a multifunctional appliance like the Frima is how quickly it can be cleaned between cooking

processes. “They just need a wipe around, and there is an internal drain at the front. You can clean it in minutes and be on with the next batch of food. The outside is easy to keep clean, too, unlike the old bratt pans!”

Energy saving and sustainability were critical elements of the refurbishment. “The Frimas save energy, too, especially with the pressure cooking option,” says Brian. “Every kitchen should have one!”

Check out Brian’s interview at frima-online.com or on the Frima YouTube channel.

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F R I M A . YO U A R E T H E C H E F

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BUSINESS MATTERS

Reducing

Excise Duty Would Ease Brexit Impact The National Off-Licence Association (NOff LA) is claiming that failure to reduce excise on alcohol in light of Brexit will see continued increases in cross-border shopping trips, which will decimate the Irish SME sector.

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OffLA released its annual members’ survey results, as part of its 2018 pre-Budget submission to the Department of Finance, on June 12th. They show that 67% of surveyed off-licence retailers believe that a reduction in excise on alcohol will mitigate against the likely impacts of Brexit. The survey also found that 75% of surveyed off-licences experienced either negative or no growth in their businesses in 2016. A total of 64% stated that their sales volumes had declined by up to 40% since the first excise increase in 2012, and 83% reported that below cost invoice selling will have a negative impact on their businesses in 2017.

Drawing on the latest cross-border trade research from Intertrade Ireland, the NOffLA 2018 pre-budget submission also details the reality of the threat posed by Brexit. The devaluation of Sterling and subsequent rise in cross-border shopping, as evidenced by the dramatic increase in the number of Irish-registered cars in Northern Irish shopping centres during 2016, means that NOffLA members operating along border counties are in danger of commercial failure. Due to the weakened Sterling, the share of Irish-registered cars in Northern Irish shopping centres rose from 33% in Q1 2016 to 43% in Q2. After the Brexit referendum, there was a subsequent rise of 10% to 12% in the value of the Euro against Sterling, and so Q3 2016 saw a further increase to 56% in flows of cross-border shoppers, representing an alarming 73% increase in Irish-registered cars parked in Northern Irish border shopping centres in September 2016, compared to January 2016.

Since 2008, the off-licence sector has lost 3,000 jobs. NOffLA is calling on the Government to protect the remaining 5,900 off-licence jobs. In its 2018 pre-Budget submission to the Department of Finance, NOffLA has called on the Government to reduce excise duty on alcohol by 15% (10c on spirits/beer/cider and 50c on a bottle of wine) to support Ireland’s already struggling regional and local economies by increasing rural employment, as well as securing the livelihoods of communities in border regions, particularly considering Brexit.

Ireland is currently the most expensive country in the EU in which to buy alcohol, with prices at 175% above the EU average and 148% higher than Denmark, the fifth highest ranked country.

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BUSINESS MATTERS

A REDUCTION IN EXCISE ON ALCOHOL WILL BENEFIT NOT ONLY THE IRISH SME SECTOR, SAFEGUARDING JOBS AND PROMOTING GROWTH, BUT ALSO THE SUSTAINABILITY OF TOWNS ACROSS IRELAND.

of alcohol products, compared to 938 in 2015, an increase of 99% year-on-year. This compares to 550 seizures in 2014, 507 seizures in 2013, and 359 in 2012.

IRELAND NEEDS BREXIT BUDGET Figures released by the ESRI on June 22nd paint a bleak picture of Ireland post a hard Brexit: 200m could be lost from the economy each year, and nearly 50,000 jobs may be lost over a decade. “We need our Government to produce a Brexit Budget and pull together a coordinated Brexit strategy that protects jobs, encourages economic activity and mitigates the risks of a hard Brexit that could hinder free trade,” says Patricia Callan of the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) and Director of Alcohol Beverage Federation Ireland. “Budget 2018 must have clear policies which respond to the effects of Brexit and use taxation policy measures to stimulate economic activity, ensuring Ireland remains competitive and creates and maintains jobs...

Confronted by the ESRI’s jarring projections, both the Government and industry must act now and in unison to ensure Ireland stays competitive as a tourist destination.”

Donall O’Keeffe, Secretary of DIGI and Chief Executive of the Licensed Vintners Association, also issued a statement recently stressing the importance of Ireland retainings its competitiveness in terms of goods and services to safeguard against any post Brexit impact on spending and tourism.

“Since the Brexit vote last year, we have seen the value of Sterling fall, we have witnessed an increase in cross-border shopping, and an eight per cent decline in visitor numbers from Britain in the first four months of 2017 compared to the same period last year. A reduction in Ireland’s excise tax rate would go a long way towards restoring competitiveness. If Sterling continues to devalue we will see a decimation of border communities and a broader national impact. We are therefore calling on the Government to take the appropriate measures, giving us the means to contribute to the national recovery and future growth.”

BELOW COST BAN & TIGHTER CONTROLS NOffLA is also calling on the government to apply parity to wine taxation in relation to domestic alcohol. At present, retailers and suppliers need to raise and pay an extra 17,958 per 1,000 cases of wine in excise and VAT due to increases in Budget 2013 and 2014, now totalling 47,035, up 61%. In addition, the organisation is looking for the re-introduction of a ban on the below cost selling of alcohol to ensure that retailers cannot reclaim 23% of the loss in their VAT return, saving the State an average of 24m each year.

They also want tighter control on out-of-state imports in terms of VAT and excise collection to be established to ensure that out-of-state and online retailers cannot sell directly to Irish consumers without paying the required tax and VAT. Cross-border illicit trade has been given an added impetus due to the devaluation of Sterling, and the lower rates of excise charged in the UK. Also, higher excise on alcohol gives an economic incentive to the smuggling of alcohol products. The number of Revenue seizures of alcohol products increased greatly in 2016 compared with previous years. According to the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, in 2016, for example, there were 1,875 seizures

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INTERIOR TRENDS

Interior DESIRE Hotel & Catering Review talks to Amy Rheinisch of Millimetre Design about the Morelands Grill, the newest culinary addition to The Westin Dublin.

Morelands Grill, The Westin Dublin PINEAPPLE WROUGHT IRON LANTERN

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Amy Rheinisch

DISPLAY CABINET

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MARBLE MATT PAINT

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PATTERN CUSHION

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ACCENT CHAIR

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Incorporating the classical elements of design that The Westin brand is known for, Senior Designer Amy Rheinisch also endeavoured to create a space at Morelands Grill that had its own identity. “It is a take on an art deco style,” she says. “We were inspired by some elements in the original restaurant, but Morelands is still a stand-alone space when compared to the more classical design of The Westin.” Given that the restaurant is utilised for breakfast, lunch and dinner services, one of the biggest design challenges was to ensure that the space could transition smoothly to accommodate the changing dining experience. “We had to tweak the lighting a little bit to help it go from day to night,” she explains. Another aid to this transition is the muted colour palette chosen by Amy. “The wall panelling with timber moulding is painted grey, which is a very dominant colour, and we have a highlighted gold leaf detail around the moulding which, I think, is something quite different that really enhances the overall look of the restaurant.”

Style Tip

Keep the materials and colours minimal and then add a pop of gold or teal. It is quite simple but very effective.

YELLOW VASE

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AGRA DINING TABLE

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HIPPIQUE BOOKENDS

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27/06/2017 11:38

TRAIL BLAZERS

Dervla James

Blazing A

Prominent female chefs still tend to be the exception rather than the rule in Irish hospitality. But that’s all changing, particularly in the west, where female culinary entrepreneurs are the driving force behind Sligo’s innovative food trail.

TRAIL T

he more than 70 Sligo Food Trail members are a mix of producers, markets, cafés, restaurants, craft beer distillers, gastro pubs and accommodation scattered all around the county. Many are on the Wild Atlantic Way and others draw visitors inland to discover less known areas of the county. They include chairman Anthony Gray of Eala Bhán and former president of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Le Fournil, Café Fleur, Lyons Café, Knox, Sweet Beat, Osta Café & Wine Bar, Hargadons, and The Swagman. However, five women were instrumental in setting up the trail - Carolanne Rush of Sweet Beat in Sligo town, Dervla James of Pudding Row in Easkey on the Wild Atlantic Way, Eithna O’Sullivan of Eithna’s By The Sea in Mullaghmore, Brid Torrades of Ósta in Sligo town, and Ethna Reynolds of Nook Cafe in Collooney, Co Sligo.

After completing a fulltime Baking and Pastry Art degree course at Kevin Street College in Dublin, Dervla James gained experience in the nearby Cake Café, where she met her future business partner Marion Kilcoyne.

While studying in Kevin Street, Dervla spent time in Germany at the prestigious Weinheim Bakery Academy, opening her eyes to sourdoughs, rye breads and new and different flours. Immediately after college Dervla and Marion seized an opportunity to take on a lease in the Powerscourt Town House Centre. They opened a small café, The Pepper Pot, which became well known on the Dublin café scene.

That is where she first came to the attention of food writers and bloggers; and when the awards began to roll in. After nearly a decade in cities, Dervla began looking west to her Sligo roots and in 2015 she moved back to the west without any intention to open a business. However, fate intervened and the Easkey House Restaurant became available. Dervla poured all of her passion into it, and her café and bakery Pudding Row opened its doors just a couple of months later.

It is now a major part of life in Easkey and Sligo, attracting attention, listings, and awards from all over the country.

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CATERING REVIEW

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TRAIL BLAZERS

Carolanne Rushe

Brid Torrades Chef Brid Torrades runs Osta Café & Wine Bar and Osta to Go in Sligo town, as well as ‘Seashore Veg’ seaweed products. After training as a chef, Brid opened Glebe Country House in Sligo in 1990, along with her husband Marc, and ran it for 15 years. She is a founding member of the Irish Food Council in Euro-Toques, which focuses on developments in legislation and protects and encourages small producers, and was involved in setting up the Euro-Toque awards. She is also a member of the Slow Food organisation, supporting their campaigns for better food, and recently completed a Masters in Applied Culinary Nutrition. Brid was the founder and chair of the So Sligo Food Festival, which has now disbanded but was the precursor to the Sligo Food Trail. “We got help from the Sligo local enterprise board to see how we could promote Sligo food on an ongoing basis, as opposed to running a festival, and it was decided to set up a trail, which is a listing and network of food producers and restaurants in Sligo county,” she says. “A salmon trail is currently being established in Sligo, which involves the fishing club and different businesses in Sligo promoting the fishing of wild salmon as a sport and promoting the Garavogue River and its central location in the town centre. Osta Café and other restaurants will be doing a food promotion around that in September to coincide with the salmon fishing season in Sligo. We want to celebrate and promote the fact that we have wild salmon here. The salmon trail will be a four-day event on the last week in September and it will be an annual event. A select group of restaurants in Sligo will be producing tapas sized dishes to a very high standard and they will be available for about 7 along with a local beverage during the event.”

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Carolanne Rushe is the founder of Sweet Beat Café, which opened in April 2015 on Bridge Street in Sligo town. The café provides plant-based, vegan-friendly food, including fresh super salads, cold pressed juices, wheatgrass shots, and probiotic drinks. In May 2016, their retail products were stocked on the shelves of SuperValu as part of the Food Academy Programme. “We approached the Food Academy with hummus and pesto products, which are now on the shelves, and we are looking at launching more, as well as some raw and fermented foods,” she says. “We are also planning to expand this year – our café is acting as a production unit and we can’t keep up with the demand, so we will open a production unit in the next couple of months. The café was run by three people originally and now we have 14 staff, so we may move to a new premises to create a more comfortable environment for customers and staff.”

After an arts degree in UCD, Carolanne lived abroad for six years before pursuing Ballymaloe Cookery School’s 12-week certificate course. Soon after Ballymaloe, she returned to Johannesburg and set up a veggie salad bar. “This is where my Super Salads originally began,” she says.

“In 2014 I decided to return home to Sligo for the summer and my trip home coincided with the opening of the Strandhill People’s Market. I spent the summer developing new customer relationships and testing new products, flavours and ingredients on the local market. I also spent time that summer training as a raw food chef. With the Sligo Food Trail, everyone is working together to put Sligo on the map. Five food businesses have opened in Sligo in the last year and a half, and three of them have female chefs, so it would be great to see 10 more opening up in the next couple of years.

When other women see women opening up cafés it gives them belief that they can do it too.”

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27/06/2017 10:22

TRAIL BLAZERS

Carolanne Rushe and Ethna Reynolds (right)

Ethna Reynolds Ethna Reynolds opened Nook Café in Collooney in Sligo on May 25th 2016. Since then, the operation has won a slew of awards, including the Georgina Campbell Newcomer of the Year award and the Sligo Best Newcomer Award in September 2016, a Sligo Enterprise award, and two Restaurants Association of Ireland awards – Best Chef in Co Sligo and Best Newcomer Business. “I’m still the only chef in the kitchen so it is nice that all the stress has paid off!” says Eithna. Originally from Mohill in Leitrim, Ethna Reynolds completed a BA in Culinary Arts at Killybegs and began working at the Shell’s Cafe in Strandhill before opening her own business, ‘My Lovely Lunchbox,’ selling healthy, convenient and nutritionally balanced lunchboxes at the markets. The search for a larger kitchen led her to Collooney and to the opening of Nook. “I was accepted onto the SuperValu Food Academy for my healthy lunchboxes before I started the café and when I was looking for a larger kitchen to expand to do the Food Academy I came across this premises, which I felt was ideal for Nook, so the Food Academy is on hold for now,” she says. “Sligo Food Trail started before I opened Nook and I had an interest in being part of it when I knew I was going to open Nook. I knew Anthony Gray so I got in touch with him and started attending meetings. Sligo has everything, from fine dining to vegan and casual fare, so I felt it was important to play my part in highlighting that and to get the business out there as well. There are Sligo Food Trail events that are seasonally based, including supper clubs, festivals during the summer time, and food and cookery demonstrations.”

Eithna O’Sullivan

Eithna O’Sullivan set up Eithna’s By the Sea restaurant in Mullaghmore in 1990. “One of my primary suppliers in Eithna’s By the Sea is Mullaghmore Sea Farm who export lobsters,” she says. “They buy lobsters from local fishermen and export them from Mullaghmore, so I have a constant supply of delicious lobsters in the restaurant.” Eithna closed the restaurant in 2006 when her children were young. “I worked in the Organic Centre in Rossinver, learning all about vegetarian and vegan cooking, and introducing that to my menus, and with the HSE’s Healthy Eating programme,” she explains. Eithna re-opened the restaurant in 2013. “By that stage people had missed us and wanted us back in business,” she says.

“The Wild Atlantic Way (WAW) brand and the Sligo Food Trail have both helped our business enormously. WAW is a great concept and the support given by Fáilte Ireland in terms of training and for the food trail has been invaluable. We entered a competition that Fáilte Ireland held for food trails around the country, which was won by Clare! But it was a good learning experience for us, and many of our businesses visited Clare to see what they could learn and brought that back to Sligo.” How did she get involved in the Sligo Food Trail? “Brid Torrades, who is a Fáilte Ireland Food champion and ambassador, was one of the primary organisers of the Sligo Food Festival, So Sligo, and we went into Sligo and ran events with Brid,” she says. “We did a special So Sligo tasting plate and other businesses ran innovative promotions, so the concept for the trail emerged from that.”

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Food

FOOD HEROES

The official launch of Food On The Edge 2017 took place on May 8th in Robin Gill’s Bethnal Green restaurant, Paradise Garage in London. The annual two-day symposium aims to generate debate and thought leadership on the future of food.

flock to Galway

T

his year’s event will take place on October 9th and 10th in The Black Box venue on the banks of the River Corrib in Galway city.The symposium will be a mix of 15-minute talks by 54 international speakers, panel discussions, and masterclass sessions. New additions to previously announced speakers include Kamilla Seidler, Head Chef at Claus Meyer’s Gustu Restaurant in Bolivia, renowned UK Chef Daniel Clifford of Midsummer House, Helsinki’s wild herbs specialist and chef Sami Tallberg, and author, investigative journalist and food evangelist Joanna Blythman.

The new additions add to the already impressive line-up, which includes chef Henne Kirkeby Kro in Denmark, Torsten Vildgaard of STUD!O restaurant in Copenhagen, Ashley Palmer-Watts, Head Chef at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, New York-based Danish star chef Bo Bech of Geist restaurant in Copenhagen, Emma Bengtsson, Executive Chef at two-starred Scandinavian restaurant Aquavit, author Kat Kinsman, food and drinks editor and founder

of the mental health awareness website Chefs With Issues, Austrian Chef Heinz Reitbauer of two-star Steirereck restaurant in Vienna, Enrico Crippa of Piazza Duomo in Piedmont, Italy, and Jorge Vallejo of Quintonil in Mexico City. Other confirmed speakers are Soenil Bahadoer of De Lindhof in The Netherlands, Nicolai Nørregaard of Kadeau in Denmark, Sven Elverfeld of three star Aqua in Wolfsburg, Germany, ex-Noma chefs Samuel Nutter and Victor Wagman of BROR in Copenhagen, Tom Adams of Pitt Cue in London, Bertrand Grébaut of Septime restaurant in Paris, rising star of Asian cuisine Hiroyasu Kawate of Florilége in Tokyo, locavore chef James Viles of Biota restaurant in Bowral, Australia, and Margot Janse of The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français in South Africa.

Attendance at Food on the Edge costs 350 (£300) for a two-day ticket and includes access to all talks plus lunches and a ticket to the wrap party. Returning sponsors and partners for 2017 include Bord Bia, San Pellegrino, La Rousse Foods and Estrella Damm.

For more information visit www.foodontheedge.ie

Chef Tom Adams of Pitt Cue Co, London, and Tom Brown, Head Chef at Outlaw’s in Rock

Ana Ros

(l-r): Chef Nathan Outlaw, Aniar Restaurant’s JP McMahon, Executive Chef at Bob Bob Ricard in Soho and Dubliner, Anna Haugh, and felllow Dubliner and host Robin Gill at the launch.

Rasmus Munk Emma Bengtsson

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James Viles

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FOOD HEROES Sven Elverfeld

At the onset of his career Sven Elverfeld completed an apprenticeship as a confectioner before dedicating his energies to being trained as a chef. After Elverfeld graduated from the Hotel Management School in Heidelberg as a Certified Restaurateur and Chef in 1998, he commenced his career at The Ritz-Carlton. From 1998 to 2000 he managed the La Baie fine dining restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton in Dubai. In January 2000 he went back to Germany to join the pre-opening team at The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg in the Autostadt. Restaurant Aqua at the hotel is recognised as one of the best gourmet addresses.

Sven Elverfeld

Nathan Outlaw

Cornwall’s Restaurant Nathan Outlaw has won many accolades and awards, including two Michelin stars.

Nathan has appeared on the BBC in Great British Menu and Saturday Kitchen and has written two critically acclaimed cookery books.

His professional career began with the late Peter Kromberg at the Intercontinental, Hyde Park Corner, but his love for seafood cookery was ignited when he moved to Cornwall to work with Rick Stein. Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, Port Isaac, and Outlaw’s at The Capital, London, each hold one Michelin star.

Nathan’s first venue outside the UK is at the world famous Jumierah Burj Al Arab in Dubai.

Chefs speaking at

Food on the Edge Sasu Laukkonen

Finnish Chef Sasu Laukkonen’s restaurant, Chef & Sommelier, is currently in its fourth year of operation and maintains a strict regimen that adheres to all things natural, organic, wild, and fair trade. Having worked extensively in the top restaurants in Helsinki, Laukkonen has honed his skills to deliver what he calls ‘finesse-dining,’ a term he uses to describe providing guests with a personal and stylish cuisine in an open and welcoming atmosphere. His ambitions extend well beyond the kitchen as he is also a private entrepreneur, offering services in consulting, writing, lecturing, and off-site catering.

Nathan Outlaw

Matt Orlando

Matt Orlando

While working at Heston Blumenhtal’s three-starred Michelin restaurant, The Fat Duck, American chef Matt Orlando met René Redzepi, owner and Head Chef of Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark. This led to a twoyear Sous Chef position at Noma, before Matt returned to New York City to take a Sous Chef position at Thomas Keller’s three-starred Michelin restaurant, Per Se. After three years at Per Se, René asked Matt to return to Noma to be the new Chef de Cuisine. He is currently the owner/chef of Amass restaurant in Copenhagen, which opened in July 2013.

Torsten Vildgaard

Torsten Vildgaard

Sasu Laukkonen

Torsten Vildgaard is Head Chef and co-owner of STUD!O which, just five months after opening, received its first Michelin star in 2014. When he was still in school he came across Claus Meyer, who at the time had a TV show in Denmark. This inspired Torsten to experiment in the kitchen and to try to recreate the dishes. Torsten put all his time and money into finding the right ingredients and rode his bike all over Copenhagen. Eventually Torsten’s brother joined in the cooking and they both ended up cooking for a living. Torsten was previously best known for his time at Noma as Sous Chef and Head of R&D from 2005 to 2012.

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CATERING REVIEW

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27/06/2017 10:28

SUPPLY

LINE ESSENTIAL PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE

UCC COFFEE IRELAND

SIRMAN

EXPANDING BLACK&WHITE RANGE

SMART SLICER

UCC Coffee Ireland has launched two new additions to its Black&White range exclusively to the Irish and UK markets – Black&White4c with integrated powder and flavour station and Black&White4c with under-counter refrigeration. The Black&White4c is handcrafted by Swiss manufacturer Thermoplan.

The integrated powder and flavour station model means that operators can expand their drinks offer to include hot chocolate and syrup-based drinks to take advantage of seasonal and upselling opportunities, building on the machine’s pre-set menu of 30 barista-standard drinks. The under-counter refrigeration model means operators can benefit from the super-automatic machine’s patented milk system without sacrificing counter-space. The new additions have been available exclusively from UCC Coffee UK & Ireland since May 2017.

Small restaurants, cafés, coffee shops, delis and bars can benefit from freshly sliced meats, cheeses and bread without the heavy-duty price tag, thanks to FEM’s popular Sirman Smart 250 slicers. The affordable entry-level slicers are now available in red and black, as well as cast aluminium. The Sirman Smart 250 slicers enable caterers to slice fresh produce to order. The thickness of the cut can be easily adjusted to maintain precision slicing, and the built-in blade sharpener ensures that even with frequent use the cuts remain clean and even. The heavy-duty motor provides completely consistent slicing results, and the ventilation design allows operators to use them continuously without the risk of overheating.

For further details visit www.fem.co.uk

For the range’s full product specifications, video, or to book a demonstration visit www.ucc-coffee.co.uk/BlackandWhite4c.

EXPEDITOR

BLENDER MEANS BUSINESS Hamilton Beach Commercial’s food blender, the Expeditor HBF1100S, is now available from FEM. Built for long-lasting performance in busy commercial kitchens, it has a fourlitre capacity and features a heavy-duty 3.5hp motor, which drives stainless steel blades to chop, grind, blend, purée and emulsify large quantities. Custom programme and preset timer buttons allow operators to produce popular recipes consistently, without the need to constantly monitor the mixing process. Re-programming is simple too – operators just have to insert a memory card when there are any menu changes. The blender also features a ‘chop’ function which pulses the blades to keep thick mixtures, such as houmous, salsas and green smoothies, moving inside the blender jar for a smooth finish.

For more information and details of local stockists visit www.fem.co.uk

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Partners in Food

PROFILE

WINE BAR PIONEER

Organic Produce When ely Wine Bar opened in 1999 it offered 100 wines by the glass, including champagnes, sherries and ports, and changed the way wine was sold in Ireland. Their Executive Head Chef Ryan Stringer talks about the bar’s wine and culinary ethos.

Q: How would you describe the service ethos at ely Wine Bar? A: Our service is confident and informative, and our team are professional and upbeat with customers. Our commitment to sourcing the best of Irish produce isn’t easy but Keelings are constantly working with us by supplying seasonal Irish fruit and vegetables.

Q: What type of food is featured on ely’s menu?

A: ely aims to buy local first and then Irish or organic. We have our own organic family farm in the Burren which rears prime, grass fed organic beef and rare breed pork. Our organic lamb comes from our neighbours, Patrick and Cheril McCormac, who live in Fr.Ted’s house. We control the whole process, from pasture to plate, hanging the beef for 28 days, butchering and

prepping everything ourselves.

We’ve been making our own organic beef burgers and pork sausages since 1999.

We source our conventional beef directly from like minded farmers and butchers such as Danny Coogan from Trim. Given the quality of the meats, we let the natural flavours shine through, and accompany them with fresh Irish vegetables.

Q: What are the big food and wine trends at the moment?

A: Chefs are sourcing local produce, not just paying

Q: What distinguishes ely from other wine bars in the city?

A: I can only speak about what we do - we are happy to share our knowledge with our guests. We put great effort into sourcing all our products, be it beef, beetroot or Burgundy, and bringing the complete package to each guest every day.

About ely Wine Bar: ely now has two venues in Dublin city – ely Wine Bar and ely Bar & Brasserie in Dublin’s Docklands - and boasts over 500 wines by bottle and 100 wines by the glass, along with an extensive range of craft beer, whiskeys, gins and cocktails. ely Bar & Brasserie is located in the spectacular 200-year old tobacco and wine warehouse that is the chq building, which features beautifully restored vaults, two bars, and a waterside terrace.

Dublin: +353 (0) 1 556 5000

Web: www.keelings.ie/corporate

Email: freshorders@keelings.com

Keelings Market, 15 Little Green St. Dublin 7

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lip service to the term food provenance. When it comes to wine, it is the customer’s willingness to explore new varieties, like Blaufrankisch from Austria, and new regions, like Mount Etna in Sicily.

27/06/2017 10:56

A QUICK CHAT

FAVOURITE CHEF BARRY FITZGERALD

I love his style of cooking and style of restaurant and the ethos behind his food.

He’s fantastic.

NIALL SABONGI

“We are starting to do a lot of fish over a Japanese yakitori grill which gives it that lovely smokey, almost beach, flavour.

It tastes like summer in your mouth.”

“Pokē is a traditional Hawaiian sashimi rice bowl. With the position of Hawaii in the Pacific, there are huge crossover flavours that come in from the likes of Korea and Japan.”

INGREDIENT: RAPESEED OIL

I would always use this with my fish. We use Newgrange Gold because it has a high flashpoint, but a really subtle flavour, whereas olive oils can take away from it a lot.

“Klaw has always been about sustainable Irish seafood and making it acceptable and open to people.”

WISH LIST: THERMOMIX

They are so tiny. It is the fact that you can cook and blend at the same time.

“Pokē has become this huge food trend because it has clean proteins and clean carbohydrates, so it’s very healthy, and it’s colourful and vibrant in flavour and taste.”

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HOTEL

Chef Niall Sabongi, owner of newly-opened Klaw Pokē on Capel Street, talks to Hotel & Catering Review about bringing the traditions of one island nation to another.

FAVOURITE DISH: RED MULLET

It’s beautiful, local and in season at the moment. A bit of red mullet, a salad, and a few potatoes and you’re sorted.

CATERING REVIEW | JUNE 2017

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27/06/2017 13:10

45 MAGAZINE TITLES ▲ 10 EVENTS ▲ 3.6 MILLION REACH

DID YOU KNOW

Ashville Media Group is Ireland’s largest publishing and events company.

You’ve almost certainly read our magazines or attended our events.

Our mission is to connect your brand with the largest audience in Ireland.

(01) 432 2200 ▲ info@ashvillemediagroup.com

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27/06/2017 11:19

YO U K N OW T H E S E C R E T S O F C U L I N A RY A N D F O O D & B E V E R AG E M A N AG E M E N T W E CA N R E V E A L S O M E E X C I T I N G O P P O RT U N I T I E S F O R YO U This is a new beginning for Adare Manor. We have completed the largest refurbishment, restoration and expansion in Irish history. We have enriched the majesty that has made Adare Manor legendary.

And when we re-open our doors this autumn, we will pioneer a new era in 5-star hospitality that is, quite literally, beyond everything.

WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR APPLICANTS FOR A RANGE OF CHEF AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANAGEMENT POSITIONS ACROSS 4 OF OUR DINING OPTIONS:

The Oak Room

Our signature restaurant

Serving breakfast and afternoon tea

We have a diverse and stimulating range of culinary and chef employment opportunities available across all grades.

The ideal candidate will hold a recognised qualification in culinary arts and/or have at least 2 years’ experience in 5 star hotels and restaurant quality focused operations.

The Ballroom

Food & Beverage

The Carriage House

Our more contemporary and eclectic eatery

The Gallery & Drawing Room

A lavish banqueting hall catering for up to 350 guests

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Culinary positions

If you would like to help us write the next chapter in Adare Manor’s illustrious history, visit adaremanor.com/careers or call us now on +353 (0)61 605 209.

We are looking for experienced Food & Beverage Managers across all four of our dining options.

27/06/2017 11:14