Hotel & Catering - May 2015 by Ashville Media Group

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CONTENTS 2

EDITOR’S VIEW

NEWS & VIEWS

WINE Andrew O’Gorman, Secretary of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers, reports on the recent Red Chateauneuf du Pape ‘Clos des Papes’ tasting at Kelly’s Resort Hotel and Spa.

21 TRENDS Over half of the world’s hotels are now branded properties, with franchising being the operating model of choice for most of the large hotel operators, according to hotel consultancy HVS London.

COVER STORY RESTORATION GLORY

Iconic Ashford Castle had its big reveal on April 17th when it was officially opened by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, following one of the biggest and most expensive hotel refurbishment projects in recent years. Maev Martin talks to General Manager Niall Rochford about enhancing existing, and introducing new, services at the luxurious property.

26 DINE Hotel & Catering Review’s Dish of the Month comes from TV Chef and Author Antonio Carluccio.

30 SUPPLY LINE Essential Product Knowledge

31 ON THE MOVE New Appointments, Promotions and Recruitment

32 FOOD FILE • LitFest Goes Transatlantic

PROFILE

HOTEL SALES WILL SURPASS 2014 RECORD

With unemployment down to 10% from a high of nearly 15%, increasing growth in consumer and business confidence, and Fáilte Ireland predicting a record year for tourism in 2015, hotels are taking advantage of the upturn. Donagh Davern reports.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ARE YOU GETTING THE MAX OUT OF YOUR EMPLOYEES?

The Cliff Townhouse on St Stephen’s Green has been operating a staff self-assessment and incentive scheme that is unique in the Irish hotel sector. General Manager Adriaan Bartels explains how it works and how it could benefit other small hospitality operations.

• Listowel Food Fair Celebrates 21st Anniversary • What’s Cooking at Ballymaloe?

35 FOOD FOCUS Ireland’s love affair with Spanish food and wine shows no sign of abating any time soon. But Iberico ham is a gastronomic gem that our chefs may be overlooking.

36 FIVE MINUTES WITH Musgrave Marketplace Head Chef Clement Pavie.

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EDITOR’S VIEW

EDITORS

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

rish tourism is in a good place but there can be no room for complacency. The current year has got off to a good start and it looks like 2015 will be the year when the Irish tourism industry finally exceeds the previous peak performance achieved in 2007, of 7.7 million visitors spending €4bn.However, there are likely to be significant differences in the make-up of our visitors this year compared to 2007. Continental Europe has become Irish tourism’s largest revenue source (€1.3bn), followed by North America (€935m), which overtook Britain (€885m) for the first time in 2014. According to the new Chair of the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC), Paul Gallagher, that trend will become more pronounced in 2015. Mr Gallagher is General Manager of Buswells Hotel and a former President of the Irish Hotels Federation. While welcoming the recently published tourism policy, he urged the Government to create the Tourism Leadership Group which, he said, would develop the strategy that will deliver the targets set out in the policy document. The Government wants to see 10 million visitors spending €5bn annually by 2025 but it won’t happen unless the correct strategy is developed and that strategy needs to be developed quickly. Mr Gallagher says that it is ‘probable’ now that we are nearer to the start of the next recession than we are to the start of the last so there is no time to be lost. I wouldn’t be quite that pessimistic about the country’s current situation and our likelihood of falling into another recession anytime soon. However, I believe that his sense of urgency is well-founded. Tourism has demonstrated that it can deliver jobs and deliver them in parts of the country that are not being reached by Foreign Direct Investment. The Government must recognise that if it is to realise its aim of delivering even more tourism jobs in those areas that need them most it will have to ensure that a significant tourism programme is part of its capital expenditure plan for the 2016 to 2020 period. A total programme of €250m, which is what ITIC is calling for, would be small change compared to the Government’s commitments to agriculture, food and FDI, but the payback in terms of jobs would be quick, sustainable and substantial.

“ THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO SEE 10 MILLION VISITORS SPENDING A5BN ANNUALLY BY 2025 BUT IT WON’T HAPPEN UNLESS THE CORRECT STRATEGY IS DEVELOPED AND THAT STRATEGY NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED QUICKLY.”

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www.facebook.com /hotelandcateringreview EDITOR: Maev Martin EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION MANAGER: Mary Connaughton DESIGN & LAYOUT: Alan McArthur COVER IMAGE: Courtesy of Ashford Castle STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY: Thinkstock.com INFOGRAPHICS: www.flaticon.com PRODUCTION: Nicole Ennis SALES DIRECTOR: Paul Clemenson MANAGING DIRECTOR: 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 2015. 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.

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NEWS &VIEWS

BLEAKLEY PROMOTES WAW IN BRITAIN A new, six-part series called Wild Ireland, presented by Northern Irish TV presenter Christine Bleakley, began on April 13th to showcase the Wild Atlantic Way (WAW) in the UK. Six episodes, which were filmed along the WAW last autumn, will see Christine explore the west coast, from Malin Head to Mizen Head.

Christine Bleakley during filming at Malin Head, Co Donegal.

NEW MERGER CONTROL REGULATIONS

FOR HOTELS

Mason Hayes & Curran has urged hotel buyers and sellers to be compliant with new merger control regulations and allow sufficient time to clear the regime. A briefing held by the law firm last month heard that almost a third of the total number of merger notifications to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) since October 2014 have been related to transactions in the hotel sector. Changes to legislation require a ‘merger control filing’ to be made by the relevant parties in a transaction if there is a change of control and financial thresholds are met. The financial thresholds are that the combined turnover in the Republic of Ireland of the parties is not less than €50m and turnover in the Republic of Ireland of each of at least two of the parties is not less than €3m. Maureen O’Neill, Partner, EU & Antitrust team, Mason Hayes & Curran, said that even if a deal is only worth six to seven figures, it is the turnover of the companies involved that is of relevance to the new rules on mergers. “The new regime is taking 30 days to clear, so all parties will need to factor this in to their negotiations to prevent delays,” she said. “Also, there are criminal sanctions for failure to file the relevant documentation of €3,000 on summary conviction or €250,000 on conviction on indictment.”

HOTEL DOOLIN’S ‘GREEN’ EFFORTS PAY OFF Hotel Doolin recently won the Green Tourism and Entertainment category in the 2015 Green Awards, which took place at the Hilton Hotel Dublin. Beating off stiff competition from a variety of tourist attractions around the country, including Co Clare’s Cliffs of Moher, the hotel was also shortlisted in the Green Business of the Year category alongside Google and Coca-Cola. Last year, Hotel Doolin became the eighth hotel in Ireland to gain the Platinum Green Hospitality Award. The hotel also won the ‘Best Small Hotel for Responsible Tourism Award’ at the Responsible Travel & Tourism Awards.

Dr. Cara Augustenborg, Managing Director, Impact Research Management, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, presents the Green Tourism & Entertainment Award to Lisa Fearon and Raquel Noboa, Hotel Doolin.

WORKING TOWARDS A HEALTHIER IRELAND Ireland’s first National Workplace Wellbeing Day took place last month and Fenero and Aramark were among the four Workplace Wellbeing Day champions to showcase their workplace wellbeing programme. Sinéad Doherty, Fenero, Jim McGuinness, Performance Consultant, Glasgow Celtic FC, and Frank Gleeson, Aramark, are pictured at the Nutrition and Health Foundation seminar in Croke Park.

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NEWS & VIEWS

DOMESTIC HOLIDAYS INCREASE BY 4% ON 2014 The CSO’s Household Travel Survey for the end of 2014 shows that domestic trips grew by three per cent and domestic holidays increased by four per cent last year. There were four million domestic trips taken by Irish residents in 2014, representing an increase of three per cent on 2013. Revenue from domestic trips grew by seven per cent to €1.5bn. A total of six million domestic holiday trips were taken last year – up four per cent on 2013. Domestic holiday expenditure was €852m – an increase of one per cent on 2013. Domestic trips involving stays in hotels increased by four per cent with nights in hotels growing by two per cent.

POWERSCOURT WINS CONCIERGE & BEST SPA AWARDS Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa’s Robbie Smyth has been awarded Concierge of the Year 2014 by the prestigious Society of Les Clefs d’Or Ireland. Robbie was honoured with the Jimmy Connor Award at the gala dinner ceremony at Clontarf Castle in March. This accolade is voted on by association members and General Managers in participating hotels before the final decision is made by the committee. In addition, the hotel’s ESPA spa, run by Spa Director Kellie Ann Hayden, scooped the Best Spa Award 2015 at the second annual Business of Beauty awards ceremony at the Double Tree by Hilton.

BRAKES INVESTS IN

FOOD NUTRITION

Brakes Sales Director Gareth Clements and Unilever Food Solutions Key Account Manager Fergus Scully.

Brakes Sales Director, Gareth Clements, and his team of sales representatives recently attained certificates in the Principals of Nutrition in Food Production from City & Guilds. The 22-strong sales team completed the intensive training course and final exam as part of a Level 2 vocational qualification in conjunction with Unilever Food Solutions. The programme focused on enhancing the core skills of Brakes’ employees, providing the sales team with a detailed knowledge of how chefs and staff working in kitchens can ensure their food meets the nutritional requirements of customers. As part of the company’s CPD programme, Brakes has announced plans for all staff to commit to gaining a thorough understanding of the trends and issues facing the food service industry today.

NEW LOOK REEDS RESTAURANT AT FERRYCARRIG

(l-r): Griffin Group CEO Michael Griffin, Liam Griffin, and Derek Coyne, General Manager at the Ferrycarrig Hotel.

Reeds Restaurant at the four-star Ferrycarrig Hotel in Wexford has a new look following an extensive renovation in recent months. The redesign features major changes to the décor in order to better capitalise on the fantastic view of the Slaney estuary and its varied wildlife. And Executive Head Chef Tony Carty has developed a new approach to menu composition and presentation. Dishes feature an extensive list of ingredients from local suppliers, ranging from Rosslare crabmeat and Enniscorthy rib eye steak, to Kilmore hake, rack of Slaney Valley lamb, and Killowen Farm yoghurt.

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NEWS & VIEWS

MOKA WINS FAIRTRADE AWARD

FOR MOUNT CHARLES

GMIT STUDENT ON PRESTIGIOUS

GASTRONOMY PROGRAMME Cormac Withero, a third year student on GMIT’s Culinary Arts Management Programme, has won a prestigious scholarship for the 8th International Spanish Gastronomy Training Programme. Cormac competed against culinary students from all over the world, including Ireland, for one of 12 places on the programme. The 25 year old from Galway city will travel to Spain in June for six months, all expenses paid, where he and 11 other aspiring chefs from countries such as the UK, Singapore and Mexico will be welcomed by top Spanish restaurants into their kitchens to develop their talents. The programme includes a six-week language and culinary training segment at the International School of Culinary Arts Fernando Pérez in Valladolid (Castile-León), a two-week tour of Spain to gain an understanding of the country’s culture and gastronomy, and entry into the International Tapas Competition in November 2015. Cormac will represent Ireland on this Spanish Gastronomy Programme and officials from the Spanish Embassy in Dublin, Javier Moral and Sara Cresco, visited the college to present him with his certificate.

Pictured at a reception in GMIT to mark Cormac Withero’s achievement, (l-r): Sadie Davoren, Lecturer, Culinary Arts Management, Javier Moral Escudero, Spanish Embassy, Dublin, Cormac Withero, Sara Cresco, Marketing Director, Spanish Embassy, and Anne O Leary, Lecturer and Programme Chair, Culinary Arts programme in GMIT.

PUTTING IRELAND ON THE ‘MAP’ IN PARIS Tourism enterprises from Ireland travelled to Paris to join Tourism Ireland for the annual MAP (le Monde à Paris) holiday fair last month. MAP is a major travel show that attracts more than 10,000 visitors each year, including influential French tour operators, travel agents and travel writers, as well as holidaymakers from around France looking for ideas and suggestions for their next short break or holiday destination. This year’s fair took place alongside Destinations Nature, a new hiking, outdoor and travel fair. The Wild Atlantic Way, Causeway

Moka, an independent coffee shop at the University of Ulster in Coleraine, which is operated by The Mount Charles Group, has won the Coleraine Borough Fairtrade Café Awards 2015. During Fairtrade Fortnight 2015, tea and coffee connoisseurs were asked by the Coleraine Borough Fairtrade Group, which is run by Coleraine Borough Council, to vote for their favourite Fairtrade Café. Participating cafés included Moka (Coleraine campus), The Cornerstone (Garvagh), Ground Espresso Bars (Coleraine and Portrush), New Society (Coleraine) and Starbucks (Coleraine). Customers of all participating cafés were invited to vote online by the local Fairtrade Group. When voting closed, Moka had been chosen by the public as their favourite Fairtrade café, winning 31% of the votes.

Caoimhe Ní Mhuilleoir, Tourism Ireland; John Hughes, Randwick B&B, Ballyshannon; and Martine McKenna, Irish Ferries, on the Tourism Ireland stand at MAP.

Coastal Route, Yeats 150, ID2015 (the year of Irish Design) and the Irish Open at Royal County Down were just some of the key themes highlighted by Tourism Ireland at this year’s MAP.

Pictured (l-r): Judith Hamilton, Head of Facility Services Ulster University, Councillor George Duddy, Mayor of Coleraine, Ann Rodgers, Brands Manager, Ulster University Coleraine and Adrian Dallas, Retail Services Manager for the Mount Charles Group.

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NEWS & VIEWS

IRELAND.COM WINS TOP AWARD IN FRANCE

Tourism Ireland scooped the top prize for ‘Best Tourist Board Website’ at the French hospitality industry’s ‘Les Travel d’Or’ awards last month. Beating off stiff competition from 48 other destination websites, the Tourism Ireland site, Ireland.com, was voted joint number one (with Reunion Island Tourism) for its winning appeal and content by an impressive 146,000 internet users from around France and a panel of web and travel industry experts.This is the third time that Tourism Ireland has won a Travel d’Or award, which are considered the Oscars of the e-tourism industry in France (the company also won in 2011 and 2012). France is the fourth largest tourist market for the island of Ireland and 2014 was a record year for French visitors to Ireland. 2015 has got off to a positive start, with the most recent CSO figures showing growth of +28% for the December 2014 to February 2015 period, an additional 17,000 French visitors compared with the same three-month period last year. Ireland.com is available in ten different language versions for more than 30 individual markets around the world. In 2014, Ireland.com attracted about 14.25 million visitors. Séverine Tharreau, Tourism Ireland (left) accepts the Travel d’Or award for best tourist board website.

BRIGHT STARS PROVIDE CULINARY INSPIRATION

Pictured at the launch of Aramark’s new ‘Bright Star’ culinary inspiration series at Unilever Food Solutions’ Chefmanship Centre in Greenogue, Co Dublin, are (l-r): Derek Reilly, Culinary Director, Aramark; Catherine Fulvio, Chef Proprietor, Ballyknocken House; Mark McCarthy, Business Development Chef, Unilever Food Solutions; and Frank Gleeson, Managing Director, Aramark Food Services.

Aramark and Unilever have joined forces to provide the nation’s chefs with some culinary inspiration. The new ‘Bright Star’ initiative is a series of nine monthly culinary inspiration sessions that will be delivered to nine hand-picked delegates chosen by Aramark from their culinary development team. From food tours to master classes, Bright Star has been specially designed to allow chefs to get hands-on with some of Aramark’s top producers, suppliers and ingredients. The sessions will be delivered in conjunction with Aramark’s industry partners Unilever Food Solutions from their dedicated Chefmanship Centre in Greenogue, Dublin, and will culminate in a graduation ceremony and gala dinner prepared by the graduating delegates at Croke Park in November. Food for the health conscious, provenance and seasonality will be at the heart of each of the inspiration sessions, while special guest lecturers and presenters will also deliver insights relevant to their area of expertise, starting with top chef Catherine Fulvio of Ballyknocken House, who attended the launch as a special guest.

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NEWS & VIEWS

KEVIN DUNDON GOES BACK TO BASICS ‘Back To Basics’ is a new eight-part series on UTV Ireland which sees Kevin Dundon inviting viewers to his four-star Dunbrody Country House Hotel & Restaurant in Wexford to help home cooks master key culinary skills. Each halfhour episode of the series covers a key ingredient, type of food or fundamental technique. From poaching eggs and mastering a soufflé to whipping up a quick supper or a big Sunday lunch for friends and family, Kevin prepares recipes for a variety of occasions. He also takes viewers behind the scenes at some of Ireland’s best quality food sources - an organic farm, a flour mill, a cattle mart and a chocolate supplier.

DELIVEROO LAUNCHES

Boxty House ribs.

IN IRELAND

DUBLIN BIDS WILLKOMMEN TO GERMAN BUYERS Fáilte Ireland welcomed eight German corporate meetings and incentive travel buyers on a three-day visit in March to familiarise themselves with what is on offer in Dublin city and county. The trip aimed to grow the meetings, incentives, conferences and events business from the German market, and included a visit to the Convention Centre Dublin, as well as to a number of leisure and cultural activities, a Gaelic games lesson and a tour of Trinity College Dublin.

Deliveroo (www.deliveroo.ie), the food delivery service that brings local restaurant meals to your door in less than 32 minutes, has officially launched its services in Dublin. As part of its European expansion, Deliveroo will roll out its services in Dublin 2, 4 and 6, with plans for further expansion in the summer. It is currently recruiting drivers and has partnered with high profile restaurants for its full service, home-delivery solution. Deliveroo established its Irish office in late 2014 and has already signed up the following premium restaurants as part of its network: Asador, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Bellucci’s, Itsa, Carluccio’s, O’Connells, Diep Le Shaker, Little Ass Burrito Bar, Unicorn and La Reserve Brasserie. The following are all the restaurants that have partnered with Deliveroo: Itsa, Carluccio’s, Unicorn, Keshk, Asador, Pacino’s; Belluci’s; Saagar; Gourmet Burger Kitchen; Farm; Cornucopia; SMS Cervi; Rafa’s Temaki; Taste of Brazil; Pepperina; Dillinger’s; Diep Le Shaker; Leo Burdock; Red Torch Ginger; Banyi Japanese Dinings; Kathmandu Kitchen; Bondiola Argentina; Boxty House; Bloom Brasserie; Herbstreet; Farmer Browns; Red Torch Ginger; Little Ass Burrito Bar; Chopped; The Hopsack; La Reserve Brasserie; O’Connells.

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COMMERCIAL PROFILE

TRANSFORMING A TRANSIT ZONE INTO A TOURIST REGION

IN A MONTH WHERE FÁILTE IRELAND’S LATEST VISITOR ATTITUDES SURVEY 2014 REVEALED THAT FRIENDLINESS, LANDSCAPES AND CULTURE ARE BOOSTING IRELAND’S APPEAL, THE ORGANISATION LAUNCHED ITS IRELAND’S ANCIENT EAST INITIATIVE AND MEITHEAL 2015 WAS THE PERFECT PLACE TO SHOWCASE IT TO A GLOBAL TOURISM AUDIENCE. he Minister for Tourism, Transport and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD, together with Minister of State, Michael Ring TD, officially launched Ireland’s Ancient East, Fáilte Ireland’s latest tourism initiative which will build on the wealth of historical and cultural assets in the east and south of Ireland. Crucially, Ireland’s Ancient East is geared to maximise the history and heritage in the region and bring it to greater international attention.To do this, the new initiative will offer visitors a personal experience of 5,000 years of history through a relaxing journey of discovery in the beautiful landscape that attracted warring settlers for millennia and illuminated by stories from the best storytellers in the world – the local people. Stretching from Newgrange and the Boyne Valley in the north east and ranging through the midlands all the way down via Kilkenny’s Medieval mile to Waterford’s Viking Quarter and Cork’s many cultural attractions, the new brand proposition is intended to match and

complement the Wild Atlantic Way in terms of scale and ambition. Based on comprehensive research in overseas markets, the initiative is aimed at particular market segments overseas (identified by the research) who have indicated they would be more likely to come to Ireland to explore new landscapes, history and culture or simply to take time out from their busy lives and careers to connect with local heritage and nature and their own place within. “With the great amount of history and heritage in such a relatively compact area, ‘Ireland’s Ancient East’ will allow us to seriously build on the assets we have in the east and south – and the significant investment which has been made in tourism attractions in the region over the last few years,” said Fáilte Ireland’s CEO Shaun Quinn at the launch.“While appealing to a different type of a visitor, I am confident that Ireland’s Ancient East will prove as effective and popular as the Wild Atlantic Way and

will deliver significant additional numbers of visitors, revenue and jobs to the region.” Fáilte Ireland has spent the last year working in consultation with key stakeholders, including tourism attractions and businesses throughout the region, to develop the initiative. Following much consultation and deliberation, Ireland’s Ancient East will be crafted along four distinct thematic pillars: • Ancient Ireland - The Dawn of Civilisation (including the prehistoric attractions of the Boyne Valley in Newgrange and sites such as the Brownshill Dolmen in Carlow); • Early Christian Ireland (including sites such as Clonmacnoise, Glendalough, Mellifont Abbey, Jerpoint Abbey, St.Canice’s Cathedral and Holycross Abbey); • Medieval Ireland (including Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile, the Viking Quarter in Waterford, Hook Head Lighthouse, Trim Castle and the Rock of Cashel); • Anglo Ireland (including Ireland’s Great Houses and Gardens, as well as sites such as the Dunbrody Famine Ship and Wicklow Gaol). For more information visit http://www. failteireland.ie/Ireland-s-Ancient-East.aspx

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COMMERCIAL PROFILE

FRIENDLINESS, LANDSCAPES & CULTURE

BOOST IRELAND’S APPEAL he latest results from Fáilte Ireland’s Visitor Attitudes Survey 2014, conducted by Millward Brown, show that overseas holidaymakers continue to rate Ireland as good value for money and almost all respondents say that Ireland matched or exceeded their expectations. When asked about their overall opinion of their Irish holiday, 55% of respondents said that their trip met all their expectations and a further 44% of visitors said their holiday exceeded all expectations. Interestingly, when holidaymakers were asked, the most popular word used to describe their experience was ‘relaxed’ and this was across all main markets. This was followed by ‘refreshed’ - felt more by the French and Germans than North Americans. ‘Stimulated’ was the word many North Americans chose and this was also mentioned by visitors from other parts of the world. The Germans also felt ‘excited’ and ‘exhausted’ while the French were more likely to mention ‘calm’ and the British ‘rejuvenated’. In terms of value for money, Ireland’s satisfaction levels continue to improve with 54% of visitors saying that they found good or very good value in Ireland – up from 51% the year before. To put things into further perspective, while last year only six per cent of visitors found value for money to be poor or very poor, in 2007 the equivalent figure was 41%.

IRELAND WELCOMES

OVERSEAS TOUR OPERATORS TO

MEITHEAL 2015 eitheal, Ireland’s largest travel trade workshop, took place in the RDS, Dublin on April 14th and 15th. Now in its 40th year, this year’s event welcomed 277 of the world’s top travel and tourism buyers, the highest number in years, to engage directly with 500 Irish tourism businesses. Approximately 12,000 face-toface pitching and business ‘speed-dates’ were scheduled by Fáilte Ireland over the two days of the event to allow both international and Irish operators to agree business for the 2016 season. In addition to this trade fair, Fáilte Ireland organised a number of fact-finding tours all around Ireland for overseas operators taking part in Meitheal this year, providing them with a direct experience of what an Irish holiday can offer their customers. Meitheal, a central date in the tourism industry calendar, allows the Irish tourism industry to actively grow its business in countries from around the world, including Ireland’s top four markets - the US, the UK, Germany and France. Delegates also be arrived from as far afield as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

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COVER STORY

Restoration Glory

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COVER STORY

ollowing a two-year, multi-phased restoration programme, Ashford Castle now stands as one of Europe’s finest luxury hotels. Once home to the Guinness family for over 100 years, the Castle has welcomed royalty, celebrities and heads of state, including George V (then the Prince of Wales), President Ronald Reagan, Brad Pitt, John Wayne, Fred Astaire, Barbara Streisand, John Travolta, and many more. “We are so proud of this fabulous property - our first in Ireland - and we applaud the work of the many Irish craftsmen and artists who have worked fastidiously with our team to restore Ashford Castle to this glorious state,” said Mrs Beatrice Tollman, President and Founder of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, who was speaking at the official opening. Her General Manager Niall Rochford was a constant presence and guiding force throughout the entire restoration period, along with his team, several of whom have worked at the hotel for between 30 and 40 years. Niall has been the General Manager at Ashford Castle for 13 years and was awarded the prestigious Hotel Manager of the Year 2013 Award by the Irish Hospitality Institute Founders. He came to Ashford from Dromoland Castle where he worked with its Managing Director Mark Nolan for 11 years. Employment levels at Ashford Castle have risen to 300 (which includes The Lodge at Ashford Castle) to support the improved facilities at the hotel. “In the past, during high season, we would have employed 225 staff, so it is a significant increase in employees and we are employing as many local people as possible,” says Niall. “That is something that is very important to the Tollman family and it is a major part of the ethos in their other hotels around the world. The staffing increase is throughout the property, from accommodation to food and beverage, front of house, HR, administration and maintenance. It is all about delivering a better and a consistent quality of service. All staff members have undertaken Red Carnation’s awardwinning training and development programmes to ensure that the service delivery across the hotel is second to none.”

€45M REFURBISHMENT Red Carnation Hotels acquired the property for a20m in 2013 and spent approximately a45m on the refurbishment. The design team was headed by Mrs Beatrice Tollman with the support of her daughter Toni Tollman, the Red Carnation project team, which included Brian Brennan, Director of Projects in the Red Carnation Collection, and architect Philippe Bonino. John Kestell of McCarthy and

Associates Project Managers in Dublin and local building contractor Edward Deacy were also key players in the development of the new and improved facilities. “Every inch of the glorious castle estate, parts of which date back to 1228, has been carefully examined, restored and enhanced, reflecting the award-winning five-star luxury experience for which Red Carnation is renowned,” says Niall. “And the restoration was undertaken with the utmost of respect for the historic building. Each of the 70 guest rooms and 15 staterooms and suites has been completely refurbished and furnished with antique pieces, exquisite fabrics, bespoke carpets, original artwork and marble bathrooms.” Modern technologies include I-luv speakers, electronic blinds and air conditioning, mood light dimming, USB chargers in the walls, and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Apart from the bedrooms, the existing public areas, such as the striking vaulted entrance hall and library, the Connaught Room, Prince of Wales Bar, Drawing Room and the castle’s three restaurants – the George V dining room, Cullen’s at the Dungeon and Cullen’s at the Cottage – have all been enhanced. “New additions include two stunning stone Irish wolfhounds at the entrance to the castle, a magnificent suit of armour in the entrance hall, an antique lectern in the George V dining room and Murano glass chandeliers from Venice throughout the building,” says Niall. “Wherever possible, materials and pieces have been sourced from local artisans and suppliers to reflect the hotel’s unique environment. Examples include the Prince of Wales bar which has been made from local Connemara marble and in-room amenities by organic skincare range Voya from Co Sligo. In addition, a variety of artefacts from the Guinness era of ownership have been sourced for display in the hotel, including Lady Ardilaun’s watercolours, as well as letters and other

“WE APPLAUD THE WORK OF THE MANY IRISH CRAFTSMEN AND ARTISTS WHO HAVE WORKED FASTIDIOUSLY WITH OUR TEAM TO RESTORE ASHFORD CASTLE TO THIS GLORIOUS STATE.”

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COVER STORY

documents associated with the hotel’s colourful heritage.” Due to the age and scale of the castle, the restoration required a complete overhaul of the building’s infrastructure, including stonework, windows and roofs. Behind the scenes, the castle’s kitchens have been moved and completely rebuilt on a different level closer to the dining room, facilitating a more efficient and timely service. “The falconry school, which was Ireland’s first, has been fortified, as has the equestrian centre,” says Niall. “The walled and herb gardens have been tidied and the two tennis courts are now all-weather surfaces with an on-site tennis coach. The castle’s nine-hole golf course has been treated to ensure that it offers the best playing conditions all year round. Fishing enthusiasts will have the expertise of one of six gillies now on hand at Ireland’s only Orvis-endorsed property for fishing and all the necessary equipment and accessories can be hired or purchased from the on-site fishing and golf centre.” All of the facilities and the outdoor activities on offer at the estate can also be enjoyed by guests at The Lodge at Ashford Castle, the boutique four-star 50-bedroom sister hotel within the castle grounds. WHAT’S NEW There is an impressive array of new additions and amenities on the 350-acre estate. These include a 32-seat cinema, billiard room, cigar terrace, and children’s games room. There is even a Lego room service menu to keep younger family members entertained. New facilities also include a boutique and retail space, state-of-the-art spa, wine cellars for private dining, and a luxury lakeside cottage. “The new retail space opened in mid-April with fashion items and outdoor wear, as well as pottery and Irish food-to-go for the many people who visit the estate in the summer,” says Niall. “One of the final pieces of the intricate renovation is the addition of a spa and indoor ozone-filtrated swimming pool which, subject to the appropriate planning approvals, will open on July 1st. Guests will be able to work out in the new Techno gym

where a range of cardio and resistance equipment will be on offer. The five spa treatment rooms will offer a range of pampering therapies, including aroma stone massages, an invigorating body polish, detoxifying wraps and deep regenerating facials. The final piece of the restoration jigsaw is the transformation of the old coal bunkers from the time when Guinness owned the estate into wonderful wine cellars and wine tasting rooms that will have a strong Downton Abbey feel. The wine cellars will open on August 1st. In addition, the old boat house on the shores of Lake Corrib is set to become a private and secluded suite.” The US market has always been, and will continue to be, Ashford Castle’s most important market. “It accounts for 80% of our business from June through to the end of September, and California is the state that delivers the most business to us,” says Niall. “I’m sure that is a surprise to most people who would expect it to be Boston, Chicago or New York, but it is actually California. The domestic market is also very important for us, from October through to April. Year round it accounts for 20% of our business. We built the spa to ensure that we capture a market that we haven’t captured before. The domestic spa market is big business in Ireland. If we could attract and develop that market it would help us to stay open all year round. And, of course, apart from the spa, the other new amenities such as the billiards room, wine cellar and 32-seat cinema are facilities that people can enjoy regardless of the weather. In addition, we will be using the Red Carnation Collection’s database and engaging in cross marketing campaigns with them to deliver higher levels of UK business for the Castle and Lodge.”

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FEATURE

HOTEL SALES WILL SURPASS

2014 RECORD With unemployment down to 10% from a high of nearly 15%, increasing growth in consumer and business confidence, and Fáilte Ireland predicting a record year for tourism in 2015, hotels are taking advantage of the upturn. Donagh Davern reports.

ndustry experts such as Crowe Horwath are predicting that 2015 will see hotel sales in Ireland surpass the record 68 sales closed in 2014. In fact, a recent report by commercial property consultants CBRE, showed the highest quarterly volume of hotel sales ever recorded in Ireland, with 25 properties changing hands between January and the end of March. Despite a low of just two hotel sales in 2009, the intervening years’ economic chaos, and the enormous financial pressures on the hotel sector, the industry is back on its feet in 2015. One of the biggest changes in the last few years is the emergence of equity funds buying into the Irish hotel market. It wasn’t long ago that no Irish hotelier had heard of names such as Brehon Capital (now Tetrarch), John Malone, Blackstone and Kennedy Wilson - names now intrinsically linked to the future of the Irish hotel industry. We have also seen many indigenous companies benefiting from the lower acquisition costs of hotels, with Dalata now the largest hotel operator in Ireland, managing 46 hotels, and new multi-hotel owners such as iNua (with the Muckross Park and Radisson’s in Cork and Limerick) and Pat McDonagh, the Supermac’s supremo, now owning the Castletroy Park, Charleville Park and the Loughrea Hotel & Spa.

Adare Manor

In the case of iNua – unknown in the hotel industry until 2012 - their website tells us that ‘a challenge in any sector of an economy can present an opportunity’ and in-line with this they ‘analysed certain opportunities in anticipation of the future turnaround in Ireland’s overall economic fortunes’. As the government implemented strategies in areas such as VAT and Capital Gains Tax to drive a recovery, the company identified ‘attractive investment prospects’ that they could acquire. THE CRYSTAL COLLECTION CBRE recently stated that the volume of hotel sales concluded in the first quarter of 2015 topped the a500m mark, and many more properties have come to the market so this is certain to make 2015 a record year in terms of hotel sale transactions. CBRE currently has a portfolio on the market dubbed ‘The Crystal Collection’, which is made up of seven individual hotels packaged in one portfolio. These hotels could be sold as individual units or as a package. Included in this portfolio are the Glenroyal Hotel, Johnstown House Hotel, the Metropole Hotel, Killeshin Hotel, Fells Point in Tralee, the former Lynch Hotel – Limerick’s Southcourt - along with the Maldron Hotel Wexford, which is tied into

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FEATURE

2015 - NOTABLE HOTEL SALES SO FAR… Clayton Hotel Galway

• Dalata • €31.7m with Whites

Whites Hotel Wexford

• Dalata • €37.1m with Clayton

Pillo Hotel Galway

• Dalata • circa €10.5m

Clonmel Park Hotel

• Tetrarch • Not Disclosed

Ashford Castle

Cork Airport Hotel

• Philip Hotels • Not Disclosed

a lease agreement with Dalata Hotels. At the end of March, The Irish Times reported that Dalata had entered into an agreement to purchase the Maldron Hotel Wexford for a3.53m in cash, and it was expected that the transaction would complete in April 2015. Other properties such as the Killerig Hotel in Carlow (guiding for between a700K and a800K) and the Quality Hotel in Youghal, with a reserve price of a340,000 to a360,000, have both come to the market through Allsops. Notable among recent properties offered for sale is The Village at Lyons, back on the market for over a6m. It is a fraction of price that the late Dr Tony Ryan spent developing this complex, which now includes a wedding venue, restaurant, cookery school and guest accommodation. CAPITAL INVESTMENTS And beyond the acquisitions, the new found confidence has resulted in some significant investments in hotel refurbishments and developments. Ireland’s newest hotel, The Dean, opened on Harcourt Street in Dublin at the back end of last year, with a development cost north of a7m. The iconic K Club is over half way through its a20m extension, which includes 70

Muckross Park Hotel

• iNua • +€6m

Gallagher’s Hotel Donegal

• Middle Eastern

Waterford Castle

• Seamus Walsh

• Investor circa €1m

• +€6m

Adare Manor

• JP McManus • Est. €30m

195 bedrooms; bar; restaurant; leisure centre; conference facilities for 800; 4 Star 157 bedrooms; bar; restaurant; coffee dock; spa; leisure centre; conference facilities for 1,000; 4 Star 104 bedrooms; bistro; bar; fitness suite; treatment rooms; meeting rooms; 4 Star 9 bedrooms; restaurant; bar; conference facilities for 400; leisure centre; spa; 4 Star 80 bedrooms; bar; restaurant; fitness room conference rooms; carpark; on 5 acres; 4 Star 68 bedrooms; apartments; restaurant; bar; spa; function rooms; 5 Star 82 bedrooms; bar; restaurant; conference facilities for 220; meeting rooms; 3 Star 19 bedrooms; 43 lodges; golf course; bar; restaurant; 300 acres; 4 Star

62 bedrooms, golf course, swimming pool, bar, restaurant, conferencing for 250

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FEATURE

“SMALL HOTELS THAT SURVIVED THE DOWNTURN...ARE NOW FINDING THAT HOTELS IN THEIR COMPETITIVE SET, WHICH WERE ONCE IN RECEIVERSHIP, HAVE BEEN BOUGHT BY NEW OWNERS...WHO CAN NOW AFFORD TO PUT MILLIONS INTO REFURBISHMENTS, SOMETHING WHICH THE ‘SURVIVOR’ HOTELS SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD.”

new bedrooms, a new bar and conference facilities, and Ashford Castle has just reopened following Red Carnation’s extensive refurbishment of the castle. Tetrarch has just obtained planning permission for 60 new bedrooms, six suites, a new clubhouse and a larger dining room for Mount Juliet for an investment its Chief Executive, Michael McElligott, told The Irish Times is ‘north of a10m’, on top of its original a15m acquisition of the estate in mid2014. The company is also planning a a10m investment at the Citywest Hotel to enhance its current facilities. In Tralee,

the newly-refurbished and rebranded Ashe Hotel opened its doors in April. The former Abbeygate Hotel has reopened following its purchase by the local well-known Boyle family. The 100 bedroom hotel had closed in early 2014 and was put on the market with an asking price of a1m. But the new-found positivity being experienced by the industry is not without its problems. Small, usually family-owned hotels that survived the downturn while paying their way in terms of rates and bank loans, are now finding that hotels in their competitive set, which were once

in receivership, have been bought by new owners at a sustainable level of debt. Those new owners can now afford to put millions into refurbishments, something which the ‘survivor’ hotels simply cannot afford. Also, a severe shortage of qualified chefs has arisen in the sector, and this will cause difficulty for further expansion in the industry. However, should 2015 live up to expectations in terms of the volume of tourism business generated and the further strengthening of Ireland’s hotel product, through both a high volume of sales of formally distressed properties and capital expenditure on the current hotel stock, it should mark a record year for the industry in terms of sales transactions and further compound the strong recovery of the sector.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Donagh Davern FIHI is a lecturer specialising in the area of hospitality management at Cork Institute of Technology.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ARE YOU GETTING Out of Your Employees? The Cliff Townhouse on St Stephen’s Green has been operating a staff self-assessment and incentive scheme that is unique in the Irish hotel sector. General Manager Adriaan Bartels explains how it works and how it could benefit other small hospitality operations.

he scheme is based on the Max Management and Communications Toolbox which was devised in 2002 by Klaus Kobjoll, owner of the well-known Schindlerhof Hotel near Nuremberg in Germany. He introduced the programme in his own operation and today it is being operated across a number of industry sectors, including hotels, by over 300 companies in eight countries. The Cliff Townhouse is the only business in Ireland that is operating the programme. They installed it in 2009 and most of their core staff of 50, which rises to 100 during high season, have embraced the programme. Instead of having a yearly or half yearly employee assessment, the Max software and inclusive app allows the employer to monitor their employee’s feedback on a monthly basis. The staff member fills out a questionnaire every month which can then be accessed by the manager. The manager

can see what the staff member thinks about their contribution to the workplace and provide their feedback online which will be received by the employee. The end result is then used to give an overview of how the staff member compares to every other staff member. “It is a self-assessment and incentive-based scheme for employees to contribute to the profitability of the hotel and to influence the operation of the hotel,” says Adriaan. “It is an online self assessment and when employees opt into the programme they each get a stock value of 1,000 points which allow them to start the programme. Every month they answer 26 questions and their answers determine whether or not their stock goes up or down. You get plus or minus points, depending on how accurately you rate yourself. Typical questions include – Do you smoke?, Do you come in on time?, Is your uniform clean and tidy? Filling

“THIS SYSTEM IS ABOUT ENGAGING STAFF IN THE ACTIVITY OF THE HOTEL AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO ITS PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFITABILITY.”

out the form takes 10 minutes and everyone’s review of their form is sent automatically to their head of department who assesses the person’s performance and if they are being true to themselves. The head of department sends their review back to the employee and they either upgrade or downgrade that employee’s own assessment of their performance. For example, if a staff member attends training they get points. They get more points if they organise the training themselves and even more if they do it on their own time.”

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The questions and areas covered by the monthly online questionnaire are bespoke to The Cliff Townhouse and were developed to suit the needs of the business by Adriaan and his management team in conjunction with personnel at the Max company. An interesting aspect of the self-assessment programme is the opportunity for staff members to input five ideas a month into the system. “If we decide to implement those ideas the staff member gets more points,” says Adriaan. “We also have an Idea

of the Month, which is good for the hotel because staff are creating ideas to help the business increase profitability. The staff then have an active role in the business and feel appreciated, which creates a great atmosphere at work. The employee has an interaction with their head of department every month and they can see the value of their points increase and that impacts on the financial reward they get each year. In the interim, the person with the most improved performance in a particular month can win a weekend away

or a free dinner for two in the restaurant so the extra points do equate to an increase in salary and to other rewards throughout the year. In addition, it isn’t a time consuming process for the employee but it is one that forces them to think about their role and performance in the business. It is hard to quantify in monetary terms the exact link between having the Max programme and the profitability of our operation, but in the six month period when we were upgrading the Max system and we couldn’t operate it in the hotel we could see staff

motivation drop hugely so I wouldn’t be without it!” So how did Adriaan come across the unique staff development tool? “I did a management excellence programme with Fáilte Ireland (then CERT) and Cornell University in 1995 while I was General Manager at the Sheen Falls Hotel and Klaus Kobjoll was speaking about the Max programme and I thought it was a fantastic initiative,” he says. “When I started in The Cliff Townhouse the owner wanted us to include the staff in the profitability of the hotel and incentivise staff and we believe it is of value to hotels in the industry, especially smaller hotels who don’t have a big human resources department. I don’t think a yearly review is appropriate – a monthly review works better and issues can be addressed quickly rather than lingering on and stifling productivity. Our team here at The Cliff Townhouse love the programme and most staff have opted into it, although some haven’t. It is mostly for our fulltime staff. Our employees find the online forms and assessment easy to do fill out. Another handy feature of the system is a charts and graphs facility which allows management to track and record different aspects of staff development. Above all, this system is about engaging staff in the activity of the hotel and encouraging them to make a contribution to its productivity and profitability. I often find that staff who participate in the assessment will give me ideas about things they have seen in other hotels so it is a positive conversation opener between staff and management.” Adriaan says it costs between a4,000 to a5,000 to set up the Max programme. “We installed it seven years ago and it is costing us less than a1,000 a year to maintain and operate. As the years go by it costs us less and the benefits far outweigh any negatives.”

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WINE

Seeing Red

in Rosslare

Andrew O’Gorman, Secretary of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers, reports on the recent Red Chateauneuf du Pape ‘Clos des Papes’ tasting at Kelly’s Resort Hotel and Spa.

los des Papes is one of the great established names of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and in recent years it has produced a succession of remarkable wines made by PaulVincent Avril. The 2005 Clos des Papes Red was voted Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator in 2007. In 2009, his white wine reached No 10. Vincent Avril gave a fabulous vertical tasting of White and Red Chateauneuf du Pape “Clos des Papes”, and I had the privilege of attending the Red Chateauneuf du Pape “Clos des Papes” tasting at Kelly’s Resort Hotel and Spa in Rosslare. The tasting attracted large numbers, including a number of wine writers. “I take it as a compliment when people tell me that Clos des Papes makes a wine almost in the style of a Burgundy!” said Paul-Vincent Avril, who started to work at Clos des Papes in 1988. He trained at several other wineries before joining the family

business at Clos des Papes. It could be said that Paul-Vincent Avril is a modern traditionalist. On the one hand, he destems the grapes, seeks low yields and does not filter. On the other hand, he eschews new oak and would not consider producing a high end cuvée. He believes that would only harm their main brand, which is Clos des Papes, a wine that has been produced for more than a century. In 2002, PaulVincent Avril started using the unique embossed bottle you see for Clos des Papes today. The vineyard of Clos des Papes consists of 35 hectares of vines that are spread over 24 separate parcels in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation. Four hectares in their cooler terrior are reserved for grapes used in the production of their white Chateauneuf du Pape wine. Thirty-one hectares are used to produce their red Chateauneuf du Pape. Part of what makes the wine of Clos

des Papes special is the range of different terroirs and soils that their vineyards are located in. Clos des Papes Red is produced from about 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah and five per cent from other varietals that range from Muscardin and Vaccarese to Counoise. It is the goal of Clos des Papes to always include a large portion of Mourvedre in the blend, because of its spicy qualities and structural backbone, whenever possible. Clos des Papes Blanc, which made its debut in 1955, is produced from a blend of 20% Roussanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, 20% Clairette, 20% Bourboulenc and 20% Picpoul. The wine is aged in steel tanks for six months. The average annual production is close to 1,000 cases per vintage. The winery also makes a red table wine called Petit Vin d’Avril. This was the first wine tasted. The well-balanced, full bodied red wine is a blend of at least four vintages.

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WINE

“I TAKE IT AS A COMPLIMENT WHEN PEOPLE TELL ME THAT CLOS DES PAPES MAKES A WINE ALMOST IN THE STYLE OF A BURGUNDY!”

2012 CLOS DES PAPES CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE Violets, red cherries, raspberry and spicy plum scents make up the perfume. On the palate, the wine is silky, lively and fresh, expressing sweetness in the fruit, round, voluptuous textures, and purity of flavour. 2009 CLOS DES PAPES CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE Black raspberries, cherry, floral on the nose, with silky textures, freshness, and cherry and raspberry flavours that feel soft, fresh and silky on the palate. The wine leaves you with sweet cherries on the end note. 2006 CLOS DES PAPES CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE Thick, dense, yet light, the wine is packed with delicious, sweet, spicy red berries, kirsch, and wet earth and floral scents, with just a hint of sweet jam. Silky, plush and mouth filling, you can drink now, or age it. An excellent wine!

2011 CLOS DES PAPES CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE A deep ruby colour, medium bodied, the nose kicks in with spices, kirsch and peppery scents. The wine offers soft, round textures and a spicy, fresh, black cherry, fennel and black raspberry finish that is further complicated by a hint of spearmint on the endnote. One of the great vintages for Vincent and his team, although yields were very low. 2010 CLOS DES PAPES CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE Full bodied, packed and stuffed with sweet, spicy berries, red fruits and floral notes. The wine is sweet, concentrated and dense. It has a lot of volume and depth and leaves a lasting impression. A few years in the bottle should add a lot to this wine. Kelly’s Resort Hotel and Spa, Rosslare, Co Wexford, has won many Hotel and Catering Review Gold Medal Awards over the years.

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Could your Restaurant benefit from our work? ❊ Do you feel strongly on some legislative matter, and do you feel powerless to put your points over to the relevant authorities? ❊ Do your current Staff and Management need ongoing training? ❊ Could you benefit financially from all of the special packages arranged on behalf of the members with Utilities, Merchant Services, Insurance providers, reservation systems, HACCP training, and PPI? ❊ Would you benefit from networking with your colleagues at either a local or national level?

Join the Restaurants Association of Ireland today ❊ We are the professional body of the Irish Restaurant Industry with our primary function being to promote and defend the interests of our 1,400 members nationwide ❊ Avail of member only savings and discounted rates on Gas, electricity, telecoms, merchant services, insurance, PPI & much more ❊ Access to legislative updates on Allergens,VAT rates, JLC’s, Employment Law, Health & Safety, NERA Inspections, Revenue and more ❊ Access to employment advice and templates ❊ Access to training in Kitchen Management, Customer Service, Sommelier, Barista & more ❊ Hear from international and national speakers at our annual Restaurant Symposium on key restaurant trends ❊ Receive an outdoor membership plaque ❊ Post your recruitment needs on www.rai.ie ❊ The Association organise seminars and workshops, which address specific marketing issues ❊ The Association partakes in Catex, Hospitality Expo, and the Food and Hospitality Show with opportunities for members to run pop-up restaurants at these events.

If you would like to join the RAI, please contact Jacqui Simpson, membership@rai.ie or call 01-6779901 IRISH RESTAURANT AWARDS 25th May 2015, DT Hilton Hotel www.irishrestaurantawards.com #foodoscars

WWW.RAI.IE

@RAI_ie

Patrons:

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TRENDS

FRANCHISING NOW THE

PREFERRED METHOD OF EXPANSION Over half of the world’s hotels are now branded properties, with franchising being the operating model of choice for most of the large hotel operators, according to a new report from hotel consultancy HVS London.

ive of the largest branded hotel companies (IHG, Accor, Marriott, Hilton and Starwood) make up 30% of the current global branded room supply and 65% of the development pipeline, which demonstrates the increasing shift away from independently operated hotels worldwide. The report, which examines trends in the way hotels are being operated, identifies the proliferation in the number of players and stakeholders that can be involved in a successful hotel, including brand owners, owners and management companies, as well as a combination of operating models and hybrid models. There is also a geographical difference. Across Europe, where independent hotels are more common, franchises account for 50% of rooms in the large listed hotel companies sampled by HVS, with the owned

30%

of the global branded room supply is made up by five of the largest branded hotel companies Across Europe

and leased model making up approximately 30% of room counts, and management contracts around 20%. This contrasts sharply with the North American market where 85% of the research sample were franchised, just 13% under management contracts and only two per cent were owned and leased properties. “In the US the franchise sector is highly regulated, making it more transparent and easier to compare the results of one brand against another,” says HVS Director Sophie Perret. “In Europe franchise regulations differ from one country to another, making it more difficult to compare like-for-like.” HVS also identifies the growing use of Third Party Operators (TPOs) to operate franchises, bridging the gap between the owner of the hotel and the franchisors who own the brand. “While many franchisees are owneroperators and have the management

50% of the large listed hotel companies are franchises Across North America

85% of the market researched were franchised

expertise to be successful, there remains a gap between owners that are unable or unwilling to control the daily operations of the hotel and the franchisors that provide the brand,” says Sophie Perret. “This is where third-party operators have come into prominence. TPOs have allowed companies to sell their flag first and direct their management efforts towards the hotels and brands they deem appropriate, while the owner is able to realise advantages of both franchises and management agreements while avoiding a number of the limitations. The franchise model, with or without a third party operator, is expected to carry on gaining momentum in Europe, as it continues to deliver better value for all parties involved.”

Just

13%

in North America were under management contracts Only

in North America were owned and leased properties

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DINE

Maccheroncini Con Frittedda Macaroni with a Sauce of Asparagus, Onion, Peas and Broad Beans SERVES

PEOPLE

Hotel & Catering Review’s Dish of the Month comes from TV Chef and Author Antonio Carluccio. A Carluccio’s restaurant and food shop opened its doors on April 9th in Glasthule, Co Dublin, treating guests to typical Italian fare, including Prosecco and antipasti and Bellini and risotto.

Frittedda is a speciality of Palermo, the capital of Sicily, where this young vegetable stew is eaten with panelle, chickpea flour fritters, in springtime. It is also good as a sauce for pasta and you can add small, finely sliced artichoke hearts. This recipe is dedicated to Sicily, the first region in Italy to ‘import’ pasta – probably maccaruni – from the Arabs.

Pasta Ingredients: 350g dried maccheroncini pasta 50g Parmesan, freshly grated Salt and pepper, to taste Sauce Ingredients: 60ml extra virgin olive oil 2 onions, peeled and finely sliced 150g podded and peeled young broad beans, peeled weight 150g sweet young garden peas, podded weight 300g asparagus tips 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Method: 1. Heat most of the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and fry gently until soft for about six to eight minutes. 2. Add the raw broad beans, peas and, lastly, the asparagus tips. 3. Add 100ml of water and braise until the vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes). Add salt and pepper to taste. 4. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for six to seven minutes or until al dente. 5. Drain well and mix with the sauce. Add the parsley and divide between four warmed plates. 6. Sprinkle over the Parmesan and, lastly, pour on a stream of the remaining extra virgin olive oil. 6. Serve hot.

TOP TIP 22

HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

This sauce is also good with egg tagliatelle or trenette

COMMERCIAL PROFILE

J&C KENNY’S WORLD

OF WINES & SPIRITS J&C Kenny recently added The Garage Wine to its growing portfolio of exclusive and quality agencies. This quirky boutique winery, with its funky packaging and unique attitude towards wine making, is raising the bar when it comes to premium wines. he ethos behind the winery is back to basics. All the grapes are hand picked in small batches from a single vineyard. They are all feet crushed and fermented in concrete vessels. Young winemaker Fernando Mora’s vision for the wines is that they will ‘come from the grape to the garage to 3* Michelin restaurants’. Two of the wines produced, Bojito Rojo Garnacha Tinta and Garnacha Roble, are quickly becoming iconic. Driven by Fernando’s outside the box thinking and new generation ideas, these wines are outstanding and recent recipients of the Decanter Wine Challenge 2015 Silver Medal award. Fernando’s focus is on making iconic Garnacha from old, unirrigated vines. He is quickly gaining a reputation for his low intervention style

of wine making, preferring to let the grapes speak for themselves. The Bojito Rojo range is named after the ancient Spanish clay drinking container that is used to cool water and is still used by wine growers today. Bojito Rojo Garnacha Tinta is made from 100% Garnacha old vines. The grapes are hand picked from vines that are between 35 and 40 years old. It is fermented in stainless steel vats with wild yeast, with malolactic fermentation taking place in old concrete vessels. This process results in a wine that is a beautiful pomegranate red with intense aromas of cherries, blackberries and black pepper on a spicy backdrop. This is an intense, fresh and fruity wine with well-balanced tannins and pleasing minerality, reflecting all the simplicity and ingenuity of its namesake.

“FERNANDO’S FOCUS IS ON MAKING ICONIC GARNACHA FROM OLD, UNIRRIGATED VINES. HE IS QUICKLY GAINING A REPUTATION FOR HIS LOW INTERVENTION STYLE OF WINE MAKING, PREFERRING TO LET THE GRAPES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.”

Bojito Rojo Roble is made in the same style, with additional ageing of 10 months in French oak barrels. It is produced using grapes from a dry farming vineyard from vines that are between 50 and 70 years old. It is a vivid ruby red colour with aromatic notes of redcurrant and red cherries against a herby, Mediterranean background. This is a fresh, elegant, silky wine, with light, well-balanced oaky tones. The Garage Wine is truly unique. Their attitude of ‘minimum fuss’ and the love and care that Fernando puts into the entire process is creating wines that truly express the best that The

Garage Wine has to offer. Minimal intervention, unirrigated vines, and a commitment to limited productions results in expressive wines that are reflective of the terroir.

For further information, please contact aoife@jckenny.ie, or: J&C Kenny, Unit 9, Oranmore Business Park, Oranmore, Co Galway. Tel: 091 794308 Fax: 091 794737 Website: www.jckenny.ie

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GALGORM APPOINTED

Galgorm Group has been selected by P&G to work with the business as the Master Distributor for its Professional range for the island of Ireland. David Jones, the Sales Manager for their new division, Galgorm Wholesale, explains the significance of the partnership.

David Jones, Sales Manager, Galgorm Wholesale

rior to joining the group in March, David spent 20 years working in the food service business as a Regional and National Field Sales Manager. “I’m very excited about bringing my front line and strategic experience to bear on this new aspect to the Galgorm Group,” he says. “As head of the Sales Team, I’m backed by account support and a telesales team, along with all the business-to-business support you would expect from a progressive sales operation with over 40 years’ trading experience. I am looking forward to working in this fastpaced competitive business with the Galgorm Wholesale Team and P&G Professional. Their combined experience, expertise and product range will deliver exceptional results to everyone we work with.”

A: Galgorm Wholesale is the wholesale trading and sales division of Galgorm Group, one of Ireland’s largest suppliers of products and equipment to the hospitality, healthcare, education, and industrial market sectors. Galgorm Wholesale has been entrusted by P&G to work with the business as the Master Distributor for its Professional range for the island of Ireland. When the contract was signed in January 2014 it marked the beginning of an exciting business opportunity between a family-owned indigenous business and one of the world’s largest companies. It also resulted in the creation of further jobs to add to the expanding core workforce. Galgorm Wholesale is dedicated to maximising the penetration of the P&G product range of laundry, housekeeping and hygiene products. My role and that of my team is to work exclusively through our wholesalers and distribution partners to achieve this. The team are specifically trained to enhance the brand presence of P&G Professional and to increase sales for P&G nationwide.

Q: What is the significance of the partnership between Galgorm Wholesale and P&G Professional?

Q: What is P&G Professional? A: P&G Professional is the business-to-business division of Proctor & Gamble

that has a strategic focus on supplying hotels, restaurants, schools, care homes, building cleaning services and other businesses with P&G products specifically tailored for professional and away from home cleaning needs. “Whether you run a busy hotel or restaurant, or provide cleaning and maintenance services to industry and commerce, P&G products can help you provide a clean and safe environment wherever people work, eat, shop or stay,” says Stephen Knight P&G Professional’s Sales Manager for Ireland. Q: What key message do you wish to convey to the hotel and catering industry? A: Until the Galgorm/P&G alliance was formed P&G did not have a homogenised distribution and sales network for professional end users in Ireland. For the first time ever, the singularly focused Galgorm Wholesale team will be able to compile data and important feedback on the professional end users which will also allow us to educate and promote the benefits of the P&G Professional range directly to wholesalers/cash and carry operators, and end users throughout Ireland. I am excited about the potential of this partnership and I look

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COMMERCIAL PROFILE

forward to working for the benefit of both companies in the years ahead. Q: What is your vision for your company and for the P&G partnership in the year ahead? A: We want to strengthen the relationships between Galgorm and the wholesalers and distributors throughout Ireland by becoming the partner of choice to deliver P&G Professional products. We feel that personal contact is key to our business so I will be using my specialist knowledge and that of the wholesale team to work with our customers and their customers to add value and expertise to their purchasing experience. Galgorm Wholesale can offer marketing initiatives built around a quality stable of P&G products, including household names like Ariel, Daz, Deepio, Bold, Flash, and Lenor, with customer promotions to deliver orders that ensure both end user loyalty and essential bottom line growth to our sales agents and distributors.

OUR SALES TEAM Billy Jennings Sales Executive: 086 461 2472 E: billy.jennings@galgormwholesale.com arry Masterson B Sales Executive: 086 460 8076 E: barry.masterson@galgormwholesale.com Nicholas Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill Sales Executive: 086 771 1700 E: nicolas.oneill@galgormwholesale.com at McIlwaine P Sales Executive: 00 44 (0)77 331 27566 E: pat.mcilwaine@galgormwholesale.com errie McGroggan K Account Support: 0044 482 566 3436 E: kerrie.mcgroggan@galgormwholesale.com avid Jones D Sales Manager: 086 466 1902 E: david.jones@galgormwholesale.com

For further information, contact David Jones Tel: (086) 6441902 or email david.jones@galgormwholesale.com

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COMMERCIAL PROFILE

HELPING THE HOTELIERS P&G Professional’s automated laundry system can help hoteliers control cost in use and increase the efficiency of their laundry operations. ur high performance products combine to deliver outstanding results, even at low temperatures. An automated laundry system feeds laundry products directly from the canister into the washing machine via a wall-mounted pump and handset on the front of the washing machine. The equipment can be fitted to any fully commercial front loading washing machine. There are a number of benefits for the hotelier who opts for an automated dosing system with P&G Professional Laundry instead of sticking with manually dosed laundry products. For example, the

automated dosing laundry product is fed directly into the washing machine to ensure that the correct dose of laundry product is used at the right time, time after time. This in turn ensures less wastage through over dosing. It is one of the simplest and most cost effective ways to achieve the best possible wash perfomance using branded products which are well known and trusted. It all adds up to less rewashes from under dosing and consistency of performance. The P&G Professional Laundry System will make an outstanding impression on your customers through unparalleled levels of cleaning, whiteness rejuvenation in just one cycle, whiteness maintenance cycle after cycle, long lasting freshness reaching the room, exceptional softness, and gentle stain removal on coloured items. It can help your bottom line by reducing linen replacement costs by up to 75% on white linen and up to 50% on coloured items. It also saves staff time because

there are less re-washes and it reduces energy costs by using wash temperature. In addition, the system reduces machine maintenance and is customised to meet your needs, ie, a system that is correct for the type of wash equates to less staff training. As there is no blocked dispenser or soil pipes from powder residue, the P&G Professional Laundry system results in a tidier laundry area. P&G Professional’s training DVD demonstrates how to use the system and also includes a COSHH overview, manual handling overview, and tips on laundry practice, including cross

contamination. The welcome pack includes material safety data sheets and wall charts. P&G’s Professional Laundry system is fully supported by a team of highly qualified engineers and all of our customers have access to technical support, and research and development. In addition, the system is serviced annually at your site. The auto-dosing system is loaned free of charge while using the P&G Professional Laundry products and is installed free-of-charge. The system meets EN Norm 1276 for disinfection.

THE P & G PROFESSIONAL LAUNDRY SYSTEM CONSISTS OF FIVE PRODUCTS:

For further information, please contact David Jones, Sales Manager, Tel: 00353 (0)86 466 1902 or email david.jones@galgormwholesale.com Kerrie McGroggan, Account Support Tel: 0044 482 566 3436 or email: kerrie.mcgroggan@galgormwholesale.com or visit www.galgormwholesale.com

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COMMERCIAL PROFILE

DELIVERING HIGH

Spring Grove Services Ltd is part of the Berendsen Group with laundries across Europe covering hospitality, healthcare, washroom, work wear and clean room. pring Grove Services in Ireland has five processing plants in Dublin, Cork and Cookstown, along with two distribution depots in Roscommon and Limerick. The company has been in operation for over 100 years and employs in excess of 500 people across the country. Spring Grove Services also operates under the brands Steri-Tex (OR clean room), Spring Grove Clean Room (pharma), Nano Clean (pharma clean room) and Caretex (residents clothing for nursing homes). The company has two linen plants in Pottery Road in Dun Laoghaire and Millfield in Cork. Both of these plants are equipped with modern finishing equipment which enables both plants to produce

high quality linen for the healthcare and hospitality sectors. Both plants are accredited to ISO 9001:2008, EN 14065 and EN 14001 and are audited by the NSAI on an annual basis to ensure compliance. Spring Grove Services has a long-standing commitment to the health and safety of its staff and is currently working towards the EN 18001 health and safety standard. The company will have achieved this accreditation before the end of the year. The recent acquisition of a single roll table linen line allows for the production of high quality table linen (with no tape marks) to compliment the already extensive range of product offerings, from standard stock items to

bespoke linen. Spring Grove’s access to the largest group of laundries in Europe means that the latest developments in flat linen, either in terms of equipment or products, are available to Spring Grove Services and its customers. This is complemented by the extensive knowledge base that exists in Spring Grove Services and in the wider Berendsen group. Given the operation’s geographical spread, Spring Grove Services is uniquely placed to service customers across the island of Ireland, and it is also in a position to offer full business continuity, with all plants backing each other’s service. The company is committed to working and partnering with existing and new customers to provide

them with the products and services that are right for them, whether it is a boutique hotel, restaurant or a large group. The Spring Grove Services philosophy is to deliver both linen and service. The company can provide linen deliveries to the linen room and right the way through to a full managed linen service. Customer retention and satisfaction is key to the success of Spring Grove Services and to this end we constantly strive to ensure that our offering and customer service is market leading. We take pride in doing what we are best at, which is delivering unsurpassed levels of service so that our customers in the hotel and catering industries can do what they are best at.

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COMMERCIAL PROFILE

OF PROFESSIONAL LAUNDRY APPLIANCES Miele has developed and produced commercial laundry machines since 1924. Today, Miele offers its commercial customers a carefully matching system consisting of washer extractors, tumble dryers and flatwork ironers guaranteeing gentle fabric care, cost efficient operation and effective processes.

asy to use controls, advanced technology, economical and efficient programmes and a fleet of complementary appliances ensure that Miele Professional laundry systems are the leaders in the field of professional laundry systems. Miele Professional laundry appliances include washing machines, tumble dryers and flatwork ironers. Intelligent programmes and features include specialist procedures such as disinfecting and proofing, as well as pre-programming of washing cycles to suit requirements. Washer-extractors and tumble dryers have capacities ranging from 6.5kg to 32kg to suit varying laundry loads. The Miele Soft Clean System, for example, offers optimum care for duvets and blankets, and specialist cleaning programmes guarantee the simple laundering of various fabrics and materials. Miele laundry machines offer the perfect solution in terms of size and performance to meet the most diverse range of needs. Always a worthwhile investment, they are highly economical and offer the best in laundry care, be it for a new installation or

for modernising an existing facility. Miele is the epitome of quality. ‘Forever Better’ has been the Miele philosophy for the past 110 years – the promise of quality represented by perfect system solutions in laundry care. All Miele products are developed and manufactured in accordance with the highest quality standards. The team at Miele Ireland develop tailored appliance solutions to meet specific customer requirements to create the most efficient laundry system for their business. They also offer tailored maintenance and full-service contracts with a dedicated nationwide service team. A recent survey conducted in 2011 by the independent Mercuri International Institute proves the high levels of customer satisfaction that the Miele appliances enjoy, with 97% of customers stating that they would buy their machines again from Miele Professional. “From start to finish Miele provided us with sound advice and an energy efficient solution tailored to our business, Miele are our number one choice for laundry equipment” John Lambert, Kelly’s Resort Hotel. For further details on the Miele Professional range please contact Sharon Blackburn on (01) 44 99 251

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Special 90 year anniversary discounts now available on Miele laundry appliances. To find our more about the benefits of Miele Professional systems contact our sales team: Tel: 01 4499251 Email: sharon.blackburn@miele.ie www.miele-professional.ie

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SUPPLY

LINE

ESSENTIAL PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE

HELPING HOTELIERS GO DIGITAL

DOBIQUITY Dobiquity, a new suite of apps designed for the hotel industry, was launched recently. “Our suite of enterprise apps and knowledge resources will provide small and medium-sized hotels with a level of technological and information resources that is seen in large enterprises but at a fraction of the cost,” says Enda Larkin, Managing Director, Dobiquity. “Our subscribers can select from a portfolio of apps that digitise a variety of important business tasks without the need to sign up with multiple providers. Using Dobiquity apps requires no investment in IT as everything is cloud-based and access to the suite of apps is available for an annual subscription that works out at around €1 per day.”

EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED IN IRELAND BY FINDLATER WINE & SPIRIT GROUP.

View the Dobiquity offering at: www.dobiquity.com

THE DRINK THAT SATISFIES EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED

IN IRELAND BY FINDLATER WINE & SPIRIT GROUP.

DRAMBUIE The story of Drambuie began over 265 years ago in July 1746. Prince Charles Edward Stuart was on the run after defeat at the Battle of Culloden and, in thanks for the bravery of John MacKinnon who helped the prince escape, he gave him the secret recipe to his personal liqueur. The elixir would become known to the world as Drambuie. The drink was infused with spices such as cloves, for medicinal purposes, and saffron, to give the liquid its rich golden colour. The name Drambuie is derived from Scots Gaelic – ‘an dram buidheach’ – meaning ‘the drink that satisfies.’ Drambuie is a bright, deep golden colour with aromas of aged malt whiskey combined with a mix of floral and herbal overtones and rich honey. The flavour is a complex arrangement of herbal, spicy, sweet and honey notes. Drambuie is exclusively distributed in Ireland by Findlater Wine & Spirit Group. For further information, visit www.findlaterws.ie

MEET THE MASI TRIBE

VERONA CLASSICS Buck the trend for bland New World wines so prevalent on wine lists nowadays and choose one or more of Masi’s Verona Classics, which offer your customers flavour, character, history and sense of place that the newcomers can’t touch. Now available in refreshing new packaging, the range is the lynchpin of the Masi portfolio and offers up pure expressions of some of the most famous and historic winemaking areas in Verona, the home to Masi since the Boscaini family started making wine there in the early 1700s. They’re ideal for on-trade wine lists as they suit a wide variety of dishes as well as being enjoyable on its own. The white is a Soave, the definitive fresh and easy drinking Italian white wine made with the traditional local grapes Garganega and Trebbiano. There’s also a Valpolicella Classico – which Masi calls “Bonacosta” – produced in a contemporary, elegant style, as well as “Fescaripa”, their Bardolino Classico, which is a slightly richer and riper style due to its proximity to the temperaturemoderating Lake Garda. Both reds offer the approachable red cherry flavours so beloved of the region. For further information, visit www.findlaterws.ie

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ON THE MOVE

JENNY DE SAULLES

WILLIAM KIRBY

MARK HENRY

NEW POSITION HEAD OF IRELAND’S ANCIENT EAST

NEW POSITION GENERAL MANAGER

NEW POSITION VICE-CHAIR OF THE EUROPEAN TRAVEL COMMISSION

EMPLOYER FÁILTE IRELAND

A native of Cork, Jenny has been with Fáilte Ireland since 2008. Prior to that she worked in Nestlé for 15 years. During her time with Fáilte Ireland she held a number of roles, and for the past 18 months she has worked in the leisure sales section, heading up the channel management team and managing the international buyer relationship. In March 2015, Jenny was appointed Head of Ireland’s Ancient East, the new touring region which seeks to attract greater international visitors by building on the wealth of historical and cultural assets in the east of Ireland. This new initiative, which extends from Carlingford to Cork and from Cavan to Carnsore, is based on 5,000 years of history, heritage and culture.

EMPLOYER LYRATH ESTATE HOTEL

He joins the team at Lyrath Estate from Mount Juliet, where he had been working as General Manager since 2006. Under William’s leadership, Mount Juliet Estate attained 3 AA Rosettes for its fine dining room, the Lady Helen Restaurant, followed by the award of a Michelin Star in 2013. During that time the hotel also received a Hotel of the Year award from Georgina Campbell. William has held a number of high profile roles in premises such as Roxburghe Hotel and Golf Course, the Westbury Hotel London, Balmoral Hotel and the Old Course Hotel in St Andrew’s. He is on the Board of Directors of Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Rotary Club in Kilkenny. He has been an active IHF member at local level since arriving in Kilkenny.

EMPLOYER TOURISM IRELAND

The ETC comprises 33 national tourism organisations that co-operate to grow visitor numbers to Europe from long-haul markets. Mark Henry has represented Ireland at all levels in the ETC for the past 12 years – on its Market Intelligence Group and at general meetings - and is currently serving on the board. He leads the Central Marketing Division of Tourism Ireland, where his responsibilities include strategy development, research, marketing communications and content generation, e-marketing and customer engagement. Mark’s new responsibilities in the ETC will include leading an initiative to seek improvement in the European visa regime for long-haul travellers.

New Appointments, Promotions and Recruitment

ON THE HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

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FOOD FILE

LitFest goes

Transatlantic The Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine held its inaugural US event in March when the 2015 LitFest programme was launched to a packed crowd at Studio 1 on Broadway in Manhattan.

(l-r): Rory O’Connell, Director, Kerrygold Ballymaloe Litfest. Jean Kelly, Irish Dairy Board, and Darina Allen, Founder, Kerrygold Ballymaloe Litfest,

he third Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine runs from May 15th to 17th at Ballymaloe and the New York launch was an opportunity for US guests to get a real taste of what’s in store at the LitFest this year. Guests included writers, journalists and columnists from the New York Times, Monocle, National Geographic, Martha Stewart Living, CNN, Saveur, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, Food & Wine, Village Voice, New York Post and New York Daily News. There were also many USbased friends and ex-Ballymaloe

Cookery School pupils in attendance, including writer, chef and former BCS student Clodagh McKenna, ex-White House pastry chef Bill Yosses, and participants in this year’s LitFest such as chefs and authors David Tanis and David Lebovitz, and wine writer Alice Feiring. Invitees were treated to a selection of canapés and drinks showcasing fine Irish produce, with a special focus on Kerrygold products. Canapés included Shanagarry organic smoked salmon on Ballymaloe brown bread with Kerrygold

butter and pickled cucumbers, Kerrygold Cashel Blue cheese on brown soda crackers with spiced cranberries, smoked mackerel and chive rillettes on grilled sourdough bread, roast fillet of beef with horseradish mayonnaise, crudités with aïoli, and a selection of Kerrygold cheeses (Kerrygold Dubliner, Skellig and vintage cheddar) with pickles and brown soda crackers. Invitees also enjoyed wine, homemade lemonade and Kerrygold Cream Liqueur, and Ballymaloe vanilla fudge as a goodbye treat! Guests

“ATTRACTING WORLD RENOWNED CHEFS, FOOD AND WINE WRITERS AND CRITICS, THE KERRYGOLD BALLYMALOE LITFEST HAS NOW FIRMLY ESTABLISHED IRELAND’S FOOD AND LITERARY CULTURE ON THE CULINARY WORLD STAGE.”

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FOOD FILE

Listowel chefs Fergus Flanagan, Steven Trew, Kevin Purcell, Jason Kane, Armel Whyte, and Mary Julian prepare for the 21st Listowel Food Fair.

All the Former Ballymaloe Cookery School student Malcolm Jackson, Festival Founder Darina Allen, Linda O’Sullivan, and Sean Hyde of Ballymaloe Relish.

FUN at the

Michael Molesky, Chef and Documentary Maker Shaw Lash, and Cook and Designer Mira Evnine at the launch.

Former editor of Gourmet magazine and food writer Zanne Stewart and festival founder, Darina Allen.

also enjoyed teaser interviews with some of the participants in this year’s LitFest. Rory O’Connell, Director of the LitFest, interviewed acclaimed author, chef and New York Times columnist David Tanis and Darina Allen introduced a Litfest film, a short show reel giving guests a flavour of the atmosphere and scale of the event taking place in May. Attracting world renowned chefs, food and wine writers and critics, the Kerrygold Ballymaloe LitFest has now firmly established Ireland’s food and literary culture on the culinary world stage. The Litfest will also feature kitchen gardeners, foragers and artisan producers from all over the world. The international lineup includes cook, author and blogger Jack Monroe; wine writer Jancis Robinson MW; food writer and author David Lebowitz; chefs April Bloomfield and Mark Hix and

chefs Sam and Sam Clark of Moro and Morito. Closer to home, well-known participants will include co-founders Darina Allen and Rory O’Connell, Rachel Allen, Kevin Thornton, Tom Doorley and Raymond Blake.

Sodexo Ireland is once again a premium sponsor of the Kerrygold Ballymaloe Litfest. Margot Slattery (left), Sodexo Ireland Managing Director, and Julianne Forrestal, Sodexo Executive Craft Chef, are pictured with Darina Allen at the Irish launch at The Fumbally in Dublin.

FAIR

The Listowel Food Fair will celebrate its 21st anniversary over the Summer Solstice weekend from Thursday, June 18th to Sunday, June 21st. Ireland’s longest running food festival promises a feast of culinary entertainment, including a tribute to local woman Kathy Buckley, who was the cook for three US Presidents. Live cookery demonstrations, expert led workshops, a food trail and farmers’ markets are just some of the fun food activities, as well as the first All Ireland Craft Beer Competition. The 2015 Listowel Food Fair programme has been designed with families, children, artisan producers and food enthusiasts in mind. This year’s festival will be opened by food writer and TV3’s The Restaurant critic, Paolo Tullio, who will be the guest judge at the Publicans V Traders Cook Off. Artisan produce will feature on a tasting menu at the festival dinner in the Listowel Arms Hotel during which the winner of the Best Emerging Food Producer will be announced. The festival will culminate with a BBQ, food market and street entertainment on the final day in The Square.

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FOOD FILE

What’s

COOKING at

BALLYMALOE? Ballymaloe Cookery School, the only cookery school in the world situated on its own 100-acre organic farm, is hosting a number of training courses over the next few months which may be of interest to Hotel & Catering Review readers.

START YOUR OWN GUESTHOUSE > Monday, April 20th - five days A new addition to the Ballymaloe Cookery School calendar, this five-day course is designed for anyone thinking about opening their own B&B or guesthouse. Inspired by our travels around the world, we will give you lots of exciting new ideas for how to build a business beyond the traditional Irish B&B. GLUTEN-FREE COOKING > Saturday, May 23rd – half day More and more people are seeking to do something to deal with their gluten intolerance and food allergies. Gone are the days when food for coeliacs was a dismal affair. This course is full of fresh, delicious recipes to inspire your cooking and improve your health without leaving you longing for ‘real food’. FERMENTED FOODS FOR A HEALTHIER LIFE > Wednesday, June 3rd – half day There is a significant renewed interest in this essential but forgotten skill. A diet rich in fermented foods is known to have tremendous health benefits. The process of fermentation increases vitamins, antioxidants, enzymes and beneficial bacteria that is naturally present in food – improving flavour, enhancing digestion and boosting immunity. On this course we will show you how to make your own water and milk kefirs, sauerkrauts, sourdough, and lots more. GUEST CHEFS SARIT PACKER & ITAMAR SRULOVICH > Saturday, June 6th – half day The famed chefs of London’s popular Honey & Co restaurant return to Ballymaloe Cookery School following their appearance at this year’s Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival to deliver a three-hour cookery demonstration. For anyone who missed their sold out events at this year’s festival, this is the ideal opportunity to see them in action. START YOUR OWN CAFÉ BUSINESS > Monday, June 15th - 15 days Our famous café start-up business course is back with Blathnaid Bergin of The School of Restaurant & Kitchen Management. This 15-day course is designed to get your business off to a flying start, covering everything from the practicalities of business set-up and training your staff to designing and creating a menu. This is the only course of its kind and it is highly recommended for anyone who wants to launch a successful café business.

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FOOD FOCUS

DISCOVER A

Gastronomic Gem

FROM SPAIN

Ireland’s love affair with Spanish food and wine shows no sign of abating any time soon. But Iberico ham is a gastronomic gem that our chefs may be overlooking.

ne of the most extraordinary gourmet products in the world, Iberico ham, has a complex, lingering flavour and a signature texture that is incomparable, both firm and tender. It is also healthy to eat. It comes from the Ibérico black pig, only found in Spain, which is left to roam freely in the southern pasturelands - a complex, well-balanced and ancient ecosystem. The pigs are constantly exercising while foraging for acorns that fall from the oak trees. The combination of exercise and balanced diet - grass and stubble, wild legumes and, above all, acorns - forms the fat in its muscles. This gives the meat a signature succulence and firm texture like no other pork product on the planet. Its nutritional value sets Ibérico ham apart. The high anti-oxidant content found in acorns help produce oleic acid. In fact, the only food product found to be higher in oleic acid is olive oil. This sweet, buttery mono-unsaturated fat not only delivers an intense flavour but it also makes it healthy to eat Ibérico ham.

Ibérico ham also has enormous cultural significance. Pig breeding and curing methods have remained largely unchanged since pre-Roman times. The curing process takes two years. Ham legs are packed in salt for a few weeks. They are then hung in drying chambers with open windows to allow the mountain air to flow, the natural flora to grow on the skins, and the fat to drip away. Unlike prosciutto or Parma ham, Ibérico ham is not covered in lard for the curing process, nor any other external ingredient that would affect its inherent flavour. Hand sliced and eaten immediately is the best way to enjoy the incomparable flavours of the Ibérico ham. Slicing is a ritual that enhances the tasting experience and elegance of any event, but Ibérico ham can also be bought in packed slices. It is best to eat Ibérico only with some bread but it can also turn the simplest dishes into a memorable meal. Its best wine matches are fino and manzanilla sherries.

Ibérico ham’s singular qualities make it ideal for special occasions. Indulge your patrons with one of the world’s most coveted gourmet products and watch them marvel at its orchestra of sweet, nutty and lightly salty flavours, delicious aroma and melt in the mouth texture. Knowing it is a culmination of centuries of tradition and culture, artisan curing processes and organic breeding, will make it an experience they will never forget. For more information visit: www.ibericofromspain.com

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MINS WITH

CLEMENT PAVIE This month Maev Martin gets the wholesaler’s perspective on food trends and shopping local from Musgrave Marketplace Head Chef Clement Pavie. Q: What does a typical day in the Musgrave MarketPlace kitchen involve? A: My job is quite varied, from food product development to training and research. A large part of my work consists of helping chefs to add value to their food offering. I operate from our demonstration kitchens in Dublin and Cork but I also travel to customers all over Ireland, working with them and their teams to develop recipes, new food concepts, ideas and training. Tasting new products is another important part of the day, as is engaging with our independent

costing to help them run their business in a timely and costefficient manner. Working closely with various customer types, keeping informed, and constantly researching local and global food industry trends means that we can help our customers to stay ahead of the competition. Q: Who are the key local suppliers and producers that Musgrave MarketPlace work with? A: As the largest Irish food wholesaler we have many suppliers but we try to work with Irish and local suppliers first. For example, a lot of our desserts are made by an Irish manufacturer based in Ireland. This approach allows us to respond quickly to special demands when we are developing new products and to respond to new trends. Q: What are the key food trends that you have identified in the Irish market? A: Three food trends really jump out. The first is local, Irish and

authentic. The demand for Irish and local products to feature on the menu is bigger than ever. Working with local and Irish artisans helps the chefs that we work with to create that sense of authenticity in their menu. The second trend is the desire for healthy, nutritious and tasty food. People are looking for reduced fat and sugar and additive-free food, for both sitting down and on the go. We have introduced a new range of ingredients and meal options, with a large emphasis on gluten-free, as Ireland has a large number of coeliac or gluten-intolerant people. The third trend is all about returning to traditional fare. It is about rediscovering classic cooking skills and turning simple ingredients into tasty food. Increasing demand for cheaper cuts of meat, like the feather blades and oxtails, are proof of this. Bringing a twist to the traditional, everyday recipe is also very popular, like a black sesame and wasabi batter for your traditional fish and chips, or a toblerone cheese cake for dessert.

panel of chefs to ensure that we have the right range and quality for our customers. Q: What other services do you and your team of in-house chefs provide to industry? A: We have a range of products to suit every level of chef and every customer type, from finished products to real authentic ingredients. We help chefs to create their own signature dishes and recipes. We also work with chefs on their approach to

“THE DEMAND FOR IRISH AND LOCAL PRODUCTS TO FEATURE ON THE MENU IS BIGGER THAN EVER. WORKING WITH LOCAL AND IRISH ARTISANS HELPS THE CHEFS THAT WE WORK WITH TO CREATE THAT SENSE OF AUTHENTICITY IN THEIR MENU.”

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Burger Nirvana

IN THE GOURMET KITCHEN This month Maev Martin talks to Ken Gilbride, General Manager, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, about creating handcrafted burgers from the finest ingredients.

PARTNERS IN FOOD

HOW DID THE BUSINESS COME ABOUT? Back in 2001, three Kiwi guys set up the first Gourmet Burger Kitchen in Battersea, South London, changing the UK burger scene forever. In 2008 the first GBK opened in Ireland in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, quickly followed by six more locations - Swords Pavilions, Temple Bar Square, Newbridge, South William Street, South Anne Street and Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport. Our ethos today is the same as it was back in 2001 - we still pride ourselves on serving up a variety of handcrafted burgers, combining 100% prime Irish beef with the freshest ingredients and burger sauces made from scratch every day in each GBK kitchen.

Ken Gilbride (left), General Manager, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, with Keelings Managing Director, Colm Bury.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IN THE BUSINESS? I am the General Manager for Gourmet Burger Kitchen Ireland. This involves overseeing all aspects of the business but, most importantly, ensuring that

customers have a good experience on a daily basis. This is achieved through the dedicated teams in our restaurants who work tirelessly to ensure that every burger is perfectly prepared and delivered with a smile. To reach burger nirvana, only the best ingredients are used, and they are delivered on a daily basis from sustainable sources. The relationship that we have with our suppliers, such as Keelings, has been forged over years of working together. It is a relationship based on reliability, respect, and a passion for food, and this is why we call them supply partners, and not simply suppliers. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE BUSINESS? After the difficulties of the past few years, we are now starting to look at refurbishing our current restaurants and at adding to our chain. We will also continue to experiment with new products and recipes. We have recently started working with a delivery company, bringing our handcrafted burgers directly to our customers, wherever they are. WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR GOURMET BURGER KITCHEN? With the constant influx of competition in our market space, it is vital that we stay ahead of the trends. We do this by investing in our teams and in our product. Our people are the core of our business and ensuring that we have the right people in the right positions is fundamental. This, coupled with the right product, is a winning formula in our book.

Dublin: +353 (0)1 895 5301

Wexford: +353 (0)53 9147447

Email: farmfresh@keelings.com

Cork: + 353 (0)21 4968088

Belfast: +44 2890324236

Web: www.keelings.com

HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

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