11 minute read
STREETS AHEAD
S t r e e t s a h e a d
Lockdown has forced Adriana and Mark Fitzpatrick at Malahide’s Old Street restaurant to become a bit more creative
For Mark and Adriana Fitzpatrick, owners of Old Street restaurant in Malahide, opening as a takeaway during lockdown wasn’t half as daunting as reopening the restaurant a couple of weeks ago. “I think it was the size of the task. All the changes that we made to the business when we were closed required a lot of effort and cost. We had everything in place for no more than six weeks and then we had to changing it all back. We were also quite insulated as a takeaway so there was definitely an anxiety around bringing people back into the restaurant,” said Mark. Old Street is located, funnily enough, on Old Street in Malahide. Open just over three years, it’s an extremely spacious, two-level restaurant with basement that lends itself nicely to social distancing requirements. High tables and stools have been removed from the bar area to allow for extra tables, making up for the ones that were taken out of the main restaurant. “We’re lucky with the space we have here but it has definitely been a bit overwhelming having people back in the restaurant. When you’re a neighbourhood restaurant, you always have people who know the next table. People are moving around and you’re trying to stop that which goes against the grain of what hospitality is all about,” said Adriana. “It’s difficult to find that balance between adhering to guidelines and having all the systems in place to keep people safe while at the same time not making people feel like they’re walking into a science lab. But we’ll absolutely be making it clear to guests that they must stay in their seats,” said Mark.
The restaurant’s ample space also meant the basement could be converted into a production kitchen for takeaway purposes. BBQ packs, wine packs and cocktail packs sold extremely well. “One week we sold 684 cocktail packs which was amazing. We have never sold anything close to that in the restaurant,” said Adriana. As with most restaurants forced to revise their business model and adapt in order to survive, there was some trepidation around opening as a takeaway. “We were certainly nervous about launching a takeaway. We’re a casual dining restaurant and our food doesn’t really lend itself to a takeaway. We didn’t know if the pay-off would be worth it.
It did turn out to be worthwhile but it required considerable effort and cost. I think the pay-off has been the lessons we’ve learned along the way.” Those lessons include understanding the viability of the BBQ and drinks packs which will continue and the potential around developing a catering arm to the business. “The catering side of things has grown organically. People began asking for takeaways for special events but they didn’t want what was available on the menu. One particular person wanted finger food for a 30th birthday party so we designed a package for her and things took off from there. We’ve now launched the catering business and if there’s a second surge, at least we’ll have that in “Instead of sinking place,” said Adriana. Currently, the we definitely swam. catering side of the business provides food, delivery and set-up We’ve learned a lot but no service. “We’d like to provide about the space service but staff levels don’t allow and how adaptable for that right now. We brought back it actually is. 17 of our 27 staff members; thankfully we were able to bring We’re not just back all our full-time employees. a restaurant When the catering business anymore” becomes a separate entity to the restaurant, we’ll definitely need more staff,” said Adriana. The pandemic has forced the couple to be more creative. “Instead of sinking we definitely swam. We’ve learned a lot about the space and how adaptable it actually is. We’re not just a restaurant anymore. It’s exciting but also terrifying!”
Old Street serves up modern Irish cuisine, courtesy of Head Chef Mario Simic. “Mario is from Croatia so he has brought a different feeling and flavour to the menu. We’ve added new starters including an Octopus Carpaccio and during lockdown, we invested in a dry ageing fridge,” said Mark. Meat is now aged and smoked in-house. “Croatians have a history of curing their own meats. Most houses will have an outdoor smoker, they’ll have their own pigs and they’ll make their own brandy. So it was
something that Mario and I had been chatting about for a while. We decided to go ahead with it during lockdown. We never realised how successful it would be. One of our best-selling takeaway dishes was the charcuterie and cheese and on our new menu we have a version of it, which so far is also proving really popular.”
Old Street’s loyal following in Malahide is compensating for the lack of corporate bookings. “We would have had a very good revenue stream from the corporate market so we’re lucky that the locals have stuck with us. I’d like to ultimately see the catering side grow into a catering and events business running alongside the restaurant. I think we both feel like we learned a lot during the pandemic and those lessons will stand to us. Right now, we’re excited and hopeful for the future,” said Adriana.
Books out this month.... Pod Life...
THE PROVEN PRINCIPLES PODCAST
The Proven Principles Podcast is aimed at demystifying the inner workings Find your of hotels. The next favourite hosts share Unvarnished: A gimlet-eyed loo k at life behind the bar Rebel Chef: In Search of What Matt ers best the podcast with our pick of the best insights and practices on skills needed to be successful in any customer Author: Eric Alperin Author: Dominique Crenn service focused Publisher: Harper Wave Publisher: Penguin Press business. On the show RRP: €25 RRP: €29.75 you’ll fi nd interviews with Available: www.amazon.com Available: www.dubraybooks.ie hospitality industry experts and individual episodes that When it opened a decade ago, the acclaimed By the time Dominique Crenn decided to break down the tools, tips Los Angeles speakeasy The Varnish – owned, become a chef at the age of 21, she knew it was a and tricks that the best run designed and managed by award-winning near impossible dream in France where almost hotels use every day. cocktail afi cionado Eric Alperin – quickly all restaurant kitchens were run by men. So, Listen on Apple podcasts or became the stylish standard bearer for she left her home and everything she knew to Stitcher modern bars. Unvarnished is a candid, move to San Francisco, where she would train voice-driven, no-holds-barred look at the under the legendary Jeremiah Tower. Almost 30 RESTAURANT workings of a bar and the foundation of The years later, Crenn was awarded three Michelin UNSTOPPABLE Varnish’s success – attention to hospitality Stars in 2018 for her influential restaurant Atelier WITH ERIC and an abiding belief in the nobility of service. Crenn and became the fi rst female chef in the CACCIATORE Alperin and veteran bartender and writer US to receive this honour – no small feat for What do the most Deborah Stoll push back against the prevailing someone who hadn’t gone to culinary school or successful entrepreneurs conceit that working in the service industry been formally trained. In Rebel Chef, Crenn tells know that you don’t? On is something people do because they failed of her untraditional coming-of-age as a chef, Restaurants Unstoppable, at another career. They o er fascinating beginning with her childhood in Versailles. Here today’s most successful meditations on ice as the bartender’s flame, is a disarmingly honest and revealing look at one restaurateurs and the good, the bad and the sad parts of vice woman’s evolution from a daring young chef to a restaurant professionals and the obsessive, compulsive deliberations respected activist. share tips and insights to of building a bar (size matters). At the book’s help make your restaurant centre are the 100 plus recipes a young Jedi dreams unstoppable. bartender must know before their fi rst shift at The Varnish, along with examples of building drinks by the round, how to Mr. Potato Head cocktails and what questions to ask when CHECK OUT SOME OF THE BEST FOOD Topics include how to lead, manage and market a successful restaurant. Listen on Apple podcasts or crafting a Bartender’s Choice. RELATED BOOKS AND Stitcher PODCASTS ON THE SLICK TALK: THE MARKET RIGHT NOW Book Shelf HOSPITALITY PODCAST This is the podcast for anyone and everyone in the hospitality industry that love what they do and wants to grow, learn and experience all the cool things the world of hotels, restaurants, vacation rentals and travel have to o er. Listen on Stitcher or Apple podcasts
A Quick Chat with Jerr y Healy
‘Hotel Manager of the Year’ Jerry Healy talks teamwork, the secrets of his success and how life has changed since Covid-19
“It see ms like yesterday that we were gearing up for St. Patricks Day at the hotel, then it was like driving off a cliff ; everything changed” What was your fi rst job in the industry?
Working for a renowned Cork property. My initial role was as a bar tender and I was then o ered a trainee management position through the hotel’s training programme. I was fortunate to work with GM’s who provided great insight, which allowed me to become one of the youngest appointed GM’s in the Cork region. One of the most important tips I learned was to always keep a close reign on the cost base in order to maximise revenue and profi tability. I’ve also learned that a GM must be able to multitask; to be aware of ongoing activities across all departments and to provide direction on key decisions. Winning the GM of the Year award
It’s a fantastic accolade which I’m humbled by but I see it as recognition for the fantastic team that I work with. I’m also proud that the Carrigaline Court Hotel was accredited with the title ‘A great place to stay’ by the Irish Hotel Awards. What do you att ribute your success to?
My parents had a positive hard work ethic and raised me with the same ethos. I believe the award recognition is down to the hard work and dedication of the entire hotel team, working together to exceed customer expectations and delivering a visitor experience that is personalised and memorable. What’s the proudest moment of your caree r so far?
I became GM of the Carrigaline Court Hotel over 10 years ago, steering the hotel through the recession and overseeing the recent €3.5 million refurbishment and the development of the hotel into the high Four Star standard that it has now attained. I’m proud of that accomplishment. How has your working life changed since Covid-19?
It seems like yesterday that we were gearing up for St. Patricks Day at the hotel, then it was like driving o a cli ; everything changed. Bookings disappeared and very hard calls had to be made to protect the hotel and furlough sta to try to manage the cost base. However, this sector has seen challenges in the past and dusted itself o and that’s what we are doing again. Our sta have been fantastic and have rowed in behind the hotel to get us reopened and we believe that with our newly developed ‘Stay Safe Approach’, consumer confi dence will return. We are already seeing strong pickup for the remainder of the summer season. What’s the funniest interaction you’ve ever had with a guest?
I recall once receiving a telephone call from a customer who was complaining of their recent experience in the hotel. However, upon listening to the customer detail her dissatisfaction in particular with the breakfast, I began to realise that something wasn’t quite right as our breakfast has a fantastic reputation. After hearing her describe the venue setting, I began to realise that it wasn’t our hotel; it turned out that the customer had stayed in a similarly named property elsewhere in the country but had rung the wrong number to complain. Upon realising her mistake, the customer was completely apologetic and in fact ended up making a future booking to stay in our hotel!
