Hotel and Catering Review Issue 2 2021

ISSUE 2 2021

Preparing for a post-Covid hospitality industry

Beyond

Aimsir

Majken Bech-Bailey steps up at Cliff at Lyons

Lifetime of achievements A quick chat with Ashford Castle’s

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ISSUE 5 2021

Go to hotelandcatering review.ie for the online edition

Contents ISSUE 2 2021

Preparing for a post-Covid hospitality industry

Beyond

Aimsir

Majken Bech-Bailey steps up at Cliff at Lyons

Lifetime of achievements A quick chat with Ashford Castle’s

Paula Carroll

IN THIS ISSUE

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Opening a grocer was something we used to talk about. We had a small retail shelf in the café and we’d see products that we knew people would like to buy, but we just never had the time or space or even energy to do it. Covid gave us a huge opportunity to change things up Dervla James & Jonny Conlon, Pudding Row, Easkey

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MAKING OUTDOOR SOCIALISING A REALITY

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NEW SUPPORTS AVAILABLE FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

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Freestanding weather canopies and bespoke umbrellas from Dublin-based Outdoor Spaces are helping hospitality businesses transform their exterior areas into usable spaces

Amanda Horan, Enterprise Development Manager at Fáilte Ireland, speaks to us about the range of practical new supports available to help tourism businesses innovate their food offering, build efficiencies and upskill staff to boost sales when they re-open

GO GREEN AND SAVE Raquel Noboa from Fifty Shades Greener describes how businesses can save on their utility bills by implementing a few simple changes

14 REGULARS

04

24

NEWS

A QUICK CHAT

STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE It’s all change at Cliff at Lyons as Majken BechBailey takes over as Operations Manager

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Editor: Denise Maguire Creative Director: Jane Matthews Art Director: Áine Duffy Designer: James Moore Stock Photography iStock Infographics: www.flaticon.com Production: Ciara Murray Sales Director: Trish Murphy Managing Director: Gerry Tynan Chairman: Diarmaid Lennon

Published by: Ashville Media, Unit 55 Park West Road, Park West Industrial Estate, Dublin 12, D12 X9F9.

Tel: (01) 432 2200 ISSN: 0332-4400 All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate. The publishers cannot, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © Ashville Media Group 2021. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Hotel & Catering Review. The promoter/advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize.

Editor’s View Welcome to issue 2 of Hotel & Catering Review 2021 For this issue of Hotel & Catering Review, we spoke to hospitality owners from around the country about their plans for 2021 and how they feel about reverting to a more ‘normal’ way of doing business.

Some couldn’t wait to welcome guests back into their restaurant or hotel while others were a bit more hesitant. For some café and restaurant owners, Covid has given them a chance to reset their business model and pursue an old ambition.

Businesses that have expanded their outdoor dining options, like the Armada Hotel in Spanish Point, plan on retaining these new offerings to boost profits and add an extra dimension for guests. For more on the changing face of Ireland’s hospitality industry, turn to page 18.

Elsewhere in this issue we caught up with Majken Bech-Bailey, General Manager at Aimsir and the new Operations Manager at Cliff at Lyons. A major refresh has taken place at the Kildare property over the past number of months; all the bedrooms have been refurbished, the Mill restaurant has moved from the orangery into the newly refurbished banqueting room and plans are in place to add an orchard, a wild meadow, chicken coups and beehives to the grounds. Go to page 14 for more.

Earlier this year, Ashford Castle’s Paula Carroll was awarded a Global Lifetime Achievement Award by her peers. In this issue, I chatted with the Dubliner about the award and what it means to her, why she ended up swapping Chicago for Cong and why it’s the people at Ashford Castle that have kept her in Co Mayo for 34 years.

As always, there’s plenty to enjoy in this issue. If you have any thoughts or opinions on this month’s content, please do drop us a line.

Editor: Denise Maguire Email: denise.maguire@ ashvillemediagroup.com

Denise Maguire www.hotelandcateringreview.ie | info@hotelandcateringreview.ie @HC_Review | facebook.com/hotelandcateringreview

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ETHICAL IRISH ROASTERS In 2009 Bewley’s became the first certified Carbon Neutral coffee company in Ireland, and we’ve been dedicated to new sustainability goals ever since. From adapting our operations to reduce the volume of waste being sent to the landfill by 84% since 2010 and reducing CO2 emissions per tonne of manufactured coffee by 62%, we are actively committed to new solutions. This sustainability journey will never be complete, however we are committed to making a difference so you can supply, serve and savour Bewley’s coffee knowing our collective efforts will have a positive impact on our shared future.

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+353 1 816 0600

sales@ bewleys.com

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News

Your monthly round-up…

APPOINTMENT

Daniel McCarthy, Managing Director, Star Seafoods

Adare Manor has announced the appointment of Gavin Couper to the role of Deputy General Manager. Gavin moved from London to join the Adare Manor team in May 2019 and since then has led the Food and Beverage operation, overseeing The Manor House, The Carriage House, Banqueting and the estate-wide Food and Beverage offerings. In his new role, Gavin will continue to oversee the Food and Beverage division with the expanded responsibilities of strengthening Adare Manor’s organisational culture, enhancing the guest experience, quality of product and services across the resort.

STAR SEAFOODS HOOKS UP WITH VEGAN START UP Seafood supplier Star Seafoods has hooked up with another food company in a unique collaboration. The Kerry-based company has managed to reposition itself as a specialist in fresh fish home deliveries across the country and has now added a line of vegan products to its home delivery menu. Managing Director Daniel McCarthy said: “We are seeing dramatic changes in our business communities with entire sectors closing down, while others have adapted to new business models to survive these strange times. To this end we have teamed up with Plant-it, a start-up manufacturer of vegan products.” Diversifying the company's product range will, says Daniel, lead to higher sales volumes and will make it easier to cover larger areas of the country from its base in Kenmare, Co Kerry. “Covid-19 means that more people are at home and cooking new dishes, so this gives them great scope to experiment.

Nowadays, lots of families will have one vegan in the family so when ordering their fresh fish, they can also cater for the one or two people in the family who don’t eat fish.”

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Gavin Couper, Deputy General Manager, Adare Manor

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News

APPOINTMENT

LISS ARD SELLS TO AMERICAN INVESTMENT FIRM The Liss Ard estate in West Cork has been sold to US investors St Dominic Properties, a real estate company that “specialises in creating authentic and memorable travel experiences.” The current management team at Liss Ard and staff have been retained and the owners hope to reopen this summer, Covid-19 restrictions permitting. Irish interior architectural firm Tailor&Wolf has been tasked with bringing Liss Ard back to its original grandeur. The estate was owned by the Stern family from Switzerland for more than 25 years. The Victorian-style main house, lakeside lodge and four mews houses have between them 25 rooms and can accommodate 60 guests. It has operated as a boutique hotel and popular wedding venue in Skibbereen, Co Cork attracting well-known guests over the years such as Bono, Lou Reed and the Gallagher brothers from Oasis. It also hosted the cast of the most recent Star Wars films when they were filming at Skellig Michael.

Deirdre O’Neill has been appointed to the new role of Future Food Offer Director at foodservices provider, Compass Group Ireland. The move comes as the contract catering business reshapes its operation to cater for new ways of working in the wake of Covid. Deirdre joined Compass Group in 2015 to head up the marketing division and drive digital and brand communications. She led the development and mobilisation of Copper Pan Kitchen, a new central production kitchen for fresh delivered meals which allows staff to order online and get ready-made fresh meals delivered to their workplace.

CLISTE HOSPITALITY HOPES FOR POST COVID EXPANSION

Paul Fitzgerald, CEO, Cliste Hospitality

Paul Fitzgerald and Sean O’Driscoll have launched a new hospitality management and consultancy firm which will, says the pair, provide a holistic level of services and “help navigate the business recovery cycle that lies ahead for Irish hotels, resorts, restaurants, bars and tourist destinations.” Commenting on the new venture, CEO and co-owner Paul Fitzgerald said: “Cliste Hospitality has been a couple of years in the making and is the culmination of much hard work between co-owner, Sean O’Driscoll, myself and the broader Cliste senior team. We were determined to build on the success and track record of iNua Partnership as an hospitality asset manager, but to pivot the business post our MBO of iNua Partnership to a talent-rich hospitality management company.” The company aims to grow its remit beyond the 4 and 5-star hotels currently in its portfolio. Under the iNua Collection brand, Cliste already manages and operates nine hotels across the country including the Muckross Park Hotel in Killarney, the Hibernian in Kilkenny and Radisson Blu Hotels in Sligo, Cork, Athlone and Limerick.

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APPOINTMENT

CORK HOTEL GROWS VEG AND HERBS ON ROOFTOP GARDEN A new rooftop garden, to be used to grow vegetables and herbs for the hotel's team of chefs, has been constructed at the Cork International Hotel. The ingredients will also be used in cocktails sold at the bar.

The hotel has set ambitious goals to lower its carbon footprint by 5% every year by reducing energy consumption and waste. It plans to reduce waste by 15% in the next year and to achieve these goals, it will be implementing an in-house composting system. The hotel is also engaging with suppliers to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and is introducing ‘carbon neutralising’ initiatives for guests after travelling. All team members at the hotel have begun a six-month training programme with “50 Shades Greener”. Head Chef at the Cork International Hotel, Christopher O’Sullivan said: “It’s wonderful to see what was an unused space being turned into a practical, kitchen garden.

We’re committed to responsibly sourced produce and you can’t get more responsibly sourced than vegetables and herbs grown on our own roof. It also means we will have the freshest ingredients possible in our food and drinks.”

Rey Encarnacion has been appointed Head Pastry Chef at The K Club where he will be responsible for the design and creation of desserts, pastries and breads across all the outlets at the resort, including the new all-day dining concept, The Palmer. Rey joins The K Club from The Westbury, where he was Executive Pastry Chef since 2016. Born in France, Rey studied for his Certificate d’Aptitudes Professionelles (CAP) in Boulangerie at the Academy of Nîmes, followed by a year in Strasbourg training in special breads, pastries and chocolate work to international competition level. Previous roles include Head Baker for Sir Terence Conrad’s Mezzo and Head Baker for the Yellow Door Deli in Portadown.

APPOINTMENT Mount Juliet Estate has announced that Cormac McCreary has been appointed Executive Chef. Cormac trained under Head Chef John Williams at The Ritz London and prior to his Mount Juliet Estate appointment, he was the Executive Chef at the Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare. Cormac will oversee the culinary offerings at The

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Hound Restaurant in the Hunters Yard Hotel and will also be busy creating a contemporary Afternoon Tea for The Conservatory at The Hound. At the moment, he is developing a new lunch menu that will feature light bites and small plates for lunchtime dining, as always made using the finest ingredients from specialist local producers.

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News

UK PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM BUYS THE MORRISON

BRONZE AWARD FOR UNTAMED IRISH VODKA The Wild Geese Irish Premium Spirits Collection has added another award to its cabinet, with Untamed Irish Vodka winning Bronze at the International Spirits Challenge 2021. The award, which was judged by a panel of over 50 industry professionals in a series of blind taste tests lasting more than 12 days, brings The Wild Geese’s collection of medals, awards and accolades to almost 70. Untamed Irish Vodka was scored on its aroma, appearance, taste and finish, beating off contenders from other major brands. Andre Levy, Chairman of Untamed Irish Vodka producer Protégé International said: “The International Spirits Challenge has an unrivalled reputation for rewarding quality and celebrating excellence and we are incredibly proud to see Untamed Irish Vodka take its place in such prestigious company, having successfully beaten off contenders from major brands in the process.”

Zetland Capital, a London-based private equity firm, has bought the Morrison Hotel in Dublin. Plans are being developed for modernisation and further investment into the 4-star, 145-room hotel in Dublin’s city centre. The news follows another recent major hotel sale; the 157-bed Moxy Dublin City hotel on Sackville Place was sold by the Spitzer family’s Midwest Holding group for €35 million to the MHL Hotel Collection. According to CBRE, the quay-side location of the Morrison, surrounded by shopping, hospitality and cultural attractions and its popular Morrison Grill restaurant and Quay 14 bar, make the hotel very wellpositioned to benefit from the post pandemic recovery in tourism.

Speaking about the investment, General Manager of the Morrison, Patrick Joyce said: "We are excited to work with the Zetland team and their partners.

Their confidence and trust in our existing management team is clear, their desire to invest in the hotel is welcome and we are glad that they support our ambitions for the Morrison. We look forward to re-opening our doors to our loyal customers on 2nd June 2021."

MICHAEL DUGGAN IS ASHFORD CASTLE’S MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Michael Duggan, Hotel Operations Manager, Ashford Castle

In recognition of his loyal service to the Ashford Estate over the past 37 years, Michael Duggan has been named Ashford Castle’s 2020 Manager of the Year. Originally from Ballyhale in Co Kilkenny, Michael leads Ashford Castle’s Hotel Operations team and plays a key part in the daily running of the resort, supporting the hotel’s various departments with their operational needs, which range from linen to crockery, stationery to maintenance spares and all the other unusual requests that comes his way, to which he never says no. Commenting on the award, Michael said: “Receiving this award is a huge honour, even if I had to wait 37 years – but it was worth it! To be recognised by my colleagues for doing the job that I love is truly a privilege. I first arrived at Ashford Castle in April 1983 and I fell in love with The Estate straight away. I’ve seen many changes at The Castle over the years, including a huge restoration project and new ownership, but the hard work and passion shown by each and every employee has been steadfast. I’m very proud to be part of the Ashford family and I’m very thankful for this award.”

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RUIBIN AT THE READY Deirdre O’Carroll, Blender, Midleton Distillery

DEIRDRE O’CARROLL APPOINTED BLENDER AT MIDLETON DISTILLERY Irish Distillers has announced the appointment of Deirdre O’Carroll as Blender at Midleton Distillery, Co Cork. In her new role, Deirdre will work with Master Blender Billy Leighton and will be responsible for the development of new and existing blends. She will also be responsible for the management of stock, including cask profile and age profile, as well as laying down stock for future generations.

Deirdre holds a degree in Food Science and Technology from University College Cork and a diploma in Distilling from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling. She joined Irish Distillers in 2012 as part of the first year of the Jameson Engineering Programme and upon completion, was appointed as a Process Technologist.

Most recently, she served as Bond Supervisor. Commenting on her appointment, Deirdre said: “Four simple ingredients can make an array of whiskeys; water, yeast, cereal and wooden casks. However, it is the sensory aspect, balancing the flavours, that defines the taste. I look forward to channelling my knowledge and experience into my new role, while learning from Billy and the team.”

Ruibin on the Docks in Galway city centre is temporarily popping back as a Deli and Wine Shop.

Throughout 2020, the restaurant sold its local market boxes which champion the best of Irish produce.

Now, Ruibin is back with the ‘Deli at Ruibin’ stocked with homemade filled bagels, cold and hot healthy bowls along with plant-based options. To hit the sweet spot Ruibin bakes will include homemade sourdoughs, focaccia, dulce de leche brownies and cookies. Housemade marinades, sauces, vinegars and date ketchups will also be sold at the Deli. “Opening Ruibin up as a Deli allows us to continue to be in our business creating food that people can enjoy when they are in Galway city or when they get back home. Creating Ruibin for retail means customers can get the best of kitchen sauces, marinades and condiments that can add to their kitchen cupboards and to their foods at home,” said Alice Jary, Head Chef and Co-Owner of Ruibin.

GET THE SHIFTS PURCHASED BY FRS RECRUITMENT On demand, temporary hospitality staffing platform Get the Shifts has been purchased by Irish recruitment company, FRS Recruitment. FRS has stated it will use the acquisition to further grow its market share of the temporary staffing market in Ireland and to expand into international markets. Previously dubbed the ‘Tinder for jobs’, Get the Shifts provides temporary hospitality, retail and marketing personnel to clients for shifts, ranging from one to 500 staff at a time to some of Ireland’s best-known brands. Under the terms of the deal, Get the Shifts will become a division of FRS Recruitment. All staff working for Get the Shifts will join the FRS Recruitment team, with Hannah Wrixon becoming General Manager of Get the Shifts.

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News

Making outdoor socialising a reality Freestanding weather canopies and bespoke umbrellas from Dublin-based Outdoor Spaces are helping hospitality businesses transform their exterior areas into usable spaces It’s one thing to say we should socialise ‘outdoors’ this summer but another to actually experience it. Ireland’s wildly irrational weather means that enjoying a meal or a pint outdoors is a risky proposition and so hotels and restaurants are being forced to mitigate against that risk if they’re to trade successfully over the summer months. Outdoor facilities are costly but there is funding available under the new Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme, allowing hospitality businesses to claim grants from a total allocated budget of €17 million.

“Creating usable outdoor areas is definitely a significant expense but we’re seeing huge demand from the industry who view our solutions as a way of getting back to normal activities in the safest possible way,” said Denis O’Reilly, Director at

Airfields Estate

Fallon's of Kilcullen

Outdoor Spaces. The company, which was set up in September last year by Denis, Maurice Byrne and Adam Rankin, manufactures and installs 7m x 5m freestanding weather canopies and is the authorised partner for the island of Ireland for Austrian-made Meissl bespoke umbrella solutions that are suitable for any location and most of which can be installed in less than a day. “No groundwork is required with the canopies. We’re currently installing two 7m x 5m canopies at Killashee Hotel in Naas which will provide their guests with immediate cover. If they decide they want to move it to another area we’ll come in, disassemble it and relocate it elsewhere. It couldn’t be simpler.”

Fallon's of Kilcullen was the first business to invest in an umbrella from Outdoor Spaces. “They now have a huge 7m x 7m umbrella installed at the back of the restaurant which has provided them with 50m2 of space for outdoor dining. I think that having that flexibility when it comes to providing both indoor and outdoor dining facilities is here to stay, even post Covid.” Lighting, heating and gutters are built into the umbrella which can be provided in any size and installed in less than a day. “We have been contacted by pubs with outside areas of 5m x 5m; our umbrella would give them 70m2 exterior space which is nearly bigger than the pub inside!”

Outdoor Spaces can provide umbrellas that can take 200 people under them. “At the moment, local authorities are being granted €250,000 to enhance public spaces. Imagine a large umbrella in the square in Wicklow town, used for a market in the morning and in the evening, it’s transformed into a dining area with long tables of delicious food from different restaurants. The possibilities are endless and that’s the message that we’re trying to get across.”

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Partner PROFILE

Fáilte Ireland:

New Supports to Help Tourism Businesses Run a More Successful Food Operation Amanda Horan, Enterprise Development Manager at Fáilte Ireland, speaks to us about the range of practical new supports available to help tourism businesses innovate their food offering, build efficiencies and upskill staff to boost sales when they re-open

A

“

s the National Tourism Development Authority, we continue to focus on what we can do to support tourism businesses to survive in this challenging environment and provide a range of supports on areas including finance, sales and marketing and operational performance through our online Covid-19 Support Hub. In response to Covid-19 safety operating guidelines, we identified food as a key area for innovation and have developed a suite of supports to help businesses run a more successful food operation when they re-open,” says Amanda. Two such new supports are the Inside Food podcast series and the Breakfast Innovation Toolkit.

INSIDE FOOD PODCAST SERIES “Inside Food is the first series of Fáilte Ireland’s new Inside Tourism Business Podcast. It examines the consumer trends that will shape eating out when businesses can re-open, menu innovation, managing food costs and reducing food waste, while improving service quality and driving sales and revenue,” says Amanda.

Hosted by food consultant and facilitator, Ruth Hegarty of egg&chicken, the seven-part series features leading hospitality experts and operators, including hotel management consultant, Joe Quinn; chef and food consultant, Niall Hill; sales and customer service strategist, Cariona Neary; The Twelve’s Fergus O’Halloran; Clayton Hotel Dublin Airport’s Phillip O’Neill; Gather & Gather’s Mark Anderson; the IRFU’s Maurice McGeehan and a number of expert international contributors.

The podcast series aims to help businesses consider ways to further efficiencies while maximising revenue, says Amanda. “Our experts and industry guests look at how businesses can adapt their offerings to suit new consumer demands and discuss smart advice and actionable takeaways.”

Subscribe to the Inside Food podcast now wherever you listen to your podcasts or visit www.failteireland.ie/podcasts for more details.

Amanda Horan, Enterprise Development Manager at Fáilte Ireland BREAKFAST INNOVATION TOOLKIT They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

But could it become your business’ most important food experience? “More hotel residents eat breakfast than any other food offering” says Amanda, “and as it is often your last visitor service touchpoint before checkout and departure it’s a real opportunity to make a positive impact and drive increased revenue for your business.”

But what are people looking for when it comes to breakfast? “Safety guidelines in response to COVID-19, modern lifestyles and nutrition as well as changing dietary needs have influenced what visitors want from a breakfast experience” says Amanda. “Our new Breakfast Innovation Toolkit looks at everything from how to re-engineer your breakfast menu to work with the seasons, add local flavours and offer healthy options, to considering new ways to grow your breakfast customer base while ensuring customer safety. With resources including food and labour cost calculators as well as best practice kitchen and service checklists, the toolkit will help businesses plan and innovate their breakfast offering to drive revenue and deliver great service.”

For more information on the Breakfast Innovation Toolkit, the Inside Food podcast series and a range of expert supports for tourism businesses, visit Fáilte Ireland’s online COVID-19 Business Support Hub at www.failteireland.ie.

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Partner PROFILE

INSIDE TOURISM

BUSINESS Series 1: INSIDE FOOD

Tune in to Fáilte Ireland’s NEW PODCAST Inside Tourism Business is the definitive podcast for tourism operators.

Bringing you expert advice, insights and practical tools, the podcast will help you navigate the challenges your business is facing, drive efficiency, and maximise revenue.

Series one of Fáilte Ireland’s new podcast looks Inside Food, examining trends and tackling costs to help businesses innovate and run a more successful food operation when tourism and hospitality can re-open.

Subscribe now wherever you listen to your podcasts or visit www.failteireland.ie/podcasts for more details.

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News Brendan Buckley, International Marketing Director, Irish Distillers

APPOINTMENT

BRENDAN BUCKLEY JOINS WHISKY HALL OF FAME Brendan Buckley, International Marketing Director at Irish Distillers, has been inducted into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame – a permanent tribute honouring individuals who have made a lasting contribution to the world of whiskey. One of Buckley’s most notable achievements has been to revive Ireland’s unique whiskey style – single pot still Irish whiskey – and has spent the past decade rejuvenating this category and brands like Redbreast, The Spot Range and Midleton Very Rare. He also inspired the introduction of the Method and Madness brand which has sought to push the boundaries of Irish whiskey through the expertise of the Midleton Masters in conjunction with the inquisitive minds of Midleton’s apprentice whiskey makers.

Carol Phelan has been appointed to the role of Group Chief Financial Officer at Dalata Hotel Group. The appointment follows the announcement that Dermot Crowley, Deputy Chief Executive Office – Business Development & Finance is to succeed Pat McCann as CEO. Carol joined the company in 2014 and was appointed as Group Head of Financial Reporting, Treasury and Tax in 2017. During her time with the Group, she has been responsible for the development of the financial reporting function during a period of rapid growth and expansion. She also led the refinancing of the Group’s debt facilities in 2018 and has been centrally involved in maintaining the Group’s financial strength and liquidity during Covid.

RECORD SALES AT DUBLIN LIBERTIES DISTILLERY The Dublin Liberties Distillery (The DLD) has announced record sales growth over the past 12 months, as global sales of its Dubliner and Dublin Liberties Irish Whiskey brands grew year-on-year by 21% for the April 2020 to March 2021 period. Despite the closure of pubs, combined sales of both brands for the year topped 900,000 bottles for the first time, taking the total bottles sold since their launch in 2017 to over 2.5 million in more than 25 markets. Volume growth of 69% and 51% was achieved in Germany and Ukraine respectively, with Dubliner placing amongst the top four selling Irish whiskey brands in Germany, Poland, Russia and Ukraine. Over 350,000 bottles were also sold in the key US Irish whiskey market. The DLD opened its state-of-the-art whiskey distillery and visitor experience on Mill Street in Dublin’s Liberties in 2019. It is majority owned

by Quintessential Brands Group, in partnership with Stock Spirits.

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Carol Phelan, Group Chief Financial Officer, Dalata Hotel Group

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Sustainability

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IF YOU DON’T MEASURE, YOU CANNOT MANAGE Measuring your business impact on the environment is easier than you think – all you need are your utility bills! Measuring your green Key Performance Indicators (energy, waste and water usage) will allow you to calculate your carbon emissions. Once you have set your baseline, you can start working towards a reduction of your footprint.

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OUR OWN BEHAVIOUR MATTERS Your goal is to reduce your business impact on the environment. You can achieve this by reducing your energy, water use and waste production by simply changing your team’s behaviour around the use of those resources to become more efficient in your daily operations. Let’s take a 100-room hotel for example.

If the team understands how to measure carbon emissions, the hotel can save on average €30,000 per year. Awareness of food waste management can save another €6,000, on average. Even simple things like ensuring all staff turn off lights in unused rooms or close doors can save €3,000. If you fine-tune the water and heating units, you’re looking at a potential further €5,000. Simple behavioural changes can result in really significant savings.

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TRANSPARENCY IS KEY Never claim you do more than you do, be clear and transparent about your green journey. Publish your green KPI’s on your website and social channels and let your customers, team and stakeholders know the plans you have to reduce your carbon emissions.

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A POLICY WITHOUT A PLAN IS JUST WORDS WRITTEN ON A PIECE OF PAPER Be clear on your goals and targets and devise an environmental action plan to achieve them; without an action plan, your environmental policy is worthless.

The Fifty Shades Greener Hospitality Program is subsidised by the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board and SOLAS and is completely free for anyone in the hospitality and tourism sectors in Ireland. More information can be found at www.fiftyshadesgreener.ie

ra

MANY HANDS MAKE WORK LIGHTER The very first step for a successful green journey is to appoint a green manager and a green team. The green manager can be someone already working at the property and not necessarily a head of department. The most important thing is that they are allowed to work either a half day or a full day a week on the green programme.

Raquel Noboa from Fifty Shades Greener describes how businesses can save on their utility bills by implementing a few simple changes ck

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J a n ice C as e y

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hen it comes to sustainability in the hospitality sector, there’s arguably no-one in Ireland who knows more than Raquel Noboa. As founder of Fifty Shades Greener, Ireland’s first statesubsidised green hospitality training programme, she has been working with Raquel Noboa.

Irish hotels and restaurants to make their businesses greener and helping to save a lot of money along the way. Over the past few months she has been working with Dunbrody House Hotel, the team at Croke Park and several others on how to implement small changes that will save them up to 30% on their energy, water and waste bills this coming year. Here, Raquel shares a few top tips that all businesses in the hospitality industry can implement, for little to no overhead, that will result in substantial savings in the coming years.

“We’re planning menus that create zero miles from farm to plate” Head Chef at Dunbrody House and designated Green Manager, Janice CaseyBracken, is leading the team on their Fifty Shades Greener journey. She is also a member of the Chef’s Manifesto, is an advocate for Future 50 Foods and has signed on as a food system hero with the UN food systems summit. “We have always been sustainability focused here at Dunbrody House but we’re still learning. Our kitchen serves up seasonal produce grown in its very own garden. Our eggs come from our own hens and we are looking forward to welcoming our own pigs on the estate, so we know exactly what is coming into season to plan menus that create zero miles from farm to plate.” She added that by working with Fifty Shades Greener, she has been able to understand the impact that each small effort makes. “Our green team now knows how to measure our carbon emissions, which is surprisingly easy and when our full workforce returns, we will be sharing this knowledge with everyone. Raquel has given us a clear framework and we aim to be carbon neutral within the next five years.”

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Restaurants

Changes are afoot at Aimsir, the two-star Michelin restaurant at Cliff at Lyons, writes DENISE MAGUIRE

UP TO

B

ack in the summer of 2019, I chatted to Aimsir Chef Jordan Bailey to find out how he and his wife Majken Bech-Bailey were settling into their new roles at the much-celebrated restaurant.

At the time, the hype around Aimsir was considerable; how would a restaurant that relied solely on native Irish ingredients fare in a regional setting, removed from the city dwellers keen to discover what the fuss was about? The fact the restaurant was booking out three months at a time put paid to those type of questions and today, Majken and Jordan are getting ready to reopen the restaurant, albeit with a few tweaks here and there. Majken has taken over as Operations Manager at the hotel while retaining her General Manager role at Aimsir, all the bedrooms have been refurbished and the Mill restaurant has moved from the orangery into the newly refurbished banqueting room. “I think my new role as Operations Manager happened very organically. When Jordan and I came to Ireland

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three and a half years ago and started Aimsir, we fell in love with every aspect of the place. We slowly grew into doing overnight experiences and bit by bit, got more involved in the hotel. In December I began to work in the reservations and operations side of the business. Our dream has been to make Cliff unique and it means the world to get the opportunity to make an impact on a guest’s journey from the moment they arrive at the property,” said Majken.

Last January, Majken worked closely with the owners to

“We’re also focusing more on what’s grown on site and using that produce in our kitchens… we’re adding chicken coups, pigs and beehives in an effort to be as self-sustainable as possible”

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Restaurants

redesign all 22 bedrooms at Cliff at Lyons. “The hotel has always had an old school classic feel to it so we didn’t want to stray too much from that. We’ve retained all our old furniture but upholstered it and opted for wallpaper in shades of light pink and green. It’s very much a romantic style and it was great to have so much input into it.” All guest rooms have been individually designed and are spread out between a selection of historic buildings while pet-friendly rooms mean you can bring your best friend along. Irish firm Airmid has also created a range of products for guests including Burren lavender body lotion, citrus chamomile shampoo bars and Atlantic seaweed soap. Sustainability is at the heart of Aimsir and that focus is now being spread throughout the property.

“Jordan found a bit of land at the back of the property and has turned it into a little farm. We’re also focusing more on what’s grown on site and using that produce in our kitchens.

Tom Downes, former Aimsir chef de partie and now gardener, along with his partner Stina, are overseeing that.” A new orchard, a wild meadow and additional vegetable beds are also planned for the property. “On top of that, we’re adding chicken coups, pigs and beehives in an effort to be as selfsustainable as possible.”

The Pantry, which opened during Covid, has proved very successful, another arm of the business that will be retained when the industry is allowed to reopen fully. “It’s gone really well for us and we’ve had great support from locals. I think it’s a really positive thing for people to see that you can change direction but still be successful. We’ll definitely keep going with the Pantry; it means that if the industry were to be hit by another crisis like Covid, we’d be ready to continue trading. We have a bit of retail in there as well which is a nice add-on to the property.”

That vision of making Aimsir a unique experience for every single diner has expanded into ensuring a singular experience for each guest at Cliff at Lyons. “I think Covid has made the world smaller and for Jordan and I, it has certainly made us cherish the people around us. We’re creating something really positive here, for the staff, for the guests and for us. The pandemic has reinforced that.”

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Bewley’s reveals the top

coffee trends for 2021 and beyond The introduction of exotic coffee flavours, molecular coffee labs and coffee fermentations are predicted as the top trends for the Irish coffee industry.

T

of being ethical and responsible, Bewley’s work in Fairtrade is supported by its deep values in sustainability, conducting business in a way that improves the health of the planet and the lives of all those involved in the coffee production process.

raditionally known for its love of tea, in recent years Ireland has evolved as a nation of coffee enthusiasts, with coffee culture growing every year. With an increase in demand for speciality coffees and a rise in more refined tastes in the market, Bewley’s Ireland’s leading coffee and tea company has revealed its coffee trend predictions for 2021.

The trends highlight some of the fascinating global coffee crazes we can expect to see over the coming months.

Curated by Sheila Dowling, sales director and coffee expert at Bewley’s, the list of predictions showcases what Irish coffee connoisseurs can look forward to from the industry over the coming months and beyond.

1. Health & Herbology Coffee producers are seeking to make coffee more attractive to today’s healthconscious drinkers. Coffee brands will aim to support the physical and mental needs of consumers by using ingredients such as probiotics and CBD in their coffee roasts. As well as this the love of almond and oat milk is here to stay, as plant-based milk alternatives continue to grow in popularity. According to the Bewley’s Coffee Consumption Report 2020, dairy alternatives prove to be popular amongst younger coffee drinkers with 68% of 18-24-year-olds using plant-based milk alternatives. Plant-based milk alternatives will also become more accessible across the country with the launch of new initiatives like Bewley’s plant-based coffee docking stations, a partnership with Alpro, that offers plant-based menu solutions to Bewley’s C-store operators nationwide.

2. Exotic Coffee Flavours Younger coffee drinkers are also experimenting with tastes as they seek out innovative and exotic coffee flavours.

Research compiled by Mintel in 2019 found that 66% of coffee drinkers aged 16-44 are interested in trying coffee inspired by

different countries. Coffee makers will look to tap into the authentic and interesting coffee styles across the world, with bold, exotic flavours such as Turkish coffee with cinnamon or Vietnamese iced coffee.

3. Ethical Coffee Consumerism Conscious of our environmental footprint and where our coffee is sourced, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the important role they play when it comes to global ethical consumerism. According to the recently compiled Mintel report ‘A Year of Innovation in Coffee 2020’, in the last year, 59% of all coffee launches featured ethical or environmentally friendly claims, specifically targeting eco-conscious consumers who seek transparency on the bean to cup process. Coffee brands are expected to prioritise two aspects of ethical consumerism, namely sustainability (both in packaging and coffee farming practices) and ethical trading with farmers.

Bewley’s has been at the forefront of sustainability and Fairtrade, in 1996 Bewley’s was the first brand to introduce Fairtrade products to Ireland and achieved 100% Fairtrade in 2017. A company that understands the importance

4. Coffee Fermentation Labs Lab fermented coffees have started to emerge with pioneers of the new method using fermentation to create tastier, more flavoursome beans. For newbie coffee drinkers, bitterness is the main barrier to trying new brews, but fermentation labs will look to solve this issue by creating a smoother bean within a lab-controlled environment. This innovation will deliver a natural solution to coffee’s inherent bitterness, while being a more palatable and environmentally friendly alternative, suited to the tastes of all consumers.

5. Molecular coffee The future is now! The world’s first molecular coffee lab, Atomo Coffee, opened in 2020, signalling a new era for coffee creation that will make an exciting global impact.

Atomo Coffee lab founders have identified the individual compounds which make up coffee, allowing them to enhance aroma and flavour and deliver a more consistent-tasting, superior brew. Using a process that uses no coffee beans whatsoever, molecular coffee labs are predicted to pop up across the globe in the coming years in order to meet rising global coffee demands and help offset the effects of climate change, which threatens the future of Arabica beans.

Bewley’s has a proud reputation of being the first to adapt to many milestone moments in the Irish coffee industry. From being the first company in Ireland to introduce Fairtrade produce in 1996, to more recent endeavours in launching Ireland’s first bean-to-cup, a plant-based alternative coffee station for C-store operators, Bewley’s continues to have its finger on the pulse of trends that will benefit Irish coffee consumers.

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Cover Story

Whether it’s adapting their existing food offering or pursuing old ambitions, hospitality owners are shaking things up and setting the scene for a different kind of post-Covid industry, writes DENISE MAGUIRE

A

plethora of new businesses in the hospitality sector have sprung up since March 2020, some entirely new and some an adaptation of existing cafes or restaurants that have been forced to do something different to survive. The impact that the pandemic has had on the industry can’t be underestimated and with no firm date for indoor dining on the cards just yet, that fug of uncertainty still lingers. Yet, despite that uncertainty or perhaps because of it, some business owners have been inspired to pursue an old, forgotten ambition or even go down a completely different route.

Conor Duggan, Neil O’Reilly and Conor Mulligan were all involved in the hospitality industry to some degree before Covid hit. Lockdown inspired them to create something new and exciting around online wine subscription, an industry that’s worth €100 million a year in Ireland. The trio launched Boxofwine.ie, Ireland’s first “tailored to your taste” wine subscription company last July and hit the headlines recently with news of their partnership with Wineport Lodge. “We teamed up with Ray Byrne and Jane English to create a special sommeliers box that contains three wines from a particular region, along with food pairing suggestions from the restaurant.

We thought it was a great way of promoting their business while they were closed and getting our brand out there,” said MD Conor Duggan. Boxofwine.ie now has 650 active subscribers and the company has taken on part-time staff to deal with the demand. “We’ve had an amazing first nine months. There’s a huge demand for this type of online service. We’re aiming to break into the UK market before the end of this year. There’s definitely an appetite for it.” Is he worried that as hospitality reopens, demand will drop off? “It’s something that’s been in the back of our minds but people are creatures of habit; they’ve already been ordering wine online for quite some time. It’s an industry that’s growing 15% year on year and we’re looking to grow that out.”

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Conor Duggan, Boxofwine.ie and Kash Caleecharrun, Sommelier at Wineport Lodge

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Hospitality businesses are unleashing their creative streak this year, says Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) Director Elaina Fitzgerald Kane, as opposed to last year which was all about adapting to the new circumstances. “We’re seeing great innovation throughout the industry at the moment and I think we have a real opportunity this summer to show how amazing the Irish hospitality experience can be. The figures show that only 29% of Irish people actually took a break last year. This summer, July and August will be critical when it comes to being sustainable beyond September. I’m hopeful that the industry will have a busy trading period and I think that the creativity being shown by businesses right now will certainly help.”

Changes made over the past 14 months at the Armada Hotel in Spanish Point, Co Clare are keeping the tills ringing as well as maintaining employment. New investment has gone into the popular Armada Farm, which now features two huge 50ft polytunnels, used for growing herbs for the hotel’s kitchen. Last summer the hotel opened ‘Catch’, its outdoor seafood truck. “It’s now open seven days a week and the emphasis is very much on local ingredients. We get all our seafood from Garrihy’s in Doolin.

This year we also opened Little Johnny’s Pizza and Gulls Coffee is open seven days a week. Keeping our staff in jobs is a big consideration but so is sustainability; the tomatoes and herbs that we use on our pizzas are from Armada Farm and we serve our own roast coffee blend at Gulls,” said Frank Minogue, General Manager at the Armada. Even when they’re fully reopened, the plan is to retain the outdoor food offerings. “They’ll serve to boost the business and add an extra dimension for our guests.

That’s what it’s all about right now.”

Catch, Armada Hotel Patrick O’Reilly, Cornrue Bakery

The prospect of returning to a pre-Covid working life isn’t an attractive prospect for some.

Patrick O’Reilly runs Cornrue Bakery in Westport, Co Mayo and says he has no intention of opening his sit-in café ever again. During the first lockdown he refocused his efforts onto his bakery, specialising in sourdough and takeaway coffee. Today, his loaves sell out daily and if you’re after some fresh sourdough at the weekend, booking is essential. “That realisation in the first lockdown that I could just focus on the bakery was revelatory. I’ve spent my life in this business and I think I had become institutionalised. The idea that I could put all my energy into the bakery while maintaining a healthy family life was an eye-opener.” The boom bust nature of a town like Westport that relies on tourism during the summer months also made the decision to forego the café an easier one. “Sure, I’m making money in the summer but I’m losing hand over fist all winter. I think that the economics of the restaurant business needs to be rethought. Financially, it just doesn’t stack up.” Today, Patrick has three full-time employees and has expanded the bakery’s range to include a boule, a larger loaf and three cakes. He also sells par-baked pizza bases which come with a sauce and a portion of cheese.

“The pizza bases are hugely popular. We thought we’d start with 20 or so but we’re selling 200 every weekend. We could do more but I’m trying to find a balancing point where I don’t have to hire more people. Every decision I’ve made over the past couple of years is based on how it will affect my family.” Patrick knows that the bakery’s success isn’t down to just hard work. His decision to specialise in one type of bread coincided with a surge in popularity for sourdough. “Sourdough suddenly became this thing and we were lucky to be in the right place at the right time. We’re doing really well at the moment and that’s despite a loaf of our bread costing €10. I can’t keep them on the shelves!”

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Cover Story

Dervla James and Jonny Conlon, Pudding Row

Dervla James and Jonny Conlon who run Pudding Row in Easkey, Sligo are also enjoying the benefits of a healthier work/life balance. In March 2020, they closed their café and began operating click and collect.

Their ‘comfort boxes’ were a huge success and before long, they were shipping them around the country. Last July they opened a deli, bakery and grocer business, selling their own breads, cakes, sandwiches and savoury dishes. “Essentially, the grocer is a smaller version of what we were doing in the café, all for takeaway. We’re also still doing the comfort boxes. We’re very busy right now,” said Jonny. Whether or not they’ll reopen the café is a different matter. “We have no plans to do it anytime soon and certainly not this year. The kitchen has spread out to other parts of the café and we have no outdoor space. It’s not really viable for us to reopen.”

Dervla bakes while Jonny looks after the admin side of the business. “We have two young kids so it’s great to finish up that bit quicker every day. Opening a grocer was something we used to talk about. We had a small retail shelf in the café and we’d see products that we knew people would like to buy, but we just never had the time or space or even energy to do it. Covid gave us a huge opportunity to change things up.” Being part of Sligo Food Trail has helped get the message out there that the Pudding Row grocer is open for business.

“Even just to make connections with other business owners and call on them for advice and help has been great. You might be doing something new and you’re so focused on it that you don’t have time to get the message out there. The Food Trail is great for that.”

“Opening a grocer was something we used to talk about. We had a small retail shelf in the café and we’d see products that we knew people would like to buy, but we just never had the time or space or even energy to do it. Covid gave us a huge opportunity to change things up”

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Moving to a retail offering has kept lots of businesses afloat during lockdown. Adriana and Mark Fitzpatrick, owners of Old Street in Malahide, have continued to adapt their business throughout the pandemic. Last year, they opened a shop on the ground floor selling jarred and pickled foods, fresh bread, coffee, wine packs, gift packs, ready-made meals and more. “When restrictions on indoor dining were relaxed last year, we understood the precariousness of the situation and hedged our bets by opening a shop on our ground floor and operating the restaurant from the first floor. The sudden closure of indoor dining on Christmas Eve allowed us to sell a lot of our restaurant stock through the shop so it worked well,” said Mark. Since April, the restaurant has also been running a BBQ in its courtyard area. “We’re delighted with the response to the Grocer, it’s a great range of produce for people given the circumstances but ultimately, we can’t wait to invite our friends and guests back into our restaurant.”

Back in Westport, Savoir Fare changed things up last year with a zero-waste reheat at home takeaway offering, sold in glass jars on a deposit and return scheme. The driving force behind the glass jars was, says owner Alain Morice, an environmental one.

“Our aim was to reduce the packaging load with our takeaways. The jars have worked very well and we’ve actually had a better winter this year than we normally would have.

A lot of that is down to the support we’ve received from locals, they’ve been amazing.”

Very little is being done to facilitate a summer outdoors in the West, says Alain. “The Council isn’t particularly forward thinking. I’m on quite a big street, part of which could easily be closed off. Only the odd parking space is being given over which makes it very difficult for restaurants that don’t have space out front to operate.” Alain says he’s

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Old Street Grocer

Alain Morice, Savoir Fare

“We’ve actually had a better winter this year than we normally would have. A lot of that is down to the support we’ve received from locals, they’ve been amazing” waiting for an announcement on indoor dining but for now, he’ll continue with his takeaways and retail offering. “We sell Irish artisan products and we have a wine shop, a cheese counter and charcuterie. We also do our own terrines and pates which have been going well. Last summer, you could see people walking around Westport who didn’t manage to get a reservation anywhere so we’ll have a nice picnic offering available that we’re hoping will also work well.” Alain and his team have been offering their customers a different takeaway menu every single week. “At this stage we’re running out of inspiration! We’ll definitely keep going with the jars, but maybe our menu won’t change as often. As soon as we have indoor dining, we’ll put them on the back burner for a while and focus on delivering a great summer to our guests.”

Not all of the new offerings mentioned in this article will stay the course when Covid eventually becomes a thing of the past. The ones that are retained will provide businesses with an extra dimension and a safety net to help protect against future crises. For the businesses that have discovered a better way to live, like Patrick O’Reilly in Cornrue, there’s no turning back. “Today, we have a busy, profitable business. It has taken me a lifetime to find that balance.”

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Skills to Advance Make skills work for you

Developing Leaders for Hospitality and Tourism Boost the retention and development of key talent Avail of highly subsidised training for enterprise Contact your local Education and Training Board or visit skillstoadvance.ie

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Partner PROFILE

Developing Leaders for

Hospitality and Tourism L-R Andrew Brownlee, CEO, SOLAS, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris, Elaina Fitzgerald-Kane, President, IHF, Minister of State, Niall Collins, Tim Fenn, CEO, IHF

New upskilling programmes promise to lend a helping hand to hospitality businesses across the country

I

n February 2021, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris TD, launched two national upskilling programmes for employees in the hospitality and tourism sector, which were developed by SOLAS and the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) in consultation with the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), Failte Ireland and the Regional Skills Fora (RSF).

The hospitality sector, valued at upwards of €7.9 billion to the economy, has been severely impacted by the pandemic, with over 100,000 jobs at risk due to Covid restrictions. To boost the retention and career progression of key talent, the two new Developing Leaders for Hospitality and Tourism programmes will provide highly subsidised upskilling opportunities, delivering critical team leadership and supervisory management skills to enable business recovery and growth. Programme content includes areas such as operational skills,

customer care, people management, finance and controls, sustainability and digital skills.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Harris said: “Covid-19 has hit the hospitality and tourism sectors and those working in them extremely hard. These two programmes offer an opportunity for employees and employers to upskill and will help staff deal with the new business environment, its challenges and opportunities.”

A series of online roadshow events is underway hosted by Elaina Kane-Fitzgerald, President of the IHF, to promote the opportunities available, with speakers from SOLAS, ETB’s, RSF and local hoteliers. To date, over 100 hotels have attended the regional online events with more to follow.

Employers interested in learning more can find direct contact details for their local ETB at www.skillstoadvance.ie.

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A Quick Chat

A Quick Chat with Paula Carroll

After receiving a Global Lifetime Achievement Award Paula Carroll, Director of Sales & Marketing at Ashford Castle, chats about her impressive career and being swept off her feet by Richard E Grant

Congratulations on your award! How did it feel to receive it?

Any time that you’re recognised by your industry peers is great. I was just glad to be alive to collect it! It’s certainly been the proudest moment of my career so far and was very humbling to receive it. Niall Rochford [General Manager of Ashford Castle and The Lodge] actually said it was the first time he had seen me speechless.

What’s your background in hospitality?

My first job was with Bord Failte in 1978 where I was dispatched off to the London office before moving to Manchester. I loved it; it gave me a real love for the country. I was then headhunted by Trusthouse Forte, the biggest hotel company in the world at the time and so in 1981, I joined the Shelbourne Hotel as Director of Sales and Marketing. I remember sitting with my late mum and dad in the Aisling restaurant in the Shelbourne and telling them I had been offered a job there. My father said, but you’re not taking it of course, you have a good pensionable job where you are. I think it was that terrifying word ‘pensionable’ that prompted me for the first time in my life to go against my parents! So I took the job but wanted to experience the hotelier side of the business. I spent a year in the Airport Hotel and another year in Actons in Kinsale before moving to the Shelbourne.

Then you were offered a role in the US...

Yes, in 1987 I was all set to move to Chicago with Trusthouse Forte but one day I got a call from Bill Dowling, the Chairman of Ashford and Dromoland Castle offering me a role in Cong, Co Mayo. In the overall context of my life, I can assure you that Cong was not on my radar. Chicago was absolutely where I was going but I thought, maybe I could go down for a year.

So you swapped Chicago for Cong?

I did and I’ve been there ever since. At the time, I had the audacity to ask Trusthouse Forte to hold the job offer open for me for a year, which they did and so off I went to the west and that’s where I’ve stayed. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to spend my entire career.

I don’t know many people at this point in their lives who could say that they love what they do. Of course, I’ve had my ups and downs and in 2018 I had two cancer diagnoses. I think sometimes people who have cancer wonder if there is a life after it and I’m living proof that there absolutely is.

What do you attribute your success to?

I’ve had the privilege of working with three industry stalwarts – Rory Murphy, Mark Nolan and Niall Rochford. All three are just extraordinary hoteliers and have been a joy to work with. Anyone that knows me would know I’m very motivated, very relationship-driven and disciplined but all of those things can only be respected in an environment where you’re allowed to flourish. What’s kept me at Ashford Castle is the passion and professionalism of the people I work with. I’m still working with about 25% of the team who started either before me or around the same time. The people of Ashford have kept me there and they will decide when it’s time for me to go.

What’s the funniest interaction you’ve ever had with a guest?

There are so many and I could tell you loads. I think one of the best ones was when Richard E Grant came to stay when he was filming Hotel Secrets. If you find it online, you’ll see Richard picking me up and bringing me inside the Castle. That was great fun.

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