Editor’s View

Welcome to issue 2 of Hotel & Catering Review 2023

Over 500 people attended this year’s Gold Medal Awards, held for the first time in the Galmont Hotel & Spa Galway. Cork’s Imperial Hotel took home the big award of the night, the Supreme Award, along with silver for both Ireland’s Guest Experience and Ireland’s Hotel Breakfast. Judges described the Imperial as the “beating heart of Cork”, a hotel that presents the guest with a truly unique experience. Late last year, the hotel announced that its Pembroke Street venue ‘Sketch’ was to become the hotel’s main restaurant, serving a new dinner menu devised by recently appointed Executive Head Chef Ali Honour. The hotel’s former restaurant at its South Mall entrance is also now home to a swanky new bar, No. 76. These refurbishments have injected a freshness and a vibrancy into the hotel that blend seamlessly with the old world charm the Imperial is known for. Judges were unanimous in their decision to name The Imperial this year’s Supreme Winner. Other winners on the night included Castle Leslie Estate which was named Ireland’s Four Star Resort, Clew Bay Hotel which won the award for Ireland’s Three Star Hotel and The Mustard Seed, which took home the award for Ireland’s Country House & Guest Experience. Everyone at Hotel & Catering Review would like to congratulate all nominees and we hope to see you all again next year!

Elsewhere in this issue, we caught up with Andrew Walsh, the Mayo native who’s made Singapore his home for the past 12 years. The owner-chef has four restaurants on the island, including CURE which was awarded a Michelin star in 2021. Late last year, Good Food Ireland announced that Andrew was taking up the role of International Ambassador. It’s a role that’s all about talking, preaching and shouting about the quality of Irish food, something Andrew has been doing for several years. For more on his plans in Singapore, turn to page 18.

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 www.hotelandcateringreview.ie | info@hotelandcateringreview.ie

@HC_Review | facebook.com/hotelandcateringreview

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40 New Jobs At Sligo City Hotel

The Sligo City Hotel is set to open in March as part of the Address Collective Hotel Group, owned by Irish hoteliers Brian and Ciara McGettigan. The expansion will create 40 new jobs initially, with more added over time. The 61 bedroom hotel will operate under the Address Collective Hotel Group for the 2023 season and there are plans for further investment and refurbishment which will lead to a rebrand of the hotel as The Address Sligo. “This commitment and significant capital investment in Sligo demonstrates our appetite to grow the Address Collective brand. We have plans to create a bespoke product that will enhance Sligo’s hotel offering. The location lends itself to a truly boutique hotel and we look forward to the launch of The Address Hotel Sligo in 2024,” said Brian and Ciara McGettigan.

Appointment

Mark Bowe has been appointed General Manager at Castlerosse Park Resort. He takes over the role from his father Danny Bowe who has announced his retirement after a 27-year tenure at the resort. Mark has been with Castlerosse Park Resort for 10 years, the last three of which he has been Deputy General Manager. Previously, he worked in several five star hotels around the world including the Kempinski Group in Germany, the Hilton Group in Australia and Great Southern Hotels in Ireland. “We’ve set in motion big plans at the resort, which are already under construction to expand our offering and to bring solutions to challenges currently facing the hospitality sector, from the introduction of staff quarters to the major upgrading and refurbishment of the on-site Kenmare house into a luxury destination for the tourist rental market.”

Montenotte Reveals Latest Artist In Residence

The Montenotte Hotel has named contemporary Irish painter Paul Christopher Flynn as its latest Artist in Residence. Now in its sixth year, the scheme is in partnership with The Gallery Kinsale, a local art gallery that represents the best in up and coming local and national talent. Paul, who graduated from Dublin’s National College of Art and Design in the early 1980’s, walked away from art completely after leaving college. He moved to the US and didn’t pick up a paintbrush or a pencil for 20 years. When he returned to Ireland in 2003, he began painting immediately with 20 years’ worth of ideas jostling for space in his mind. To present his works in any kind of linear process was impossible and so he made the conscious decision to paint all different themes and ideas. ‘Themes’, the title given to this retrospective exhibition on show at The Montenotte Hotel, is a selection of his varied styles and images. At their essence, all of Flynn’s paintings aim to be centres of calm in a world that is often too loud and too busy. For more information about Paul Christopher Flynn’s work, visit http://thegallerykinsale.com/