Hospitality Review May 2016

review NI

MAY 2016

The VOICE of Northern Ireland’s catering, licensing and tourism industry

LANDSCAPE & PLACES: May’s Year of Food & Drink theme is integral to telling the story of Northern Irish food and drink. HRNI crosses the country on McComb’s Coach Travel’s new Grub Crawl, and visits Echlinville Distillery on the Ards Penninsula.

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BARTENDERS, BEVERAGES & BACARDI RUM: The local hospitality trade was recently hosted in The Filthy Quarter, Belfast, to hear about the benefits of using Bacardi rum, its use in the UK bar scene and the wider Bacardi Brown-Forman family of brands.

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LIGHT BEER WITH A WEIGHTY FOLLOWING: Molson Coors is celebrating and supporting the position of Coors Light as Northern Ireland’s leading bottled beer with a 35% share of the on-trade, hosting a ‘Trade Crusade’ event and launching a new TV campaign.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE: Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel in Enniskillen is celebrating its ruby anniversary under its current ownership, and Director Leigh Watson thrives on the opportunity to meet and work with a variety of different people every single day.

‘BLEISURE’ OPPORTUNITIES: As Northern Ireland targets the business travel market with new conference facilities and hotel space, it is crucial to have trained managers with knowledge of the wider tourism context, says Ulster University’s Dr Peter Bolan.

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MAY HRNI • 3

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Playing to our strengths N

Alyson Magee Editor

orthern Ireland has all the right ingredients to excel in food and drink tourism was the message at last month’s Taste of Tourism summit, hosted by the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation.

The event, which was well attended and well received, featured speakers from across the hospitality sector with a strong overall message prevailing – our produce is good and we need to focus on what we do best and better communicate its potential to the wider marketplace of tourism and international export markets.

Overall, last month saw a welcome uplift in activity around Year of Food & Drink, with the hospitality sector embracing the theme of Brewing & Distilling. Hopefully, the initiative will continue to gain momentum as the year continues, offering industry some insight and inspiration for activity in 2016 and beyond.

Opportunities highlighted at Taste of Tourism summit A

wide array of speakers highlighted the potential offered by food and drink tourism in Northern Ireland at last month’s tourism summit, urging the local hospitality and agri-food and drink sectors to make the most of opportunities around quality, seasonal produce.

Taste of Tourism, a one-day summit organised by the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF) and held at the Culloden Spa & Estate, featured a panel of 10 acclaimed speakers.

“In Northern Ireland you have some amazing produce,” said Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett. “It’s all local, it’s all seasonal and, in a way, it’s not boasted about enough.”

Local producers offer the advantage of a more personal touch, she said, but need to ensure they are able to deliver on any promises made.

Hartnett also talked about the crowded London restaurant scene and said the days of chefs working 24/7 were over, with staff at her own venue Murano working four days on, three days off.

JP McMahon talked about the international chef symposium Food on the Edge which he is hosting in Galway for a second year. Bringing in global chefs and writers, McMahon said the initiative is a long-term project which he hopes will have a trickle down effect in promoting the virtues of Irish produce and cooking around the world.

McMahon also urged artisan producers to sell directly to the marketplace. “How we need to excel in Ireland is producing premium products,” he said. “We cannot compete with giganticness.”

For restaurants operating in the Irish marketplace, McMahon said Michelin stars were all very well but the middle market was very important and demand was high for casual dining.

Travel writer Pol O’Conghaile urged the local industry to make the most of the current trend for sharing foodie pictures on facebook, Twitter and Instagram. “Food is super shareable,” he said, highlighting the importance of food as a consideration when people are planning holidays.

Researcher Dr Tara Shine, meanwhile, highlighted the issue of food waste in restaurants, with spoilage, loss in preparation and leftovers on customers’ plates the main sources. Citing research suggesting the average UK restaurant creates half of kilogramme of waste for every customer served, Shine said restaurants could save up to 1,700 per year from taking measures to cut back on waste.

Other speakers included Food Futurologist Dr Morgaine Gaye, food critic, restaurant reviewer and hotel inspector Simon Parkes, chefs Danni Barry and Paula McIntyre, and forager Mary

Compere Pamela Ballantine is pictured with Morgaine Gaye and Simon Parkes, both speakers at last month’s Taste of Tourism Summit.

White.

Guinness Storehouse Managing Director Paul Carty spoke about the success of the tourist attraction, which welcomed 1.5 million visitors in 2015. “We got the story of Guinness right,” he said.

Attributing the venue’s success to making the tour fun, engaging and interesting, he said catering and facilities management had been outsourced to concentrate on making the Storehouse a great experience across its seven levels.

Another highlight of the day was the muchtalked about and tweeted Picnic NI lunch.

Editor: Alyson Magee Manager: Mark Glover Art Editor: Helen Wright Production Manager: Stuart Gray Subscriptions: 028 9078 3200 (Price £27.50 UK, £37.50 outside UK) Published by Independent News & Media Ltd: Hospitality Review NI, 5B Edgewater Business Park, Belfast Harbour Estate, Belfast, BT3 9JQ. Tel: 028 9078 3200 Fax: 028 9078 3210.

Contact: alysonmagee@greerpublications.com. Tel: 028 9078 3246 Sales: markglover@greerpublications.com. Tel: 028 9078 3234 The Review is the official publication for: Hospitality Ulster: 91 University Street, Belfast, BT7 1HP. Tel: 028 9032 7578.

Chief Executive: Colin Neill Chairperson: Olga Patterson The Northern Ireland Hotels Federation: The McCune Building, 1 Shore Road, Belfast, BT15 3PJ. Tel: 028 9077 6635 Chief Executive: Janice Gault President: Ciaran O’Neill Design & Production by: Greer Publications Design Printed by: W. & G. Baird Ltd. The opinions expressed in Hospitality Review are not necessarily those of Hospitality Ulster or the NIHF. 4 • HRNI MAY

Hospitality Review is copyright © Independent News & Media Ltd 2016

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Tourism Ireland targets 5.5 million GB tourists with new ad T

ourism Ireland has teamed up with actor Richard E Grant and Smooth Radio, the third largest radio brand in Britain, in a new promotion to showcase Northern Ireland to British holidaymakers this year.

Tourism Ireland is working with Smooth Radio to produce a series of short online films. Viewers will see Richard E Grant immerse himself in local culture, showcasing experiences on offer in Belfast and the Causeway Coast. Tourism Ireland worked closely with Tourism NI to agree the locations to Pictured during filming outside St George’s Market are Julie Wakely of Tourism Ireland, actor Richard feature in each film.

E Grant and Caroline Wilson of Belfast Food Tours.

The campaign – which will be rolled out in two phases – aims to reach about 5.5 million people across Britain. The films will be promoted on the Smooth Radio website and through on-air mentions. They will also be shared via social media – targeting Tourism Ireland’s audience on Facebook (430,000 fans in Britain alone) and Twitter (67,000+ followers).

“Our newest promotion has been specifically designed to highlight holidays and short breaks in Northern Ireland to our ‘culturally curious’ audience in Great Britain,” said Julie Wakley, deputy head of Great Britain at Tourism Ireland. "These are independent, active sightseers, who are typically looking to visit new places and expand their experience by exploring landscapes, history and culture.”

Beannchor announces latest expansion plans

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n expansion of its Little Wing Pizzeria chain beyond six local restaurants and a second phase of its Bullitt hotel project are among the latest plans recently unveiled by Beannchor.

“The Little Wing brand has gone from strength to strength in recent years,” said Luke Wolsey, managing director of Little Wing. “Its success has proven that this is a good business model and we have ambitious plans for growth in the coming years.

“We are reviewing options for further expansion of Little Wing, with a number of sites being investigated across Northern Ireland. Looking to the future, we see the time arising whereby we will have reached a level of critical mass in Northern Ireland and will need to consider options in other markets for further growth. We are already tentatively looking at site locations in both the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain.”

Phase two of the Bullitt hotel concept, meanwhile, is expected to be completed in 2017 and will add another 30 rooms following the acquisition of Annsgate House on Ann Street.

Annsgate House adjoins Lagan House, which is currently being redeveloped to create the first phase of the hotel including 44 bedrooms, a ground floor café, bar and restaurant and is scheduled for completion later this year.

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Tourism Ireland promotes new flight from Brussels to Belfast

Belgian tour operators and journalists are pictured with Eoin Keane, Tourism Ireland (front, centre), at the Ulster Museum in Belfast.

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group of top tour operators and journalists from Belgium visited Belfast and Northern Ireland last month, as guests of Tourism Ireland and Brussels Airlines.

The new Brussels Airlines flight to Belfast City Airport, which began in April, offers an opportunity to boost tourism in Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland is promoting the new service in Belgium. As well as highlighting the ease of access between Brussels and Belfast, the visit offered the opportunity to showcase attractions in Northern Ireland.

“Not only will it help to boost both leisure and business travel from Belgium, but because Brussels is a member of the Lufthansa Group and part of the Star Alliance, the new flight also offers excellent connections to Belfast, via Brussels, from other European countries and Asia – making it easier for prospective visitors in those markets to get to Northern Ireland,” said Danielle Neyts, Tourism Ireland Belgium.

The journalists’ itinerary, designed

by Tourism NI, included visits to Titanic Belfast, The Gobbins Cliff Path, the Ulster Museum and the Crumlin Road Gaol.

MAY HRNI • 5

analysis

Brewers and distillers: To patent or not to patent?

Cleaver Fulton Rankin Associate Solicitor Michael King advises on the differences between patents and trade secrets for recipes and processes may be patented by someone who developed the information independently.

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here is currently a thriving craft beer and bespoke local drinks industry with new beers, gins, and other delicacies being launched onto the local drinks scene. From a brewer’s or manufacturer’s point of view, it may be worth exploring if the processes involved could enjoy intellectual property rights, as brewers can use the law to their advantage.

A trade secret can be ‘know how’ or ‘show how’ - knowing how to do something, for example, a secret recipe or knowing the way to do something. It remains enforceable as a trade secret, only as long the information is secret.

A patent however protects novel inventions capable of industry application. Therefore, brewing, distillation and other processes in relation to the manufacture and distribution of drinks may be patentable. In this case, the inventor is given a 20-year monopoly in exchange for showing the world how the invention works.

Trade secrets can be inventions or manufacturing processes that do not meet patentability criteria or do meet the criteria but the inventor chooses to keep the invention secret. There are pros and cons to both approaches.

TRADE SECRETS Trade secrets are not limited in time as long as they remain a secret, unlike patents which last for 20 years. There is no cost or administration involved unlike the patent process.

However, a trade secret can be particularly vulnerable to reverse engineering. It may be difficult to keep it secret. As soon as it is no longer secret, there is limited recourse only against those who disclosed it. A trade secret

PATENTS Like all registered intellectual property rights, patents can be easier to deal with ie transfer, assign and licence rights and have a quantifiable commercial value. Patents can also be easier to enforce because there is objective evidence of a particular right. With current technology, it can be easy for a competitor to analyse a drink for its ingredients. Patents can protect against reverse engineering.

Patents also benefit from the Patent Box. This is a scheme whereby HMRC offers tax advantages for companies that register patents.

Thus a company may decide to register a patent for financial reasons over and above the benefits of innovation. The key is the level of innovation, not the particular industry.

The downside to patents is that the process can be expensive and lengthy. After a certain amount of years, there will also be annual renewal costs.

There is no doubt that patents can be relevant to the brewing industry. There are techniques and processes which could be patentable. The question for the individual company will be if patenting is right for it. It will have to consider the following factors: • Is the process patentable?

• Is it worth patenting? i.e. the costs of the patent as against the potential benefit; and • Can the company keep a trade secret ie does the company trust its employees and third parties it deals with?

Patents are highly technical documents. If a company is considering a patent, it should consult a patent attorney who can advise on whether it meets the criteria and the scope of protection available.

If the company wants to keep a secret, it should ensure that its employee contracts have sufficient protections in relation to confidentiality and that third parties - to include potential investors and business partners - sign up to nondisclosure (or confidentiality) agreements. Many of the most successful companies maintain trade secrets such as recipes for soft drinks and fried food. It’s clear the employees can keep those secrets, but the question is, can yours?

Please note: The content of this article is for information purposes only and further advice should be sought from a professional advisor before action is taken.

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news

Four stars for Holiday Inn Belfast City Centre

Award-winning Killyhevlin celebrates ruby year

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oliday Inn Belfast City Centre on Hope Street, owned and operated

by Andras Hotels, has been awarded four-star status by Tourism NI. Andras, which also owns Holiday Inn Express Belfast City – Queen’s Quarter, recently invested £2.5m in a complete refurbishment of the Hope Street hotel.

All 250 rooms and public areas were refit and furnished in a contemporary, up-market style, while a new restaurant concept, The Oakwood Grill, offers New England-style cuisine as well as providing 24-hour room service.

The hotel also benefited from a new gym, an updated meeting and Rajesh Rana, director of Andras Hotels, conference room with 60-person is pictured with Chris McQuay, HSBC, John McGrillen, Tourism NI and Janette capacity, and free WiFi throughout Harbson, Holiday Inn. the entire property. Stage two of the upgrade has also commenced, which will see all of the bathrooms in the property upgraded to the same standard.

“I would like to congratulate Rajesh Rana and his team for both achieving the four-star status and creating such a fantastic hotel in our capital city which enhances the accommodation and hospitality offering for visitors to Belfast,” said John McGrillen, chief executive of Tourism NI. “The Holiday Inn brand is world-renowned, however, Andras Hotels have managed to put their own individual stamp on it with their creative use of space, use of local designers, suppliers and fantastic facilities.”

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Pictured are, from left, Jacqueline Wright and Leigh Watson, directors; Nicola Wright, business support manager; David Morrison, general manager; and Pat Kavanagh, accounts manager.

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he owners of Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel in Enniskillen are celebrating their 40th year in business as proprietor of one of the leading four star hotels in Northern Ireland.

The hotel which has recently undergone a £1m refurbishment and enhancement of public areas, due to be completed at the end of April, was purchased by the Watson family in 1976 and the luxury accommodation provider now boasts a health club and Elemis spa, extensive conference and wedding facilities, 71 spacious guestrooms and suites and 13 self-catering chalets.

“Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel has grown from strength to strength over the past four decades and we are delighted to remain one of Northern Ireland’s leading hotels,” said Jacqueline Wright, director of Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel.

“The past 40 years have been both fun and hard work and we as a team are excited by our future plans with plenty more to come including a £1.5m investment in our chalet redevelopment later this year.”

MAY HRNI • 7

flogasprofile

Caffe Spice, Larne Mariann Casagrande, manager of Caffe Spice, talks to Alyson Magee WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU? We have an all day breakfast menu; sandwiches, toasties, wraps and paninis; soups and salads; a grill with burgers, baked potatoes, chicken, scampi and curry; and desserts.

We also do outside catering, with sandwich and wrap platters, fruit platters and hot buffet food available for office meetings or private events.

WHEN DID YOUR RESTAURANT OPEN? We first opened on Dunluce Street in 1999, and moved to Upper Cross Street when we needed more space. I had already opened Loafers in Larne, which was the first place you could get sandwiches made to order, and I wanted to do the same with meals. There was nowhere you could get a fresh salad made to order. Some of the food we still serve has been on the menu since day one such as our ‘kinda famous smokey chicken sandwich’ with chicken, smokey bacon, BBQ sauce and coleslaw and our spicy lentil soup. I also wanted to do nice, fresh, real coffee.

TELL US ABOUT THE SPACE YOU HAVE We have seating downstairs for 50, and upstairs for 40, which can be hired for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and christenings with tailored menus and décor.

WHAT FEEL ARE YOU AIMING FOR? A warm ambience and nice, happy atmosphere where our customers can come and meet their friends.

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DOES YOUR MENU CHANGE OFTEN? We have four specials which change weekly.

For example, this week, we have an asian duck wrap, Cajun salmon salad, vegetable quiche and a hotdog; something to try and suit everyone’s palate. We are always trying new things and recently introduced Crazy Shakes, which are doing really well.

WHAT IS YOUR FOOD SOURCING POLICY? We try and source as local as possible; if I can’t get it from Northern Ireland, I’ll try and get it from Ireland. We make a lot of our own bread, and also get bread from the Country Kitchen in Larne and from Brennan’s. We get fish from Ewings, and meat from Watt’s Butchers in Larne and Hannan Meats in Moira. One thing we find it hard to source locally is chicken; we use so much chicken, we can’t find a local supplier who can keep it with our demand.

WHO ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS? We do get a few from further afield but mostly it’s local people including local businesses.

HAVE YOU FACED ANY PARTICULAR CHALLENGES TO DATE? The public realm works in Larne have been a challenge but you have to put up with a few bruises, and the face lift will be worth it.

HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR RESTAURANT STAND OUT FROM COMPETITORS? By using the best of fresh, local produce. We use butter, the best mayonnaise, rapeseed or olive oil and make all our own soups, sauces and salads. We made the decision to make all our own sauces so if any of our customers are looking for gluten-free, we will know what exactly is in them.

ANY PLANS FOR THE YEAR? Along with other businesses in the town, we are planning to do Café Culture nights throughout the summer. The first one will be on June 4, and there will be a guitarist or singer in the venues. We’re trying to rejuvenate the night time economy.

Upper Cross St, Larne Tel: 028 2826 9633 W: www.caffespice.co.uk/ F: /CaffeSpice/ Opening hours: Mon-Thur - 9am-5pm Fri-Sat - 9am-6pm Sun - 10am-3pm

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chefprofile

Stephen Forbes, head chef at Pier 59 in Derry, talks to Alyson Magee

Stephen Forbes is pictured with Pier 59 owner Una Kincaid at last year’s Flavours of the Foyle festival.

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y the time this edition of HRNI hits the streets, Stephen Forbes will be a long way from Pier 59. The Derry native will be somewhere in Southeast Asia, taking a few months off to refresh and inspire his cooking style (and soul), before he returns to the popular seafood restaurant on Strand Road.

Stephen had no early calling to the world of cookery; he had joinery in mind as a trade but the courses were full and he ended up studying catering and hospitality at North West Regional College for two years. He soon found his feet, and his palate, though and commenced his chef career with a placement at Fitzroys in Derry.

After completing his course, Stephen worked for a variety of restaurants around Derry and Donegal, including the Fort Inn in Derry, which was his first proper job where he picked up the basics.

He also worked as a sous chef at the Firebox Grill in Derry, and alongside Kevin Pyke at the Castle Inn in Greencastle before the wanderlust

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first kicked in, and he set off travelling for a year around Thailand, India and beyond.

“I did a lot of cooking there,” he says. “Most people go down the French route and I do too but I definitely use of a lot of Thai and Indian influences in my cooking.”

After returning to Northern Ireland, Stephen then spent a year and a half at Rathmullan House in Donegal as chef de partie, working with Kelan McMichael and training in fine dining. “Once I first started it, I loved it,” he says. A fussy eater in his younger years, “I didn’t eat a thing,” he says, “but I’d eat anything now; it’s really opened me up to food.”

An added attraction at Rathmullan House was its outdoor catering services. “It had a wee van we took to festivals,” says Stephen. “We would serve proper restaurant food like beef fillets inside baps and roasted salmon, and won the Bridgestone Award for the Electric Picnic.”

After Rathmullan House, Stephen joined Café del Mondo in Derry’s craft village as head chef

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and was there for four years, transforming the venue from a daytime café to include evening meals. “I had free range there,” he says. “It wasn’t fine dining as such; the aim was to keep it affordable for everyone.”

Just before coming on board new venue Pier 59 as head chef, in December 2014, Stephen spent two weeks in Spain, travelling to Barcelona, San Sebastian and Balboa on a culinary journey where he enjoyed the local food and talked to chefs in their kitchens.

With Pier 59, “the only seafood restaurant in Derry, from the start, it was mental busy,” he says.

When it first opened, around 70% of the menu was seafood; since reduced to 60% with steaks also proving a popular choice.

Crossgar Pallas supplies beef ribs and pork belly, while Pier 59 sources its seafood on the quay in Greencastle.

The venue has five chefs and five front-ofhouse staff members, opening for lunch and dinner service Tuesday to Sunday.

Already a strong presence in the local community, the team is often out and about cooking at events such as the LegenDerry Food Fest and Flavours of the Foyle seafood festival held alongside the popular Clipper Maritime Festival.

Rick Stein is an influence for Stephen. “I like his food,” he says. “It’s not too involved; it’s good honest cooking.”

He typically works around 50 hours a week, and enjoys a bit of football and playing his guitar during downtime.

While Stephen is on his travels, Aaron Doherty from well-known seafood specialist Harrys in Bridge End will take over as head chef, “which is quite exciting for the restaurant,” says Stephen. The two friends will then work together in Pier 59 when Stephen returns.

MAY HRNI • 9

foodnews

Noel McMeel joins SuperValu as ambassador chef

SuperValu Ballymoney store owner Peter McCool welcomed SuperValu Ambassador Chef Noel McMeel to his store.

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uperValu has launched a new partnership with a top Northern Ireland chef, as part of a major investment into its local offering.

The announcement of Noel McMeel as

SuperValu’s new ambassador chef was made at a special event at Tedfords Kitchen in Belfast to celebrate Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink last month.

Throughout 2016 McMeel, who is currently executive head chef at the prestigious five star Lough Erne Resort in Enniskillen, will share his passion for local produce with SuperValu customers, promoting its extensive range of fresh, local and quality ingredients and encouraging consumers to shop local.

As part of the partnership, a series of ‘Meet the Makers’ in-store events, hosted by the new SuperValu new Ambassador Chef, kicked off on April 16 at McCool’s SuperValu, Ballymoney.

Showcasing over 60 local producers including Broighter Gold, Chocolate Manor,

Donnybrewer Butter, Ruby Blue Vodka and Mash Direct, Chef McMeel was on hand to offer culinary inspiration with cooking demonstrations throughout the day.

The Meet the Makers in-store series will roll out across all 35 local SuperValu stores in Northern Ireland this year as part of the retail brand’s We Believe in Local campaign.

“I’m very excited to team up with SuperValu and its independent retailers as they represent the heart of the community in Northern Ireland, with their support of local produce, jobs and suppliers,” said McMeel. “SuperValu, like me, is all about keeping it real – real food for real people, so I am delighted to be able to bring my recipes, top tips and cooking twists to homes throughout Northern Ireland.”

Refurbished Causeway Lounge opens at BIA T

he newly refurbished Causeway Lounge, operated by Mount Charles at Belfast International Airport, has been officially opened by US Consul General Daniel Lawton.

With an investment of over £250,000 by the airport, business and leisure passengers can now enjoy a host of amenities to make sure that every journey can get off to a perfect start.

Focusing on quality local produce, the lounge’s mouth-watering complimentary food menu and gourmet buffet counter boasts artisan treats from companies such as Fivemiletown Cheese and Ditty’s Oat Cakes.

“The Causeway Lounge is part of a continuous investment programme in the

airport which will add considerably to airside passenger facilities,” said Graham Keddie, managing director at Belfast International Airport.

“We are passionate about promoting Northern Ireland and continue to do so by enhancing the complimentary food menu. A gourmet buffet counter boasts a wide range of treats and bites for guests to enjoy. The lounge provides the perfect platform for our incredible food producers to showcase their products to both a domestic and international audience.

This support is hugely important in order to continue growing Northern Ireland’s food offering - particularly during NI’s 2016 Year of Food & Drink.”

Pictured L-R: Margaret Allen, Mount Charles, Christopher Telford, Mount Charles, Jonathan McKinlay, Mount Charles, Deirdre Graffin, Belfast International Airport, Cathal Geoghegan, Mount Charles and Trevor Annon, Mount Charles.

Hastings Hotel staff reach final of UK competition

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Pictured are, from left, Kevin Keenan, front of house at Culloden Estate & Spa; Craig Thompson, commis chef at the Europa Hotel; and Andrew Bradford, commis chef at Slieve Donard Resort & Spa.

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team of talented young hospitality professionals from the Hastings Hotels Group has just been named as one of five finalists in the UK Young Restaurant Team of The Year competition.

“We are thrilled that some of our talented restaurant team members have made it to the final in one of the most prestigious hospitality competitions for young people in the UK,” said Mark McGurnaghan, human resources manager of the Group.

“We have been told that the calibre of the entrants this year was incredibly high so I would like to congratulate Andrew Bradford, commis chef, Slieve Donard Resort & Spa; Craig Thompson, commis chef, The Europa Hotel;

Kevin Keenan, front of house, Culloden Estate & Spa; and the team mentor, Jay Eisenstadt, executive head chef, The Stormont Hotel on making the final, which is an achievement in itself.

“We are dedicated to ensuring that the people who dine with us at Hastings Hotels, enjoy a first-class service and delicious locally sourced food, so to be recognised nationally in this way has really confirmed that the hard work and dedication to quality service our young team have been providing is working. We would like to wish them the best of luck for the final in July and we will be cheering them on.”

The final of the competition will take place at Sheffield City College on July 5.

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landscape&places

Landscape and people drive our tasty food

By Michele Shirlow, chief executive, Food NI

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ay has been designated the month of Landscape & Places in Year of Food & Drink. The objective this month is to showcase how food and drink here has been – and continues to be – shaped by our wonderful landscape, our countryside, our cities, towns and townlands… and, of course, the people who live, work and play in them.

Landscape and places are also at the heart of our tourism message, which is bringing ever increasing numbers of visitors to these shores. May makes the strongest link so far between the quality of our food and drink and the land, loughs and coastline.

Great ingredients from our great countryside create the greatest food. Landscape, places, food and drink are the key elements in the tourism campaign that’s focused on the promotion of world class standards of dining and hospitality.

What Food NI is focused on is telling our story through the creation of and promotion of events and initiatives that will showcase these elements to local people and visitors, thereby strengthening the local economy and increasing employment opportunities, particularly in rural communities. We’ve been working with groups of local chefs to connect them with our landscape and people especially producers.

It was immensely encouraging, to see many visitors from overseas at two major food and drink festivals in Derry recently – the LegenDerry www.hospitalityreviewni.com

Food and Drink Festival and the tremendous Big Cheese and Craft Beer Expo, both held in Guildhall Square, now becoming one of the most successful food and drink venues here.

Derry and Strabane Council is using Year of Food & Drink highly effectively to drive awareness of the quality of local produce, helping to boost the local economy by creating an attractive programme of events that draw local people and visitors to the city.

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The growth of food tours here has been phenomenal, and it was encouraging to hear guest speaker at Taste of Tourism, Pol OConghaile, articulate something that we at Food NI believe - food tourism is projected to be greater than golf tourism.

All categories within our successful agri-food industry, of course, are influenced by our landscape and place as well as the skills and dedication of our people.

Our superb beef, lamb and dairy products are being marketed increasingly successfully worldwide as offering outstanding taste, texture and provenance from grazing lush, green meadowland pastures.

The quality of grass-fed beef that’s available here is now prized by consumers throughout Europe. Our seafood is recognised as excellent as far away as Japan.

Nutritious fruit and vegetables from our rich and healthy soils and diligently managed by our farmers are also valued in Britain and further afield.

We need to recognise and reward properly the huge contribution of our farming families to the development and preservation of our landscape and, of course, most successful manufacturing industry that ensures the economic wellbeing of places and people throughout Northern Ireland.

MAY HRNI • 11

Year of Food & Drink continues with Landscape & Places

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orthern Ireland Year of Food & Drink 2016 is a celebration of everything that makes local produce so good including epic landscape, time-honoured traditions and the people and producers behind its food heritage. The theme for May is Landscape & Places.

THIS MONTH’S EVENTS: MAY 1 Shane’s Castle May Day Steam Rally 10am-5pm, Randalstown Road, Co Antrim MAY 3 Bangor Beer Club 8pm, Salty Dog, Seacliff Road MAY 5 Comber Farmers’ Market 9:30am-1:30pm, St Mary’s Parish Church car park Comber Food Tour Takes Off 10am-3pm, Ards Visitor Information Centre, Regent St MAY 6-8 Garden Show Ireland including local produce showcase Antrim Castle Gardens, Randalstown Rd MAY 7 Walled City Market 9am-4pm, Guildhall Square, Derry MAY 10 Cheese Symposium 9:30am-1pm, The Merchant Hotel, Belfast MAY 11-13 Balmoral Show Maze Long Kesh, Lisburn

Echlinville Distillery unveils state-of-the-art site at Kircubbin

MAY 14 Causeway Speciality Market 9am-4pm, The Diamond, Coleraine MAY 24 Twilight Market at St Georges 5-11pm, E Bridge St, Belfast MAY 25 Twilight Market at St Georges 12noon-11pm, E Bridge St, Belfast MAY 27 Newry Farmers’ Market 9am-2pm, Hill Street, Newry MAY 27-JUNE 5 Rathlin Sounds Maritime Festival Rathlin - Rathlin MAY 28 Inns Market Newtownbreda 10am-2pm, The Inns, Saintfield Road Wild about Foraging 10am-5pm, The Narrows Social, Shore Road, Portaferry Ballymoney Market 11am-3pm, Castlecroft Square, Main Street MAY 29 Spice Night at James St South with Arun Kapil from Green Saffron, 7:30pm, Belfast

MAY 13 Dinner with a Difference Banquet aiding Daisy Lodge, Bryansford Rd, Newcastle

The theme for JUNE is love dairy.

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chlinville Distillery, a multi million-pound project on the Ards Peninsula offering visitor tours alongside spirits production, was officially opened by First Minister Arlene Foster last month.

The Distillery is believed to be unique in growing, malting and distilling its own crops, all within the grounds of the historic Echlinville Estate, at Kircubbin in Co Down. It produces Dunville whiskies, Jawbox gin and Bán Poitín, and has plans to launch its own Echlinville single estate whiskey, super-premium Irish potato vodka and a single estate gin.

In addition to its stunning stillhouse, Echlinville’s facilities include an extensive maturation hall, bottling and storage facilities and a function room.

“We are delighted to officially open the doors of our new stillhouse and unveil the state-of-the-art facilities that will put Echlinville on the map as the home of the finest quality Irish whiskey,” said Shane Braniff, who founded Echlinville Distillery in 2012, speaking at the opening event.

“Our impressive new building houses some of the finest distilling technology on the island of Ireland. The stillhouse has been designed to showcase the beauty of the purposebuilt copper pot stills and the craftsmanship of the equipment, whilst maximising the view of the surrounding countryside and the land on which we grow the grain barley used to make our whiskeys.

“Traceability and provenance is at the heart of our production process, with every drop of spirit produced here originating from crops grown and floor malted on our own estate. We are proud to be able to offer visitors a unique insight into our ‘field to glass’ approach during our newly launched distillery tours.

“Today marks the beginning of a new era for Echlinville Distillery and for tourism and employment in the Ards Peninsula. The stillhouse boasts an impressive function room – a unique entertainment venue right at the heart of a working

For more information on getting involved in Year of Food & Drink 2016, visit www.discovernorthernireland.com.

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landscape&places

McComb’s launches new Grub Crawl tours

Abernethy Butter, The Poacher’s Pocket and Echlinville Distillery are among stops available on the two Grub Crawl itineraries offered by McComb’s Coach Travel.

E

Shane Braniff, founder of Echlinville Distillery

distillery. And with plans in place to develop a Visitors’ Centre, whiskey museum and restaurant on the site, we look forward to further enhancing the Echlinville visitor experience.”

The new facility has secured Echlinville’s place as Northern Ireland’s second biggest spirits producer, with the capacity to produce around 15,000 bottles of the highest quality whiskey, gin, vodka and poitín every week.

It became the first licensed whiskey distillery in Northern Ireland in over 125 years when it received its licence to distil in 2013.

The historic Dunville brand, which was resurrected by Echlinville, has picked up a number of awards with Dunville PX 10 year old Single Malt winning successive Gold medals at The World Whiskies Awards for best Irish Single Malt 12 years and under in 2015 and 2016.

Further: “Echlinville’s ‘Patron’s Promise’ private reserve offer gives enthusiasts the unique opportunity to be among the first to own a cask of our finest whiskey – with the promise that each customer’s whiskey will be matured and finished exactly to their own specific taste,” said Braniff.

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stablished tour operator McComb’s Coach Travel has introduced a new Grub Crawl in response to growing interest in food and drink and supporting local producers.

With its launch ideally timed to coincide with Landscape & Places month, as part of Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink 2016, the Grub Crawl visits some of the country’s most innovative food and drink producers in a luxury coach.

“We have been so excited about unveiling our newest tours as the calibre of the brands and people involved is of such a high quality,” said Caroline McComb, director of McComb’s Coach Travel. “There are two tours to choose from, depending on what your tastes are, that include visits to Abernethy Butter, The Poacher’s Pocket, Mourne Seafood Bar, Echlinville Distillery and Kilmegan Cider.

“The transport for the tour will be a luxurious McComb’s coach so it is only fitting that the food is top quality as well. Our Grub Crawl really is a day out for those who like to experience Northern Ireland food, drink and hospitality at its best.

“So leave the car behind and allow our driver to transport you from one amazing experience to the next without having to worry about what you’re drinking, finding a parking space or paying for taxis – just indulge and enjoy yourself.

“The Friday Grub Crawl gets off to a great start with a visit to Abernethy Butter where guests will see a demonstration of how they create butter from scratch and afterwards enjoy lashings of amazing Abernethy Butter on some delicious home-made soda bread with a cup

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of tea. Next stop is the village of Lisbane, to locally-owned restaurant The Poachers Pocket where everyone will raise a glass of craft beer before tucking into a delicious tasting platter starter, followed by a choice of four main courses and if you have any room left, there will be locally produced cheeses with crackers and chutney to finish.

“Next stop on the Friday Grub Crawl is the newly constructed, Echlinville Distillery in Kircubbin, where Dunville Whiskey and Jawbox Gin are produced. This will be a gin lovers’ paradise as the head distiller leads you on a tour of the distillery before sampling some of Echlinville Distillery’s famous products. The tour will then travel back to Belfast city centre.”

The Saturday Grub Crawl also begins at

Caroline McComb, director of McComb’s Coaches

Abernethy Butter before moving on to the fishing village of Dundrum.

“In Dundrum we will visit Kilmegan Cider and see first-hand how this Great Taste Award Winning local cider is brewed,” said Caroline.

“We will then get the opportunity to taste the subtle differences between their Real Cider, Irish Farmhouse Cider and much loved Elderflower Cider.

“The final stop of the day will be at Mourne Seafood Bar where guests will tuck into a two course lunch of tasting platters, and a choice of no less than five main courses (including seafood, vegetarian, and non-fish options) as the head chef talks about his passion for food.”

The Friday and Saturday Grub Crawls both depart from Glengall Street in Belfast, which is also the last stop.

The Grub Crawl tours began on April 22 and will run alternately on Fridays and Saturdays, with a special introductory offer of £65 per person.

MAY HRNI • 13

drinksnews

Harp Trainee manager talent secures T Delamain Cognac Prize M

ark Tinsley, a trainee manager at Robinsons Bars in Belfast, has been awarded the Delamain Cognac Prize for the highest achiever in the WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits.

Picking up his award during the 2016 WSET Awards and Graduations at London’s Guildhall, Tinsley’s prize included a study visit to Delamain in the Cognac region and an opportunity to go behind the scenes at the home of Delamain in Jarnac.

He received the award from Metzendorff Managing Director Andrew Hawkes and WSET Honorary President Gerard Basset OBE. Having excelled in Level 2, Tinsley is now getting ready to study for Level 3 as well as completing his management training with Wine Inns.

celebrates local

he Harp Angel was joined by Belfast actor Ian Beattie (Game of Thrones, Line of Duty and Vikings) last month in a celebration of local talent and the spectacular locations making Northern Ireland a popular destination for Hollywood directors and casting agents.

As head of the newly-formed House Harp, the HARP Angel invited Beattie to be his right hand man at The Blue Throne, created from over 600 Harp bottles by local set-designers working on Game of Thrones.

The pair paid tribute to a host of local extras working on productions filmed locally, who were also named honorary members of House Harp.

House Harp is self-styled as an optimistic community, which promises to Look on the Harp Side with its uplifting maxim Summer is coming.

“House Harp champions the people and locations of the North,” said Lisa Ronayne, senior brand manager for Harp. “People who watch shows like Game of Thrones often think ‘the North’ is a cold, dark and repressive place, but we’re showing its sunnier side.

“House Harp is a positive and optimistic movement. House Harp encourages everybody to Look on the Harp Side and bask in the warm

glow provided by our rich history of providing fabulous extras (and stunning backdrops) for major film and television productions.”

Double golds for The Quiet Man in San Francisco D erry-based Niche Drinks has secured Double Gold for both The Quiet Man Traditional Irish Blend and The Quiet Man 8 Year Old Single Malt at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Since its introduction in 2000, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition has become among the most respected and influential spirits competitions in the world.

“It’s fantastic to win anything at the San Francisco competition, so for both The Quiet Man whiskeys, the Traditional Blend and the 8 Year

Old Single Malt to win not just Gold, but Double Gold is a fantastic boost for us and helps confirm that The Quiet Man is a top quality whiskey,” said Ciaran Mulgrew, managing director of Niche Drinks.

“They say you can judge someone by the company they keep, well we are in great company in San Francisco with Redbreast Pure Pot Still 21, 15 and 12 Year Old all also winning Double Gold along with Middleton Very Rare Blend. That’s company The Quiet Man is delighted to keep.”

Corona helps spread some Easter sunshine at Secrets T

he ‘Sunshine Beer,’ Corona Extra, one of the world’s leading beer brands, partnered with Secrets Nightclub in Magherafelt on Easter Monday to bring its music event series, Sunset Sessions to the popular club.

Dutch DJ Don Diablo, one of the hottest producers of the moment, hosted the party that raised the roof at Secrets. Hundreds of party revellers enjoyed dancing the night away to his many hits including On My Mind and Starlight as well as a number of his collaborations, having worked with, for example, Madonna, Ed Sheeran, Rudimental and most recently Birdy.

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winewizard

A whole lot of rosé R

Hollywood A-listers are tapping into rose’s new found chic. The 6,000 bottle release of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s first vintage from their Chateaux Miraval estate sold out within five hours - at about £88 per six-bottle case!

Rosé comes in such a wide array of styles it would be difficult to list them all. Here are a few of the most common found in the Northern Ireland market: White Zinfandel and Blush White Zinfandel and Blush wine is generally a far sweeter, juicier wine. It’s very popular with new consumers turning of age and therefore a staple entry level wine amongst university students!

Originally, they were actually pale pink wines, but today denote a far sweeter style of wine. The good news is they usually offer a great value for money option. I recommend Riptide White Zinfandel which is gently sweet but incredibly refreshing; this wine balances strawberry and cream flavours with a zesty crisp finish.

Italian Rosato Italy’s name for rosé wine, rosato changes based on the region and its climate. There are many styles of rosé wine from Italy and it’s important to realise they change in both flavour and aroma. While we won’t cover all of them, we will say that they tend to offer a diverse flavour profile which can mean having to try multiple wines before finding

one to your liking. I recommend Sartori Pinot Grigio Blush which has crisp, clean summer fruit flavours on the palate and a style that sits slightly on the sweeter side of dry.

Spanish Rosado Like rosato in Italy, rosado is the term for rosé wine in Spain. Again, it’s dependent on region and climate, but in Spain most rosé wine comes from Navarra where it’s made from the Garnacha or Grenache grape as we know it in America. What separates Spain from France is that they often use other types of grapes such as Merlot and Tempranillo in addition to Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan, among others. I recommend Marques de Caceres Rioja Rosado. A serious rosé made from Tempranillo and Granacha, it’s a full bodied dry wine with intense cherry and raspberry fruit.

Champagne Rosé Champagne is often some of the most expensive champagne you can find. Like other wine, it ranges in colours from light greyish pink to bright or hot pink. Some are simply clear Champagnes, coloured using Pinot Noir at the last moment to add pink colouring which of course is representative of love and romance. I recommend Ayala Rose Majeur which is yeasty and elegant with bright raspberry fruit that leads on to some creamy, dark, spicy flavour and a juicy finish.

With summer upon us, it is the ideal time to stock these products which are in line with consumer drinking trends with their fresh, aromatic flavours, and good value for money.

Quote of the month:

United Wine Merchants, 70 Silverwood Road, Craigavon, BT66 6SY Tel: 028 3831 6555 Fax: 028 3831 6444 sales@unitedwines.co.uk www.unitedwines.co.uk

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“Wine cheers the sad, revives the old, inspires the young and makes weariness forget his toil.”

Lord Byron For more information on our fabulous rosés please contact United Wine Merchants 02838 316555, see our website www.unitedwines.co.uk or check out our new facebook page!

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MAY HRNI • 15

by Ciaran Meyler

osé wine according to AC Nielsen accounts for 12% of all still wine sales in the UK but it has often been disregarded and considered for the younger, sweet toothed, Millennial generation. In reality, they are some of the most versatile wines in the world.

They range in a multitude of flavours and aromas and are definitely worthy of your time and hopefully your praise.

Wine Wizard!

Ciaran Meyler

drinksevent

Bacardi showcases its

rum portfolio

Sean Ware

B

acardi recently hosted the local hospitality trade at an event themed Bartenders, Beverages & Bacardi Rum and held in The Filthy Quarter, Belfast.

Showcasing Bacardi cocktails from the past and present, the afternoon gathering enjoyed presentations by Bacardi Brand Ambassador May Kongsrivilai and Trade Ambassador Sean Ware.

The Bacardi experts, visiting from England, extolled the benefits of using Bacardi rum, with examples of how its various expressions are being used throughout the UK bar scene alongside an interactive insight into the Bacardi family of brands.

“The seminar and tasting was a category piece,” says Ware. “We wanted to show where Bacardi fits within the whole picture of rum. We then focused on some fantastic drinks that showcased the beautiful balanced rum expressions under the family of liquids that is Bacardi.

“We tasted cocktails created by Audrey Saunders and Ryan Chetiyawardana, not to mention a few classics and creations from both May and myself.

“We had a fantastic time in Belfast. The industry has a fantastic vibe at the moment that feels very welcoming and has such a community spirit. Hospitality is at the heart of everything anyone does and it shows in how the bars have come along in the last few years.”

Also attending the event were local Bacardi trade representatives Richard McCluskey, Ryan Brown and Carla McGreevey.

16 • HRNI MAY

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advertorial

Annemarie McDonagh, Tennent’s NI territory manager, catches up with Miss Northern Ireland, Leanne McDowell, over a Magners Light at Horatio Todd’s, Belfast. Horatio Todd’s recently hosted a heat of the Miss NI competition.

Life on the Magners Light Side Refreshing socialising advice from Miss Northern Ireland

W

hen it comes to a night out with friends even the most disciplined beauty can be tempted to throw calorie-counting caution to the wind in favour of a sumptuous meal and drinks but, according to Miss Northern Ireland, Leanne McDowell, you can have it all!

This fun-loving student is proof that it is possible to enjoy a great night out without losing sight of your healthy living regime. “Too many late nights and unhealthy diet choices definitely take their toll on your health as well as your looks and energy levels,” she says. “So, for me, it’s all about getting the balance right. I love to socialise but I don’t make a habit of extra-late nights and I would rarely choose to eat junk food... although I certainly wouldn’t beat myself up because I fancy a burger the odd time!

Everything in moderation!

“I love to eat out and this year, as Miss Northern Ireland, I’ve been enjoying some amazing local food at restaurants, pubs and hotels. I’m a big fan of the Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink 2016 campaign. I think sometimes my hosts have been surprised that a Miss Northern Ireland should have such a healthy appetite – but that’s just what it is, an appetite for great, natural produce.

“When I’m socialising and often as a

18 • HRNI MAY

light refreshing accompaniment to a meal, my favourite drink is Magners Light. It tastes every bit as good as Magners Original, but the 330ml bottle has only 92 calories. I’ve converted a lot of my friends to it and they’ve been amazed that a low cal, low carb version of their favourite cider can taste so authentic, with the same 4.5 % abv.

“A glass of Magners Light over ice is refreshing and golden and somehow a bit celebratory... which suits my ‘girlie’ image, I think... but Magners Light also comes in pint bottles, which is great for guys!”

Making the right diet and lifestyle choices are clearly important for Leanne as she enjoys her role as Miss Northern Ireland, but the benefits are more than skin-deep. She says: “I feel so lucky to be Miss Northern Ireland that I want to do the job to the absolute best of my ability.

That’s why I have taken a year out from my studies and it’s why I am so committed to trying to make the most of this amazing year.

“When I turn up for an engagement, I feel I have a responsibility to look as good as I can and brimming with physical and mental energy and enthusiasm. I don’t want to miss a moment of the experience... from fabulous socialising, fashion shoots and travel to the charity work

that I really love. Living a healthy active lifestyle has allowed me to throw myself into a great year and emerge feeling better than ever! I recommend it to all the 2016 finalists, although I am sure they already know the value of healthy choices.”

This year those finalists will be encouraged to enjoy Leanne’s cider of choice as Magners Light steps in as an associate sponsor of Therapie Miss Northern Ireland 2016. If the contest winner is over 18, her fabulous prize package will include 12 cases of Magners Light to enjoy with friends during the year.

Magners Brand Manager Julia Galbraith is delighted to be supporting the search to find the next Miss Northern Ireland. She says: “For the past five years, we’ve seen continual growth in the light category’s share of the Long Alcohol Drinks market as consumers actively seek lower calorie and lower carb options. Magners Light answers that need by being a great choice for people who demand great taste but with fewer carbs and calories.

“We’re looking forward to toasting both our outgoing and incoming Miss Northern Ireland with a glass of Magners Light and all of us wish this year’s fabulous contestants every success – and lots of fun – with the competition.”

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drinksnews

Butterfly Cane Spiced Rum soars with silver award Jim O'Neill

B

utterfly Cane Spiced Rum, owned by Northern Ireland distributer and wholesaler, BOTL Wine & Spirits Merchants, has won international recognition in the prestigious annual Global Rum Masters Competition.

The finely-tuned palates of some of the world’s leading authorities recently gathered in London to blind-taste a range of rums, ranging from delicate white through rich and dark to powerful agricole, each with its own style and characteristics.

The influential experts awarded a silver medal to newcomer, Butterfly Cane Spiced Rum, delivering a welcome boost to a brand

20 • HRNI MAY

which, since its launch here in June 2015 has demonstrated its taste for success in the Northern Irish marketplace. Ambitious marketing has already secured orders from Dubai and the brand is about to be rolled out in GB, RoI, Spain, Germany and USA. “Once the underdog in the brown spirits category, a craze for cocktails and long mixed drinks has propelled rum out of the shadows and into the spotlight,” said Jim O’Neill, owner of the brand. “Butterfly Cane Spiced Rum and its sister brand, Butterfly Cane 3-Year-Old Rum, are ideally placed to drive that change still further with mellow taste and fashionable imagery combining to make rum more attractive and accessible to modern consumers.

“We are delighted to have brought Butterfly Cane Rums to Northern Ireland and we look forward to helping these great products to take off internationally, aided by the Global Rum Masters Silver Medal, which is a welcome and significant third party endorsement for the brand’s great taste credentials.”

Butterfly Cane Rum is an entirely new product, a premium-quality rum matured in oak barrels by Fernandes Family Distillers in Trinidad. Butterfly Cane is available as a 37.5% ABV, threeyear-old golden rum, while the award-winning Butterfly Cane Spiced Rum is infused with a mix

of spices and vanilla to offer the perfect balance of rich deep taste and spiced warmth. At 35% ABV, it has a scent of intense vanilla and toffee, with a long spicey finish; a perfect balance of deep rich taste and flavourful warmth.

Welcoming the latest accolade for Butterfly Cane, Steven Murphy, buyer with Tesco Northern Ireland, said: “Through Tesco Northern Ireland’s ‘Taste’ campaign, we maintain a constant focus on innovation, identifying quality produce and working with Northern Ireland’s business community to bring great new products to our consumers, both here and further afield.

“We have been delighted to work in a creative partnership with BOTL to launch Butterfly Cane. We have already exceeded our initial sales expectations, but we feel we are only just beginning to explore the potential of this exciting new brand which so perfectly targets the burgeoning demand for rum among 18 to 30 year olds.”

Consumers across Northern Ireland have been enthusiastic not only about the product, but also about its inspired-by-nature back story.

Trinidad tradition has it that the pure cane sugar of the island can only be harvested when the ‘Scarlet Peacock’ butterflies land on the crop to feed off the ripe sap… hence the ‘Butterfly’ name.

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q&a

A Day in the

Life…

Leigh Watson, director at Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel

Leigh Watson

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE? I hold the role of company director, responsible for human resources at Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel. I am a co-director with my sister-in-law, Jacqueline Wright, who is responsible for finance.

WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? I have always worked in the hospitality industry, part-time whilst completing my OND in Hospitality Operations at the College of

Business Studies, Belfast and while doing my BA in Catering Administration at Jordanstown. I worked for the late Raymond McClelland (chef proprietor) and his wife Anne, in the Schooner Restaurant in Holywood, where I can honestly say I learned the best of practices for food and beverage service and why quality produce is so important. I joined the Inn on The Park in Dungannon with the Waterson Family as restaurant manager in the late 1980s and loved the variation in business of a hotel. I worked for short periods of time in other establishments whilst at university including the Chatsworth Hotel in Worthing for a work placement and learned something valuable in each establishment that I can still apply in today’s hotel environment. I came to Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel in 1991, on marrying the late Rodney Watson, MBE. WHAT ARE THE BEST/WORST PARTS OF YOUR JOB? The best part is working with and being part of a great team of people who make Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel a fantastic success. The worst part of the day is the challenging conversations that can occasionally arise, but these are all part of the day-to-day running of the hotel!

WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST CHALLENGING ABOUT THE SECTOR? Many people still aren’t fully aware of the long-term career opportunities in the hotel industry and the life experiences and benefits it can offer! Too many people withdraw themselves from the industry having successfully completed courses in the colleges that, as a result, leaves the hotels, bars and restaurants in Fermanagh recruiting against each other for the same pool of local staff. This in turn, prompts us to recruit from outside the County out of necessity rather than choice.

The best part is working with and being part of a great team of people who make Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel a fantastic success.”

OUTLINE A TYPICAL DAY It’s so varied! At present I am reviewing and

24 • HRNI MAY

updating our company induction programme and preparing for job chats and annual appraisals. I’ve also been sourcing sales training and planning health and safety refresher courses. We are currently in the midst of a refurbishment programme so I’m attending project meetings as well as our daily operational meetings. Each day I will meet with staff and managers, talking, listening and learning. I love the opportunity Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel gives me to meet and work with a variety of different people every single day.

PROUDEST MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE Every day is a proud day for me. What sticks out for me on a business level was achieving our Investors in People award and AA and NITB 4 star status at Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel.

Without a doubt, on a personal level, the day Rodney got his MBE for service to the industry was a very special day. I am hoping for many more proud moments in the future with Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel.

BEST THING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED IN THE LOCAL SECTOR Living, working and relaxing in the scenic Fermanagh Lakelands is a great pleasure, which I’m sure many other people will agree.

It allows me to get hands on knowledge of our local customer base and to know what is happening in the area in terms of developments and marketing opportunities for Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO TO UNWIND AWAY FROM WORK? I enjoy walking my dog Halle Berry, trying yoga and following horse racing with the Watsons at Springfield Stables and chilling out with a ‘wee’ gin and tonic; not all on the same day of course!

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF NOT MANY PEOPLE MAY KNOW My dad refers to me as a ‘storm trooper’; I’ll let you try and work that one out for yourself!

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COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH

PALOMA

50ml 1800 Silver Tequila 3 drops orange bitters Juice from half fresh grapefruit Juice from quarter fresh lime

COCKTAIL MONTH of the

with 1800 silver tequila

In the latest of a regular series, we ask local bartenders to showcase a signature serve featuring the superb premium spirits brands presented by Proximo. Christian Morrow, general manager at The Poet, shares a serving option for 1800 Silver Tequila.

1800 silver tequila The featured spirit in this month’s signature serve is 1800 Silver Tequila.

paloma 50ml 1800 Silver Tequila 3 drops orange bitters Juice from half fresh grapefruit Juice from quarter fresh lime Served in a hurricane glass with a slice of grapefruit & grapefruit twist

“It shows off the balance of the 1800 Silver Tequila really well,” says Christian Morrow. “The Paloma is the most popular tequila drink in Mexico, more so than a Margarita, and it does more justice to a quality tequila like 1800.”

about the bartender Christian Morrow has worked in the hospitality trade for over a decade, starting out at the Stormont Hotel and also working in bars such as Jenny Watts and Donegans in Bangor, where he hails from. Having tried other professions, he returned to the trade and has been with The Poet in Dundonald for eight years, progressing from bartender to supervisor to general manager of the Beannchor-owned venue. “I don’t see the job as a chore,” he says. “I have fun with the customers and don’t really dread going into work. I like giving people new experiences. People tend to play it safe and stick with the same meals and drinks, and I like to try and break them out of that.”

Christian Morrow, general manager at The Poet

Available from all good wholesalers.

T: 0845 463 4570 Please drink responsibly. 1800® and other trademarks are owned by Agavera Camichines, S.A.de C.V. ©2016 Proximo Spirits UK.

bacardibrown-formanbarprofile

The Stokers Halt, Ballyhackamore Phil Patterson, managing director of The Approachable Group, tells HRNI about his venue The Stokers Halt in the East Belfast hospitality hotspot Ballyhackamore

WHAT IS ON OFFER AT the STOKERS HALT? ‘And so sings the soul’. Stokers has become a true independent pub; we don't follow - we lead. Our approach has been to engage with our community on as many levels as possible; family fun Sundays, meet the brewer events, special events for local school teachers and PTA and sponsorship of local clubs. We host private events for business community and local charities. We are a pub that serves great food, not a restaurant in a pub; everything feels relaxed, informal and very approachable.

We have a platform to give back and make our community a little better. We have 50-plus independent capped craft beers, a great draught selection from Diageo, wines from McAlindons, spirits from Bacardi Brown-Forman and Dillon Bass and food from Lynas.

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT FOCUS? To continue on our journey of acquiring distressed or tired businesses, and keep building our portfolio of pubs. The Approachable Group has just signed a deal with East Side Partnership to run the East Side Visitors Center; we will be investing a lot more in East Belfast in 2016.

We have also just been named Best Pub in Antrim, and will be competing in the National Pub & Bar Awards grand final in May.

new arrival due May 26. Professionally, close to home, I admire the work of Jas Mooney at Botanic inns, Bill Wolsey at Beannchor, Willie Jack at the Duke of York, Billy Hastings of Hastings Hotels and of course Michael Stewart, the bar czar. All I believe have demonstrated 100% commitment to their chosen projects. I am inspired by commitment, loyalty and honesty.

BEST SELLERS AND PERSONAL FAVOURITES Gin is in as they say. Bombay Sapphire is leading the way as a consumer lead bar call at the moment, and some local gins are gaining momentum like Shortcross and Jawbox. For me, I still love my Negroni; only one per week though.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU My family - my very, very patient wife Sarah, six-year-old Ollie, three-year-old Darcy and our

HOW IMPORTANT IS TRAINING? Fundamental. We want all of our team to have a personality that fits with our ethos approachable. The skills required to deliver a consistent product require investment from the brand and business owners. Our consumers are very demanding and will vote with their feet if we do not deliver. Time is the greatest gift; if we make time to train our staff, they pay us back with loyalty and passion.

FUTURE PLANS Deep breath! Convenience stores with Booker PLC, drive our logistics business growth into the licensed sector ( Apollo Global Logistics ), coffee shops, off sales and a roof garden on top of The Stokers Halt.

DESCRIBE the STOKERS HALT IN THREE WORDS Pub that cares.

© 2015 bacardi brown-forman brands. bacardi, the bat device, oakheart, grey goose, the geese device, bombay sapphire, 42 below, cazadores, noilly prat, martini, the "ball and bar" logo, dewar's, 'white label', oxley, leblon, eristoff, st-Germain, patrón and their trade dress are trademarks. jack daniel's, jack daniel's tennessee honey and old no.7, southern comfort, chambord, woodford reserve, finlandia and southern comfort are trademarks. all rights reserved.

28 • HRNI MAY

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tourismcommentary

Driving momentum in tourism through meeting the needs of the new business traveller

By Dr Peter Bolan, director of Travel & Tourism management at Ulster University

T

he needs of today’s business tourists are changing. From on-demand WiFi and keyless check-in to healthy meals and 24/7 gyms, today’s busy executive is focused on hotels that allow them to work more efficiently, provide amenities tailored to helping them stay healthy whilst on the road, and allow for perks that make them feel special and take away from any of the negatives that can come with frequent corporate travel.

Northern Ireland has been growing and developing its business tourism product and we have shown in recent years that we can host important international conferences and exhibitions at the higher end, and do so very successfully. Notable examples include the G8 Summit at the Lough Erne Resort which helped place that particular venue on the global stage.

Another of our most notable venues going forward will be the Waterfront Hall which has undergone a sizeable enhancement. Doubling the existing convention and exhibition space, at the Waterfront in particular, will greatly add to what is already a huge growth area for our economy and showcase Belfast and Northern Ireland as a highly viable and desirable venue for conference organisers and delegates.

The business traveller has been changing though, in terms of mindset, in terms of needs and wants, in terms of what they seek, how they www.hospitalityreviewni.com

spend their precious time and the experience they want. So how exactly have they changed?

And what lessons can we learn from what has already been happening around the world?

Well, many hotels and venues are beginning to adapt their services to meet the needs of the business traveller to whom time is precious and to meet an increasing desire for autonomy and personalised services. Embracing and harnessing digital technology is a hugely important part of this, such as encompassing mobile and in-room technologies like remote check-in and temperature controls so they don’t have to spend time waiting in line at the front desk or arriving to a room where the temperature doesn’t suit conditions for how they like to work.

Some hotels are even re-designing the interior of rooms specifically around the needs of the business traveller, with ergonomic desks and chairs, office supplies and proper focused lighting. Added to that is the drive for health and fitness, often prevalent amongst many corporate travellers. The dilemma with this is that such visitors have limited time to engage in such pursuits. So we have seen hotels begin to recognise this by extending access hours and even keeping such leisure/fitness facilities open 24/7. Further, some establishments have been experimenting with placing fitness gear and equipment in-room in a limited way.

Further to this we have to consider changing demographics, in particular the Millennials with their own often unique perspective. They are completely dependent on digital technology and use it through mobile devices much more frequently than the average business tourist.

Not only this, but they are much more likely to be dissatisfied if there are issues with digital access.

A recent in-depth survey across North America found that WiFi is the number one amenity for frequent business travellers generally, surpassing breakfast and gym/leisure facilities.

That being said, the same survey found that the business traveller increasingly wants to combine activities, such as reviewing a PowerPoint presentation whilst fitting in a workout. Such efficient and creative use of time is something that hotels, conference venues and even airports need to be catering to much more for today’s business traveller. Getting more creative in what we provide, making things easier and more achievable for business people whilst on the move, and in-house in our hotels and conference venues can only result in more satisfied customers that recommend us and return.

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Despite often having limited time, it is still important to encourage the business traveller to extend their stay if possible, and to engage more fully as leisure tourist. This extends their footprint and their spend in the region they are visiting and adds value to what may encourage them to return again, thus building loyalty. What we now call ‘Bleisure’ – mixing business travel with leisure and tourism activities. Despite time constraints, this is something research shows many business travellers would like to do more.

So we need to find ways to make it easier for them, to encourage them and to make it worth their while with excellent experiences that really do add value to their trip.

It is crucial therefore, that we have managers in the industry coming through that have studied and understand these aspects specifically and in the wider tourism context that surrounds it. Managers that understand the emerging needs of the new breed of business tourist and everything that needs to be utilised in a strategic way to capture those tourists, ensure they have a top quality experience and that they will return to us again. At the Ulster University Business School, through programmes such as our BSc in International Travel and Tourism Management, we are educating the next generation of such managers.

Our students study highly focused and relevant areas such as corporate event management. Around this, however, they are learning about everything from the importance of air route development to how to harness social media, smartphone apps and WiFi connectivity to ensure tourism success. Our travel and tourism management degree programme also provides the students with the opportunity of a one year placement in relevant industry sectors all around the globe. This ensures they have the opportunity to put into practice key elements of what they have studied in their first two years of the course. Furthermore they can return to their final year of study with a wealth of experience and can draw upon that in the latter stages of their degree qualification.

Our tourism graduates fully appreciate and understand such issues and how to harness them in the most effective way for business success.

Our industry needs such graduates who have taken a course that combines cutting edge areas of business and management but tailors and focuses them specifically on the tourism industry – an industry that has great momentum at the present time and is so crucially important to Northern Ireland’s economic development going forward.

MAY HRNI • 33

tourismnews

Team Belfast celebrates best year ever for business tourism

V

isit Belfast is celebrating the success of ‘Team Belfast’, after announcing conference wins for the city will generate a record-breaking £45m worth of economic benefit over the 2015/16 financial year.

The conferences will bring 30,000 delegates to Belfast, and generate more than 100,000 overnight stays for the local hotel sector.

Conference tourism represents an important sector of the tourism economy in Belfast. As well as bringing mid-week, year-round trade for the tourism and hospitality industries and

BIA welcomes boost in passenger figures

B

elfast International Airport (BIA) has reported over 370,000 passengers travelling through its doors in March, representing an increase of 12% on the same period last year and an increase of 16% since January 2016.

“Added capacity by easyJet coupled with strong demand on domestic routes continues to fuel this increase in numbers,” said Graham Keddie, managing director of BIA. “The reintroduction of the year-round United Airlines service to Newark – New York has bolstered international traffic during the winter period.

“Our performance over the first quarter of 2016 has got the year off to a fantastic start and we are confident that we will break the five million passenger barrier by the end of the year.”

34 • HRNI MAY

complementing the growing leisure tourism market in the city, business travellers and conference delegates are typically highspending visitors that bring trade to a wide range of local businesses.

The £45m in economic benefit will come from conferences which are due to take place in Belfast from 2016 onwards and includes high-profile conferences such as the Royal College of Nursing’s Annual Congress which will bring 5,000 delegates to Belfast in 2018.

The Congress – the largest ever – will also see

around 100 meetings and social events take place in a number of venues across the city over five days, bringing an expected £5m in economic benefit for the city.

“Tourism is an extremely important driver for Belfast’s overall economy, and we are committed to doubling the value of this sector to £870m by 2020,” said Suzanne Wylie, chief executive of Belfast City Council. “The work of Visit Belfast and the wider tourism industry is to be commended.”

Gerry Lennon, chief executive of Visit Belfast, said: “Achieving this economic benefit for the city is something that everyone involved in tourism can be proud of – it really is a team effort. Visit Belfast has continually invested in the promotion of Belfast as a vibrant conference and business tourism destination, proactively selling the city in the important GB, North American and European markets, but without a strong product offering across the sector, from our partners in conference venues, hotels, transport provision and restaurants and bars, as well as improvement in our air access, and commitment from the government to growing tourism, this £45m could not have been achieved.”

Tour operators sample the best of local produce T

op international tour operators have visited Co Down, where they sampled local food produce as part of a fact-finding trip to Northern Ireland.

Invited by Tourism Ireland to participate in the annual Meet the Buyer workshop in Belfast, the tour operators enjoyed a post-workshop tour which was themed all around Northern Ireland’s Year of Food & Drink.

As well as a visit to the Visiting tour operators are pictured at Clandeboye Estate with Linda Clandeboye Estate for a Duncan, Tourism Ireland (left) Bryan Boggs, Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt (fourth left) and Jonathan Sargeant, Tourism Ireland (right). breakfast of Clandeboye Estate yoghurt and granola, the group also enjoyed a visit to Neill Wine in Groomsport, where they learned about Northern Ireland’s burgeoning craft beer and cider-making industry. At Rowallane, the tour operators watched a soda bread-making demo, before visiting an oyster farm at Killough.

The trip was organised by Tourism Ireland in conjunction with Tourism NI. “Tourism Ireland was delighted to bring over 100 top international tourism buyers to Northern Ireland for Meet the Buyer 2016 – including 22 buyers who were here for the first time,” said Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland. “The high attendance of these buyers from around the world is a strong indication that interest in visiting Northern Ireland remains high and that it can, and is, competing with the best destinations in the world.”

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businessnews

Local businesses network in Westminster

Why property management is the bedrock of the industry

By Frank Cassidy, director, Osborne King Commercial Property Consultants

P

Stuart and Barbara Hughes of Hughes Craft Distillery and Owen Scullion of Hilden Brewing Company were among those participating in the event.

O

ver 100 leading business representatives from the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area, along with key business contacts from across the UK, investment representatives and senior politicians visited Westminster in March to champion the Council area as one of Northern Ireland’s premier investment locations.

Regarded as the most business friendly and the best-connected city in Northern Ireland by companies already located there, the City has experienced strong growth in business investment from the high tech sector and is home to some of Northern Ireland’s most important local success stories and dynamic start-ups. The event was hosted by the Rt. Hon. Jeffrey Donaldson MP, in partnership with Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council.

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Our Mobile Loyalty Program costs £24 per month including VAT.

roperty/asset management has traditionally been seen as the Cinderella of the property industry, and is more traditionally regarded as the area of fusty leases and blocked drains. However, if you think of the property industry as a building, then asset management is the foundation upon which the superstructure is constructed and no building will be able to function without a good well-designed base.

For example, asset management involves issues such as rent collection, service charge apportionment and collection, carrying out rent reviews, dealing with lease renewals, insuring buildings, dealing with repairs, dealing with disputes, and most importantly, mapping out a future strategy in order to achieve the optimum value for the asset. Whilst certain areas of the property industry are in response to events such as valuations because the bank requires it, disposal or acquisition because that is what the client wants, asset management is more cerebral in that it is geared to the maintenance of the asset and setting out a path for its future increased value thereby maximising its worth for the beneficiary.

These beneficiaries may be many and varied. Many asset owners are developers, speculators, investors, but others may be pensioners who will be reliant on their property for their income into their twilight years. The quality of property management advice is very important and all too frequently investors take asset management advice from the cheapest source. That can be a mistake, therefore engaging the services of a well-respected experienced firm of asset managers can be money well spent and saves the owner not just money but also anguish and hassle.

It is for these reasons therefore that asset management, whilst it operates in the background is very important for many property owners particularly those who are reliant on rental income for their winter weeks away from the latest Storm Katie. When somebody says that property/asset management is dreary and unexciting it should be remembered that it is a mainstay of the profession and an excellent source of revenue for commercial property businesses when the higher profile parts of the industry are in a down cycle.

For more information contact: Web: http://MFMobileAgency.co.uk Email: email@mfmobileagency.co.uk Phone: 07548 394375 www.hospitalityreviewni.com

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MAY HRNI • 35

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36 • HRNI MAY

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MAY HRNI • 37

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CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRE

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United Wine Merchants, 70 Silverwood Road, Craigavon, BT66 6SY Tel: 028 3831 6555 Fax: 028 3831 6444 sales@unitedwines.co.uk www.unitedwines.co.uk

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MAY HRNI • 39

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INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS

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Northern Ireland Hotels Federation The McCune Building, 1 Shore Road, Belfast BT15 3PG. Tel: 028 9077 6635 • Fax: 028 9077 1899 email: office@nihf.co.uk web: www.nihf.co.uk Chief Executive: Janice Gault President: Ciaran O’Neill MBE

Tourism Northern Ireland St Anne’s Court, 59 North Street, Belfast BT1 1NB Tel: +44 (0)28 9023 1221 Fax: +44 (0)28 9024 0960 Textphone: +44 (0)28 9044 1522

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40 • HRNI MAY

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review NI MAY HRNI • 41

thelastword

The Last Word

NAME : PAMELA STAGG • JOB TITLE : GENERAL MANAGER • COMPANY : MADISON’S HOTEL, BOTANIC WAY HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THIS ROLE? I have worked in Madison’s for nine years and in my current role one and a half years.

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY Madison’s is always full of surprises; no two days are ever the same. I get to run a busy bar, bistro and hotel.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? Part-time bar tender in Royal Arms Hotel, Omagh.

ENTERTAINMENT:

FAVOURITE TV SHOW: Criminal Minds FAVOURITE FILM: Point Break, amazing cinematography ALBUM CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: I don’t tend to listen to albums; it’s all about Spotify for me at the moment but Ed Sheeran features quite often.

FAVOURITE BAND: The Script LAST BOOK READ: Cops & Robbers; my son’s favourite book he insists on me reading it to him every night before bed.

FAVOURITE CELEBRITY: Heath Ledger

SOCIAL:

FAVOURITE FOOD: Indian FAVOURITE RESTAURANT: The Jharna, Lisburn Road LAST HOTEL YOU STAYED AT: Manor House, Fermanagh LAST BAR/NIGHTCLUB YOU VISITED: Xico, Dublin, crazy night FAVOURITE PLACE IN WORLD: Home INDOOR CONCERT OR FESTIVAL: Festival LAST HOLIDAY: Egypt but don’t ask me how long ago

DRINKS:

FAVOURITE HOT DRINK: Hot Chocolate with cream and marshmallows

Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” ?? • 42 • HRNI HRNI YEARBOOK MAY

FAVOURITE SOFT DRINK: Elderflower cordial BEER OR CIDER: Cider if I have to WHITE OR RED WINE: White, particularly fond of Pinot Grigio WHISKEY OR BRANDY: Whiskey but only in an Irish Coffee GIN OR VODKA: Gin served over ice with two slices of lime and tonic COCKTAILS OR BUBBLY: Bubbly every time WHAT FOUR PEOPLE WOULD YOU INVITE TO A DINNER PARTY? Stephen Fry, Roald Dahl, Robin Williams, Fred Astaire ONE ITEM YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT? Really it’s a bit sad but I would have to say

my phone, without it I would feel cut off from the world; none of my family live near me so I like to stay in touch.

WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE OF YOUR LIFE? Julia Styles WHAT IS YOUR IDEAL JOB? To be a wine taster in New Zealand visiting all the beautiful vineyards.

FAVOURITE QUOTE: Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

INSPIRATION IN YOUR LIFE? My parents but don’t tell them that.

THE MOST IMPORTANT LIFE LESSON YOU’VE LEARNT? Never take anything for granted and enjoy today, everyday!

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