Hotel & Catering Review by Jemma Publications

GREENING THE GLOBE: BRAND IRELAND TAKES ON THE WORLD

The

Morrison

Rocks Again

Volume 45, Number 02

New Owner, New Brand, New Makeover

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CATEX BOOMS FOOD HEROes BREAKFAST TRENDS L’ECRIVAIN RECIPES + RESTAURANTS TRANSFORM + HOLLYWOOD COCKTAILS

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inside... Volume 45, Number 02

12 15

18 UPDATE... 6 AGENDA Hoteliers Look Up

11 AWARDS

Help Us Celebrate Hospitality

12 THE BIG PICTURE Global Greening

14 PEOPLE

Latest Movers & Shakers

15 OPENINGS

New Businesses & New Beginnings

FEATURES... 16 COVER STORY The Morrison Rocks Again

22 RESTAURANTS Operation Transformation

24 BREAKFAST Rise & Dine

27 FISH

Profiting from Seafood

28 FOOD

Writers Champion Food Heroes

29 RECIPES

Derry Clarke’s Write Selection

31 DRINK

A Taste of the Caribbean

18 CATEX

32 COCKTAILS

21 KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

34 FIVE MINUTES WITH

High Spirits at Foodservice Showcase Brasserie Le Pont’s James Doyle

Stars of the Silver Screen

The Gibson’s Adrian McLaughlin

EDITOR Sarah Grennan DESIGNER Jeannie Swan CONTRIBUTOR Marilyn Bright PRODUCTION Jim Heron CIRCULATION Josie Keane ADMIN Marian Donohoe CHAIRMAN Frank Grennan Printing KC Print. Kerry HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW is published by JEMMA PUBLICATIONS Broom House, 65 Mulgrave Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, t: 01 214 7920, f: 01 214 7950, e: sales@jemma.ie, w: www.hotelandcateringreview.ie, www.jemma.ie © No part of Hotel & Catering Review may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form without the prior permission of Jemma Publications. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Hotel & Catering Review or Jemma Publications. ISSN: 0332-4400 SUBSCRIBE For annual subscription rates visit our website www.hotelandcateringreview.ie Jemma Publications also publishes the following titles:

HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW ❖ JANUARY 2012

EDITOR’S VIEW: FOOD FRAUD

Horsing Around

with Ireland’s Reputation

y Dutch pal is confused. She wants to know what we’re all ‘getting our knickers in a twist about’ (she’s learning local idioms). ‘In The Netherlands, we eat horsemeat all the time, what’s the big deal?’ she asks as we attempt to unravel the elastic of said undergarments while pondering the rapid-fire developments in the ongoing horsemeat scandal. The big deal is not the meat, it’s the lies. The food fraud first discovered by our national Food Safety Authority may spread far beyond our shores, but Ireland’s role as a protagonist in the saga will have long-lasting implications for our food producers, and indeed, for our economy. Exporters of food and drink have been our star performers during a ferociously difficult time for Irish business. Our beef exports have been the jewel in the crown, accounting for e1.9bn of the e3.1bnworth of food and drink exported in 2012. Can you imagine the panic in Bord Bia HQ when news broke that Shergar and co

had entered the food chain under the guise of our most prized food asset – prime Irish beef? Interestingly, the widespread international coverage of horsegate may have helped the genuine producers of authentic horsemeat. In the US, it’s tipped to be the next ‘hot’ – albeit niche – trend as PR-savvy chefs try something different to tempt adventurous diners. Here in Ireland, Pat Hyland reports that sales of horsemeat at his A butcher in the UK puts a clever spin Paddy Jack stall in Temple on the recent horsemeat scandal. Bar’s farmers’ market have soared in the aftermath of the furore. Even a sceptical Indo scribe admitted horsemeat was ‘absolutely disreputable food processors and producers delicious’ when she challenged celeb chef which are the hardest to swallow. Some Dylan McGrath to cook it up for the paper. of the world’s most powerful corporations (Dylan, incidentally, revealed he had no have been fooled, so how are Joe Soaps on qualms about putting it on the menu.) the street expected to know the difference? But while you can make a horse It is easy for us in the foodie community appetising, it is the lies spun by to scoff ‘well, if you buy cheap food, what

We all have our part to play in reaffirming Ireland’s reputation as ‘the food island’, and in the hospitality sector, that means proving to your customers that you can 100% stand over the provenance of your ingredients. HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

Get More from do you expect?’ but we can’t leave the scandal in the frozen food aisle of the supermarkets. We all have our part to play in reaffirming Ireland’s reputation as ‘the food island’, and in the hospitality sector, that means proving to your customers that you can 100% stand over the provenance of your ingredients.

Editor’s Pick:

TO Read

20 30

rish food writers have led the call for a ‘how many hands?’ campaign in response to the debacle. ‘Ask yourself, how many hands have the ingredients in your food passed through before they arrived on your plate?’ asked Irish Food Writers Guild chairman, Myles McWeeney, at the Guild’s annual awards in Dublin’s l’Ecrivain Restaurant. Know your ingredients, know your producers, and know every step of the journey your food has taken, he urged. ‘If we can’t have full faith in what is on the label, the reputation of the food sector in Ireland could be seriously jeopardised. But the good news is that when you buy from indigenous, Irish producers, you can be assured that their products are fully traceable, that the raw materials will have travelled a relatively short distance and, oftentimes, that the product is as a result of cooperation between different local producers,’ Myles suggested. We couldn’t agree more. Sourcing local ingredients and promoting the provenance of your dishes have enjoyed a revival post-Celtic Tiger. What started out as a trend for some and good business sense for others has now become an imperative as we attempt to repair the damage to our food reputation. Despite the recent scorching headlines, we remain blessed with a bounty of top-notch producers, and our indigenous larder is the envy of chefs across the globe. Over two-thirds (69%) of diners polled by Bord Bia prior to the recent horsemeat drama reported that ‘the use of Irish/local produce’ was important to them when they went out for a meal, while 62% said they wanted to know the origin of the meat served in restaurants, and 57% said that it was important to include details of suppliers on menus. We would hazard a guess that if Bord Bia conducted the same research now, those percentages would leap a lot higher. If you haven’t done so already, the time has come to start listing your suppliers on your menus. Support your communities by sourcing local ingredients where possible, and educate your frontline staff about the provenance of your dishes so that they can tell the story to your diners and guests. Despite the recent horsing around, Ireland remains one of the greatest producers of quality food in the world. We must remind ourselves, and our customers of that. u

Tasty recipes Boost your culinary from credentials Derry Clarke

– Sarah Grennan, Editor

THE BIG PICTURE

SPACE

THE FINAL FRONTIER

Ireland’s branding was visible from space this St Patrick’s Day when Tourism Ireland’s global greening initiative headed to the pyramids for the first time. Bonn; and the Allianz Arena in Munich. This year’s new arrivals joined existing landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, Niagara Falls, the Empire State Building, the Prince’s Palace in Monaco, Dubai’s Burj al Arab, Table Mountain in Cape Town and the Sky Tower in Auckland, which went green once again this St Patrick’s Day. Growing from a handful of sites in 2010 to a global network of major icons in 2013, including ancient and modern wonders of the world, the greening programme has become a marketer’s dream and a major

publicity coup for Ireland. A mere E34,000 was spent on the programme this year (to cover the cost of green filters, photography and ‘modest’ fees for some sites) explains Tourism Ireland chief, Niall Gibbons, and the agency expected the programme to yield more than E5m-worth of publicity for Ireland. ‘The return on investment is huge. It’s a very cheap and cost-effective way to get publicity. We’re thrilled at how the programme has taken off.’ As the team continues to work on greening more icons for 2014, where is the ultimate dream green platform? ‘Well, we think that the Pyramids are pretty cool,’ says Niall with a chuckle and an encouraging nod from Tourism Minister, Leo Varadkar. ‘We’d really love to get Buckingham Palace though. We’ve written to them but these things take a lot of time, so we’ll see. It’s early days.’

From Left: One of the ancient wonders of the world, the Pyramids of Giza went green to mark St Patrick’s Day this year. Viva Glas Vegas! The iconic Las Vegas is the latest in a series of major international landmarks to don the green as part of Tourism Ireland’s global greening intiative. (l-r) Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar (left) with Niall Gibbons, Tourism Ireland CEO, at the launch of Tourism Ireland’s St Patrick’s Day 2013 programme.

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HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW 13

OUTLOOK Ireland in Orbit

Global greening visible Irish tourism looks up from space

facebook.com/HotelandCateringReview 5th

A nn u

Above: At the launch of The Morrison, a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, were Patrick Joyce, general manager, and Stephen Mulligan, UK & Ireland director, Martinez Hotels & Resorts. Right: Executive head chef, John O’Leary, at the new Josper Grill.

The Morrison rocks Again

Dublin’s Morrison hotel is enjoying a renaissance, with a new owner, a new manager, a new franchise agreement and a new makeover. SARAH GRENNAN popped in for a quick peek at the new look DoubleTree by hilton franchise and found that, despite the arrival of a russian investor and an international brand, the hip Liffeyside hotel favoured by the music and fashion fraternity has stayed true to its irish roots.

NAMA hotel to a revitalised DoubleTree by Hilton franchise managed by Martinez Hotels & Resorts, the company owned by The Morrison’s new proprietor, the Russian billionaire Elena Baturina. ‘Debadging a hotel is a lot harder than badging one,’ acknowledges Patrick, ‘ but there’s still a massive amount of work involved. We had to take out the existing PMS and replace it with the Hilton OnQ system within 10 weeks. It was the quickest Hilton turnaround in its franchise history.’ While work was going on behind the scenes, Nikki O’Donnell Architects (NODA) undertook the makeover front of house, with the E7m overhaul of the 138-room hotel also completed in just 10 weeks. ‘We spent E700,000 a week,’ Patrick chuckles. ‘It was very intense, but it looks great and I think we got good value for money.’

The goal was to bring The Morrison – a bastion of the boom developed by the High King of Celtic Tiger nightlife, the late Hugh O’Regan – back to its roots as one of Ireland’s hippest hotels. ‘The Morrison was so iconic and so well regarded,’ recalls its new manager, ‘but the food and beverage had been scaled back to meeting and events and a café, and the bar – once one of the most popular in the city – had been closed. Now we want to attract people back.’ He’s confident that the hotel can become a hotspot once again. Walls partitioning the old bar at the quayside entrance have been knocked, offering an open space where The Morrison Grill and Quay 14 bar cohabit and where the Josper Grill Oven – a first for Dublin – can turn out steaks, poultry and fish in minutes. Chef John O’Leary (ex Pichet) heads the kitchen brigade which

Along with the E7m makeover front of house, The Morrison had to replace its existing PMS with Hilton’s OnQ within 10 weeks. ‘It was the quickest Hilton turnaround in its franchise history,’ says Patrick Joyce. serves ‘refined rustic’ food, while at Quay 14 mixologists pay homage to The Morrison’s musical heritage with a selection of 27 cocktails sectioned under headings Intro, Verse, Chorus, Finale and Remixed Classics. The musical theme is carried throughout the hotel. Lyrics from great Irish artists adorn guestroom walls and backdrops by the lifts, musical notes have been incorporated into the bedroom headboards, and carpets in the corridors have been designed to resemble graphic equalisers... If you didn’t have a note in your head before you stayed at The Morrison, you’d certainly have one on departure. While The Morrison now has international owners, it has been resolutely Irish in its purchasing. Where possible local and indigenous Irish suppliers have been sourced: NODA, the architect and designer, is Dublin-based, Kaneco supplied the kitchen equipment, the carpets were crafted by Ulster Carpets, Celtic Linen have supplied all linen, beef is from Kettyle Irish Foods, salmon from Wright’s, mussels from Cromane Bay, and so on. There is no doubt that the capital injected into the hotel by its Russian investor has been well received by staff, by neighbouring businesses and by suppliers.

CATEXRussia From Plan visit to Ireland’s Withyour Love biggest foodservice The new-look Morrison event Hotel

RECIPES

The Writers’ Selection

DERRY CLARKE created a sumptuous feast for guests at the Irish Food Writers’ Guild Awards in l’Ecrivain restaurant to showcase the winning ingredients.

serves 4

for The Basil aioli 3 large egg yolks ½ lemon, juiced 1 large bunch basil 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 5ml white wine vinegar 150ml olive oil salt and pepper, to taste

Place the yolks, lemon juice, basil, mustard and vinegar in a food processor and blend until the basil is puréed and the mix is of a creamy consistency. While still blending, slowly pour in the olive oil until the mixture emulsifies and holds a figure of eight. Season to taste and set aside or refrigerate until ready to serve.

for The Pressed raTaTouille Terrine 10ml olive oil 1 red onion, diced 1 red pepper diced 1 garlic clove 1 sprig thyme ½ courgette, diced ½ aubergine, diced 1 teaspoon tomato paste 10ml balsamic vinegar 30ml red wine 20g sugar 200g chopped tomatoes, puréed salt and pepper 4 leaves of gelatine, soaked 1 courgette, cut into wafer-thin discs Pour the olive oil into a pre-heated

medium-sized pot and when hot, add the onion, red pepper, garlic and thyme and sweat until soft but not coloured. Add the courgette and aubergine and sweat for another few minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for two minutes before pouring in the vinegar, wine and sugar. Reduce to a glaze, add the tomatoes and reduce by half. Remove the sprig of thyme. Dissolve the pre-soaked gelatine in the hot ratatouille mix and season to taste. Line an oiled terrine mould or bread tin with cling film and carefully place the discs of courgette on the bottom so they resemble fish scales. Pour in the ratatouille mix, tapping the mould to remove air bubbles and leveling with a palette knife. Finish with another layer of courgette discs and refrigerate to set. Once set, cut the terrine to required size and set aside for plating.

for The Toons Bridge Buffalo Mozzarella

Bavarois 100ml milk 1 sprig thyme 50ml semi-whipped cream 1 ball Toons Bridge buffalo mozzarella salt and pepper Combine the milk, the thyme and the cheese in a pot, bring to a simmer, remove from the heat and leave to infuse. Place in a blender and pulse until smooth. Pass the liquid through a fine sieve and leave to cool. Fold in the semi-whipped cream, season to taste and refrigerate until ready to use. To serve: Place a slice of terrine off-centre on each plate. Put two quenelles of bavarois to the side of the terrine and surround with a few dots of aioli. Serve at room temperature.

RDS 2013 AWA

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while we can retain our independence we can also benefit from Hilton HHonors which is the largest loyalty programme in the world. In total, 50.2% of Hilton guests worldwide are members of Hilton HHonors. It has opened us up to huge corporate accounts.’ It’s early days in The Morrison’s new chapter, but the signs are positive. Despite a planned ‘soft opening’ February was busy, March is performing well and April is looking strong, reports Patrick Joyce. ‘Dublin is flying. There’s a lot going on in the city and the EU presidency has really helped business. Our occupancy is looking good, we have great bookings for meetings and events, and rates are 16-17% higher than last year. We’re very pleased and we’re very confident for the future.’ u

HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW 17

16 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

Toons Bridge Buffalo Mozzarella Bavarois, Pressed raTaTouille, Basil aioli

‘Mrs Baturina has been great for The Morisson,’ agrees Patrick Joyce. ‘It’s great for the team, many of whom have worked in the hotel for a long time and who remained here through the challenging times. The first job I recruited was for a HR manager, and I am delighted that of the 100 employees currently working in the hotel, 75 of them were here before we took over.’ Fans of continuity will also no doubt be pleased that The Morrison brand remains strong over the door. Although franchised to DoubleTree by Hilton, the international hotel group’s ‘contemporary, upscale’ brand, The Morrison moniker and logo has stayed firmly in place. ‘That was part of the reason we went for DoubleTree. We wanted to maintain the identity of The Morrison and keep its DNA. We always wanted to be boutique, discreet and independent. There is a big advantage to having a brand over the door, but some sectors of the market that we cater to don’t go for branded. DoubleTree gave us the most flexible fit. It’s a great brand and you can have a lot of fun with it but

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t’s been a hectic few months for Patrick Joyce, the former Lyrath Estate GM, who moved from the Marble City to the capital last October to take over the mantle of The Morrison, the once über-cool Dublin hotel which had been put through the ringer during the dark days of the downturn. Since his appointment he has overseen the E7m revamp, the integration of a new property management system courtesy of recently appointed franchisor, DoubleTree by Hilton, and the roll out of a new F&B offering. ‘It’s been busy,’ reflects Patrick with a rue smile, ‘but we’re very pleased with the results.’ Experience garnered while opening hotels in London and debadging a hotel in Bangkok no doubt helped when it came to overseeing the transition from a stressed

nation on earth enjoys the exposure Ireland does on its national feast day. It’s enough to make tourism chiefs in other destinations green with envy, if you’ll pardon the pun. Four years on from its first foray into greening icons, Tourism Ireland has expanded the global greening initiative to take in the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt; the Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro; the welcome sign in Las Vegas; the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen; the Tower of Hercules in Galicia; the Eye Film Institute in Amsterdam; the International School in

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humbs up for the green team at Tourism Ireland. With help from members of the Irish diaspora, and with the goodwill of the folk in charge of major landmarks worldwide, they’ve managed to turn the global greening programme into an extravaganza of magnificent proportions every St Patrick’s Day. The British may have its royal weddings (and babies), the Brazilians may have the Rio Carnival and the Americans may delight in New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, but no other

In the meantime, the Tourism Ireland CEO is eager to pay homage to the Irish diaspora. ‘We are absolutely delighted that so many well-known sites and attractions are eager to come on board with us and join in our celebrations. The success of our global greening is due in no small part to the great work that has been carried out across the world by Irish people down the generations and, in particular, to the great support we’ve received from Irish ambassadors and the diaspora. The eagerness to take part underlines the strength of the deep spiritual connection that people everywhere feel to Ireland – a major boost in this special year of The Gathering Ireland. Over 70 million people around the world claim links with the island of Ireland and St Patrick’s Day is a truly unique opportunity to reconnect them with their heritage.’ ◆

Hotel & Catering Review

TasTing of ConneMara hill laMB serves 4

for The Braised laMB PasTilla

1kg piece of lamb shoulder, trimmed 2 sticks celery, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 onion, peeled and chopped 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 1 sprig rosemary 1 sprig thyme 1 bay leaf 200ml chicken stock 100ml red wine 1 teaspoon tomato paste 4 squares of feuilles de brick pastry or filo pastry Season the lamb shoulder with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a large saucepan over a high heat, heat a little vegetable oil and seal the lamb brown on all sides. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic, stir and reduce heat to low. Add the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, stock, red wine and tomato past. Simmer gently for 1½ hours until meat is tender. Remove from heat and leave the meat to cool in its liquid. Once cold, remove lamb and shred the meat into a bowl. Puree the carrot, celery, onion and a little of the cooking liquid and add to the shredded lamb. Mix and press into a terrine mould lined with cling film, put weight on top and leave to set overnight in the fridge. The following day, turn out the terrine and cut into rectangles. Brush the sheets of pastry with butter and roll the lamb in them. In a medium pan with a little vegetable oil, brown the pastry-wrapped parcels on all sides.

30 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

FOODS The Write SelectionS

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AGENDA

up date AGENDA ❊ AWARDS ❊ THE BIG PICTURE

❊ PEOPLE ❊ OPENINGS

Hoteliers More Positive About Trading

(but 71% are concerned about the future viability of their business)

ABOVE: Irish Hotels Federation president, Michael Vaughan, and chief executive, Tim Fenn, at the IHF’s 75th annual conference in Killarney. The Federation reports that, while hoteliers are concerned about the future of their business, many are optimistic about their prospects for 2013.

HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

onfidence is rising in the Irish hotels sector, with a more than half of hoteliers surveyed by the Irish Hotels Federation in advance of its 75th annual conference reporting that they are more positive about the outlook for the year ahead. Just 14% are pessimistic about prospects for 2013, while 35% have a neutral outlook. While 2013 is looking more positive, 71% of hoteliers are concerned about the future viability of their business. Nearly all (96%) are concerned that the Government may not retain the reduced VAT rate in 2014, while burdensome local authority charges and high electricity and gas prices continue to be a major concern. ‘The sector is now on a firmer footing following a number of pro-tourism initiatives by the Government such as the reduced tourism VAT rate, which has provided a key competitive advantage when marketing Ireland as a tourism destination,’ reports IHF CEO, Tim Fenn. He has urged the Government to provide some assurance that the 9% VAT rate would be retained so that tour operators can plan trips in full knowledge of pricing. ‘While the rate reduction has greatly benefited tourism business, it needs to be more than just a short- term measure if we are to achieve sustained growth in visitor numbers. This is particularly important for domestic and international tour operators which are a vital component of the hotels sector,’ Mr Fenn explains.

Good Start to Gathering

Ä Hot or Not? ON FIRE

CATEX 2013

10,000 visitors brimming with optimism and increased sales on the stands. Nice work. GLOBAL GREENING

Pyramids go green. Irish branding visible from space. Respect to Tourism Ireland. (See Big Picture, page 14.) FINANCE BILL

Hoteliers, Patrick Curran, Knightsbrook Hotel, Philip Gavin, Talbot Hotel, Conor Hennigan, The Malton Hotel, Conor O’Kane, Maldron Hotel, Zoe Coyle, Renvyle Hotel and Michael Vaughan president joined forces to help recapture the American market on foot of The Gathering at the IHF 75th anniversary conference in The Malton Hotel, Killarney on Tuesday.

Peppered with pro-tourism initiatives including the extension of the Employment and Investment Incentive Scheme to encourage investment in tourism accommodation. The powers that be evidently agreed with the IHF-commissioned Time to Invest report. GIRO D’ITALIA The world’s second largest pro-cycling race is landing in Belfast next year and making its way down to Dublin. On yer bike. ATHLONE

The Gathering Ireland 2013 has started the year with a plus. Visitor numbers between November and January increased by 4.4%, prompting Tourism Minister, Leo Varadkar, to welcome the ‘positive start’ to Ireland’s biggest every tourism promotion. Over three-quarters (76%) of hoteliers polled by the Irish Hotels Federation believe that business will grow this year as a direct result of The Gathering. Already more than half (53%) of hoteliers have witnessed a growth in business compared with the opening months in 2012.

Overseas Visitors: Latest Stats

All of our key markets recorded growth between the start of November 2012 and the end of January 2013. • Great Britain +0.6% • Mainland Europe +5.2% • Scandinavia +26% • Italy +11.8% • Spain +5.6% • Australia & New Zealand +30.4%

Good Food Online

Good Food Ireland has launched a new food and travel experience website. Goodfoodireland.ie will enable foodies around the world to plan their food tour of Ireland and order Irish produce online. Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation Richard Bruton launched the site with Good Food Ireland MD Margaret Jeffares in The Merrion Hotel, Dublin.

A snazzy new e4.3m visitor centre for the Castle and now CIE Tours International has included the town, and the neighbouring village of Glasson, on its itinerary marking the first time the midlands has featured in its guided tour packages. CALORIE COUNTING Harvard professor Prof Richard Wrangham says we’re calculating it all wrong when we work out the calories of dishes based on the calorie content of raw food and not cooked ingredients. We prefer Aramark Ireland’s traffic light system which advocates a balanced diet. Far less complicated. NEIGH-BURGERS The ongoing saga of food fraud is blowing a canyon-sized rift in our reputation as ‘the food island’. We’ve sounded off about it in our opinion column (page 4). Enough said. STERLING Talking about pegging itself to the euro. Disastrous for tourism from our biggest and most challenging market. PROPERTY TAX A serious threat to what’s left of the nation’s disposable income – not to mention for publicans, restaurateurs and co who live above the shop and will have to pay local authority charges on the business plus the residential tax. Ouch. FOOD SAFETY ORDERS Enforcement orders up by 30% in 2012, with 84 served on Irish food businesses last year.

ICY COLD

AGENDA

iNua to Invest in Irish Hotels A new investment vehicle, iNua Hospitality, has pledged to invest up to e20m in Irish hotels this year. Spearheaded by financier, Noel Creedon, iNua plans to focus on the four star market. ‘The iNua opportunity means that for the first time in living memory hotels can be bought on a commercial basis providing attractive yields to investors,’ he explained. ‘We have been delighted with how investors have reacted to our proposition. It demonstrates that for well-structured and well-thought-out investment opportunities, investors are prepared to commit to more medium-term investment strategies.’ Speaking at the launch of iNua Hospitality in Cork’s Hayfield Manor Hotel in February, Dr Alan Ahearne, NUIG economist and author of Time to Invest: Proposals to Restore Financial Sustainability to the Irish Hotel Industry, said investment in the sector, coupled with debt restructuring, will return hotels to profitability. ‘There are solid investment opportunities available in this sector. With the hotel industry accounting for e1.3bn in tax revenues, many of these hotel assets are profitable once restructuring takes place and they are decoupled from their current debt levels,’ he noted.

John O’Brien, iNua; Dr Alan Ahearne, NUI Galway economist and author; Noel Creedon, managing director, iNua Hospitality; and David Conway, iNua, at the launch of iNua Hospitality, a new hotel investment vehicle.

Tom Receives Star

Tom Cui, manager of Supermac’s O’Connell Street, receives the award for Company Outlet of the Year from Supermac’s Pat and Una McDonagh at the group’s All Star Awards which took place in The Castletroy Park Hotel recently. Supermac’s All Star Awards recognise the outstanding work done by owners, managers and employees in the 110 restaurants throughout the country.

Two ‘V’s Star in Home Holiday Campaign Fáilte Ireland’s new home holiday campaign centres on promoting the value and variety currently available to staycationers. The campaign features TV and radio ads, a spring special offers brochure which was distributed in the national media over St Patrick’s weekend and is now available Models Aoife Cogan and Naomi Cullen in tourist offices, plus help Minister Michael Ring and Fáilte an upgraded Discover Ireland’s John Concannon launch the Discover Ireland spring campaign. Ireland app. ‘It’s all about the two big “V”s – variety and value,’ explains John Concannon, director of marketing with Fáilte Ireland. ‘Current satisfaction rates are an improvement on the levels seen throughout the boom and are an indication that more and more Irish people are finding good value at home to accompany the greater variety of festivals, events and activities which are on tap all year round.’ The home holiday market remains an important source for Irish tourism. Last year, Irish people took 8.9 million domestic trips generating estimated economic activity of e1.7bn, reports Fáilte Ireland. Recent research conducted by the tourism authority found that 57% of Irish people plan to take at least one break in Ireland this year. Satisfaction levels have increased. Over three-quarters (77%) of respondents polled by Fáilte Ireland said they were very satisfied with their last Irish break (versus 63% three years ago) with a further 21% adding that they were fairly satisfied. HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

Guess What? Global tourist arrivals grew by 4% last year, breaching the one billion mark for the first time, according to the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). Arrivals to Europe increased by 3% to 535 million.

Matt Visits Rock Matt Dawson, Sodexo Ireland & UK ambassador for health and wellbeing, visited Blackrock College in February to promote the importance of healthy eating for physical and mental wellbeing in school and workplace restaurants managed by Sodexo Ireland. The former England and Lions rugby player and World Cup winner is pictured with account director Deirdre Saunders and two pupils, David Murphy and Oliver Jaeger.

AGENDA

Dublin Leads the Pack in Two-Tiered Recovery Dublin, followed by major urban centres like Cork and Galway, is leading the pack in the recovery, benefiting from a number of events and business-related tourism, reports the Irish Hotels Federation. Occupancy levels in the capital rose to 73% last year – a significant increase on the 64% registered in 2011. While growth is evident in Dublin, Cork and Galway and in the East & Midlands region, the South East and parts of the West coast, occupancy levels continue to lag in the Shannon region and South West this year, reports the IHF. All regions bar Shannon saw occupancy growth in 2012. 2012 Room Occupancy Levels: • National: 61% (2011: 56%) • Dublin: 73% (2011: 64%) • East & Midlands: 45% (2011: 40%) • South East: 60% (2011: 55%) • South West: 60% (2011: 60%) • Shannon: 48% (2011: 51%) • West: 63% (2011: 57%) • North West: 53% (2011: 48%) Domestic Tourism Rising Despite concerns about the ongoing challenges in the Irish economy and their impact on disposable income, 53% of hoteliers polled by the Irish Hotels Federation reported that they had witnessed an increase in business from the island of Ireland this year. A quarter recorded a decrease in domestic business this year, while the remainder were static. The British market is continuing to

challenge, with just 17% of respondents noting an increase in business levels from GB while 36% see a decrease and 47% see no change. Hoteliers who took part in the IHF survey are more positive about the US market (31% seeing an increase in business; 19% a decrease; 50% no change). Results indicate mixed performances for both Germany and France, Ireland’s two biggest markets in continental Europe. Compared with this time last year, 20% of respondents are seeing an increase in business from Germany (17% see a decrease; 63% see no change) while 14% are seeing an increase from France (19% see a decrease; 68% see no change). Project Britian Turning the British market – which has declined by one million visitors (over 30%) since 2007 – is the single biggest challenge facing the sector, said IHF chief, Tim Fenn. ‘A further drop of 100,000 in British visitors last year, bringing the total to 2.7 million, is a stark reminder of the amount of ground lost since 2007 and the urgent need to reinvigorate our most important tourism market. In 2011 we saw a 3% increase in visitors from this market, but the further decline in 2012 represents very much a case of one step forward and two back.’ Mr Fenn believes the GB Path to Growth report from the Tourism Recovery

Taskforse produced last year which aims to turn around the decline in tourism from our largest market does not go far enough. ‘The target of an additional 200,000 visitors per annum from the UK by 2016 is clearly not ambitious enough given the low base we’re working from. A more aggressive approach needs to be adopted with campaigns aimed at attracting a greater spread of visitors to the regions and promoting specific reasons to visit – whether activity-based or focusing on heritage and culture. When people think of holidaying in Ireland, the image should be of a fun and vibrant destination – blessed with a wealth of scenic attractions, steeped in history and culture and offering a warm and friendly welcome. The key challenge lies in getting our marketing message right and giving holidaymakers new and compelling reasons to visit Ireland.’

Business Boosts Cork

Business tourism is thriving in Cork, reports the Cork Convention Bureau. The Bureau confirmed more than 30 large events and conferences last year worth over e7.2m for the local economy, attracting over 8,155 people to the county in the process. To date, there is e3.8m-worth of international conferences booked for Cork in 2013, and the Bureau expects this figure to rise throughout the year. ‘We already have a large number of events in the pipeline for 2013 such as the HHT Conference in June which will attract over 300 medical consultants mainly from the US. The University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES) conference has been secured for Cork for September 2014 attracting up to 350 European delegates. We continue to proactively sell Cork internationally as a location for meetings and conferences,’said Evelyn O’Sullivan, business tourism manager at Cork Convention Bureau.

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In the next issue, Hotel & Catering Review will publish the results of our second annual ‘Most Admired & Desired’ reader survey. We want to know who you think are Ireland’s greatest hoteliers, restaurateurs, caterers and chefs and what businesses you most covet. Tell us what you think. Take the survey now on hotelandcateringreview.ie. The survey is completely confidential and the nine questions should only take a few moments to complete (depending on how long you want to spend mulling over your answers!).

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+ ECOBOILER INTELLIGENCE = ECOSMART

MARCO.IE email sales@marco.ie or call +353 (0)1 295 2674 pouring perfection

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HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

AGENDA

More Air Capacity for Summer

In more good news for air access to Ireland, Flybe has announced a new service from Manchester to Waterford. Commencing on 22 May, the new route ‘will expand the travel options for British holiday and business travellers who wish to visit Waterford and the South East’, says Tourism Ireland chief, Niall Gibbons. Irish tourism has been boosted by the news that the number of airline seats available into Ireland are scheduled to increase by more than 20% this summer. American, United and US Airways and Aer Lingus are all increasing capacity on routes from the US to Ireland, while Etihad will increase capacity on its Abu Dhabi-Dublin route by 35%.

Have I got moos for you? Model Rozanna Purcell and friend helped Baileys Original Irish Cream search for the country’s best dairy cow last year. IHF president Michael Vaughan is concerned that we have access to more news about our cattle than about our tourists.

We Know More about Cows than Tourists

‘We know more about the 6.8 million cows on the island than we do about the 6.5 million visitors to our shores each year,’ says Irish Hotels Federation president, Michael Vaughan. The Federation believes Irish tourism is at a disadvantage due to the lack of robust data on the industry. More detailed statistics would enable the industry to: 1. Market Ireland more effectively as a holiday destination 2. Achieve a greater regional spread of visitors 3. Roll out more focused campaigns targeting existing and emerging markets 4. Win a larger share of the lucrative business tourism market. ‘Without the necessary resources and tools for proper planning, we will continue to lack the in-depth insights that would enable us to transform the way we market Ireland both at home and abroad. Until then we’re feeling around in the dark to a large extent,’ argues the IHF president. ‘So, for example, the final regional tourism figures for 2011 have only just become available to us and even these lack any detailed insights into the length of visitors’ stay, their reasons for visiting certain parts of the country over others, the activities and events that attract them to Ireland and the quality of their holiday experience.’

10 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

Oceo Scores a Hat Trick Oceo Spa at the Seafield Golf & Spa Hotel was crowned Residential Spa of the Year at the Professional Beauty Awards in London’s Hilton Hotel, Park Lane in February. It was the third successive year that the Wexford spa has collected the award.

Saba Scores in Paris

Saba, the multiaward winning Thai and Vietnamese restaurant owned by Paul Cadden, is flying high following news that its culinary tome, Saba: The Cookbook, took first place in the Asian Cookbook category at the Gourmand Cookbook Awards in Paris in February. All proceeds from the sale of the book, which was written by Paul Cadden and Taweesak Trakoolwattana, go to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin and The Thai Red Cross.

Flipping Out for the National Children’s HOSPITAL ospital Aramark chef Adrian Spelman, from Limerick, received some help from his daughter Robyn on Pancake Tuesday for the National Children’s Hospital National Pancake Party. In the past four years, Aramark teams have flipped more than 53,000 pancakes to raise over e25,000 for the National Children’s Hospital.

AWARDS

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HOSPIT

HELP US CELEBRATE THE BEST OF IRISH HOSPITALITY nd e T op 10 U

Hospitality Stars – The Top 10 Leaders Under 30

5th

A nn u

GOLD MEDAL

Launched this spring, Hospitality Stars is a new awards scheme from Hotel & Catering Review which will champion the top emerging talent in the industry. See hotelandcateringreview.ie for further info. The Hospitality Stars – Top 10 Leaders Under 30 will be announced at a gala ceremony in the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin on 29 May.

RDS 2013 AWA

25th ANNUAL GOLD MEDAL AWARDS

The prestigious Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards will celebrate 25 years of honouring Ireland’s greatest hospitality operations when the 2013 programme launches this April. Stay tuned to us on hotelandcateringreview.ie and watch out for the magazine for entry details. The 25th Annual Gold Medal Awards will be held in The Clyde Court Hotel, Dublin on 24 September.

Licensing World Bar Awards

The Bar of the Year Awards, run by our sister magazine, Licensing World, select Ireland’s best pubs, gastrobars, hotel bars, nightclubs and off licences. The 2013 Awards is now open for entry. Visit licensingworld.ie for entry forms and further details. The Awards will be presented on 25 June in the Clyde Court Hotel, Dublin. Look out for the Hotel & Catering Review Bulletin, follow us on Twitter.com/HC_Review and like us on Facebook.com/HotelandCateringReview for entry reminders and awards’ updates. HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW 11

THE BIG PICTURE

Space The Final Frontier

Ireland’s branding was visible from space this St Patrick’s Day when Tourism Ireland’s global greening initiative headed to the pyramids for the first time.

Bonn; and the Allianz Arena in Munich. This year’s new arrivals joined existing landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, Niagara Falls, the Empire State Building, the Prince’s Palace in Monaco, Dubai’s Burj al Arab, Table Mountain in Cape Town and the Sky Tower in Auckland, which went green once again this St Patrick’s Day. Growing from a handful of sites in 2010 to a global network of major icons in 2013, including ancient and modern wonders of the world, the greening programme has become a marketer’s dream and a major

THE BIG PICTURE

publicity coup for Ireland. A mere e34,000 was spent on the programme this year (to cover the cost of green filters, photography and ‘modest’ fees for some sites) explains Tourism Ireland chief, Niall Gibbons, and the agency expected the programme to yield more than e5m-worth of publicity for Ireland. ‘The return on investment is huge. It’s a very cheap and cost-effective way to get publicity. We’re thrilled at how the programme has taken off.’ As the team continues to work on greening more icons for 2014, where is the ultimate dream green platform? ‘Well, we think that the Pyramids are pretty cool,’ says Niall with a chuckle and an encouraging nod from Tourism Minister, Leo Varadkar. ‘We’d really love to get Buckingham Palace though. We’ve written to them but these things take a lot of time, so we’ll see. It’s early days.’

HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW 13

PEOPLE NEWS

Movers & Shaker

TREVOR ANNON has assumed into the role of chairman at The Mount Charles Group, the Northern Irish catering and support services company which employs 1,100 staff and has a turnover of over £20m. The group’s finance director, CATHAL GEOGHEGAN has succeeded Trevor as managing director... PAUL FLAVIN is on the move in the Hilton fold, swapping his position as GM at Hilton Dublin Airport for a new role at the helm of Hilton Dublin on Charlemont Place in the city. A native of Cork, Paul has over 20 years’ experience in the hotel industry, previously working at the Hilton Limerick Hotel, Jurys Limerick and Jurys Inns in Cork and Dublin... BDL Ireland has appointed GAYLE TARMEY as general manager of The Royal Theatre & TF Hotel in Castlebar. Gayle previously worked at the nearby Breaffy House Resort and prior to that at the Citywest Hotel & Convention Centre... GARETH MULLINS has been appointed executive chef of The Marker, the new hotel which will open in Dublin’s Grand Canal Square on 2 April. Gareth moves to the docklands from The Merrion Hotel where he was head chef in The Cellar Restaurant & Bar. Prior to his seven year stint at The Merrion, Gareth spent five years in Sydney, working as head chef at the W Hotel and senior chef de partie at the Radisson Plaza Hotel... MITIE, the outsourcing and energy services company, has appointed a new catering expert in Ireland. DENISE ARTHUR, who has worked in the catering industry in the UK and US, joins the expanding team at the group. In Ireland since 2010, MITIE now employs 1,200 staff and recently introduced a new catering business... GILLIAN PIERCE has moved from the Lyrath Estate Hotel in Kilkenny to the group’s sister hotel, The River Court, where she has taken over the role of sales and marketing executive. Previously, Gillian worked at Kinnitty Castle Hotel in Offaly... WADE MURPHY, executive chef of The Lodge at Doonbeg, Co Clare, has been elected commissioner-general of chefs’ group, Euro-Toques Ireland, taking over the mantle from The Olde Post Inn’s GEAROID LYNCH whose two-year term concluded in February. During his tenure, Wade plans to strengthen links between Euro-Toques chefs and their local producers and encourage chefs to work together in their local area... Bewley’s procurement director, PAUL O’TOOLE, has been named honorary consul of Nicaragua in Ireland, in recognition of the company’s commitment to the sustainability of coffee-producing communities in Nicaragua... PROF MICHAEL GIBNEY has been appointed chairman of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. Michael is a professor of food and health at UCD’s Institute of Food & Health and is regarded as a worldleading expert in food science and nutrition... MAUREEN DOYLE, who runs Christie & Co’s Dublin office, has been promoted to director.

Winners are Grinners Aramark Ireland has honoured the best in the business at the group’s employee awards in the Guinness Storehouse. ALISON FEENEY, chef manager with Aramark Food Services at Baxter, Castlebar and the Aramark Food Services team at ORACLE received the Culinary Excellence Award. The President’s Award was presented to the Food Services team at Diageo, St James’s Gate, while the award for Best Support Team was collected by the ARAMARK HELPDESK TEAM at Aramark HQ in Northern Cross, Dublin... PADRAIC GILLEN, vice president of Ovation 14 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

Global DMC, was named Destination Management Professional of the Year 2013 by the Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI) at awards in Montreal recently... DEIRDRE O’BRIEN, director of sales and marketing at Carton House, has been awarded the prestigious Management Professional of the Year title at the Image Businesswomen of the Year Awards... CIT’s JACK O’KEEFFE once again proved he’s a culinary star in the making, when he won the 2013 Knorr Student Chef of the Year award in an exciting cook off at IT Tralee.

Gareth Mullins

The Aramark Food Services team at Diageo were presented with the President’s Award at Aramark’s employee awards recently. RTÉ’s Mary Kennedy (left) and Donal O’Brien, Aramark Ireland CEO (right) are pictured with members of the team.

Paul Flavin

Wade Murphy

Who’s getting gongs...

Jack has been a big hit in competitive kitchens lately. One of five finalists in the Euro-Toques/Fáilte Ireland Young Chef of the Year 2012, the Cork student who plies his trade at Springfort Hall Hotel in Mallow, was also crowned Trainee Chef of the Year at GMIT’s Foodie Forum in February... DENNIS McCARROLL, executive head chef at Almac, Craigavon, took third place in the Sodexo UK & Ireland Chef of the Year Grand Finals. The chef was also presented with a silver medal for his threecourse entry... Elsewhere on the culinary circuit, MARIA CZERWINSKA,

head chef at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin, was presented with the award for Radisson Blu Chef of the Year at a competition in Unilever Food Solutions’ culinary development centre in Dublin. The competition was co-sponsored by Bunzl McLaughlin... And finally, MICHAEL MORAN of Moran’s Oyster Cottage has proved why he’s the Oyster King, winning the European Oyster Opening Championship for the second successive year and fourth time in total. Michael is the reigning Irish, European and World Oyster Opening Champion. Shucks. u

OPENINGS

What’s New? NEW OPENINGS Chef Joy Beattie and sommelier

Simon Keegan have joined forces in Dublin, opening the new Hot Stove Restaurant on Parnell Square West. The pair, who previously worked together in The Four Seasons Hotel, named the restaurant after the original Argyle stove which takes pride of place in the Georgian basement. The menu features dishes crafted with locally sourced Irish produce, complemented by a smart selection of reasonably priced wines. Andrew Rudd has launched Medley, a new venue with a New York-loft vibe on Dublin’s Drury Street. The venue is available for private hire, including pop-up restaurants, and the chef also runs cookery classes on site. Athlone’s 13th century castle has been reinvented as Ireland’s newest visitor attraction, following a e4.3m investment. Funded by Fáilte Ireland and Athlone Town Council, the Athlone Castle Visitor Centre features eight galleries depicting various aspects of life in the midlands town through the ages. Prop designers Windsor Workshop, who have worked on blockbusters such as Harry Potter, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Star Wars Episode One, created some of the elements in the new attraction. NEW BEGINNINGS The country’s biggest hotel operator, Dalata Hotel Group, has entered the Northern Irish market with a new deal secured to manage the Park Plaza Hotel at Belfast International Airport. The 106-bed hotel has been rebranded as the Maldron Hotel Belfast, becoming the 11th Maldron in the group. Dalata now operates 28 hotels in Ireland and Wales. NEW LOOK Jurys Inn Galway has received a major revamp thanks to a e1.5m investment by the group. The hotel, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, has updated all bedrooms with new bathrooms, fabrics and furnishings, and a further e250,000 is to be spent remodelling the reception, restaurant and bar areas in the second half of the year. The makeover is part of Jurys Inn Hotel Group’s e31m refurbishment programme. By the end of 2013, another e7.5m will be spent on redesigning the bedrooms in Christchurch, Cork, Glasgow and Leeds.

IN THE PIPELINE The highly

anticipated Marker Hotel is close to completion and set for launch on 2 April in Grand Canal Square, Dublin. The hotel, which is run by Interstate Hotels & Resorts and managed by former Gibson GM, Charlie Shiel, will be part of the Leading Hotels of the World and will feature 187 guestrooms, a spa with four treatment rooms, 23m infinity pool, sauna, steam room and fitness area and conference and banqueting facilities for up to 300. The centrepiece of the hotel, which is going for four star status, will be a buzzing ground floor bar and restaurant, while we’re seriously digging the look of the Rooftop Lounge (left). But wait, there’s more... After a quiet few years for new hotel developments, news comes that Dublin is set to welcome another new hotel in 2013. Paddy McKillen Jnr is to open a new boutique hotel – The Dean – on Harcourt Street, designed by Anne-Marie O’Neill of O’Donnell O’Neill (The Merchant, The Brehon, VCC et al.). Elsewhere in Dublin, Dawson Street is getting fired up with the news that Fire Restaurant & Venue at the Mansion House is to undergo a e2m development. A new bar is planned for the ground floor, while a new dining area will open on the first floor in late August, and 30 new hospitality jobs will be created in the process. The existing Fire restaurant will remain open throughout the work, which also includes a contemporary new facade. u

CAPTIONS MAIN IMAGE: Top: Jurys Inn has remodelled the Galway hotel as part of its e31m refurbishment programme. STAGE: Above: Dalata Hotel GroupHEROES has taken over the management contract at the Park Plaza Hotel Belfast Airport. Pictured at the rebranded Maldron Hotel Belfast are Dalata’s Stephen Reddin and Stephen McNally.

Above: The Marker is to open in Dublin’s Grand Canal Square on 2 April. Right: Fire at the Mansion House is to receive a e2m facelift.

HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW 15

COVER

The Morrison Rocks Again

Dublin’s Morrison Hotel is enjoying a renaissance, with a new owner, a new manager, a new franchise agreement and a new makeover. SARAH GRENNAN popped in for a quick peek at the new look DoubleTree by Hilton franchise and found that, despite the arrival of a Russian investor and an international brand, the hip Liffeyside hotel favoured by the music and fashion fraternity has stayed true to its Irish roots.

t’s been a hectic few months for Patrick Joyce, the former Lyrath Estate GM, who moved from the Marble City to the capital last October to take over the mantle of The Morrison, the once über-cool Dublin hotel which had been put through the ringer during the dark days of the downturn. Since his appointment he has overseen the e7m revamp, the integration of a new property management system courtesy of recently appointed franchisor, DoubleTree by Hilton, and the roll out of a new F&B offering. ‘It’s been busy,’ reflects Patrick with a rue smile, ‘but we’re very pleased with the results.’ Experience garnered while opening hotels in London and debadging a hotel in Bangkok no doubt helped when it came to overseeing the transition from a stressed 16 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

NAMA hotel to a revitalised DoubleTree by Hilton franchise managed by Martinez Hotels & Resorts, the company owned by The Morrison’s new proprietor, the Russian billionaire Elena Baturina. ‘Debadging a hotel is a lot harder than badging one,’ acknowledges Patrick, ‘ but there’s still a massive amount of work involved. We had to take out the existing PMS and replace it with the Hilton OnQ system within 10 weeks. It was the quickest Hilton turnaround in its franchise history.’ While work was going on behind the scenes, Nikki O’Donnell Architects (NODA) undertook the makeover front of house, with the e7m overhaul of the 138-room hotel also completed in just 10 weeks. ‘We spent e700,000 a week,’ Patrick chuckles. ‘It was very intense, but it looks great and I think we got good value for money.’

HOTEL

Along with the e7m makeover front of house, The Morrison had to replace its existing PMS with Hilton’s OnQ within 10 weeks. ‘It was the quickest Hilton turnaround in its franchise history,’ says Patrick Joyce. serves ‘refined rustic’ food, while at Quay 14 mixologists pay homage to The Morrison’s musical heritage with a selection of 27 cocktails sectioned under headings Intro, Verse, Chorus, Finale and Remixed Classics. The musical theme is carried throughout the hotel. Lyrics from great Irish artists adorn guestroom walls and backdrops by the lifts, musical notes have been incorporated into the bedroom headboards, and carpets in the corridors have been designed to resemble graphic equalisers... If you didn’t have a note in your head before you stayed at The Morrison, you’d certainly have one on departure. While The Morrison now has international owners, it has been resolutely Irish in its purchasing. Where possible local and indigenous Irish suppliers have been sourced: NODA, the architect and designer, is Dublin-based, Kaneco supplied the kitchen equipment, the carpets were crafted by Ulster Carpets, Celtic Linen have supplied all linen, beef is from Kettyle Irish Foods, salmon from Wright’s, mussels from Cromane Bay, and so on. There is no doubt that the capital injected into the hotel by its Russian investor has been well received by staff, by neighbouring businesses and by suppliers.

CATEX

Julie Morrissey (centre), chairperson of the Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance, with DIT Culinary Arts students Lisa McHugh and Sophie Gallagher

High Spirits at

CATEX 2013

Confidence soared at this year’s show as top buyers and industry stakeholders descended on the RDS for Ireland’s largest foodservice event.

f you needed a morale boost and a sign that the Irish foodservice sector was taking its first tentative step on the road to recovery then CATEX 2013, held at the RDS in February, was the place to go. The biennial show, sponsored by Bunzl and Calor, was a hive of activity over the three days, with more than 10,000 visitors descending on Dublin 4 to meet with the event’s 200 exhibitors and observe a raft of activities and competitions. Highlights included the Hospitality Heroes live stage, where leading Irish hospitality operators and industry experts debated the big issues impacting the industry and predicted the emerging trends to shape Irish foodservice; The Kitchen by Euro-Toques Ireland, where top Irish chefs and upcoming kitchen stars held demos and discussed culinary techniques; the Restaurants Association of Ireland’s live kitchen where Fallon & Byrne, L Mulligan Grocer and The Pig’s Ear held pop up 18 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

restaurants; and the F&B trinity of the annual National Cocktail Competition, Irish Barista Championship and Chef Ireland competitions. With the number of visitors attending CATEX up 10% more than anticipated, the show was a massive success for organisers, the Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance, which also reports that there was a huge volume of business conducted at the exhibition. ‘What was really noticeable over the three days of CATEX 2013 was the volume of activity and trade enquiries that exhibitors were getting,’ noted IFSA chairperson, Julie Morrissey. ‘From talking to exhibitors it was clear that confidence is beginning to return and there are growing signs of optimism in our sector. This is the reason for CATEX and as an organisation IFSA will continue to help drive innovation in our sector and stimulate commercial activity.’ Post-CATEX research reveals that visitors spent longer at this year’s show than they

have in previous years. Some 41% of attendees spent more than four hours at the event, and the visitors were serious buyers – 71% were either chefs, proprietors or CEOs. ‘This level of senior engagement from the industry contributed to the extremely high levels of satisfaction among exhibitors,’ reported the show’s organiser. Close to three-quarters (74%) of exhibitors reported that CATEX was either excellent or very good for generating sales leads, while visitors also reported that they placed more orders at CATEX than in previous years. One in five attendees placed orders in the range of e10,000-e50,000 at the show. ‘The really good news is that according to the survey of attendees, 75% of all visitors to the show placed a trade order, either for equipment or for food and beverage. As chairperson of IFSA, I was delighted to hear this figure as it shows us clearly the huge value in providing a show such as CATEX,’ concluded Julie

CATEX

Deirdre Makes History Above left: Hotel & Catering Review’s editor, Sarah Grennan, discusses restaurant trends with Tim Magee, Host PR; Fergus O’Halloran, The Twelve Hotel; and Paul Cadden, Saba, on the Hospitality Heroes Live Stage. Top: Waiting for the Hospitality Heroes at this year’s show. Left: Judging at Chef Ireland.

Coffee KINGS

Bewley’s proved it was a force to be reckoned with in latte art when its baristas took the top six places in the Latte Art Competition at CATEX (see overleaf for details). Celebrating with Latte Art Champion Seivijus (‘Elvis’) Matiejunas and friends in the winners’ enclosure was perpetual Irish Barista Champion, Colin Harmon (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013), followed by Bruno Ferriera Silva in second place and Vinicius Arrunda, third. The Irish Barista Championship was sponsored by Avonmore. Colin will now head to Melbourne to represent Ireland in the World Barista Championship in May, while Elvis will take part in the World Latte Art Champion at the SCAE World of Coffee in Nice.

Bewley’s baristas swept the board at the Irish Latte Art Championship winning the top six places at the National Championships. Pictured is Irish Latte Art Champion Seivijus (‘Elvis’) Matiejunas.

Did you know that a woman had never won the Irish Cocktail Competition prior to CATEX 2013? No, neither did we, but we’re delighted to report that this has been rectified by The Westin Dublin’s Deirdre Byrne (pictured) who triumphed in the National Cocktail Competition, sponsored by Edward Dillon & Co. Deirdre, who took top honours for her Apricot Blossom cocktail (see recipe), will now represent Ireland at the International Cocktail Competition in Prague this August. Joining her on the winners stage were first runner up Ivan King, The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin; second runner up Micheál O’Shea, the Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin; and Best Hospitality Student, Ruairi O’Driscoll from Campagne

Restaurant in Kilkenny and WIT.

Apricot Blossom 4cl Woodford Reserve Bourbon 1cl lemon juice 1.5cl simple syrup 1cl apricot conserve 2 dash orange bitters 1.5cl ginger liqueur Shake all the ingredients with ice, then strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a flower cut from the peel of orange, lemon and lime.

HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW 19

PROFILE

Bewley’s Triumphs at CATEX

Ireland’s favourite coffee, and its winning team of experts, were a hit at this year’s show. CATEX 2013 was a hugely successful event for Bewley’s. Its stand, positioned near the Irish Barista Championship competition space, demonstrated the company’s expertise in barista-driven coffee to foodservice operators and showcased two new Bewley’s initiatives, the ethical BEECO coffee programme and the new coffee on the go solution, Bewley’s Express. In addition to meeting hundreds of current and potential customers at the stand, a key highlight was the remarkable win by Bewley’s baristas in the Irish Latte Art Championships which took place during CATEX. The key to successful latte art starts with a good coffee base, good control and knowledge of how to steam the milk correctly and then a steady hand to create two identical designs in each round. Bewley’s baristas proved their expertise in latte art, winning the top six places at the national championships. Bewley’s barista, Seivijus Matiejunas (a.k.a. ‘Elvis’) was awarded the top honour and named Irish Latte Art Champion. He will now go on to compete for the title of World Latte Art Champion at the SCAE World of Coffee in Nice later this year. Other winners included Khedum Viswarmath (a.k.a. ‘Arvind’) in 2nd place, Renata Malyszko in 3rd, Ravi Sonia in 4th, Martino Perlini in 5th and Aurelija Zutautaite in 6th. Each of the baristas are long-standing employees of Bewley’s. They each had eight minutes to make six drinks – two cappuccinos made via free pouring, two macchiatos made

Above: Jim Corbett, Bewley’s MD, is pictured at the Bewley’s stand at CATEX 2013. Right: Bewley’s baristas swept the board at the Irish Latte Art Championship winning the top six places. Bewley’s barista, Seivijus (Elvis) Matiejunas (top left) was awarded the top honour and named Irish Latte Art Champion with second place going to Khedun Viswarnath and third place to Renata Malyszko (centre).

‘Today, Bewley’s is the market-leading supplier of coffee solutions for every channel in foodservice.’ via free pouring and two signature drinks which were started via free pouring but baristas were allowed to use tools to draw or enhance their designs. Their creations were judged for their symmetry, flair, complexity and artistic talent of the design. Points were also lost for going over the time limit. In addition to demonstrating barista skills with latte art, Bewley’s managing director, Jim Corbett also shared the firm’s coffee solutions and brand expertise with CATEX attendees when he spoke at the ‘Hospitality Heroes’ seminar. Jim Corbett discussed how the difficult trading conditions of recent years, coupled with the plummeting disposable income of Irish consumers, meant that brands across both consumer and foodservice sectors have had to innovate to cut through the noise of competitors, build brand awareness and ultimately increase sales.

‘As Ireland’s largest and most recognised tea and fresh coffee brand, Bewley’s marketing strategy spans two distinct markets, business and consumer,’ he explained. ‘In 2006, to appeal to a younger generation’s sense of style, we re-imaged the Bewley’s brand to make it more contemporary and modern. We constantly look for opportunities to illustrate how Bewley’s is a truly authentic brand built on heritage but with a renewed sense of modernity. Tapping into the emotional drivers that motivate consumers to buy coffee is an essential part of this, and is not confined to our consumer marketing strategy – as the end users in foodservice outlets, consumers are also a key consideration in our B2B marketing strategy too,’ continued Corbett. Corbett noted that while Bewley’s has a very strong brand equity as a consumer

brand, over the past number of decades the company’s growth has been largely related to Bewley’s evolution as a B2B brand. ‘Today, the brand is the market-leading supplier of coffee solutions for every channel in foodservice. Our mission is to convert more people to drinking fresh ground coffee. There is an onus on us to educate consumers on the benefits of drinking fresh ground coffee. For the past two years, we have invested in Real Coffee Week, an initiative specifically designed to convert people from instant to fresh coffee, with promotions, competitions and an Instant Coffee Amnesty at our Grafton Street and George’s Street cafés. If the consumer can make great coffee at home, they will demand great coffee out of home too, and foodservice operators will be compelled to deliver it.’ Bewley’s believes that successful brands are ones that build strong relationships with their customers and deliver on their brand’s promise. ‘While it is important to focus on the functional benefits your products and services will deliver to the customer you also need to demonstrate the added value you bring.’ CATEX gave Bewley’s the opportunity to demonstrate its added value directly to its foodservice customers in addition to engaging with them to gain an insight into their future requirements. u

Call Bewley’s today and find out how the company can work with you to grow your profits, t: 1850 248 484 or visit bewleys.com

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

To the Pont JAMES DOYLE, head chef at Dublin’s Brasserie Le Pont, shares his kitchen secrets. The style of food in Brasserie Le Pont is… classic French with European influences, with emphasis on flavour from the use of top Irish/French ingredients.

The most popular dish on our menu is… beautiful foie gras produced by Castaing who are in Les Landes in the southwest of France. We serve it with a beautiful smoked duck carpaccio, smoked almonds, brioche and spiced pear.

We’ve just signed off a new dish… fillet of beef, with a Bayonne and Comte cheese croquette, cep puree, purple sprouting broccoli, with the beef topped off with some of Maurice Kettyle’s marrowbone butter which is sensational.

My favourite dishes to cook are… always changing, but the current favourite is a ravioli of 24 hour braised shortrib of beef, sautéed baby spinach with a sweet onion consommé (pictured).

At home I like to cook… not a lot to be honest! But if I am it’s generally very simple, very labour unintensive…. Roast chicken, duck fat roasties, pop it in the oven, go off for an hour, steam some veg while it’s resting. Perfect.

The producer I most enjoy working with is… Terry Butterfield of Coastguard Seafoods, Annagassan, Co Louth. An ex-fisherman, Terry not only has the best smoked salmon in the country, in my opinion, but he also has the freshest fish I’ve come across, landed locally in Annagassan. Sole, turbot, cod, monkfish, mackerel are usually caught the day before I get it.

I couldn’t live without… a vac pac machine.

Top: James Doyle Right: Brasserie Le Pont, where the food is classic French, with European influences Above: James’s favourite dish: Ravioli of 24 hour braised shortrib of beef, sautéed baby spinach with a sweet onion consommé

I’d love to get my hands on… a smoker. My favourite cookbook is… Tom Kitchin’s. It’s no frills style of cooking which is all about the ingredients.

The strangest request I’ve ever had in the kitchen… was when I worked as a commis chef in the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire. An old dear used to have us microwave her Caesar salad every day – now that’s about as strange as it gets.

All chefs will agree that… there’s nothing quite like a busy service and to be thanked by smiling guests on their way out for the beautiful food. It lets us know the team’s hard work was appreciated.

The worst kitchen disaster I’ve seen… was when a stockpot was left on high flame overnight. Half of the pot had melted and the Terminator-style molton steel was on the floor. (No names... Connor!)

The advice I’d give budding chefs is… keep your head down and listen to everything you’re being taught. And remember, your chef is always right!

My leadership style is… generally laid back. I try not to be too serious all of the time and we all do mise en place together which gives the time for the usual banter. As soon as the restaurant is open the iPods are off and everyone is on the ball. There’s a great team at BLP so there’s rarely anything being thrown by anyone!

I studied hotel and catering management at DIT… I could be front of house if I hadn’t enjoyed the cookery element so much.

My favourite restaurant is… Arbutus in Soho, London. The chef I most enjoyed working with and who had the greatest influence on my career is… Paul Hargreaves who was my head chef at Rhodes D7. He’s a serious cook and I absorbed as much as I could from him.

The dish I wish I created myself… has to be Beef Wellington. My girlfriend nailed it the first time she ever cooked for me – perfect medium rare beef and crispy pastry the first time making it. It’s not easy to get right.

My guilty pleasure is… generally anything confied, shallow fried, deep-fried with loads of salt.

If I were on Death Row, the last meal I’d choose would be… a bowl of our Bouillabaisse that we do at BLP, packed full of fish and flavour, with prawns, mussels and scallops. It’s got to be up there.

The most pressure I’ve felt was… cooking my own dish I had as a special as a chef de partie for Richard Corrigan. It was scallops with Jerusalem artichoke and oxtail. u

HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW 21

RESTAURANTS

Operation Transformation MARILYN BRIGHT talks to restaurateurs who have adapted to the downturn with new product offerings.

hinking outside the box has become an essential part of the restaurateur’s skill set as cost conscious customers look for best value along with a bit of courting with new services and products. As the economic downturn started to bite five years ago, caterers around the country saw consumer spend in decline and, for many, the fine dining market was the first to take the hit. At Murrisk in the buzzy Westport area, Myles and Ruth O’Brien built up a thriving business over a dozen or so years in The Tavern Bar, with casual bar food downstairs and a fine dining restaurant upstairs showcasing Myles’s cheffing skills. ‘We’ve seen customer expectations grow, but demand for fine dining began to decline. Our solution was to upgrade the bar menu and go over to casual bistro-style across the board and that works very well for us. We serve food straight through from midday so there aren’t set times for lunch and dinner anymore and that’s significant when you’re in a tourist area. At the height of the season in August we can have 500-600 22 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

Afternoon tea at The Silver Café

customers a day, with anything from a bowl of chowder to a Clew Bay lobster with all the trimmings.’ At The King Sitric in Howth, Aidan McManus noticed the first signs of a dying Celtic Tiger when sales of fine wine began to decline. ‘People were entertaining and drinking fine wines at home, but opting for more modest house wines when they went out.’ With a stylish downstairs wine cellar and bar not enjoying the turnover it once had, the McManuses decided to bite the bullet and turn the harbour-front space over to casual all-day dining that would entice locals as well as the day trippers soaking up the atmosphere of the bustling seafront. Christened The East Café Bar, the less than a year old business has already garnered two awards as ‘Newcomer of the Year’ and is run by Aidan’s son Declan and girlfriend, Sue McKiernan, while Aidan and Joan still preside upstairs in the reverered King Sitric Restaurant. Service starts with coffee and fresh baked scones mid-morning, with full menu kicking in at 12.30 or even earlier in summertime when they’re open seven days as well. Orders

range from a cup of soup or the famous house chowder to the madly popular fish of the day with chips or Kelly’s Kilcolgan oysters, as well as various platters for sharing which are a big hit with diners whiling away a balmy day on the patio. Aidan has also been pleased to note that some of his traditional customers opt for the fine dining menu while enjoying the casual atmosphere downstairs. ‘It’s a winning situation,’ he observes, ‘and we’ve added hugely to our customer base.’ Richy Veerasawmy in Clonakilty is another chef-proprietor who has had to rethink his business in the light of challenging times. With the 120 seat restaurant bearing his name formed by the joining of two buildings, he could see that the market was changing and he needed a new plan. Richy and his team literally took to the streets to question people about what they wanted. Good prices, local produce and open all day were clear priorities. More market research was done in London, visiting operations like Jamie Oliver’s and The River Café. ‘It was clear we needed to utilise everything and become more than just a restaurant.’

RESTAURANTS

‘With the downturn, numbers didn’t change that much, but the spend dropped right down. Where people might have spent e60 before, they’re now spending e15. We put in extra effort to bring people in because you have to make it all day, not just at lunch and dinner times.’ Half the restaurant was hived off to become the ‘R Café’ during the day where prices are kept in the e7-e10 range. A deli selection with takeaways like the popular Mauritian curry goes into high gear when summer visitors flood into West Cork, and a bakery bell rings to alert customers as fresh bakes like scones, bakewell tarts and coffee and walnut cakes come out of the oven. Coeliacs are catered for with homemade gluten-free breads and treats like crème brulée and brownies. ‘With the cookery school one day a week, we now have five operations from the one kitchen,’ Richy points out. ‘The last year has been a real challenge as we were flooded three times in 12 months, but we’ve just finished refurbishing the restaurant in January and we’ve built in a streetside takeaway hatch for our fresh baked pizzas. We’re also putting together welcome packs for people arriving down to holiday homes, with four ready-to-heat meals, homemade pastries and some local produce. Restaurants in small areas like this have to diversify, even when it means working 16 hour days.’

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stands come out for afternoon teas that are enticing Dubliners out for their elegant savouries and homebakes affordably priced at e10. Gift vouchers introduced at Christmas have gone very well and presentation boxes of fancy cupcakes are being promoted online to bring as hostess gifts instead of wine or flowers – an especially big hit on Valentine’s Day. ‘We need to be busy all day,’ Natalie comments, ‘and if you don’t think outside of the box, you’ve had it.’ Eamonn O’Reilly is unique in bucking the trend to mid-market by opening the fine dining Greenhouse Restaurant in Dublin’s Dawson Street and installing the award-garlanded Mickael Viljanen as head chef. ‘People thought I was mad,’ Eamonn admits, ‘but I knew that Mickael’s food was something different and not in Dublin at the minute. I was confident that we had a strong product, unique and special that we could offer at reasonable value. We opened last March and have been a success from day one. I can now say that this has worked.’ And it’s clear that Eamonn has stars in his eyes – Michelin stars. u

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RIDICULOUSLY

At The Silver Cafe in the Newbridge Silver showrooms, Natalie Collins acknowledges the benefits of being part of a visitor destination. Their casual selfservice operation is based on freshly cooked food and great bakes that have made the café a regular stop for locals as well as tourists. ‘With the downturn, numbers didn’t change that much, but the spend dropped right down,’ Natalie says. ‘Where people might have spent e60 before, they’re now spending e15. We put in extra effort to bring people in because you have to make it all day, not just at lunch and dinner times.’ Chefs are in from 6am, so Natalie books meetings for business groups like the local Chamber of Commerce from 7am. ‘That’s 30 people in for coffee and scones, and we have a book club on Thursday mornings with a reduced rate of e4 for tea and scones but some will stay for extras.’ Lunch breaks are quicker now, Natalie says, so they’ve added soup and gourmet sandwich deals and salad plates at e5.95 – and they also do half main courses. Linens, rose covered porcelain and tiered cake

11/02/2013 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW 16:59 23

BREAKFAST

Rise

& Dine

The primary meal of the day provides caterers with a valuable sales opportunity and offers hoteliers and guesthouse owners the chance to leave a lasting impression on their guests. Get it right and you can increase sales and enjoy greater word of mouth, get it wrong and your customers will take their business elsewhere in future – or worse, share their grumblings on review sites. Hotel & Catering Review takes a look at the latest trends in breakfasts.

reakfast is a dying art – an ageold ritual rarely given the time or consideration that is deserving of the primary meal of the day. Today’s fast-paced lifestyles mean that the majority of us break our nightly fasts on the hoof, at the desk – or worse still, not at all. For cafés and restaurants, this offers caterers the opportunity to nab stressed workers en route to the office and ply them with enough quick-to-consume fuel to keep them going until lunch, or at least until elevenses – a growing occasion in out-ofhome dining. For hoteliers and guesthouse operators breakfast has a higher calling – an opportunity to allow time-poor guests unwind over a sumptuous feast first thing in the morning, enjoy a meal they rarely get the occasion to savour during their daily routine, and depart following their visit sated and content.

The Rise of Deskfasting

Sarah O’Connell in Bord Bia’s London office notes that breakfast eating habits have undergone a marked shift in recent years, largely driven by an increased move towards convenience, health and value. ‘The rise of the time-poor consumer has created some prominent growth areas,’ she notes, with ‘deckfasting’ – breakfasting at the workstation – becoming a key trend. A Mintel study of the breakfast habits 24 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

of UK consumers revealed that almost a quarter consume their first meal of the day on the go, while a third eat it at their desk in work. As a result, caterers are adapting their business model to attract this market, reports Sarah. More companies are getting into the ‘grab and go’ sector, with operators like McDonald’s offering alternatives to the trusty McMuffin, while even Pizza Express and Domino’s are sizing up early morning opportunities by trialling breakfast menus and items in key UK sites. Derek Reilly, executive chef at Sodexo, notes a similar move to eating on the hoof in Ireland. He reports that 70% of breakfast business in the caterer’s 200 workplace restaurants across Ireland is grab and go. ‘People are moving quicker now, they have less time at their disposal so we’ve noticed a huge shift towards desk dining. Friday is a little more relaxed so you see more people sitting down to the full Irish as a treat but the rest of the time they want healthy, high energy food that they can consume on the go.’ Coffee remains the caterer’s biggest morning seller, explains Derek, and the majority is sold in disposable cups so workers can bring them to their desks. ‘We ask ourselves – what can we offer with that to grow morning sales? We sell scones and pastries and offer items like yoghurt and granola that people can grab when they’re getting their morning coffee.’

Healthy Choices

Healthy options are the biggest trend in breakfasts in 2013, reports the Sodexo executive chef. ‘People are more health conscious and more informed about what they’re eating than ever before. We offer mini portions alongside regular portion sizes now. We do mini pastries and mini pots of yoghurt and granola – around 5oz-7oz – which are very popular. If you go to many of the regular coffee shops on the high street all the portions are so big, but people appreciate the alternative and many go for smaller sizes. We can also provide the calorie content for everything on the menu.’ Lunch time salad bars are given a fruity flavour for morning service, with a range of smoothies, juices and dried fruits and nuts which can be topped with low fat yoghurt. Dried fruit is growing in popularity as workers look for ingredients which will slowly release energy, notes Derek, while porridge is a stalwart choice all year round. ‘It used to be just a winter option but the health benefits of porridge means that customers are choosing it no matter what the season. They add nuts, berries or fruit purées on top, and we’re also seeing an interest in flavoured porridges with fruit blended through.’ Sodexo has started introducing smoked fish bars and ranges of charcuterie in a number of restaurants. ‘Diners are becoming more adventurous in their tastes at breakfast,8

BREAKFAST and are influenced by the experiences they’ve had while on holidays on the Continent so in some sites we have begun offering items like smoked mackerel, smoked salmon and mussels, and salamis and meats.’

The Love of Irish

While workers seek a variety of healthy options, the traditional Irish cooked breakfast remains the top choice each morning in hotels and guesthouses. ‘The full Irish is our biggest seller. Our guests prefer the traditional breakfast,’ explains Fiona Teehan, general manager of Pembroke Townhouse in Ballsbridge, Dublin. However, while holidaymakers like to treat themselves, Fiona acknowledges that corporate guests tend to go for healthier options – poached or boiled eggs or a continental breakfast. ‘Occasionally you will see them splash out and order the full Irish, but that’s only when they want a treat. You hear them say they’ll have their “annual full Irish”.’ Breakfast has become a big selling tool for the guesthouse, with Fiona regularly promoting the range of breakfast bakes on Facebook and Twitter and receiving acclaim in guides like Bridgestone for the morning spread. Pembroke’s Irel coffee cake – made to Fiona’s mum’s recipe – is a big crowd pleaser and has drawn praise from customers across the globe who return home with a copy of the recipe in hand. ‘We used to vary the selection of bakes on offer each morning but when a guest wrote to me and told me

26 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

she was disappointed that we didn’t have passion and enthusiasm we have for any coffee cake on offer as she had come to Irish ingredients, local suppliers and stay with us especially so she could have it I sustainable sourcing,’ explains the group’s decided I would keep it on the menu all the communications director, Tracey Moran. time.’ ‘Bewley’s Hotels are happy to proactively Fiona began offering Irel coffee cake as ‘I provide these choices for those customers for wanted something Irish to offer guests’. ‘I whom their food origin is a major concern, don’t want anything on the menu to be non- while still maintaining our great name for Irish,’ she explains. ‘I hate seeing pain au value.’ chocolate or croissants on breakfast buffets But while breakfast is a serious business in Irish hotels. It’s a personal view, and I – it is the most important meal of the day know many people like them, but I want after all – where healthy options and fully our breakfasts to be fully Irish and reflect traceable ingredients are of paramount the amazing food and ingredients we have importance, it’s also good to start the day on offer in Ireland. Our guests respond well with a little fun too. Fiona Teehan has to it. We tell them all about Irel and how it been collecting a variety of colourful and makes a difference to the taste of the cake humorous egg cosies which have gone and they love it. We keep a jar by the buffet down a storm with guests in Pembroke with recipes for our breads and cakes, plus Townhouse. ‘Whenever you put them on the a full page of information on Irel and the boiled eggs the guests fall around laughing. guests regularly take them to bring home.’ It’s a cute little touch and it always gets a At Bewley’s Hotels, the group are also smile,’ she chuckles. We agree, we saw them committed to promoting Irish food at on the eggs and they cracked us up too (pun breakfast. Bewley’s sausages and rashers are intended, sorry). u 100%, third party accredited Irish in origin and traceable back to the farmer, as is Bewley’s black and white pudding and free range eggs, We’re big fans of pancakes supplied by Tolka here at Hotel & Catering Eggs. Review (Shrove Tuesday is ‘Our menus officially our favourite day of continue to the year) and love starting demonstrate the the day off with a portion of pancakes served with seasonal fruit, so we were delighted to see the arrival of the Popcake pancake machine in Ireland. Launched at CATEX in February, Popcake is the 18 seconds, the machine world’s first automatic has been a hit in North pancake-making machine America where it has been which has been specifically introduced to 1,800 Holiday designed for the commercial Inn Express hotels, as well foodservice industry. as various hotels in the Distributed in Ireland by Asia-Pacific region, plus the Maple Moose, it delivers Hard Rock group, and British 97% fat-free pancakes at Airways, Qantas and Virgin the press of a button. With airlines. one pancake produced every The Popcake machine is available on loan at no charge – caterers simply purchase bags of the premade batter. Each bag can make 35 pancakes and after 60 bags (2,100 pancakes) caterers receive a new Teflon-coated cooking belt which can be installed easily in the machine. Compact and self-contained, it doesn’t require extra staff to monitor it and takes up little space in a breakfast area. For more about Popcake, the pancake company founded by Irishman David Walsh, see popcake.com.

Make Your Breakfast Pop

FISH

Profiting from

Seafood

A growing appreciation for the fruits of the sea, plus an increasing move towards healthy eating, has seen sales of seafood soar on restaurant menus. But today’s diners are looking for locally sourced produce fished from Irish waters which are fully traceable, reports leading seafood restaurateurs.

ike O’Grady knows a thing or two about seafood. Growing up around his parents famous O’Grady’s of Clifden, and later opening his own multi-awardwinning seafood restaurant, O’Grady’s on the Pier in Barna, Co Galway, he’s watched Ireland’s love of fish grow stronger in recent years. Gone are the days when seafood was confined to Friday, today’s diners are embracing our seas’ bounty in greater numbers than ever before. ‘We’ve seen a huge increase in the number of customers eating fish,’ concurs Mike, who recently introduced the Seafood Bar to his Kirwan’s Lane restaurant in Galway city centre to cater to the trend. ‘I would say that 80% of the reason why diners are now choosing seafood is because of the health benefits, but there’s also the growing move towards locally sourced and fully traceable food. Developments like the recent horsemeat crisis have definitely had an impact. For instance, usually on a Saturday night in Kirwan’s Lane a quarter of our 100 covers would choose steak, last Saturday just two people ordered the sirloin.’ Placing a greater emphasis on seafood has had a positive impact on business, Mike notes. ‘Turning Kirwan’s into a Seafood Bar has been a great success for us – it’s flying. The amount of seafood we sell now is phenomenal, and I’ve noticed other restaurants are doing the same. A number of new seafood restaurants have opened in Galway.’ A recent reduction in fish prices has boosted sales, he believes. ‘The cost of seafood has come down a lot in the last couple of years which definitely helps as we can reduce our menu prices. We rarely have prime fish such as turbot, brill or monkfish as it is very expensive, but there is a huge variety of other seafood which we can put on the menu for a lot less. We use pollock instead of cod for our fish and chips and it’s fantastic. The silver hake is our most popular main course, and we’re starting to sell more gurnard, although it’s not always easy to get. It has taken a while for people to get to know it but once they try it they always order it again.’ In Westport’s An Port Mór, chef Frankie Mallon specialises in serving local shellfish – mussels hail from Newport, scallops from Clew Bay and lobster from Achill Island. He believes diners are willing to pay for quality. ‘People have no problem in spending when they’re out on a Saturday night if they know

it’s good, it’s locally sourced and it’s fresh,’ he notes. Both Westport denizens and visitors to the picture perfect tourism town look for fish that hails from the locality when ordering at An Port Mór, and while stalwarts like cod, turbot and monkfish remain popular, less widespread varieties like sea trout are ‘flying out the door’, says Frankie. ‘We offer sea trout from an organic farm in Newport which by far outsells salmon any day of the week. I think customers feel they can have salmon at home anytime, whereas they don’t see a fish like sea trout that often so they’re more inclined to order it when they’re out.’ Irish diners are becoming more adventurous, Frankie believes. He has introduced seaweed to his menus with great success. ‘It’s a quirky thing Top: An Port Mór’s Achill smoked that we do on the menu organic salmon, warm boxty with and it’s getting very popular Kelly’s black pudding, red onion marmalade with creme fraiche – people will try it. We use Right: Frankie Mallon, chef ground seafood powder in proprietor, An Port Mór a white soda bread which Below: O’Grady’s on the Pier, is delicious, we make a Mike O’Grady’s multi-awardwinning seafood restaurant in seaweed jam which we Barna, Co Galway serve with smoked fish, and Bottom: O’Grady’s grilled flat fish we fry it and add it to mash with red onion, caper and fennel to give it a little crunch. butter It’s a local organic product which people love.’ Frankie would like to see more seafood restaurants, particularly around Ireland’s coast, but he believes you have to be committed to sourcing locally. ‘If I was out and I saw tiger prawns on the menu it wouldn’t interest me in the slightest. Dublin Bay prawns can be pricey but they’re worth it in terms of quality and I think people will pay accordingly.’ For him, building his business on a foundation of seafood was an easy decision to make. ‘When I first opened in Westport four years ago it was a no brainer. We’re on the coast surrounded by lots of amazing local seafood and shellfish. People said I must be absolutely mad to open a new restaurant in a recession but within a couple of weeks I knew it was going to work – the feedback from our customers was phenomenal and we’ve never looked back.’ u

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FOOD NEWS

Artisan Producers Celebrated

rish food writers urged chefs and consumers to look to artisan Irish producers they could trust when they gathered together in Derry and Sallyanne Clarke’s Michelin-starred l’Ecrivain restaurant to celebrate the annual Food Writers’ Guild Awards in March. With a nod to the ongoing horse meat crisis, Guild chair, Myles McWeeney, noted that ‘when you buy from indigenous, Irish producers, you can be assured that their products are fully traceable, that the raw materials will have travelled a relatively short distance and, oftentimes, that the product is as a result of cooperation between different local producers… Thankfully, in terms of artisan food produce, the future of the food industry is in great hands.’ Six Irish food producers were presented with IFWG Food Awards at the event, which is now in its 19th year. The 2013 winners are Rod & Julie CalderPotts, Highbank Orchards in Kilkenny for Highbank Orchard Syrup; Toby Simmonds, Toons Bridge Dairy, Co Cork for Toons Bridge Dairy Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese; and Connemara Hill Lamb Ltd, Co Galway. A joint award was presented to Sheridan’s Cheesemongers, Co Meath and Cookies of

Character, Co Cork for their range of cheese crackers, while an environmental award was presented to the Clare-based Irish Seed Savers Association, for its dedicated work in preserving native varieties of fruit and vegetables.

Martin Joe Kerrigan, Connemara Hill Lamb Ltd; Elisabeth Ryan, Sheridan’s Cheesemongers; Richard Graham-Leigh, Cookies of Character; Derry Clarke, l’Ecrivain Restaurant; Julie CalderPotts, Highbank Orchard Syrup; Sean Ferry, Toons Bridge Dairy; and Geraldine Tobin, Irish Seed Savers Association, at the Irish Food Writers’ Guild Awards.

See opposite page for recipes of Derry Clarke’s dishes featuring the winning produce. 8

Top Sandwich

Aidan Cleary of the Cellar Bar & Restaurant in Galway was named Ireland’s top sandwichmaker when he took first place in Hellman’s Sandwich Challenge. Aidan’s Cellar Cajun spiced chicken ciabatta (pictured, right) was crowned champion sandwich in the inaugural competition, followed by McCambridge’s of Galway’s warm toasted ciabatta with beef medallions and the Hibernian Hotel, Kilkenny’s Christmas Cracker which were runners up. The top three sandwich-makers received professional panini grills worth over e600.

Kitchen Ambassadors New Bord Bia Quality Mark Ambassadors (l-r) David Wallace, Donal Skehan, Yvonne Keating, Hector Ó hEochagáin, Neven Maguire and Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin were pictured at the launch of the Bord Bia Quality Kitchen – an online destination for recipe information and cooking advice. The Bord Bia Quality Kitchen can be accessed at facebook.com/bordbia and will feature regular contributions from the ambassadors who will share their personal eating habits and kitchen tips.

Do You Remember the First Time? To mark its 175th anniversary, Knorr is taking a trip down memory lane and asking chefs to share stories of their memorable kitchen moments. The first 175 chefs to share their stories will win an 800g pack of Vegetable Paste Bouillon. Entries will be posted on the Unilever Food Solutions’ website. See unileverfoodsolutions.ie for more.

28 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

Big Cheese

Congrats to the team at Kilbeg Dairies whose Soft Cream Cheese took silver at the World Cheese Awards, run by the UK’s Guild of Fine Foods. ‘We are very passionate about our products and put every ounce of energy and inspiration we have into producing only the very best,’ said Jane Cassidy of Kilbeg Dairies. ‘Winning this award was a very proud achievement for us, as it confirms to us that our cream cheese can compete against and perform amongst some of the finest cheeses in the world.’

RECIPES

The Writers’ Selection

DERRY CLARKE created a sumptuous feast for guests at the Irish Food Writers’ Guild Awards in l’Ecrivain restaurant to showcase the winning ingredients. Toons Bridge Buffalo Mozzarella Bavarois, Pressed Ratatouille, Basil Aioli Serves 4

Basil Aioli

3 large egg yolks ½ lemon, juiced 1 large bunch basil 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 5ml white wine vinegar 150ml olive oil salt and pepper, to taste Place the yolks, lemon juice, basil, mustard and vinegar in a food processor and blend until the basil is puréed and the mix is of a creamy consistency. While still blending, slowly pour in the olive oil until the mixture emulsifies and holds a figure of eight. Season to taste and set aside or refrigerate until ready to serve. Pressed Ratatouille Terrine

10ml olive oil 1 red onion, diced 1 red pepper diced 1 garlic clove 1 sprig thyme ½ courgette, diced ½ aubergine, diced 1 teaspoon tomato paste 10ml balsamic vinegar 30ml red wine 20g sugar 200g chopped tomatoes, puréed salt and pepper 4 leaves of gelatine, soaked 1 courgette, cut into wafer-thin discs Pour the olive oil into a pre-heated mediumsized pot and when hot, add the onion, red pepper, garlic and thyme and sweat until soft but not coloured. Add the courgette and aubergine and sweat for another few minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook for two minutes before pouring in the vinegar, wine and sugar. Reduce to a glaze, add the tomatoes and reduce by half. Remove the sprig of thyme. Dissolve the pre-soaked gelatine in the hot ratatouille mix and season to taste. Line an oiled terrine mould or bread tin with cling film and carefully place the discs of courgette on the bottom so they resemble fish scales. Pour in the ratatouille mix, tapping the mould to remove air bubbles and levelling with a palette knife. Finish with another layer of courgette discs and refrigerate to set. Once set, cut the terrine to required size and set aside for plating. Toons Bridge Buffalo Mozzarella Bavarois

100ml milk 1 sprig thyme 50ml semi-whipped cream 1 ball Toons Bridge buffalo mozzarella salt and pepper Combine the milk, the thyme and the cheese in a pot, bring to a simmer, remove from the heat and leave to infuse. Place in a blender and pulse until smooth. Pass the liquid through a fine sieve and leave to cool. Fold in the semi-whipped cream, season to taste and refrigerate until ready to use. To serve: Place a slice of terrine off-centre on each plate. Put two quenelles of bavarois to the side of the terrine and surround with a few dots of aioli. Serve at room temperature.

Tasting of Connemara Hill Lamb Serves 4 Braised Lamb Pastilla

1kg piece of lamb shoulder, trimmed

2 sticks celery, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 onion, peeled and chopped 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 1 sprig rosemary 1 sprig thyme 1 bay leaf 200ml chicken stock 100ml red wine 1 teaspoon tomato paste 4 squares of feuilles de brick pastry or filo pastry Season the lamb shoulder with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a large saucepan over a high heat, heat a little vegetable oil and seal the lamb brown on all sides. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic, stir and reduce heat to low. Add the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, stock, red wine and tomato past. Simmer gently for 1½ hours until meat is tender. Remove from heat and leave the meat to cool in its liquid. Once cold, remove lamb and shred the meat into a bowl. Puree the carrot, celery, onion and a little of the cooking liquid and add to the shredded lamb. Mix and press into a terrine mould lined with cling film, put weight on top and leave to set overnight in the fridge. The following day, turn out the terrine and cut into rectangles. Brush the sheets of pastry with butter and roll the lamb in them. In a medium pan with a little vegetable oil, brown the pastry-wrapped parcels on all sides. Rack of lamb

1 rack of lamb, French-trimmed salt and freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 200ºC. Season the rack with salt and pepper and seal on both sides in a hot pan with a little oil. Transfer to preheated oven for five to six minutes for pink or up to 12–15 minutes for well done. Remove from 8 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW 29

RECIPES oven, rest for 10 minutes and slice cutlets just before serving. Buttery Greens

150ml chicken stock 75g butter 150g fresh or frozen peas, blanched and refreshed 150g broad beans, blanched and refreshed 150g diced cured bacon, blanched in boiling water and sautéed in a hot pan 4 heads baby gem lettuce leaves, washed 1 bunch chopped mint Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan, add the butter and when melted, add peas, broad beans, bacon and baby gem. Season to taste, add the chopped mint and set aside somewhere warm until ready to serve. Kidney & Sweetbreads Tortellini

30g butter 100g lamb kidneys, trimmed and diced 100g lamb sweetbreads, blanched in boiling water and refreshed 100g mushrooms, finely chopped 1 small onion, peeled and diced 1 garlic clove, crushed ½ lemon, juiced 4 sheets of fresh pasta dough (see below), rolled out thinly

Heat a frying pan with butter and a little vegetable oil, add kidneys and sweetbreads and cook for 20 seconds. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and cook for another minute before adding Lemon juice. Once cool, place a dessertspoon of mixture into the centre of each sheet of pasta, brush edges with egg wash and seal into tortellini or ravioli shapes. Set aside until ready to serve. Just before serving, poach in simmering seasoned water for one minute. Pasta Dough

500g flour, sifted 3 eggs 6 egg yolks Pinch of salt 1 tablespoon olive oil Place the flour in a food processor. Add the eggs and egg yolks and process until the dough just starts to form a ball. Add the salt and olive oil and combine. On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough by hand for five minutes until smooth, adding more flour if it sticks. Wrap the dough in cling film and rest in a cool place for 1–2 hours. When ready to use, roll out the dough with a pasta machine into thin sheets. To serve: Divide the buttered greens between four plates. Carve the rack of lamb into eight cutlets, place two on each plate, add the pastilla and tortellini and serve.

Highbank Orchard Apple & Elderflower Trifle, Apple Syrup Serves 8–10 30 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

Apple Sponge Jelly

1200ml Highbank Orchard Apple Syrup 300ml water 13 leaves of gelatine, pre-soaked 400g cake sponge Bring the apple syrup and water to the boil. Remove from the heat, add the pre-soaked gelatine to the hot apple syrup along with the sponge. Mix well, pour onto a lined tray and leave to set in the fridge. Cut into cubes and set aside for plating. Elderflower Jelly

5 tablespoons dried elderflowers 375ml elderflower cordial 1125ml water 14 leaves of pre-soaked gelatine Combine the dried elderflowers, cordial and water in a pot and bring to simmer. Leave to infuse for 20 minutes. While warm dissolve the pre-soaked gelatine in the liquid. Pour through a fine sieve onto a lined tray or container and transfer to set in the fridge. Once set, cut into cubes the same size as the apple sponge jelly and set aside.

Pickled Apples

200ml Highbank Orchard Apple Syrup 4 apples, Parisian-scooped into balls 1 vanilla pod 1 lemon, juiced

Pour the raw custard mix back into a clean pot and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the custard coats the back of the spoon. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool. Panna Cotta

300ml Highbank Orchard Apple Syrup 150ml elderflower cordial 750ml cream 7 leaves of gelatine, pre-soaked 600ml cream

Bring the apple syrup, vanilla and lemon juice to the boil. Pour over the apple balls and set aside to cool.

Bring the apple syrup, cordial and 150ml of the cream to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the pre-soaked gelatine and remaining cream. Pour into glasses an inch deep and refrigerate until set.

Custard

Vanilla Cream

2 vanilla pods, split and de-seeded 1 litre cream 180g caster sugar 12 egg yolks 1 tablespoon cornflour

100ml cream 10ml icing sugar, sieved 1 vanilla pod, split and de-seeded Whip the cream to soft peaks. Mix in the icing sugar and vanilla seeds and set aside.

Combine the vanilla seeds and cream in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, mix the sugar, yolks and cornflour in a large mixing bowl. Pour the boiling cream and vanilla onto the egg mix and whisk until combined.

To serve: Place the cubes of apple sponge jelly and elderflower jelly on top of the panna cotta, followed by the pickled apple balls. Pour over the custard, top with a quenelle of the vanilla cream and garnish with a sprig of mint. u

DRINK

Classic Drinks with a Caribbean Twist Classic Drinks is bringing a splash of the Caribbean to Irish bars with news that it has been appointed exclusive distributor for Gosling’s Rum. Gosling’s, which is Bermuda’s largest export, is famous for its ‘Dark ‘n’ Stormy’ cocktail which Classic Drink’s owner, Steve Dwyer, predicts will go down a ‘storm’ in Irish bars. Hailed as the national drink of Bermuda, Dark ‘n’ Stormy has been created by seven generations of the Gosling family. To try it, mix one part Gosling’s Black Seal Bermuda Rum to three parts spicy Ginger Beer, then poured over ice and garnish with a slice of lemon or lime. But remember, Gosling’s holds the trademark on Dark ‘n’ Above: Malcolm Gosling, president and CEO of GoslingStormy, ‘so making the drink with any other rum brand is… unlawful’, the Castle Partners is pictured with Hugh Murray, managing director, Classic Drinks celebrate the arrival of Gosling’s company warns. Rum in Ireland.

Below: Steve Dwyer, Classic Drinks and Kelley Spillane, Castle Brands Spirits at the announcement that Classic Drinks has been appointed distributor of Knappogue Whiskey.

Kings of the Castle

Elsewhere at Classic Drinks, sponsor of the upcoming Hospitality Stars Awards, the group has added Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old single malt whiskey to their stable. ‘We chose Knappogue Castle Whiskey as our new whiskey for 2013 due to their exceptional quality single malt whiske,’ says Steve Dwyer of Classic Drinks. ‘We could not resist the chance to partner with such a great Irish produced whiskey.’

Wakefield Moves

Dalcassian Wines & Spirits and Cassidy Wines have announced they are adding the Wakefield Estate range of wines to their portfolios. The wines were previously distributed in Ireland by Findlater Wine & Spirit Group.

Teeling Returns with Eponymous Whiskey The Teeling name is set to return to Irish back bars with news that former Cooley Distillery chief, Jack Teeling, has launched a new brand, Teeling Whiskey (pictured left). While Jack is well-known in whiskey circles as the founder of Cooley Distillery, which was the first distillery to be established in Ireland in 100 years when it launched in 1987, the Teeling family’s history dates back to the 1700s when Walter Teeling set up a distillery in Marrowbone Lane in Dublin’s Liberties. ‘Since 1782, the Teeling family have been crafting Irish whiskey. The entrepreneurial spirit that inspired Walter Teeling back in the 18th century has not been diluted over the years and the latest generation of Teelings are committed to innovating and creating unique Irish whiskeys. Our aim was to create a new Irish whiskey that is contemporary, a salute to our own provenance and which stands out for its quality and unique flavour,’ said Jack Teeling. The new whiskey is a small batch bottling from hand selected casks of grain and malt whiskey which are further matured in former rum barrels. ‘Teeling Irish Whiskey is bottled at 46% with no chill filtration which provides an extra sweet and smooth flavour making it truly a unique Irish Whiskey,’ explains Jack.

Winning Ways

Mac Ivors, the new Northern Irish artisan cider, grabbed silver at the International Brewing Awards in Burton-on-Trent in February. The company’s Traditional Dry Cider, launched in October, was given the nod in the category for Cider 5.0% ABV and above. Febvre Wines and Aer Lingus scooped two gongs at the annual Cellars in The Sky Awards run by Business Traveller magazine at a reception held in The Dorchester Hotel, London in February. Lawson’s Dry Hills Marlborough Riesling 2008 took joint third place in the First Class White Wine Category, while Aer Lingus was also awarded third place in the Best Wine Cellar in Business Class category. u HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW 31

COCKTAILS

Stars of the Silver Screen Awards season isn’t just about the top gongs and stylish frocks, it’s also about Hollywood’s hottest parties. Grey Goose Vodka’s master mixologists, Ludo Miazga, Joe McCanta and Richard Woods, created a range of cocktails inspired by this year’s top movies which were enjoyed by stars at the Baftas and Oscars, as well as the customers of Dublin’s Il Segreto restaurant and The Westin’s Mint Bar. Grey Goose True Story Inspired by: Argo

What you need: 2 parts Grey Goose L’Orange 1 part Maraschino liqueur 2½ parts freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice 1 dash Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Bitters What you do: Combine ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake

and double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with pink grapefruit peel.

Grey Goose Le Blanc Inspired by: Les Miserables

What you need: 2 parts Grey Goose Vodka 1 part Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth 1 wedge of freshly squeezed lemon juice Splash of ginger ale

Above: Grey Goose True Story Right: Grey Goose Le Blanc

What you do: Build in a wine glass filled with cubed ice.

Coco Django

Inspired by: Django Unchained What you need: 2 parts Grey Goose Le Citron 2 parts coconut purée 1 part Falernum liqueur ½ part freshly squeezed lime juice Splash of tonic water What you do: Build in a highball filled with crushed ice. Swizzle

and top with a splash of tonic water. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Monsieur Le President Inspired by: Lincoln

What you need: 1½ parts Grey Goose vodka ½ part Applejack ½ part freshly squeezed lime juice ½ part cinnamon syrup 3 parts cloudy apple juice What you do: Build in a highball filled with cubed ice. Garnish

with a long, elegant cinnamon stick. u

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32 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

Coco Django

Monsieur Le President

HotelandCateringReview

COMPANY PROFILE

Get Connected Digiweb, the independent telecommunications company led by Ernst & Young’s Industry Entrepreneur of the Year, Colm Piercy, offers a range of communications services for the hospitality industry.

uccessful hoteliers and caterers must be jacks of all trades – the perfect host, the sharpest financial controller, the fairest employer – but with resources tight and managers’ workloads heavier than ever, it helps to be able to outsource some of the more technical aspects of your business to experts, leaving yourself free to concentrate on the day job. Your telecommunications is one such area. In a 24 hour industry like hospitality, operators must be assured that they’re always open for business – whether that’s through their secure online booking engines or telephone services. Digiweb, the independent telecommunications provider headed by 2012 Ernst & Young Industry Entrepreneur of the Year, Colm Piercy, offers a range of services to Irish hotels, including broadband access, data networks, data centre and web hosting services and telephony. The company, which owns and operates Ireland’s largest alternative last-mile access network, has a proven track record serving the hospitality industry and has been enlisted by major Irish hotel groups like Tifco, Choice Hotels Ireland and the Moran Bewleys Hotel Group to provide telecommunications services and support. ‘We can provide a variety of services depending on the needs of your business, from voice and data connectivity, to web hosting and domains, website building, dedicated servers, fibre connectivity and managed back ups and monitoring,’ explains Digiweb managing director, Alan Millett. ‘We can take the headache out of managing your network. Instead of telling you how to do it, we deploy the equipment, fit it and monitor it and become your eyes on the network. The responsibility passes to us. If any problems arise, we can replace the equipment within four hours or provide a next day service.’ As well as providing voice and data connectivity for independent hotels, Digiweb can manage the various sites for hotel groups, providing secure private networks (MPLS) for the different locations. ‘We can design the network so that parts are secure – such as your booking engines – and others are open,’ explains Alan. In order to be assured of connectivity at all times, Alan recommends installing two network links so that hotels have a back up if one fails. ‘We’re in a unique position as we own much of our infrastructure so we can provide copper, fibre, wireless and satellite

‘We can take the headache out of managing your network. Instead of telling you how to do it, we deploy the equipment, fit it and monitor it and become your eyes on the network. The responsibility passes to us.’ broadband access, ensuring you are always safe and protected.’ However, not all businesses will have the budget for two connections, he acknowledges. ‘Wireless is a reliable solution which is quicker and easier to implement. It means you won’t have to incur the cost of digging up the car park to lay down fibre, for instance. However, if you can afford it, it makes sense to go with fibre as problems can occur with wireless, such as if a storm hits and knocks out the connection. Some may be content to put up with the risk but if you’re a five star hotel or a hotel with strong corporate business you don’t want to be in a position where you cannot provide internet connectivity. We recommend both options so that you’re always covered.’ It is equally crucially important to protect voice services, says the Digiweb MD and as well as providing you with secure voice and broadband solutions – including VoIP and premium and locall inbound services – the company can help businesses save up to 30% on their calls. ‘Our rates are extremely competitive compared to the incumbents. You’re also going to get a resilient offering – it’s a win-win situation.’ Digiweb provides a range of web solutions

for clients, including web hosting, domain branding and site design. ‘We can also ensure that your site is resilient against attack. This is very important as if your software is not secure then you’re site will get blacklisted and people won’t respond to your emails. We can provide a variety of mechanisms to secure the site,’ explains Alan. Digiweb’s secure data centre, which is located in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, gives hoteliers greater peace of mind. ‘You can rest assured that your data is being backed up here and not in the US where the data protection laws are not as strong. Our data centre also provides much faster connection to the internet, which is a key benefit of hosting your internet presence with us.’ Meanwhile, for peak times, Digiweb can provide cloud solutions and while Alan doesn’t recommend replacing tired servers with a 100% cloud solution, he believes hotels ‘should look at building the capability of cloud into their architecture’. Whatever your needs, Digiweb has the solution, says Alan. ‘We are an Irish company that offers value, flexibility and responsiveness. We provide and monitor your voice and data connectivity so you don’t have to worry about it.’ u

For more information about Digiweb and its services visit digiweb.ie HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW 33

FIVE MINUTES WITH

The former GM of The Merchant Hotel, Belfast, headed to Dublin last August to take up the helm at The Gibson Hotel in the Point Village. We nabbed him for a quick chat.

Adrian

McLaughlin How’s Dublin treating you? Trade in Dublin is booming. Coming from Belfast, it’s amazing to see how well Dublin is doing. The last few months in Belfast have been terrible. It’s very disappointing to watch what’s going on at the moment [with the flags’ protest].

How is business in The Gibson? The Gibson is doing very well. We had 20% growth last year and we’re looking at 10% growth this year, which I think is very achievable.

Who are your clientele? Fairly sophisticated people who want a nice weekend in Dublin. We get a lot from the North as we’re very handy for the tunnel, and we have a strong mid-week corporate business. We have 252 rooms so we need to be able to service a lot of markets. It works for us, our annual occupancy is 70%.

What’s in the plans for 2013? Our main focus for 2013 is on brand awareness. We are focussing on PR and we have a sturdy 12 month plan in place. It will be quirky, reflecting our brand. We’re also focussing on our food and beverage and we’ve put our F&B manager and chef on the executive team which has been a good move. We’ve launched wine flights in the bar and we’re about to introduce a pretty good spirits and mixer list, with a really alternative list of mixers. We’re introducing new nibbles in the bar like small balls of popcorn and we’re spending a bit of money in the restaurant to make it smaller and more intimate. We’re going to have some fun with it. It will be brasserie-style and our executive chef, Chad Byrne (ex The Brehon, Killarney), will be showcasing seasonal and artisan produce. We’ve also produced a new wedding brochure which is very stylistic and urban with striking imagery. We’re trying to attract a different market and show you can have a very individual wedding here at The Gibson. There is no room hire and no menu – we offer couples a blank canvas and they can come in and do what they want.

What’s top of your wish list this year? We’re hoping to get the rates up. Third-party sites have a stranglehold in Dublin and it would be good to see hotels take 34 HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

some of that business back. The last three to four years have been a very tough journey for hoteliers and unfortunately that gave third-party sites an opportunity to gain a foothold in the market. I don’t think they add anything to the industry. I don’t see them bringing people into Ireland. They’re cannibalising the business and I think you have to stand up to it. In The Merchant in Belfast, 50% of our business was direct so we didn’t rely on OTAs, but it’s easy for me to be critical of it now. Business has been very tough in Dublin for the last few years, it’s understandable why third-party sites got such a grasp – hoteliers took business where they could get it.

Has The Gathering made any impact on business? We’re not picking up anything yet, but it’s early days. We’re planning an event to find the head of the Gibson clan in the world and call all Gibsons home to the hotel. It will be fun.

While much of the development around the Point Village and East Wall was put on hold in the crash, you’re surrounded by some pretty big venues – are they a big help to business? Things are moving on. The cinema opened last year and that has been great – we’re planning on offering pre-movie nibbles and packages to attract movie goers in before and after watching a film. We’re hoping to get good news on new offices nearby also, but we’re profitable without them, so we’re doing okay. The people who stay in The Gibson are the type who don’t mind hopping on the Luas for a short trip into the city centre. The CCD has been a big help to business. The bookings for 2013 aren’t as good as last year but they’re trying hard to fill the gaps and it looks like 2014 will be a better year. These things are cyclical. International conferences are booked so far in advance and they tour around the world so you have to expect that some years will be better than others. The O2 is our biggest partnership and it has been great for us. It held 90 gigs last year so the contribution to our F&B was significant. We’re trying to build a relationship between us so that people going to The O2 can book VIP tickets with us and then jump the queue when they go to the concert. We also get a lot of the crew with the various acts staying with us and some of the artists. The bigger artists tend to go to the five star hotels, but some of the others stay with us. We had Ed Sheeran recently.u

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