The Voice of Irelandʼs Food & Drink Industry!
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Ya b b a Dhaba Doo!!
The Man behind Ireland’s Most ANTICIPATED NEW Restaurant Reveals All about His Latest Creation LIFE OF PYG
Find out the secret of PYG restaurant’s success
THE BLOGOSPHERE
Who are the major players in the Irish food blog world?
HOW TO...
Get the most from the MenuPages booking system
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Service! March 2013
Facts
600,000 food lovers visit menupages.ie every month. We place 17,000+ reservations as a result.
In this Issue PAGE 2 – 5
AGENDA – What’s happened and what’s happening in the industry this month
PAGE 6
CHEF Q&A – Pierre Heyraud, head chef of The Blackboard Bistro
PAGE 8 – 9 THE MAIN COURSE – We talk to the owner of Dublin most talked about new restaurant Indie Dhaba
PAGE 10 – 11
RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH – Meredith Hicks visits the popular PYG Restaurant and finds out what makes it tick!
PAGE 12 – 13
HOT & COLD – For drinks ideas look no further! Bewley’s caffeine corner, wine of the month and cocktail of the month
PAGE 14 – 15 POWER OF THE FOOD BLOG – Ciara Warnock investigates why the Irish food blog phenomenon continues to grow.
30 new hospitality jobs for Dublin
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IRE RESTAURANT have announced 30 new hospitality jobs for their Dawson Street venue in Dublin city. The jobs will be available in late August this year following a €2 million renovation project that includes a new bar and a new dining area. The jobs announcement will bring the total workforce at Fire to 76 full-time employees. “This investment demonstrates another positive sign of sustainable recovery within the Dublin hospitality industry,” Fire Restaurant & Venue said John Tierney, Dublin City Manager.
PAGE 16-17
Provided by MenuPages
PAGE 18
Bookings - 761 Total Covers - 2856 Approx revenue - €71400
AREA FOCUS – Deirdre Fogarty takes a trip to Dublin’s Notting Hill and find out why they’ve more restaurants than most big towns in Ireland
DESIGN SPECIAL – Design expert Daria Lisowska tells of how to perfect the design of a stand at a trade show
PAGE 19
HOW TO: Menupages Booking System – Kathy Tynan shows how easy the MenuPages booking system is and how it can increase your revenue if used correctly
PAGE 20-21
Irish Food Writers’ Guild choose 2013 awards winners
PAGE 22
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GOAT, GOAT, GOAT – Marie Maher tells us the benefits if introducing goat meat on your menu JOBS/ON THE BLOCK – all the latest from the restaurant property sector
Contacts EDITOR Des Doyle / editorial@menupages.ie 01 240 5528 ADVERTISING Stephen O’Connor / stephen@menupages.ie 01 240 5504 DESIGN Jillian Redmond / 01 240 5528 Contributors Meredith Hicks Kathy Tynan Maria Murphy Deirdre Fogarty Photographer Louise Doyle MenuPages Queries des@menupages.ie / 01 240 5528
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Published monthly, Service! is distributed free of charge to the key decision makers in every restaurant on the MenuPages database. A further 450< senior decision makers in suppliers to the hospitality sector, as well as other related parties, are also on the distribution list. All material copyright 2012. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior consent of the Publisher. Opinions and comments herein are not necessarily those of the Publisher. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that all information contained in this publication is factual and correct at time of going to press, MenuPages cannot be held responsible for any inadvertent errors or omissions contained herein.
MenuPages, The CourtYard, Carmenhall Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18, Ireland.
onnemara Hill Lamb; Toonsbridge buffalo mozzarella, made in Co Cork; crackers made by Sheridans and by Cookies of Character, and Highbank Orchard Syrup, are the products members of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild chose as the recipients of its 2013 awards.An environmental award was given to the Irish Seed Savers Association for its work in preserving native varieties of fruit and vegetables. The awards were presented at a lunch in L’Ecrivain restaurant at the start of the month where chef patron Derry Clarke designed a menu using the winning products, including this tasting plate of Connemara Hill Lamb, roast leg and rack, braised shoulder pie, kidney and sweetbread tortellini, buttery greens, smoked bacon.
Awards were presented at a lunch in L’Ecrivain restaurant
Facts We’ve generated an extra €750,000 for the Irish restaurant sector in the last quarter.
Service! March 2013
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AGENDA 1.75m for Milano restaurant at Grand Canal Dock
Masterchef Munier sees boost in profit
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asterchef Ireland presenter Nick Munier newly filed accounts for Dillmel Ltd — the holding company of Pichet, the Dublin restaurant co-owned by Mr Munier and business partner Stephen Gibson — show a €317,107 rise in profit. Now, new figures underline the growing popularity of the eatery, with Companies Office filings showing that the accumulated profits at Dillmel increased from €344,549 to €661,656 in the year to the end of last Feb 29. Dillmel’s cash pile grew by €278,751 to €566,185 last year, while Mr Munier and Mr Gibson provided an additional €48,833 in loans to the company to bring to €70,350 the total amount owed to the two by the firm.
Provided by MenuPages Munier co-owner of Pichet
Bookings - 102 Total Covers - 326 Revenue - €8150
Milano at Grand Canal Dock
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ublin Docklands Development Authority is to seek a purchaser for the Milano restaurant at 1 Longboat Quay at the Grand Canal Dock in Dublin 4.
Tourism Ireland launches new social media campaign best submission scoring a ‘Gathering’ trip to Ireland this year for the winner and five of his or her friends. The second competition is called the ‘Dublin Doodle’ and invites people overseas to create their own virtual green doodle. A selection of the most creative and inspired doodles will be projected onto the façade of Trinity College on 14 March, as the St Patrick’s Festival kicks off, and will be streamed live on Tourism Ireland’s website, Ireland.com.
Pat Campion of agents HWBC is quoting €1.75 million for the investment to show an income yield of 8.2 per cent. Milano occupies a corner site overlooking Grand Canal Harbour and the canal square with a return frontage to Asgard Road. The premises is particularly large with a ground floor and storage space extending to more than 273sq m (2,940sq ft). The premises are let to Milano on a 25-year full repairing and insuring lease from 2007 with five yearly upwards-only rent reviews. The tenant has a break option in 2022. The premises are currently rented at €150,000 per annum and the next review is due in 2017. Milano has 12 outlets in Ireland and trade internationally as Pizza Express.
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Turning green on March 17, The Sydney Opera House
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ourism Ireland has a launched a new social media campaign, ‘Greening Season 2013’, which will target the organisation’s 1.25 million Facebook fans across thirteen different markets. The campaign involves two different competitions on Facebook. The first, called the ‘Great Green-Off’, invites people overseas to create and share their own ‘greening’ video or picture, with the
An accompanying programme of social media activity will be rolled out in tandem with the campaign, to maximise sharing and reach across social media channels. The ‘Dublin Doodle’ is open for entries until 11 March and the ‘Great Green-Off’ is open until 24 March. The winners will be announced in April. Earlier this month,Tourism Ireland announced details of some of the famous attractions and sites around the world which will go green this year to mark St Patrick’s Day, including the Pyramids of Giza and the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
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Service! March 2013
Facts
600,000 food lovers visit menupages.ie every month. We place 17,000+ reservations as a result.
AGENDA Refurbishment completed on Jury’s Inn Galway
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urys Inn Hotel Group said today that it has completed a major redesign and refurbishment of its Galway hotel following a €1.5m investment. The group said it will spend another €250,000 on refurbishing the hotel’s reception, restaurant and bar areas in the second half of this year. The investment forms part of a €31m refurbish- Jurys Inn Galway ment programme currently being rolled out by Jurys Inn Hotel Group, which will also see €7.5m spent on redesigning bedrooms in Christchurch, Cork, Glasgow and Leeds by the end of this year. The group said the redesign comes on the back of eight new hotel openings between 2009 and 2011, a significant ongoing IT investment programme and refurbishments to Jurys Inn hotels in Chelsea, Islington, Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Glasgow, Belfast and Birmingham.
Saba The Cookbook wins the International Gourmand Cookbook of the Year Award The award-winning Thai and Vietnamese restaurant Saba received yet another award when ‘Saba: The Cookbook’ came first at the Gourmand Cookbook Awards in Paris on Saturday 23rd February. The Gourmand Awards are a prestigious worldwide competition, the Oscars of the cookbook world. Competing with cookbooks from all over the world, Saba: The Cookbook was one of just seven shortlisted and last night came first in its category ‘Asian Cookbook’. This book has been shortlisted for eight awards to date. It was designed, photographed, printed and produced in Ireland by a team of five. It was written by Paul Cadden and Taweesak Trakoolwattana; designed by Alvin Perry of Fresh; photography by Matthew Thompson; edited and project managed by Eveleen Coyle and printed by Nicholson & Bass.
Paul Cadden of Saba with Sarah Grey
The Marker Hotel begin 180 staff search
Say Hello to PICO
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HE MARKER HOTEL, located on Dublin’s Grand Canal Docks, which is now set to open on 2 April, today launched a recruitment drive to fill 180 jobs across a range of roles. Positions are available in a number of different areas with the hotel seeking food and beverage assistants, bartenders, mixologists, chefs, guest service agents, spa therapists and a doorman.
She said, “I felt there was a gap for a commercially savvy agency with wine expertise who really understood the needs of all stakeholders, from buyers to distributors to principals to consumers, and who could really deliver tangible results.”
Managing Director of PICO Communication, Emma Needham
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eedham Corporate Communication, managing director Emma Needham announced the re-brand and launch of Pico Communication, a specialised PR, Marketing and Social Media company dedicated to Wine, Food and Drinks communication in Ireland and UK. Needham identified the need for a small and dynamic specialist agency in 2010 having worked in the drinks industry for many years in both key account, commercial and marketing management roles.
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Pico stands for the company’s core brand values - Passion, Inspiration, Commercial and Ownership – which Needham feels sums up exactly Pico’s approach to their services and relationships with clients and the press. Needham added, “Our company philosophy is very simple – we work with people we like and products we believe in, as this helps us do the best possible job for our clients. Whether you’re a distributor or retailer, a restaurateur or a producer – we’ll be as passionate about your product as you are.”
General Manager of the hotel, Charlie Sheil said there has already been a “huge level of interest” in the jobs. The new hotel features a ground floor bar and restaurant and 187 guest rooms over six floors. It features a rooftop garden, overlooking Dublin city, with capacity for 120 people to have lunch, cocktails and dinner. There is also a spa with four treatment rooms, an infinity pool, a sauna and steam room as well as a fully equipped gym.
Since starting up, Emma Needham has worked with leading brands in Ireland and is also now focusing her efforts on also developing the UK side of the business, in order to offer a more cost-effective and consistent message for brands across both markets,.
The Marker Hotel is set to open in early April
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Service! March 2013
Facts
600,000 food lovers visit menupages.ie every month. We place 17,000+ reservations as a result.
CHEF Q&A
The Blackboard Bistro Pierre Heyraud head chef and co-owner at The Blackboard Bistro. The bistro has been open since 2007, has a capacity of 32 and employs six people. He’s originally from Clermont-Ferrand in France but moved here 20 years ago. In the past he has worked for La Mere Zou, Les Freres Jacques and Roly’s Bistro. What is your first memory of cooking? It was when I was seven-years-old with my mother; together we made strawberry ice cream soufflé. I’m tempted to make it again! How did you end up coming to Ireland? I met my wife Jane in Paris, she is from Dublin so I suppose love moved me here. I have lived here for 20 years, so I feel like it is my home now although my heart will always be French. What’s the worst job you’ve ever had? It was probably in the Bus driver’s canteen when I first arrived in Ireland. There would be a thick cloud of smoke, serving Irish breakfast all day; the place would be dripping with grease. It was like an advert for cardiovascular disease. The people were very nice though but the surrounding were depressing. What inspired yourself and Jean to create the Blackboard Bistro? It was always a dream and intention to have our own place; it was really a case of finding a location that was affordable at the time. It was during the boom so things were very expensive. I felt during the Celtic tiger that there was very little substance and things were superficial, I wanted something that was the opposite, a place where the emphasis would be on the quality of the food and service. What do you think makes a successful restaurant? It’s not just one thing; it is a combination of many different things. The food must take the fore but we’re not just selling food and wine, we’re selling a form of entertainment, an experience. What is your most popular dish at the moment? I change the menu every two weeks so by definition there is none. Our restaurant is loosely based on the original bistro’s that grew out of Lyon called Bouchon. They had a short menu that would change regularly to keep things fresh and this is the sort of ethos I like to maintain. I always think owning a restaurant is just an excuse to impose your taste on people you don’t know! What do you look for when you’re recruiting staff? It depends what the position is but the crucial skill is to have a good personality, someone who can fit in to the existing crew. They must be a good communicator and have empathy for people as I feel this is the most important attribute to have in the hospitality industry. Where do you take inspiration from for your dishes?
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Pierre Heyraud head chef and co-owner at The Blackboard Bistro I take it from an array of different places; some of it goes back to my childhood and growing up in France. Others I take from previous restaurants I worked for and dishes I learned to perfect there. Do you have a favourite restaurant apart from your own? It changes all the time but at the moment it’s probably Octopussy in Howth. It’s not fancy but the food is simply delicious. It’s also very affordable and the view is incredible. What’s your main ambition for your restaurant? Our goal is to establish ourselves as one of the top 20 restaurants in Dublin and make our brand well known across Ireland.
The Blackboard Bistro The Basement, No.4 Clare St, Dublin 2 Phone - 01 676 68 39
Provided by MenuPages Bookings - 218 Total Covers - 766 Revenue - €19,150
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Service! March 2013
THE MAIN COURSE
The Spice Guru The most extravagant opening of the year so far has arguably been Indie Dhaba located just off Grafton St. The man behind the new venture is Tariq Salahuddin. Des Doyle meets this ambitious entrepreneur to find out why he felt the time was right to open the jewel in the Indie Spice crown. What inspired you to create Indie Dhaba? The idea has been in my mind for a long time but timing was always the issue. The current economic climate was the catalyst to start and when I saw this venue I knew that the potential for a quality restaurant was here. My first business was in Belfast but when we moved south to expand our Indie Spice we wanted to be as price conscious as we were up north even though it was during the boom, this ethos will remain for this venture too. How did you end up in Ireland? I left Bangladesh to spend some time on mainland Europe, from there I came to Ireland in 1978, settling in Belfast. My original plan was to save money by working in a restaurant and go to America to get my commercial licence but instead I decided to open a restaurant in Belfast. That was the starting point for everything!
Dhaba is about casual dining, five star service, food and environment for three star prices. What’s your opinion on the current state of the restaurant industry in Ireland? During the boom time people were living on a false economy, most people had property and they all thought they had millions
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of euros worth of equity, this had a massive impact on restaurants as people were spending like crazy, especially on entertainment like food, clothes and travel. Today everyone is now suffering and those days are now gone. In a way what we’ve been through will stand to us and make us stronger in the long run and it’s being reflected in this industry with more affordable, better quality eateries. Was it difficult for the four branches of Indie Spice to survive during these tough times? We actually started in 1984 during arguably a worse recession and that has made us permanently price conscious and customer focused. People who use our Indie Spice restaurants recognise that they are getting really good value which has led to us having a very loyal customer base that hasn’t dwindled even through this dip. Was the tapas idea for Indie Dhaba a recession friendly way of putting a new spin on traditional Indian dishes? Actually if you look at Indian culture, it is the norm for us to eat a lot of different dishes for main course, not like here where you usually go to a restaurant and order specific starters, main course and a dessert. Indian food is made to be shared; it’s the best way to enjoy it. We are offering our customers an experience that has many different flavours, which makes our restaurant a social experience where people can connect over food.
Tariq Salahuddin owner and founder of Indie Spice Ltd
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Staff at Dhaba There’s a big emphasis on design and layout of the restaurant? Dhaba means road side café in India but you can’t really get that authentic feel here because of the cultural differences. Nigel Howard was the designer and I think he gave the premises the perfect balance between traditional India and luxurious dining.
Indie Dhaba’s original concept What sort of experience do you want your customers to have? We want to give customers a luxurious experience at a fraction of the cost they would presume they need to pay. We want people to spend their Saturday night’s here. We have beautiful food, amazing wines and great music; there is no need to go anywhere else. There was no expense spared with advertising for Indie Dhaba’s launch party, how important is advertising for your brand? It is vital in any business; awareness is one of the main factors to success. We don’t have a huge budget but we tried our best to shout as loud as we could about the opening and so far it’s paid off. We advertised through Metro Herald, inflight magazines, radio and Setanta Sports. We now have an active social media officer who looks after our Facebook and Twitter which is very important these days. How do you effectively deal with customer feedback? We don’t walk away from problems. If a customer complains we contact them as soon as we receive it, that is key to our customer service and websites like MenuPages help with sorting what kind of feedback we’re getting from people. We try to perfect our service by using feedback constructively. It is extremely important that people have a neutral outlet like MenuPages to vent their complaints and also praise when it’s warranted. What is the capacity and are you reaching your targets since opening? The capacity is 150. Since the launch and PR campaign it has been very busy especially at the weekend, it’s beginning to feel like a destination for people looking for something exciting and new. We wanted to iron out any teething problems before we fully launched. It’s hard to envisage what problems are going to happen when opening a new business and they act as a learning curve With a brand as strong as Indie Spice were you not tempted to make the link with Dhaba more obvious to take advantage of that loyalty you have cultivated? Dhaba is more about casual dining, five star service, food and environment for three star prices. We have a long term strategy in place that will ensure our success with Dhaba. With Indie Spice we have a customer base that’s now 26 years and we have brand loyalty in a big way! Our original customer’s children and grandchildren now use our restaurants which makes me very proud.
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Because the Indie Spice brand is so strong, do you have plans for any retail products? In the nineties we actually did produce chilled food products that appeared in Super Value, Centra and Superquinn, we did it for a while but our problem was that the payment period from suppliers was too long. We might revisit it in the future although the profit margin is tiny; it is a tough industry to be in. We have ambition to expand also; we have been in negotiation with people in Toronto, Boston, Galway to spread our chain recently. The latest enquiry came from someone who works for the government in Brussels, he said that the city is buzzing and there’s no recession there and is crying out for a restaurant like ours! What’s the main ambition for Indie Dhaba? To simply provide top quality, tasty, authentic Indian food that people can afford. Indie Dhaba 21-26 South Anne Street, Dublin 2 01 707 9898
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Service! March 2013
Restaurant profile
In Love with Pyg
Meredith Hicks interviews head Chef Morne Castelyn
Head chef Morne Castelynd
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wasn’t sure why any restaurant would be named Pig. I assumed that it was probably a grill or steakhouse, like the ones I’ve gone to back home in the States. It was only when I went there, that I noticed that it was actually PYG- short for Pygmalion, who in Greek mythology, so infatuated with the sculpture which he created that he begged Venus to turn her into a human. In short, with a name like Pyg, the restaurant almost teases one into finding out if the food, service and atmosphere are worth its name. The sculptor and chef himself greeted me and my school friend from Boston at the door. Morne Castelyn, hailing from South Africa, has been working at Pyg restaurant for nearly four years, and is also in charge of training many of the staff. The reserved but very knowledgeable Morne sat down with me to discuss how the restaurant came to be. “Pyg is the brainchild of the owner, Jay Burke. We have been around since March 2009, but we are always striving to adapt and improve as our customer base grows. We are lucky to have such a great location which has lots of space. For example, the restaurant alone has the capacity to seat 90 people at any given time.” Looking around, I noticed how much space there actually was. Although we sat at the bar area, one could still see the restaurant area, but feel sectioned off- just enough room to enjoy a few drinks with friends. Morne said, “People seem to like the different compartments. Some people prefer to eat and relax, while others enjoy the drinks with acquaintances and colleagues in a party atmosphere. The different corners and areas are there to accommodate the different tastes.” Morne seems to be right. Each of the area and its different styles seem to fit different personal predilections, and it has
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been cleverly situated all on one floor level. When asked about any specific and future plans with the restaurant, Morne answered that bar will be converted into a cocktail area sometime soon. “You do get tourists but more during the day for a sandwich for lunch, but during the nighttime I would say it definitely picks up with a mixture of trendy people that live near the area, as well as regulars and locals. We are changing it into a cocktail bar to give it a unique and classier touch, and hopefully people will like that.” Being a new resident in Dublin myself, I wanted to find out who usually frequents the restaurant. “I would say that the clientele are mostly young and trendy, with a dash of new age thrown in,” responds Morne with a smile. “Mondays to Wednesdays, we see about see around 120-150, but by Saturday, which is our busiest day, we can serve around 600 people. So you will notice a lot of diverse and interesting people stopping in!” So far, it sounded good, but I wanted to know what made Pyg so special. I thought I would best find out by trying some of the dishes. Before ordering, I thought I would ask what the most popular and best-selling dishes were. “During the nighttime, our steaks are a big hit with our customers,”Morne answered. “Our steaks are becoming really popular because we serve it in the pan that it is fried in, which for me is much better than putting in on a grill. In the pan, all the flavour and the juice from the meat is kept contained,” he explained. “During the day, our Spicy Chorizo and Tomato Stew is requested a lot, as well as our sandwiches.” I went ahead and eagerly ordered the steak and stew. I noticed as the food arrived how well presented it was. The menu is a simple one, but there was no compromising on taste! The meat was incredibly succulent and both my friend and I agreed it was one of the best steaks we had eaten in
PYG Interior years. The chorizo stew was a hearty and savoury mixture of crunchy fried potatoes and red bell peppers all wonderfully seasoned. The Pyg effect had finally kicked in. The food was absolutely delicious, and the comfortable sofas to sit on made it hard to think about anything else except the pleasure of loving each and every morsel of food eaten. “I have to give a lot of credit to Kim, who runs Magill’s across the street though,” Morne says. Located opposite Powerscourt Town house on Clarendon Street, this little deli and cheese shop plays an integral part in the success of Pyg’s
Chef Laszlo making the finishing touches
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The spectacular home of PYG restuarant, Powerscourt Shopping Centre When asked of what he thinks of review based website like Menupages, Morne says that he thinks that there should be more reviews like them. “I think that the problem is that the person that complains will most likely be the person who will go online to write his or her experience down, as opposed to the scores of other people that had a great time at the same place. As I check sometimes, I know that our online rating is pretty good so far, but not enough people write about their experiences down. However, I am glad that so many people like the surrounding and food so much!” Despite their website not being quite user-friendly, with almost 3,000 people liking Pyg on Facebook, Morne shouldn’t worry.
The picturesque Pyg Restaurant during valentines day cuisine. There are other successful strategies used to create an enjoyable experience at the restaurant. Whenever there is a new meal in the menu; it is run as a special to see how the customers enjoy it. “Yes, we try to train the staff by informing them on new dishes and new menus. They try it and then take a test on what they learned, so they will best help the customer.” Discounts are also given to customers that order to take-away, which has been popular for people who are on the go. Pyg is also vegetarian and vegan friendly. “As it stands, we have many vegetarian dishes, gluten free options, and vegan soups,” Morne adds. “But if someone comes in with a special request, we will gladly work with them to create something on the spot that will suit their specific needs. Fortunately, all of our dishes are freshly prepared; even sauces, breads and desserts are made fresh. The quality is always better when made fresh, and you do save money by preparing and making things by yourself. Of course, it helps to know what you’re doing!”
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Morne concludes that “I have to admit that the staff works very hard to make Pygmalion come alive and give it its unique style which a lot of our customers like. For example, whenever we get new staff, they are pretty motived to stay here longer, because of our relaxed environment and our support for each other.” If that isn’t Pygmalion enough for a restaurant, I don’t know what is. With a little bit of everything, it is easy to fall in love with all that Pygmalion has to offer. I must confess I went ahead and book my 30th birthday party there. I guess you can say I’m smitten. Pyg Restaurant, Powerscourt Townhouse, South William Street, Dublin, Ireland 01633 4479
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hot & cold
Caffeine Corner during the 1940’s A Pan Am Flying Boat had departed Foyle’s Terminal for New York; the weather was so bad that the pilot had to make the decision to return to the terminal until it cleared. Brendan O’Regan owner of the restaurant that Joe was working in called in all staff as the passengers were returning and needed to be catered for. It was a miserable winters night, a night where you needed something to warm you up. While Joe was preparing the coffee he added a drop of Powers Whiskey to warm the Americans.An American asked him was it a ‘Brazilian Coffee’, Joe simply laughed and said ‘No, it’s an Irish Coffee’ and this was the beginning of the Irish Coffee.
L
ent has arrived and many people have decided to give up coffee. However there is one day during the long 40 day fasting period where many people feel that they can break from the fast and enjoy coffee…St. Patrick’s Day. Every Easter we see the arrival of the Creme Egg which always poses the question, now somewhat of a trade mark, ‘How do you eat yours?’ The very same question can be asked for coffee…’How do you take yours?’ St. Patrick’s Day sees hundreds of tourists flocking to the island in search of all that is truly Irish.They go to bars and restaurants and ask for a drink that is Irish…what better to serve them but an Irish Coffee! The Irish coffee originated from a County Tyrone man Joe Sheridan working at Foyle’s Terminal at Shannon one evening
Since then the people of Foyle’s have launched the ‘Foyle Irish Coffee Festival’ this takes place over three days, with the main event being the Irish Coffee Championship taking place on the third day. At this bar tenders and baristas alike attend to compete for the title of the ‘Powers Irish Coffee Making Champion’ Ireland is not alone in having a national ‘alcoholic’ coffee, the French add Grand Marnier to theirs, the Italians use Amaretto, the English add Gin, the Germans use Schnapps, the Spanish add rum, and the Russians add vodka (of course!).
Method
Add a tea spoon into the glass (best to use a glass with a stem) and pour some boiling water into the glass to warm it up. (the reason you put in the spoon is so that the spoon takes the heat from the water and so the glass will not crack, but be careful!). Pour the shot of whiskey into the glass. Pour in the coffee up to within 15mm (1.5cm) from the top. Add the two spoons of sugar and stir until all the sugar has dissolved. You will see if the sugar has dissolved by looking at the base of the glass. (The sugar ensures that the cream will float). Place the spoon onto the rim of the glass, face up (ensure that the curved part of the spoon is touching the coffee, touching... not submerged) With the cream in a small jug pour it onto the spoon.The cream will flow over the edge of the spoon and rest on top of the coffee. What you should be left with is a glass of black coffee (not cloudy and with no trace of cream) with a white collar about 10mm (1cm) deep. It should then be served on a side plate with NO SPOON.
In order to make the best Irish coffee, here is what you need: Ingredients Half a cup of good quality coffee, such as Bewley’s coffee. • 1 measure of Irish whiskey • 2 Spoonfuls of brown sugar • 20ml of fresh pouring cream
If you are making a Specialty coffee with a liqueur such as Tia Maria or Baileys, follow the same steps, just remember that no sugar is required as the liqueur contains sufficient sugar to keep the cream afloat.
Wine of the month M
asi is best known for its landmark Costasera Amarone and its pioneering ‘double fermentaion’ Campofiorin, but they make excellent, approachable yet distinctively Venetian house wines such as their Modello Rosso. Made from the indigenous Venetian grapes Refosco and Raboso, Modello Rosso is a fruity friendly red with good structure and an excellent balance between fresh acidity and soft tannins. A young and innovative wine suitable for all tastes and any occasion, it’s the perfect all-round choice to have in your house wine section. Stand out against the bland parade of Australian Cabernets and Chilean Merlots and choose something with a sense of place, history and Venetian soul!
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Cocktail of the month Paddys day special
Myths and legends about St. Patrick’s Day and symbols of Ireland have become commercial clichés that don’t always reflect the authentic Irish spirit. This St. Patrick’s Day, Tullamore D.E.W. - an Irish whiskey born from the heart of Ireland - wants to challenge a couple of the popular myths surrounding the most celebrated Saint’s day in the world, as well as providing some interesting facts along the way... FICTION: The colour of St. Patrick’s Day is green The colour associated with Saint Patrick was blue, not green. The importance of green can be attributed to Saint Patrick using the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish. The green shamrock was also used from the 18th century as a symbol of Irish rebellion, patriotism and sympathy with Irish independence. Whether you wear green or blue or St. Patrick’s Day, it’s the Irish True spirit that matters. Put simply, that means embracing the present and living life, facing its challenges with a courageous and lyrical heart, and a drop of the pure good stuff with friends you really want to drink with … but without the novelty hat! So banish fiction! Enjoy your whiskey the Irish True way: neat and unadorned. Method Pour 50ml Tullamore D.E.W. into a whiskey glass. Add 25ml of rebellious spirit. Pour pride and defiance to taste. Garnish with courage. Serve Serve with the glass in the air with as many friends as you can muster.
FACT: Ireland is not the only country where March 17th is a national holiday We all know Kinsale, not far from Cork City, but what of the other Kinsale, 6,604km further west on the island of Montserrat in the Lesser Antilles?
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Visit there today and you’ll be welcomed by Dalys, Allens, Sweeneys and Ryans, with their distinct rural Cork Accents. Their ancestors were slaves, some sent by Oliver Cromwell from Cork, Drogheda and Kilkenny, others from Africa. On March 17th 1768, thirty years before our own ill-fated rebellion, these Irish-African slaves had a failed rebellion of their own against their colonial masters. Since then, in true Irish spirit, St. Patrick’s Day has been a public holiday on this – The Emerald Isle of the Caribbean. So what better way to celebrate this fact than with Tullamore D.E.W.’s own creation, The Montserrat?: Ingredients 50 ml Tullamore D.E.W. Original 25ml cloudy apple juice 1 brown sugar cube Dash Angostura Bitters Large orange ‘Horses Neck’ twist Method Muddle brown sugar cube, bitters and small amount of Tullamore D.E.W. in bottom of rocks glass. Fill glass with cubed ice. Stir to dilute, adding Tullamore D.E.W. slowly. Add more ice as necessary. Afterwards, add apple juice and garnish with an orange twist.
FICTION: Leprechauns are a traditional symbol of St. Patrick’s Day False. In 1959, Walt Disney released a film called ‘Darby O’Gill & the Little People,’ which introduced America to a cheerful, friendly leprechaun, very different from the cranky little man of Irish folklore. But Disney’s imagined version stuck, and the leprechaun is now a symbol of St. Patrick’s Day and Ireland in general. Keep it real with a Tullamore D.E.W. Chaser: it’s raw, it’s simple … just grab a premium cold beer and follow it up with a shot of whiskey. Nothing too fancy, but it’s sure to get the blood flowing. So whether you believe the fact or fiction surrounding St. Patrick’s Day, it’s important to have the Irish True spirit in your heart on this occasion. Get together with your dearest friends, somewhere that holds a special place in your heart, and raise a glass of Tullamore D.E.W. to Saint Patrick. Fact: Tullamore D.E.W. is the second largest Irish whiskey in the world in the fastest growing category. Its origins can be traced back to 1829 when the distillery was founded in the heart of Ireland in Tullamore, County Offaly.
Fact: Tullamore D.E.W.’s award-winning range includes the Tullamore D.E.W. Original, Tullamore D.E.W. 12 Year Old Special Reserve and a unique Tullamore D.E.W. 10 Year Old Single Malt, the only Irish whiskey to be matured in four different types of casks, and who recently was awarded “Best Irish Whiskey of the Year” at the third annual New York International Spirits Competition (NYISC). Fact: The Tullamore D.E.W.Visitor Centre is located in Tullamore Co Offaly on the banks of the Grand Canal which was vital in allowing the former distillery to transport whiskey to Dublin for distribution around the world. Fact: Tullamore D.E.W. is owned by William Grant & Sons, an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the global premium spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s most awarded single malt Glenfiddich, The Balvenie range of handcrafted single malts and the world’s third largest blended Scotch Grant’s as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Hendrick’s Gin, and Sailor Jerry. Fact: On March 14th and 15th, just a few days before St. Patrick’s Day, Tullamore D.E.W. Global Brand Ambassador John Quinn will be hosting two media days live from the D.E. Williams Snug at the Visitor Centre in Tullamore. He will conduct TV, radio and online interviews with local and international media, and he will talk about the myths and legends of St. Patrick’s Day, how the true Irish celebrate Ireland’s most famous day, and why whiskey is important. For more information about Tullamore D.E.W., visit: www.facebook.com/tullamoreDEW
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COLD The Power / HOT DRINKS of the Food Blog
The Power of the Food Blog... T
he Irish food industry may have seen many changes in recent years, but so too has food writing and journalism, with Food Blogs on the rise and giving a voice to many food writers who have finally found a forum.
column in The Irish Independent’s Weekend Magazine, Aoife also writes a monthly column in The Ticket, from The Irish Times. I can has cook is an informative blog which points readers in the direction of various food haunts in Dublin, from retail to restaurants along with some truly heartwarming recipes.
Kristin Jensen- founder of the Irish Food Bloggers Association
can vary from blog to blog, there are plenty of influential food bloggers out there and many potential customers of the Irish food industry are reading them.
Jensen leads a recent talk to fellow food bloggers With every second person writing a food blog these days, it would be easy to dismiss their quality and influence. However, that would be a mistake. Many Irish Food Bloggers are fast becoming celebrities in their own right, in some cases progressing from web to magazine to television. Most bloggers have background in food or writing – or both. Donal Skehan started out as a blogger in 2007 and look how that has resulted.
Food writer and former Deputy Editor of Food & Wine magazine, Aoife Carrigy, pens the popular blog Holy Mackerel. Carrigys combined experience in both the restaurant industry and as a food journalist appeals to many and results in a varied and informative hub of information for those interested in the food industry in Ireland. She champions artisan producers from the 32 counties and is an advocate of the slow food movement. Her knowledge and diversity ensures that there is something for everyone and Holy Mackerel is both well written and relevant to the industry today.
The Irish Food Bloggers Association which was set up by Kristin Jensen of Edible Ireland and Caroline Hennessey of Bibliocook, currently has over 2500 members. While quality and content
Since 2009, Dubliner Aoife McElwain has been the brains behind the popular I can has cook.With a wealth of experience writing various food columns for Irish publications including a previous
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Kilkenny based web designer, radio presenter, actor and food lover Ken McGuire is the man behind Any Given Food which he has written since 2010. Focusing on food news and events along with featuring artisan products, recipes and more, Ken also travels the length and breadth of the country speaking to industry people including chefs, producers and suppliers. Given his background, it’s no surprise that Any Given Food is well designed, reader friendly and enlightening, with a wide array of beautifully photographed images. His ‘Sunday Brunch’ round up each week captures the latest food industry news in bite size pieces.
The American in Ireland blog is popular amonst tourists
Two American ex-pats that have become blogging sensation are Imen McDonnell who charts her new life in Ireland on her blog Married an Irish Farmer and Clare Kleinedler, author of An
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American in Ireland. Imen, who has a background in film, television and advertisement production, has turned a blog about her new life in Ireland into a very successful business. She has now progressed to writing a column for Irish Country Living and has recently produced and directed a documentary
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For Cork based blog readers, or indeed those planning a visit to Cork, Cork Billy, written by Billy Lyons is full of information and advice on where to eat. Billy also features regularly on Food Fight, a fusion of posts from top Irish bloggers, including some original content from many well-known bloggers. With a name like Cheap Eats, it’s no wonder that this blog is popular –it does exactly what it says on the tin. Freelance journalist Peter Maguire and web designer Jean O’Brien have compiled a wealth of information on food shopping and dining in Ireland. The blog features restaurant reviews, tips on budget food shopping, cookbook reviews and online resources for those interested in food. Cheap Eats feature everything from low cost snacks to high end restaurant that they consider worth every penny and has gathered a loyal following in doing so.
style short film about Irish Food, Small Green Fields. Imen’s blog has gained recognition worldwide and Married an Irish Farmer is going from strength to strength. Meanwhile, newlywed Clare Kleinedler takes time out from her busy career as a freelance copywriter and journalist to explore the Irish Culture through its food and drink. Clare’s blog, An American in Ireland is primarily aimed at US tourists, the mainstay of the Irish tourist economy and a lot of her food experiences throughout Ireland are shared with her readers along with some wholesome recipes.
French foodie in Dublin influence on restaurant goers should not be underestimated
While Eat Like a Girl blogger, ex pat Niamh Shields may be based in London, but her blogging influence is universal with her Irish roots shining through. Niamh uses her blog to champion Irish produce and during her time spent on a market stall in Camden she became famous for her 8 hour Slow Roast Pork Shoulder with Spiced Apple in a Homemade Waterford Blaa. Other favorites at the market were Frank Hederman’s Organic Irish Smoked Salmon, with homemade Irish Brown Soda Bread. The Times has named Eat Like a Girl one of ‘The Top Ten Food Blogs in the World’ more than once and she regularly returns home to attend various food festivals. Like it or not, blogging has become part of our culture, and while not all blogs are up to par, there are some up and coming stars out there it would serve us well to pay attention to.
Husband and wife, Mona and Ron Wise are the team at the helm of 2012 Blog Award winner Wise Words. The busy duo work well together, with Ron doing the cooking and Mona being the writer in the family. The couple also writes a column for The Sunday Times and their first cookbook, ‘The Cook and I’ was published last year. Based in Galway, Ron and Mona’s blog shares a wealth of experience with readers about where to spend time in The City of the Tribes.
Java Republic Handroasted Coffee: Winner of twelve medals at the International Great Taste Awards 2012.
Java Republic Handroasted Coffee and Speciality Teas: Excellent, Ethical and 100% Irish. Visit us on www.javarepublic.com Niamh Sheilds of Eat Like A Girl
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Brew Bar. Java Republic has recently refurbished its café to provide customers with a new coffee experience. The brew bar is an integrated coffee brewing system, providing the customer with quality speciality coffee blends.
Java Republic is an artisan producer: We specialise in doing the best we can with the best possible ingredients, while bettering the lives of our growing communities. Our coffee features individually handroasted bean varietals and we only use the highest grade whole leaf tea in our teas. This pursuit of flavour and excellence has won us 124 medals at the Great Taste Awards - and it continues to win our foodservice clients new business from loyal customers every day.
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Town Focus
Dublin’s Notting Hill I
f Ireland can be defined by a pub on every corner, then the same can be said of restaurants in Ranelagh. MenuPages.ie has nearly thirty listings for the south side village, and it has been frequently described as a “melting pot” for restaurants. As a result, everyone is competing in the same way- they’re trying to be different. In recent years, Ireland has opened its arms wider to ethnic cuisine, and started demanding a more authentic ethos. Here, Ranelagh comes to the fore, hosting a wide variety of cuisines, a number of which have been exceptionally well received. The focus here is to provide top quality food with the genuine flavours that people have experienced while travelling, so that they can experience a little bit of Japan or Mexico or America in Ranelagh. Michie Sushi is just one of those places, run by Michel Piare and his partner Anna van Exel. Set up in 2007, Michie Sushi has gone on to win numerous awards, including Ethnic Restaurant of the Year 2013. Michel, who has since opened a second branch in Dun Laoghaire with his brother Michael, saw a gap in the market for high quality sushi, and jumped at the chance.
went out to a few different places. We couldn’t really find a place that sold top quality sushi, so I said to myself, ‘OK, there’s a market here.’” To Michel, educating people on what Asian cuisine could be like was tantamount, and credits the increase in foreign travel with broadening acceptance of food like sushi. “The most important thing was to educate people in to having quality sushi, that has been served in the right way, and cooked to order. Everybody is travelling a lot nowadays, you can go anywhere you want. People are going to America, Australia, Japan, and bringing back the idea of ‘OK, I’m going to start eating sushi’, and it’s been great for our business. “It took us five years to get Ranelagh up and running, and there’s a lot of interest in our business now.” La Bodega Tapas y Vinos is another well received restaurant in Ranelagh, serving Spanish and Mediterranean tapas prepared by Spanish chefs. They too are striving for authenticity, for
“I was living in London and in Holland, and I used to fly over to visit my brother, who is married to an Irish girl. We used to go out and eat, and because I was in the business of sushi, we
La Bodega Taps Restaurant which they have earned praise.
Michie Sushi
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Inside La Bodega
John Farrell, proprietor of New York-style eatery Dillinger’s (as well as The Butcher Grill, also in Ranelagh) also set out to stand out. “When we started out, we wanted the kind of thing that would work well whether it was in the city centre or in a neighbourhood. Basically, the idea was to bring something that
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Town Focus I would have liked to have been in. “We’d all be very friendly. We’re all different, I think, which is great.” Dillinger’s is getting a makeover in March, which John is excited about (“We’re basically revamping the place!”) but one thing he’ll be holding on to is his staff. “I’ve been very lucky with the people who work with us. They’ve all been here from the start, they’re just really in to their jobs. There are people there who actually care about what they’re doing, which is important. They’re all happy, and once they’re happy, the customers seem happier too.” And therein lies the crux of the matter. In an urban village bursting with restaurants, both men have succeeded in bringing a credible dining experience to Ranelagh, with tasty, quality food, because the customers are happy. “If you can give the service to the customers, they’ll come back. And if the food is good, they’ll come back,” says Michel.
Provided by MenuPages
A view from inside Dillingers was quite progressive. It goes well with the neighbourhood. It’s fun, it’s casual, not too pretentious, the kind of thing you can enjoy three times a week.” Both John and Michel had their eyes on Ranelagh- Michel even dropped out of a city centre location at St. Stephen’s Green to take his current property. “We were looking for different locations, and were well on our way to getting in to Stephen’s Green. But when this place came up, we threw the idea of Stephen’s Green away and just ran in to Ranelagh. It’s a melting pot for restaurants.
Mak at D6 “We kind of have our little Ranelagh association going on. We eat in each other’s restaurants, we borrow stuff when we run out. It’s great, because you’re kind of bringing a lot of people to your restaurant through the networking we do, through all the other restaurants.” John’s experience is similar. He took over Dylan McGrath’s premises when Mint went in to liquidation. “I didn’t really have anything lined up and when it came on the market, I didn’t really think I’d get it. There was a lot of interest in it. But Ranelagh would have been one of three or four locations that
Bookings - 390 Total Covers - 813 Revenue - €20,325
Provided by MenuPages Wild Goose Grill Bookings - 1450 Total Covers - 16387 Revenue - €409, 675
Provided by MenuPages Cinnamon Bookings - 138 Total Covers - 555 Revenue - €13,875
Provided by MenuPages La Reserve Bookings - 30 Total Covers - 87 Revenue - €2,175
Ranelagh on a cloudy February afternoon
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DESIGN SPECIAL
McDonnells suppliers to the food trade
RS150 Grinding & Honing Machine •Saves you time and money • Keeps your knives safe • Suitable for Professional kitchens
Exhibition Stands that will make your brand stand out
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F. Dick Knives • Manufacturing knives since 1778 • Perfect rang of knives for the food sector • Also a full range of award winning knives
Microplane • Premier Classic & Gourmet Series • 7 grating options • Soft touch handles and anti scratch rubber ends
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• All food grade • Colour coded • Design provides access to ingredients while stacked
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Visit our showrooms on 19/20 Blackhall Street, Dublin 7 Ph: +353 (0) 1 677 8123 / Fax: + 353 (0) 1 677 4491 E-mail: sales@mcdonnells.ie Buy online at www.mcdonnells.ie
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Seek Design are an Irish Design company specialising in Interior Architecture, Exhibition and Graphic Design. For more information please email hello@seekdesign.ie or visit www.seekdesign.ie
rade shows and exhibitions play a huge part in building your brand, and are an important part of business marketing and development. They are a great place to make connections with potential new customers, and making a great first impression is crucial in attracting new business. Therefore, it is essential that you present your company in the best possible light, so that your prospective clients will remember you.
This year Seek Design had the opportunity to design an exhibition stand for the Irish fresh produce provider - Total Produce, for the Catex catering exhibition in the RDS.With an exhibition stand, the goal is always the same – to catch the eye of potential clients, to make new connections, new sales, and also to stand out amongst the competition. It is also essential that the stand is ergonomically functional with seating, lockable storage and areas for marketing material if required. Designing a distinctive and functional exhibition stand means you get the most out of your investment.
Our client Total Produce’s requirements were as follows; two catering display fridges, two fruit display units, a storage area with a coffee dock, a meeting area with tables and chairs, and an eye catching fruit display. We used the company‘s motto ‘Irish at Heart, Global by Nature’ as inspiration.The stand portrayed the dual aspects of the company. The first aspect, is that Total Produce is Ireland’s largest fresh produce supplier and distributor, and the second, is that Total Produce are also a Global company with a large share in the international fresh food market. We made a distinction between the Irish and Global aspects of the company by dividing the stand in two parts, Irish on one side and Global on the other, with a central meeting area to bridge the two sides. On the Irish side of the stand, natural and earthy wood finishes were used with a large graphic image of an Irish horticultural landscape. This side of the stand’s floor was finished in grass, and natural woods were used to build the furniture. The finishes on the Global side contrasted with the earthiness of the Irish side, with the wood painted white, and clean graphics with white backgrounds were displayed on the walls. Another feature of this Global area was a perspex LED lit floor filled with Total Produce’s fruits which was a lively conversation piece for the visitors to the stand. The central meeting area had lockable storage, with a tea and coffee dock, and there was a hanging fruit installation with apples hanging on transparent wire, which gave the impression that the fruit was floating in the air. A large overhead banner with the company’s logo was suspended from the ceiling, and could be seen from all directions on entering the RDS, allowing prospective clients to locate the stand easily.
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HOW TO….
MENUPAGES BOOKINGS MADE EASY You will receive the above page to the email you have registered with Menupages.ie. Once you receive this you will be asked to click one of the three coloured boxes depending on the availability on the night requested.
STEP 2 – Confirm Booking If you click on the ‘Confirm Booking’ Icon you will then automatically be logged into your Menupages.ie admin page showing the booking details just confirmed including the customer name and details.You will also see the history of your bookings. A confirmation email will also be sent to the customer advising them that you have confirmed the date and time they wish to attend your restaurant at.
M
enupages have perfected their online booking system making it easier for restaurants to benefit from the increasing customer flow. MenuPages is breaking monthly records of the volume of food lovers using the site to browse through restaurants and book tables. Here’s an easy step by step process for your restaurant to follow allowing you to build up your customer numbers and revenue.With only a few clicks your empty tables will be filling up! How it works… The customer visits MenuPages and clicks on your restaurant pages, there they will click on the ‘Book A Table’ Option. The following is what you will receive. STEP 1: - Booking Request Step 3 - Suggest a Different Time If you click on the ‘Suggest A Different Time’ icon you will be directed to the above page. Here you will be prompted to select a time that you can take the booking for instead of what was original asked for by the customer. The customer will then be sent this by email. They will then respond with one of the following responses: The above email is confirmation from the customer that they will accept the suggested time, all you need to down his click on the ‘Confirm Booking’ icon and that will bring you to your Menupages.ie admin page detailing the booking details and customer details. If however the customer cannot make the suggested time you will receive the above email.
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Step 4 – Decline Booking If you click on the ‘Decline Booking’ icon you will be directed to the following page. You will be prompted to hit the ‘Fully Booked’ box and then send this response to the customer.They will then receive an email advising them they have declined the booking. They will also be given the option to rebook your restaurant for a different date.
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Project Cabrito
Project Cabrito M
aria Maher and her team are a group of final year students studying in University College Cork. Their team consists of six students in total: three food science (Aisling Hegarty, Noelle Slattery Maria Maher) and three Food Marketing & Entrepreneurship students (Martina Walsh, Shane O Leary and Suzie Phelan). They set out to develop a new product that is a challenge from a food science and food marketing perspective. To do this they began by examining current Irish food industry trends. Our focus was drawn to the goat industry. The goat market in Ireland has grown significantly in the last decade or so. Recently an article in the Farmers Journal reported that Ireland is home to 10,000 goats. Goat’s milk and goat’s milk products such as yoghurt and cheese have become sought after gourmet products and so, goat herd enterprises Rozanne Stevens advocates using goat meat are also on the rise. You will notice here the emphasis is on the dairy industry but where do the male goats fit into this? We discovered the harsh reality that the majority of male goats are culled at birth or at a very young age as they are seen as little use to the dairy industry. The carcasses are then incinerated or used for pet food. It is not a well known fact to people outside of the farming industry nor does it occur to the consumer. In the present climate, sustainability is becoming an increasingly important factor for Irish food companies. Sustainability is defined as maintaining a steady level without exhausting natural resources or causing severe ecological damage. Does the current Irish goat industry seem like a sustainable operation – disposing of 50% of new born goats every kidding season? To make the goat industry truly sustainable in Ireland, goat must be acknowledged as the rich meat source that it is. We found our new product. Goat meat accounts for over 60% of the world’s red meat consumption. Currently goat is an important source of animal protein in North Africa, the Middle East, South-east Asia, the Caribbean and other tropical regions. Goat meat popularity is also on the rise in Central and South America. Consumption patterns for goat meat are dictated by a number of factors including
Calories Fat (g) Saturated Fat (g) Protein (g) Cholesterol (mg) Iron (mg)
Goat 122 2.6 0.79 23 63.8 3.2
Beef 179 7.9 3 25 73.1 2.9
Pork 180 8.2 2.9 25 73.1 2.7
Lamb 175 8.1 2.9 24 78.2 1.4
Chicken 162 6.3 1.7 25 76 1.5
cultural, traditional, religious and socio-economic. In most countries goat is considered a delicacy and is frequently eaten at festive celebrations. Goat meat can be classified by the age of the animal. Cabrito is the meat of young goats (1 to 3 months old) and weighing less than 50 pounds. Chevon is meat from older goats (6 to 9 months old) and weighing from 50 to 75 pounds. Countries which do not regularly eat goat meat generally opt for cabrito as increased age also means decreased tenderness and a distinct flavour developing. Our project aim was to develop a product using cabrito.
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Barba goat farm has been producing goat meat products since 2001 Goat meat should be eaten for its nutritive quality alone, if nothing else. We surveyed 300 Irish consumers and queried whether or not they were aware of the health benefits of goat meat, 82.6% were not. The table below compares goat meat to other meat frequently consumed in Ireland.
Comparatively, it is the healthiest and leanest meat. As you can see from the table, it is notably lower in calories, fat and cholesterol. It also has a significant amount of unsaturated fat and iron. Goat meat is also rich in calcium; a 3 oz. serving of cooked goat meat contains 25.3mg calcium, compared to the lesser 12.8mg in chicken. The question is why has Ireland & the UK missed out on this cabrito consuming trend and how can we change that? The reason is due to lack of awareness and availability. A lot of people are unaware that goat is a meat source, not to mention what a rich and nutritious meat source it is. Despite goat meat being one of the world’s most consumed meats, in most countries demand exceeds supply. Goat meat in Ireland is no different – it is not currently suitable or available for mass production. It is a meat suitable for niche markets and in premium products. An ideal niche market for goat meat is the restaurant market. With the evolution of society, our knowledge of food as consumers is growing and cuisines of the world are being shared. Goat meat is currently increasing in popularity. The first reaction consumers have to new food is the wish to taste it. Initially most consumers will seek out restaurants to sample foods they are unfamiliar with cooking themselves. Restaurants can attract customers to their restaurant not only with interesting dishes but also with a new product! It is a good promotion tool for restaurants and also a fresh culinary challenge for chefs. It will also earn the interest of more health conscious consumers – our survey reported 72.1% of consumers would purchase a goat meat product after being informed of the health benefits. Sourcing goat meat in Ireland would not only mean supporting local, Irish farmers but also supporting an environmentally friendly industry - it has been argued that goats contribute less to the carbon footprint compared to other livestock. Goat herds in Ireland are governed by Irish Food Standards and Irish goat farmers also have full traceability of their own meat. To initially develop the product we had to trial cabrito in numerous applications. A selection of the dishes we trialled were burgers, meatballs, curries, kebabs, stir frys, goujons, roasts and chilled cook lunch style meat. Cabrito suits every application thus far so the good news is it can be used in a similar fashion to other popular meat. Cabrito should either be cooked at low temperatures for long periods of time or quickly cooked at very high temperatures (e.g. barbeque) to maintain its soft and juicy texture.
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1/2tsp ground white pepper 1tsp salt 2tbls finely chopped mint Method: • Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl or container. Add the meat, mix well, cover and marinate for 3-24 hours. • For the minty tzatziki: Place the yoghurt in a sieve and drain for 3-4 hours. Wrap the cucumber in a clean tea towel and squeeze out the moisture. Add the garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and fresh mint. Chill for 1-2 hours before serving. • Skewer the meat onto the bamboo skewers, pushing the pieces together tightly. • On a hot grill, spread out the kebabs. Grill for 5 minutes until well sealed and turn over to seal the other side for 5 minutes. Turn again if you have missed any sides sticking out. The kebabs take 15 to 20 minutes to grill until just cooked and tender. • Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes loosely covered in foil. • For the grilled grapes: pour the olive oil in a large boil and add the grape bunches. Gently move the grapes around until well covered in the oil. BBQ the grape bunches on a medium grill until warm and starting to burst slightly. • Serve the goat kebabs warm with the grilled grapes and tzatziki.
Goat Kebabs The final product we decided to produce is a specially formulated chilled gourmet cabrito burger with a St. Tola goat’s cream cheese and pesto mix in the centre. It is going to be marketed under the name Billy Gruff’s Cabrito Burgers. We decided on a burger as it is a concept consumers are familiar with and therefore might be more willing to taste. We’ve also made it interesting by adding a delicious filling that caramelizes during cooking.This is only a hypothetical product and will only be produced on a pilot scale at a food dragon’s den finale event in UCC. We were in contact with Chef and Cookbook author, Rozanne Stevens and inspired her to put a cabrito recipe in her new book, Relish which will be released on the May 2nd. She was kind enough to allow us to include the recipe for Service! readers: Marinated Goat Kebabs and Grilled Grapes Serves 8 as a starter Ingredients: 2kg young goat meat, cut into large cubes 2kg red seedless grapes, broken into fist sized bunches 4tbls olive oil 30 bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water for an hour Marinade: 6tbls fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped 2tbls flat leaf parsley, finely chopped 3tbls mint leaves, fibely chopped 3tbls ground cumin 1tbls ground cinnamon Juice and zest of 2 lemons 4 garlic cloves, crushed 3tbls honey 100ml light olive oil Salt and pepper
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Minty Tzatziki: 500g Greek yoghurt 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated 2 garlic cloves, crushed Juice of ½ lemon
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Any restaurateurs, chefs or adventurous foodies who are interested in experimenting with cabrito should contact Barba Goat Farm based in Collinstown, Westmeath (www.barbagoats.ie). For more information about our project you can visit our facebook page (www.facebook.com/BillyGruffs) or follow us on twitter (www.twitter.com/ProjectCabrito).
Tea & Coffee World Boutique Shop Unit 14, Ground Floor, St. Stephen’s Green Shopping centre, Dublin 2. Mob; 087 069 0466 infor@tea-coffee.ie www.tea-coffee.ie
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ON THE BLOCK/JOBS Dublin
Limerick
Bar Italia Lower Mayor Street, IFSC, City Centre North
Price on Application Premises comprise of spacious floors of quality accommodation - recently upgraded and renovated to high standards.
Rent Negotiable • Restaurant • 2,980 sq. feet (277 sq. metres) Fantastic opportunity to acquire a fully fitted restaurant premises capable of seating over 100 people. Large ground floor unit with a mezzanine floor. Impressive double floor ceiling height at the entrance to the property. Extensive outdoor seating area to the front to accommodate 30 people. Portobello, Dublin 8 €55,000 Restaurant |2,000 sq. feet (186 sq. metres)
This is a fully fitted Restaurant in a prominent location with 15 years remaining on the lease. Currently trading with good turnover. 2000 sq ft over 2 floors with seating for 36 seats upstairs and 22 seats on the ground floor.
JOBS Chef de Partie One Pico Restaurant Award winning Restaurant of the year & previous Chef of the year Georgina Campbell Guide, & winner of Hotel & Catering Gold Medal, This is a luxurious 70 cover restaurant of national repute with private dining room & cocktail bar for up to 40 pax One Pico Restaurant on Molesworth place off st stephens green currently requires a talented Chef de Partie for our acclaimed 80 cover fine dining restaurant & private dining room. apply online or contact the chef directly at the restaurant on 01 6760300 between 10am-12noon or 3-6pm
Experienced Bar and Restaurant Staff Grand and Marine Hotels The 4* Grand Hotel, Malahide currently requires a fully experienced Bar Person to work between the Matt Ryan Bar, Griffon Lounge and function areas of the Hotel, whilst the 3* Marine Hotel, Sutton currently requires an experienced Food & Beverage Assistant to work between the Restaurant, Carvery and Banqueting areas of the Hotel. ine-dining and Banqueting experience is desirable. The ideal candidates shall have previous experience in a similar role within a 3*, 4* or 5* Hotel property. The ability to work as part of a team is essential, as are good communication skills. Sous Chef The Merry Ploughboy Pub
Leading Suppliers
Premises originally traded as a bank but planning permission was granted in 2001 for change of use from bank to bar/ restaurant with alterations and construction of internal partitions to first and second floors. Accommodation is quite spacious on ground floor, basement, first floor, second floor. Licences attached to the premises were 7 Day Publicans Licence; Restaurant Certificate; Dance Licence.
Cork The River Lee Hotel, Lancaster Quay, Cork City Centre, Co. Cork Price on Application The River Lee Hotel, a purpose built 4 Star hotel comprising 182 spacious
Skilled chef required for well established gastro-pub food trade. We are looking for an individual who is a hard worker and passionate about all aspects of good food and can make a real contribution to our business. Imagination and flair are essential. Banqueting expereince also essential. Your CV must have a recent Irish establshment where you worked.You must have fluent English. Accommodation beside the pub is available at €300 rent per month. Otherwise you must have a car to get to & from work. We are not on any regular bus route. Salary level is from €35k per annum, negotiable depending on experience and ability.
Experienced Indian Chef for Indian restaurant Terenure Vermillion The ideal Candidate will possess the following attributes: • Minimum of 2 years experience in a busy high quality Indian restaurant • A good knowledge of regional Indian cooking and hands-on experience in curry and tandoori dishes • Be creative and enthusiastic • Be hygiene conscious and a clean operator • Be flexible and a good team player Pizza Chef’ Required for Base Wood Fired Pizza Ballsbridge & Terenure Base Wood Fired Pizza Base Wood Fired Pizza is an exciting gourmet pizza delivery business in Terenure, Dublin 6W & Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. We
bedrooms, 150 basement car parking, impressive reception, Weir bar & restaurant, executive floor, conference centre, health club, indoor pool and luxury spa. The building was developed in 2006, finished to an extremely high specification with a contemporary and elegant decor.
GALWAY Foster Street, Galway City Centre, Co. Galway Rent Negotiable 4,800 sq. feet (446 sq. metres
This is a large fully fitted out restaurant located in Galway City with in close distance of Tourist office, Bus station and train station. There is also eight hotels within close walking distance around eyre square/foster street. This restaurant has seating capacity for 150 seats. The near by Hotels which can bring nearby business is as Park House Hotel, Foster Court Hotel, Red Square Hotel , Hotel Merick, Western Hotel, Imperial Hotel,Victoria Hotel and skeff Hotel, all close walking distance all within five minute walk to restaurant. The restauarnt is currently Italian Theme and for unfortunate health circumstances the previous leaseholder had to surrender lease
specialise in authentic pizzas using only the finest and freshest ingredients from Italy and excellent local suppliers and cook them to order in a Wood Fired Oven We are looking for people for both our Terenure & Ballsbridge Store with some experience who are passionate about producing high quality food. We are only looking for people who have a good attitude and a positive outlook with the highest standards in both food and hygiene and are not afraid of hard work! We are offering Full Time and Part Time positions.You must be flexible and available to work weekends. Sous Chef Radisson BLU Hotel & Spa, Sligo We are currenlty recruiting a Sous Chef to join our team. In this highly responsible position you will assist the Executive Chef in monitoring standards, cost control, stock rotation and general efficiency of our busy kitchens. You will hold particular responsibility for the award winning, AA-Rosette Classiebawn Restaurant. Deputising for the Executive Chef in his absence you will run the kitchen. Therefore you are highly organised and able to work under pressure.You will have the opportunity to lead the team to achieve its best in terms of food quality, food cost and food safety.You will assist the Executive Chef in staff rostering and training. This is an ideal opportunity for someone who’s looking for a final step leading to an Executive Head Chef role.
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