Hotel &Catering Review - March 2017

MARCH 2017

21ST CENTURY CATERING AT KELLY'S KITCHEN

Hoteliers want MORAN COMPLETES MAMMOTH MAKEOVER

DECISIVE ACTION ON BREXIT #TRENDING

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CALLING ALL SPONSORS NOW Entering it’s 29th successive year, the Gold Medal Awards are Ireland’s only independently adjudicated and site inspected awards for the Hospitality and Catering sectors in Ireland. Held in association with Hotel & Catering Review, they reward and recognize best in class, excellence and innovation throughout the industry

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MARCH 2017

Go to hotelandcatering review.ie for the online edition

MARCH 2017

CONTENTS

21ST CENTURY CATERING AT KELLY'S KITCHEN

Hoteliers want MORAN COMPLETES MAMMOTH MAKEOVER

DECISIVE ACTION ON BREXIT #TRENDING

DIGITAL DESK | CONFERENCE REPORT | CULINARY CREATIONS

Cover Image: (l-r): Bantry House courtesy of Fáite Ireland

IN THIS ISSUE

Property Profile Morans Celebrate Their Red Cow With 15m Investment.

Digital Desk

COVER STORY

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CREATING A STRONGER ALL IRELAND TOURISM PRODUCT

Boost Profitability With Resonant Wireless Charging.

Conference Report Hoteliers Tackle Tough Challenges Ahead at IHF Conference .

Food Heroes Should we not have a single buying platform for Ireland?

When will we have an all island year for tourism?

When will we join the Wild Atlantic Way to the Giant's Causeway route?

Howard Hastings, Managing Director, Hastings Hotels.

REGULARS

03

NEWS

16

ON THE

MOVE

18

KEY TO THE

DOOR

31

INTERIOR TRENDS

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Kellys Future Proof Their Kitchen For Three Decades.

Culinary Creations Take 3 - Looking at Excellence Through the Lens.

36

A Quick Chat With Marcin Szczodrowski Eala Bhán, Sligo

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Editorial & Production Manager: Mary Connaughton Editorial Assistant: Orla Connolly Art Director: Alan McArthur Layout & Design: Jennifer Reid Creative Director: Jane Matthews Stock Photography: Thinkstock.com Infographics: www.flaticon.com Production: Nicole Ennis Sales Director: Paul Clemenson Managing Director: Gerry Tynan Chairman: Diarmaid Lennon

Published by: Ashville Media, Old Stone Building, Blackhall Green, Dublin 7.

Tel: (01) 432 2200 ISSN: 0332-4400 All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate. The publishers cannot, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © Ashville Media Group 2017. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Hotel & Catering Review. The promoter/advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize.

Editor’s

VIEW T

he Irish Hotels Federation’s recent annual conference kicked off on a positive note on February 28th with the news that the Dalata Group was reporting pre-tax profits of 44m.

Minister of State Patrick O’Donovan kept the positivity going in his address when he talked about his trip to Atlanta later that day as part of a Tourism Ireland trade mission. But he also mentioned big threats to growth – Brexit, stability and competitiveness.

“The government is taking Brexit and its potential impact on tourism seriously,” he said. “Also, we are seeing congestion at some of our visitor attractions, but the National Tourism Authority Bill will allow Fáilte Ireland to increase the ceiling on what it can spend on capital works. I want tourism’s contribution to the economy to be reflected in the level of capital expenditure. Government and political stability is crucial for the continued growth of tourism and the industry doesn’t need any bad news stories regarding costs and competitiveness.”

Futurologist Kate Adamson said that technology is allowing for ‘hyper personalisation’ which will fragment all markets. “In fact ‘the market’ isn’t going to exist much longer,” she said. “It will become the segment of one. This will be a huge challenge for hospitality businesses but also a big opportunity – we can now understand the customer in ways that we never could before and current disruptive technologies allow the hospitality industry to deliver for that segment of one.” Gerald Lawless, Head of Tourism and Hospitality at Dubai Holdings and Chairman of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), also highlighted the positive impact of technology. He said that the Global Trusted Traveller card, which expedites travel for pre-approved, low risk, travellers through dedicated lanes and kiosks, is being promoted via the WTTC and the World Economic Forum. He saw no reason why countries couldn’t operate e-visas rather than paper visas. “Also, there is no reason why a passport can’t be scanned at an airport and the information shared with immigration in the destination country,” he said, “as well as immigration in the departure country, and even with the destination hotel.”

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Editor: Maev Martin Email: maev.martin@ ashvillemediagroup.com Telephone: 01 432 2271

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NEWS 57%

CONRAD’S COBURG AWARDED 2 AA ROSETTES

OF TOURISTS ARE RETURN VISITORS

57% of tourists have visited Ireland before while 37% visited for the first time in 2016, according to research by Europcar Ireland, which was published in its 2016 Europcar Tourism Index. The Index also reveals that the majority of tourists (23%) hail from the UK, with 17% coming from the US and six per cent from Australia. The West of Ireland is the most popular destination and 65% drive the Wild Atlantic Way. A total of 50% of visitors hear or speak the Irish language during their trip. Interestingly, 19% of Irish customers chose a staycation in Ireland as their main holiday in 2016, and more than threequarters (77%) of tourists taste Guinness during their trip.

Europcar Ireland is one of Ireland’s largest car rental companies with over 160,000 tourists renting vehicles from Europcar last year. The 2016 Europcar Tourism Index was conducted among 6,094 tourists who visited Ireland and rented Europcar vehicles between April and November 2016. Hotels emerged as the top form of accommodation for tourists in 2016 with two thirds booking a hotel for their stay in Ireland. Over half (55%) stayed in guesthouses and B&Bs, 47% chose to stay with family or friends, 26% opted for self-catering accommodation, and a significant number (20%) embraced accommodation sharing via Airbnb or Couchsurfing. Most (52%) tourists paid between 101 and 200 per night for their hotel and 71% felt their hotels were good value for money. The research shows that Irish food in general is well received by tourists, with 46% rating the cuisine in this country as very good quality.

Kasia Hunter, The Coburg Restaurant Manager, Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Consumer Affairs, and Executive Chef Dmitry Stroykov.

The Coburg brasserie at the Conrad Dublin has been awarded 2 AA Rosettes in recognition of its culinary excellence. The Coburg has carved out a unique position for itself among five star hotels in Dublin by deliberately steering clear of a fine dining offering. It offers a menu that it describes as being “more aligned to today’s cosmopolitan Dublin, with a more relaxed vibe.” General Manager Martin Mangan said the hotel was thrilled to receive the AA award only months after completing the renovation programme. “The Coburg opened in April 2016, so we are especially delighted to receive 2 AA Rosettes,” he said. The Coburg menu is the creation of Executive Chef Dmitry Stroykov.

“The recently re-modelled restaurant operation, The Coburg, is an all-day operation, a bright fresh approach to food with great emphasis placed on local and seasonal ingredients,” says AA Hotel Inspector, Declan O’Connor.

“It is the perfect overture to an evening in the National Concert Hall across the road.”

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COOKING UP NEW BUSINESS AT CATEX

With Minister Michael Creed are Rachel Nolan, Founder of Nobó ice cream, and Larry Smith, Chairman, IFSA, organisers of Catex.

300 NEW JOBS AT ADARE MANOR Adare Manor announced 300 new direct jobs at the resort on March 6th, bringing the number of people employed to over 350. The resort has been undergoing major refurbishment and construction works for the past 12 months and is on schedule to open in Q4 2017. The hotel is seeking to employ a wide range of individuals, from senior leadership team members, front office management, food and beverage management, assistant management, spa therapists, and culinary team members, to operational team members, including receptionists, accommodation assistants, waiting staff, bartenders, banqueting personnel and laundry assistants. Recruitment for the senior leadership team will start immediately, with appointments being made by the beginning of May, and recruitment for the main body of operational team members will commence in May, with team members starting work from the beginning of July. Adare Manor is encouraging individuals who are interested in working at the five star property to apply now.

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Catex, Ireland’s largest food, drink and hospitality exhibition, opened its doors to thousands of trade visitors last month. Home to some of the country’s biggest food companies, manufacturers, distributors and artisan producers, the event, organised by IFSA, ran from February 21st to 23rd and over 10,000 industry professionals were expected to attend over the three days. Minister for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, officially visited Catex on February 21st and met with some of the 250 plus exhibitors who attended the event to generate new business and contacts, including Rachel Nolan, founder of Nobu ice cream, Bewley’s barista trainer, Wojciech Tysler, and Maxine Hyde and Grace Cox from Ballymaloe Foods.

Interest in Catex 2017 superseded all previous years, with a sold-out show and record registration figures. There are high expectations that the exhibition will deliver new business for many companies in the food and hospitality sectors in the months and years ahead.

SLIGO SPRINGS INTO SUMMER Sligo Food Trail Two of Sligo Food Trail’s award winning young members, recently launched a Ethna Reynolds of Nook in Collooney, and Carolanne Rushe of Sweet Beat in Sligo Town at the launch of the spring brochure in Sligo Food Trail spring brochure. anticipation of the tourist season, which will be available from all 70 plus members at Fáilte Ireland Tourist Information Offices and Sligo Tourism. “This brochure is the first of two seasonal brochures which Sligo Food Trail will produce this year,” says Chairman Anthony Gray. “It focuses on the spring and early summer season.

The second brochure which we will launch in May, will focus on summer and early autumn”. The Sligo Food Trail spring brochure highlights the more than 30 interactive food experiences on the trail, which range from dining in the dark, to whiskey, wine or craft beer tastings, and from surfing to foraging on the seashore or inland. Sligo Food Trail members are a mix of producers, markets, cafés, restaurants, craft beer, gastro pubs and accommodation providers. The project is funded by CEDRA, the Department of Agriculture, Sligo County Council, Sligo Local Enterprise Office, Food Trail members, Fáilte Ireland and Sligo Tourism Ltd.

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BEST WESTERN Photographed at Croke Park were the Spanish competitor, Ignacio Arce Gil, the Belgium competitor, Cédric Perrini, the Irish competitor, Farid Derradji, the German competitor, Stefan Schmitt; the UK competitor, Jonathan Keller; and the Czech Republic competitor, Ji í Jane ek.

UK CHEF WINS EUROPEAN CUP IN CROKER The UK’s Jonathan Keller has been crowned winner of the European Chef’s Cup. The event took place in Croke Park on March 2nd. Aramark chefs representing Ireland, the UK, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Spain and Germany were required to prepare, cook and present three courses to a panel of judges. The judging panel comprised technical judges and tasting judges which included Michelin star chef Ross Lewis from Chapter 1, Leslie Hayes, Head Chef from Avoca, and Hugo Arnold, Food Entrepreneur. The European Chef’s Cup took place in the Hogan Suite in Croke Park. The night, which was hosted by Aramark’s Managing Director of Food Services, Frank Gleeson, also included a ‘Taste of Ireland’ theme where all the food served was of Irish origin.

Avoca had a large station of speciality salads, desserts and vegetarian options coupled with a beautiful selection of bowled food from the Croke Park team, led by Head Chef Ruairi Boyce. A Taste of Ireland video was shown on the night.

DIT PUBLICATION WINS INTERNATIONAL AWARD ‘All in the Food - 75 Years of Cathal Brugha Street’ written by the lecturers, past students and management of the School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology, DIT, has been awarded ‘Best Cookbook in Ireland’ in the Cooking Schools Category by Gourmand International awards.

The book, which was recently launched by Senator David Norris, celebrates one of the world’s most famous culinary schools. Since its inception the school has taught generations of chefs and other food professionals, many of whom have spread their skills around the world or become household names. ‘All in the Food - 75 Years of Cathal Brugha Street,’ which is published by The O’Brien Press, Dublin, and is available in all book shops, has also been shortlisted for the ‘Best Cookbook in the World 2017’ in the same category. This winner will be announced in May.

INTRODUCES ‘WHITE LABEL’ BRAND

Best Western Hotels and Resorts is introducing a new ‘white label’ franchise model to the hotel industry in Ireland.

Launched worldwide on December 1st 2016, SureStay hotels will operate under three distinct brands – SureStay Hotel (premium economy), SureStay Plus Hotel (lower midscale) and SureStay Signature Collection (mid-scale soft-brand).

“Benefits to ownership groups include access to Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ state of the art reservation systems and award-winning websites for desktop, mobile and tablet, the best in global distribution, and a dedicated customer care support centre,” says Karl de Lacy, International Development Director at Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “There are two requirements necessary to qualify to become a member of SureStay - the franchisee has to have a minimum one year-long rating of at least 3.5 stars on TripAdvisor and must adhere to the SureStay service promise. Through SureStay we will create a group of hotels that have access to the benefits of a global hotel chain without necessarily having to adapt the current product offering, specific standards or systems. It will be easy to enter into a franchise agreement with SureStay Hotels and we see great potential in Ireland. There are a large number of hotels in this segment, which today have no chain affiliation or belong to a small, local hotel chain, lacking the development which SureStay can offer.”

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FOOD TOURISM ON THE MENU IN CORK Fáilte Ireland and Taste Cork have joined forces to encourage over 20 food operators in North Cork to tell their story and help them stand out in the international food tourism landscape.

A workshop event, which was held at Longueville House in Mallow, addressed the growing expectations of visitors around food experiences and provided tips on how to leverage Ireland’s Ancient East to promote and deliver a connected food offering. Food Destination expert Tina O’Dwyer led discussions for the day and brought her development experience from the Burren Food Trail to the table.

Pictured at the Fáilte Ireland food tourism workshop at Longueville House are Sinéad Hennessy and Deirdre Cole of Fáilte Ireland, William O’Callaghan from Longueville House, Caroline Hennessy of 8 Degrees Brewery, and Rebecca O’Keeffe of Taste Cork.

ITIC WANTS 12M BOOST TO TOURISM BUDGETS Edel Earley, St Francis Hospice, with Seamus Kelly of Kelly Bros Meats.

HOSPITALS SCORE HIGHLY ON FOOD SAFETY Irish hospitals and healthcare providers received more awards for excellence in food safety than any other sector at the Food Safety Assurance Awards, which were presented on February 22nd in the RDS during the Catex 2017 exhibition. The 20 awards included eight hospitals and four educational institutions that were recognised for their excellence in terms of structural and operational hygiene, food safety and protection, personal hygiene and staff facilities, as well as food safety management systems documentation. The winning hospitals and healthcare facilities included the Rotunda Hospital, National Maternity Hospital Holles Street, St Patrick’s University Hospital, Clontarf Hospital (the Incorporated Orthopaedic Hospital of Ireland), Temple Street Children’s University Hospital, St. Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown and Raheny, the National Rehabilitation Hospital, South Tipperary Health Service Catering Department and Millbrae Lodge Nursing Home. Educational institutions were the next most commended sector, with Cork Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology, Coláiste na Rinne and Waterford Institute of Technology all receiving the industry accolade. A number of privately-operated kitchens also received an award, including Get Fresh Catering, Le Gourmet Wholefoods, Gorey Catering at Croke Park, Kelly Bros Meats, Carambola Kidz, and Roadbridge Head Office Canteen. The awards are operated by the Food Safety Professionals Association, the industry organisation for Ireland’s food safety professionals, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

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The Irish Tourist Industry Confederation is calling on the Government to provide a 12m boost to tourism budgets to consolidate UK market share, diversify into new markets, and provide a package of supports to tourism businesses. “The State agencies for tourism need to be given the resources to increase traffic and business from Europe and North America,” says ITIC CEO Eoghan O’Mara. “Other export sectors, from agri-food to manufacturing, have received specific government supports to Brexit-proof them - regrettably tourism has not received such supports. As a sector, if protourism policies are adopted and appropriate investment strategies implemented, we can add another 50,000 jobs by 2025, but Brexit poses a real risk to sustained growth unless the Government acts now.” ITIC Chairman Paul Gallagher says that tourism marketing budgets have been reduced by 45% in the last six years and must be restored without delay.

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INCREASE SALES WITH WINE PRESERVATION MODEL

Febvre Wine Company, distributors of Bermar wine preservation systems, which are used by 45,000 hotels and bars around the world, showcased Bermar’s latest wine preservation model - Le Verre de Vin Tower – at the Chef Network Hub at Catex 2017. Le Verre de Vin preserves any open bottle of wine or champagne for 21 days in perfect serving conditions. The unit does not require any installation - a customer can just plug it in and go.

Billed as the 21st century’s answer to the serving of wine by the glass, the counter-top unit can be placed anywhere in a bar or restaurant. The wine preservation model can also be taken to outside catering jobs such as racemeetings, weddings, launches, pop-up restaurants etc. to serve the wine by the glass. Febvre claims that any hotel or bar using the Bermar Tower will increase the value of wine sales by an average of 25% because of no wastage, and increase the volume of sales by 12%.

20 MILLION FRENCH SEE IRELAND ON TV Aidan Dempsey and Stephen Hanley of The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin, with (l-r) Vivienne Jupp, Chairman, CIE and Elizabeth Crabill, Chief Executive Officer, CIE Tours International

SHELBOURNE IS TOP FIVE STAR HOTEL Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel won the Best Five Star Hotel category at the 27th CIE Tours International Awards for Excellence. A total of 99 awards were presented by Vivienne Jupp, Chairman, and Elizabeth Crabill, Chief Executive Officer, CIE Tours International, at a reception in Dublin City Hall on February 20th. Category winners included the Radisson Blu Royal (Best Four Star Hotel), Benners Hotel in Dingle (Best Three Star Hotel), Kilronan Castle (Best Hotel Accommodation), Dromoland Castle (Best Hotel Dinner), Granville Hotel, Waterford (Best Hotel Service and Hospitality), Killeen House Hotel (Special Dinner Feature), Cliffs of Moher (Best Visit) and Slieve League Cliffs (National Heritage Award). Elizabeth Crabill told the gathering that 2016 was another excellent year for tourism, with revenues up to 100m and over 320,000 bed-nights booked across Ireland. She said that the CIE Tours wish list for 2017 would include training and accreditation for tour guides and more development of hotels for the main tourist hubs.

Tourism Ireland launched a major TV advertising campaign in France last month. The six-week campaign will reach almost 20 million potential French holidaymakers on the country’s three main TV channels - TF1, France2 and France3 - as well as on a range of popular cable channels. The campaign includes Tourism Ireland’s new 30-second ad highlighting the island of Ireland, as well as ads for the Wild Atlantic Way and Northern Ireland. The campaign also includes co-operative promotions with key partners such as Brittany Ferries, Irish Ferries, Odigeo, Transavia, Aer Lingus, Ryanair and Stena Line.

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MOUNT CHARLES CROWNS ITS BARISTA OF THE YEAR Mount Charles has crowned employee Eniko Hadju the champion in its annual Barista of the Year competition. The intense contest, which ran in conjunction with Johnson’s Coffee, saw eight of the best baristas from the company’s units shortlisted to just four to take part in the final. Each of the finalists was tasked firstly with a speed trial to determine how many perfect single espressos they could produce in three minutes, followed by 20 minutes in which to make four single espressos, four double shot cappuccinos and four signature coffees. The expert judging panel included Tim Smith, Barista Training Officer for Johnsons Coffee, Leann Duffy, Group Director of Catering at Mount Charles and Simon Toye, Group Development Chef at Mount Charles. The four finalists were: Eniko Hadju (Fed & Watered, Exeter Airport), Jackie Rickard (Southern Regional College, Newry), Thomas Gourley (Fed & Watered, Belfast International Airport), and Luis del Orbe (Belfast Metropolitan College).

Eniko Hadju, Barista at Fed & Watered at Exeter Airport, and Tim Johnson, Johnsons Coffee.

PARTNERSHIP PROMOTES CORK/ CARDIFF FLIGHTS Tourism Ireland has teamed up with Flybe and Cork Airport to promote flights to Cork from Cardiff and grow tourist numbers to the south of Ireland this year. The joint campaign, which kicked off last month, will run until April 9th. The campaign includes radio ads, which will reach an estimated 328,000 listeners on Heart (South Wales), Capital FM and Smooth Radio and ads on Facebook, as well as online ads on websites. “Great Britain is our largest tourism market and 2016 was a very good year for visitor numbers to Ireland from Britain, with the most recent CSO figures showing an increase of almost +11% over 2015,” says Julie Wakely, Tourism Ireland’s Deputy Head of Great Britain.

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(l-r): Ines Guerra, IASI President, Margaret Canny, Accommodation Service Manager at Castle Leslie Estate, and Tommy Gilsenan, Ecolab, the 2017 IASI awards main sponsor.

CASTLE LESLIE WINS TOP ACCOMMODATION SERVICE AWARD Castle Leslie Estate recently announced that it had received an IASI Silver Award 2017. The Irish Accommodation Services Awards, which are run by the Irish Accommodation Services Institute (IASI), are the only awards in Ireland exclusively dedicated to the accommodation sector. There are six categories: five star hotels; four star hotels; three star hotels; schools and colleges; hospitals; and nursing homes. All of the categories are inspected by a council member and require a score of over 80% to pass the inspection. There were over 120 applications for the Accommodation Awards 2017.

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Commercial

DO YOU QUALIFY FOR

PROFILE

AN UPGRADE?

AS THE COUNTRYWIDE ROLLOUT OF IRELAND’S ANCIENT EAST SIGNAGE CONTINUES, FÁILTE IRELAND IS RECOGNISING EXCELLENCE AMONG FRONTLINE TOURISM PERSONNEL, FINDING INNOVATIVE WAYS TO FURTHER DEVELOP IRELAND’S PROFILE AS A BUSINESS TOURISM DESTINATION.

SHOWCASING

WILD ATLANTIC WAY STORIES

DUBLIN CHAMPIONS 2017

A

lmost 140 front line tourism representatives across Dublin City and county can now call themselves ‘Dublin Champions’ after successfully completing the Dublin Champions Programme.

The latest group of Champions are now armed with all the information they need to help visitors uncover some of Dublin’s hidden stories and experiences.

N

ew interpretation panels, designed to add colour and depth to visitors’ experience along the coastal route, are now in place at 47 Wild Atlantic Way Discovery Points in Kerry and Clare. The installation of the panels is part of a wider initiative to bring local stories to life across the route.

Find out more about what Fáilte Ireland is doing on the Wild Atlantic Way at www.wildatlanticway.com

Declan Murphy, Wild Atlantic Way Develoment, Failte Ireland, John O’Connor, Tourism Officer, Kerry County Council, Ger Kennedy, The Moorings, Portmagee and Vincent Kidd, The Royal Hotel, Valentia Island.

Ingride Varandas, The Beacon Hotel; Brendan Liddy, Fáilte Ireland and Gabriela Carreno, The Wax Museum.

Pictured at the interpretative panel at Loop Head were Marian Leydon, Fáilte Ireland, Cllr Gabriel Keating and Cillian Murphy, Loop Head Tourism.

HOTEL

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Commercial

PROFILE

NEW SIGNAGE SHOWCASING

MORE OF LAOIS

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he first phase of our orientation signage programme for Ireland’s Ancient East is continuing with key visitor orientation signs now installed in Co Laois and in Cork city and county. These signs are part of a multi-signage programme envisaged for Ireland’s Ancient East, with similar branded orientation signage expected to be in place at 80 key sites throughout the region in the coming months.

The new sign at CIT Blackrock Castle Observatory

TAPPING

INTO TECH

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áilte Ireland was using the inaugural Dublin Tech Summit to create a strong calling card for Ireland as a business tourism destination last month. Attracting over 10,000 attendees, the event was the perfect platform to showcase Dublin to global leaders in innovation, technology and business, and to illustrate why Ireland is the premier destination for meetings, conferences and incentive travel.

As well as targeting high profile prospects for the future, Fáilte Ireland’s Dublin team piloted an ‘Extend Your Stay’ project to encourage visiting delegates from the Tech Summit to mix leisure with business by arriving a few days before or to stay on after the event. To capitalise further on the tech industry, our Meet in Ireland team have also prepared a new brochure showcasing some of the success stories from the brightest minds in tech as they talk about how they were supported by Fáilte Ireland’s Conference Ambassador Programme.

Find out more about Fáilte Ireland’s Business Tourism supports, download their ‘A-Z of MICE in Ireland’, and read about Ireland’s brightest minds in tech at www.MeetInIreland.com

The stories being told at Youghal Clock Tower will add depth to the visitor experience in Ireland’s Ancient East and all stakeholders were on hand to celebrate the official opening

CLOCK TOWER DIALS UP

VISITOR EXPERIENCE HOTEL

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áilte Ireland, along with Cork County Council, have officially marked the completion of over a decade of works at Youghal’s Clock Gate Tower which will see the iconic building open as a visitor experience. Bringing the historical story of Youghal to life, the attraction now promises to bring the ‘Ireland’s Ancient East’ story to life by transporting visitors back in time as they are guided through the site’s history via the personal stories of various historical occupants.

Find out how Fáilte Ireland’s Conference Ambassador Programme supported some of Ireland’s brightest minds in tech.

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COVER STORY

Getting Ireland

'TOURISM READY'

FOR BREXIT 12

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As the negative impact from Brexit and the sterling differential on 2017 bookings from the UK becomes apparent, Maev Martin reports on the issues that were debated during a lively discussion between industry leaders, delegates and politicans at the Irish Hotels Federation conference in Kilkenny.

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COVER STORY

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he ‘Impact of Brexit’ discussion, which was followed by a Q&A, featured MEP Deirdre Clune, former Taoiseach and EU ambassador to the US John Bruton, Niall Gibbons, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, Dr Howard Hastings, Managing Director of Hastings Hotels, and IHF President Joe Dolan. The discussion was chaired by RTE’s Brian Dobson.

Hoteliers called for decisive action by government to ensure that Ireland is ‘tourism ready’ for Brexit. The IHF President stated that a clear EU mandate for a

THERE IS A NEED FOR TARGETED ASSISTANCE FOR REGIONAL TOURISM BUSINESSES VULNERABLE TO BREXIT, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE REGIONS WHICH HAVE A HIGH DEPENDENCY ON THE UK MARKET.” Above: (l-r): Paul Kelly, Fáilte Ireland CEO, IHF President Joe Dolan, and Tourism Ireland CEO Niall Gibbons; Opening image: Fáilte Ireland

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soft border with Northern Ireland and an additional 24m for international tourism marketing over the next three years are critical for tourism to be ‘Brexit ready. A substantial increase in marketing support of 24m over three years, with 10m in 2017, is critical to stave off the impact of Brexit. This would bring the spend back in line with 2008 levels by 2020.”

Addressing over 500 delegates at the conference in the Lyrath Estate Hotel, Mr Dolan said that without specific actions now, Ireland would do well to maintain current growth levels next year, given the challenges that Brexit poses. The border counties, which welcome over 57% of all visitors coming from Britain and Northern Ireland, along with the East and Midlands, are significantly exposed to Brexit. At 69%, the number of UK visitors to the North-West is even more pronounced. This region, in particular, is very reliant on tourism from Northern Ireland, with 46% of tourists directly across the border. “This poses an enormous risk, both in terms of jobs and employment,” said Joe Dolan. “There is a need for targeted assistance for regional tourism businesses vulnerable to Brexit, especially for those regions that have a high dependency on the UK market.”

AVOIDING A HARD BORDER Joe Dolan said that it was essential that the Republic of Ireland avoid a 'hard border' with Northern Ireland. “The reality is that we could have an international border postBrexit with serious consequences for Irish tourism,” he said. “We must seek to limit any damage by persuading our European partners to agree to a special arrangement with Northern Ireland to achieve a soft border that is as seamless and frictionless as possible. To date, we have heard a lot of welcome reassurances. We need more concrete commitments from the EU on the special status of Northern Ireland.” Howard Hastings, Managing Director of Hastings Hotels, agreed, saying that a hard border will make it harder to do business. “Politicians say they don’t want to return to a hard border but at the moment these utterances are just platitudes,” he said. “The tourism industries north and south of the country have to collectively make a case to Northern Irish and Republic of Ireland politicians.”

John Bruton said that queues at the border would be “a nightmare for business, so we need a lot of answers from the UK as to why they are doing what they are doing and what they are going to replace it with when they leave.” Deirdre Clune said that the job of the 11 Irish MEPs was to ensure that the EU understands Ireland’s unique position and how important the Common Travel Area is, as well as the border issues and the trade experience. “A delicate balance will need to be maintained over the next couple of years as Ireland negotiates with the 27 EU countries, while trying to maintain a good relationship with the UK,” she said.

COMMON TRAVEL AREA According to Joe Dolan, any restriction on the free movement of people between the UK and Ireland would be a further major negative impact. This would include the loss of the Common Travel Area exemption, which permits visitors from developing markets, including Asia, travelling on UK visas to come to Ireland too. “We must maintain our Common Travel Area and open airspace with the UK,” he said. “We must also do everything possible to retain the British-Irish Visa scheme for short-stay visitors traveling to Britain and Ireland on a single visa. This has been instrumental in opening up new markets such as India and China where we have seen strong growth.” John Bruton said he was confident that we will succeed in retaining the Common Travel Area and he didn’t envisage Brexit causing problems with the movement of people, just goods.

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COVER STORY Below: (l-r): Howard Hastings, Hastings Hotels, Niall Gibbons, Tourism Ireland, IHF President Joe Dolan, Deirdre Clune, MEP, and former Taoiseach John Bruton discussing Brexit at the IHF conference; Bottom: Hoteliers listening to the Brexit discussion at the IHF conference in The Lyrath Estate Hotel.

BUILDING A STRONGER ALL ISLAND PRODUCT One of the more interesting contributions during the discussion came from Howard Hastings, who described the tourism and hospitality industry as “a party political free zone. If Brexit can give us cause to come together for the benefit of our industry and resist negative changes then I believe there is a more urgent agenda that we need to address and that is the need for the creation of a stronger all island tourism product.” He raised four points that he regarded as crucial to the continued growth of tourism on the island of Ireland. “Should we not have a single buying platform for Ireland? Northern Ireland had its Year of Food and Drink in 2016 and the Republic of Ireland had The Gathering in 2013, but when will we have an all island year for tourism?

When will we have an integrated tourism plan for conferencing customers? When will we join the Wild Atlantic Way to the Giant’s Causeway route?” Niall Gibbons of Tourism Ireland said that he agreed with Howard Hastings about the four areas that needed to be addressed in order to better develop the all island tourism product.

TOURISM MARKETING BUDGET During the Q&A session, Paul Gallagher, General Manager of Buswells Hotel and Chairman of the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation, also endorsed Howard Hastings views, describing his comments on the need for better co-operation between the tourism industries on the north and south of the island as 'timely.'

He was critical of the level of government investment for the marketing of the tourism industry and compared it to the

#Drop in UK Business

major investment that government makes in other industries, including food. “It is incredible that our industry is so undervalued by government, particularly at a time when there is a serious threat to visitor numbers from our biggest source market,” he said.

However, John Bruton described Paul Gallagher’s comparison with the food industry as unfair.

“The scale of the threat facing the Irish food industry from Brexit is unprecedented,” he said. “The threats to Ireland’s food industry and to levels of FDI are massive, so investments in preserving those will benefit not just the food and corporate sectors, but also hospitality and tourism.”

Professor Jim Deegan from the Department of Economics in the University of Limerick supported Paul Gallagher’s point about the disproportionate response from government in terms of spending on tourism promotion in the face of Brexit and tourism’s contribution to the economy.

THE OUTLOOK Niall Gibbons’ key message to the industry was that hospitality businesses needed to renew their relationships with the UK travel trade. “We are perceived as

A recent industry survey shows that the vast majority of hoteliers and guesthouse owners (95%) are concerned about the impact of Brexit on their business. The IHF survey was based on the responses of owners and general managers of hotel and guesthouse businesses across the country and was conducted during February. Almost three in ten (29%) hoteliers say that business levels from Britain are down compared to this time last year, while a quarter (25%) are reporting a similar decrease from Northern Ireland. Four in ten are seeing a drop in advance bookings from Britain, while just over a quarter (27%) say bookings from Northern Ireland for the remainder of the year are down compared to 2016.

expensive as a business tourism destination,” he said. “Dublin was revealed as the second most expensive city out of five European cities that were recently surveyed by Tourism Ireland. And a Behaviour and Attitudes study has shown a 20% reduction in awareness of Ireland as a travel destination in the UK over the past three years, so the warning signs are there.”

On the cusp of Article 50 being triggered, Brian Dobson concluded the discussion by asking about the outlook for Irish tourism. Niall Gibbons ended the discussion on a positive note, saying that 7,000 guestrooms were in planning or under construction in Dublin and 1,700 were in planning or under construction in Belfast. “So the outlook for Irish tourism across the island of Ireland is positive,” he said. “As long as we remain competitive, we will be fine.”

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ON THE MOVE

Move

On the

SIOBHAN MCMANAMY

BRUNO BERTA

LYDIA MCGOURLEY

NEW POSITION DIRECTOR OF MARKETS

NEW POSITION RESTAURANT MANAGER

NEW POSITION HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

EMPLOYER TOURISM IRELAND

EMPLOYER RED COW MORAN HOTEL

EMPLOYER RED COW MORAN HOTEL

Tourism Ireland has appointed Siobhan McManamy as its new Director of Markets.

A native of Wexford, Siobhan has been Acting Director of Markets for Tourism Ireland since April 2016. Prior to this role, Siobhan was Head of Co-operative Marketing at Tourism Ireland. Since joining the organisation in 2002 Siobhan has held managerial positions as Manager Central Europe (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), Marketing Manager - Netherlands and Marketing Manager - Nordics. Prior to joining Tourism Ireland, Siobhan worked with Bord Fáilte Eireann, Dublin Tourism and South East Tourism.

She took up the new post on March 1st following an extensive external competition.

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New Appointments, Promotions and Recruitment

HOTEL

The Red Cow Moran Hotel in Dublin has appointed Bruno Berta as Restaurant Manager of Tom’s Table restaurant. Bruno, who graduated from the Collége Alain Fournier in Verdun in 1977, started his career in Geneva working with renowned chefs, including Paul Bocuse and Claude Troisgros, before moving to Ireland in 1981 to manage the prestigious Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud in Dublin.

Since then, Bruno has held front of house manager positions at Restaurant Le Mirabeau, Le Coq Hardi, and The Shelbourne Hotel.

Bruno’s professional achievements include successfully running his own restaurants Bruno’s Temple Bar and Bruno’s Kildare Street for 10 years before, more recently, managing the Asian inspired Lemongrass, and an Italian restaurant.

Lydia McGourley has been appointed Human Resources Manager at the Red Cow Moran Hotel and Red Cow Inn, Dublin. Lydia has over 17 years’ experience in the hospitality sector. Having started her career with the Intercontinental Hotels Group, she then went on to work with the Hilton and Marriott Hotels in the UK and Ireland, before joining the Moran Hotels Group as Human Resources Manager, specialising in employee relations and employment law. Throughout her professional career Lydia has gained a reputation for being highly self-motivated and proactive, with a passion for motivating colleagues through a range of practical and personal skills.

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ON THE MOVE

EOIN O’SULLIVAN

LOUISE PHILLIPS

ULTAN COOKE

NEW POSITION GENERAL MANAGER

NEW POSITION MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PROPERTY

NEW POSITION EXECUTIVE HEAD CHEF

EMPLOYER HASTINGS HOTELS

Hastings Hotels recently announced the appointment of Eoin O’Sullivan as the new General Manager of the five-star Culloden Estate & Spa. With over 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, Eoin has spent the majority of his career in management roles of five star properties, including The Westbury in New York and London and Dromoland Castle in Co Clare. He also held the position of Group General Manager of Unna Luxury Resorts and Residences in Barbados.

“I am delighted to take up the position at the helm of Northern Ireland’s premier hotel,” says Eoin. “I have joined at a very exciting time as the Culloden is in the final stages of an Stg£4m refurbishment and I am looking forward to unveiling the renovations in the coming months.”

EMPLOYER ARAMARK

Aramark has appointed Louise Phillips as Managing Director of Property.

Aramark Property is the largest dedicated property management provider in Ireland, with over 40 years’ experience of office, retail, residential, leisure, industrial, and mixed use developments.

Louise leads a team of 120 people with responsibility for the management of over 28m sq. feet of buildings, with a combined rent roll of 325m p.a. This includes retail schemes ranging from Dundrum Town Centre to the English Market in Cork, major office developments such as Georges Quay, the Irish Life Centre, various parts of the IFSC in Dublin, all IDA estates throughout Ireland, as well as large residential and mixed use developments.

Louise has worked in commercial property /asset management for over 25 years in Ireland and the UK.

EMPLOYER THE ARDILAUN HOTEL

A new addition to the team at The Ardilaun Hotel in Galway, Executive Head Chef Ultan Cooke, is set to launch new menus to reflect the hotel’s revamped food offerings next month. A native of Galway, Ultan Cooke is a Michelin star chef who, following his graduation from GMIT, spent 10 years in the UK where he worked with John Torode in his restaurants Smiths of Smithfield and The Luxe. He returned to Ireland just over four years ago and has worked with JP McMahon at Aniar in Galway and, most recently, in Ballynahinch Castle in Connemara. The Ardilaun Hotel is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year.

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DOOR

KEY TO THE DOOR

KEY TO THE

Openings, Closures, Refurbs and Acquisitions

REVENUES SOAR BY 30% AT DALATA

GLEANN HOSPITALITY

BUY D HOTEL

The 104-bedroom d hotel in Drogheda has been bought from Edward Holdings for an undisclosed sum by Gleann Hospitality Ltd. The transaction was finalised on January 13th and plans are already underway to renovate and revamp key areas in the property, including the bar and restaurant, before the summer of this year. The profitable d hotel on the banks of the River Boyne employs over 70 staff and is committed to business carrying on as usual with all previous bookings and contracts honoured. The transfer and future business of the property will be overseen by Alan Murtagh, previously of Louis FitzGerald Group, while the day to day running of the business will be managed by the long-standing GM, Ciaran O’Donovan, whose previous experience includes the management of Bewleys Hotel Dublin and the Red Cow Moran Hotel. The business has seen a strong uptake in the corporate and wedding market in the past year, counting businesses such as Coca Cola, RCSI and Harvest Brewing as valued customers.

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Revenues at Dalata rose by almost 30% in 2016 as the group’s expanding portfolio benefited from strong demand. In the year to December 31st, 2016, revenues at the group rose by 28.8% to 290.6m, while adjusted earnings (EBITDA) increased by 35.9% to 85.1m. Pre-tax profits rose by 55% to 44.1m, as the group revalued its property portfolio upwards to 66.6m. The group’s Dublin-based hotels outperformed the market, with RevPAR growth of 19.9% versus the city average of 16.1%, while the group reported an occupancy rate of 82.1% for 2016, up from 80.2% in 2015. The group’s average room rate rose to 97.6, up from 87 in 2015. A total of 150.9m was invested in portfolio expansion in 2016, adding seven hotels and circa 1,600 rooms to its owned and leased portfolio. The group has a growth pipeline of over 1,200 new rooms - four hotels are under construction (two in Dublin, one in Belfast, and one in Newcastle) with a fifth in Cork in planning. These will come into operation in 2018. Extensions are planned in four hotels - three in Dublin and one in Galway, and 25.4m was invested in development and refurbishment of existing hotels during the year, including the refurbishment of 748 bedrooms. The group statement said that, so far in 2017, trading has been ‘marginally ahead’ of expectations. Dalata Group CEO Pat McCann said that the addition of the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road to the portfolio in November 2016 was a very important milestone for the group as it allowed them to take over the operation of the largest hotel and conference venue in Dublin city centre. He also said that it was clear evidence of ‘how attractive the Dalata covenant is to international investors, which is important for our expansion plans in the UK...In 2017 we will continue to focus on improving returns from our current portolio, and we also intend to expand our hotel portfolio, particularly in the UK, seeking new or existing hotel opportunities which match our investment criteria.”

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Commercial

PROFILE

CULINARY TORNADO AT

OXO TOWER FRIMA’S MULTI-FUNCTIONAL APPLIANCE IS PRODUCING EXCEPTIONAL DISHES FOR A LONDON RESTAURATEUR IN HALF THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO COOK THEM CONVENTIONALLY.

S

et in the iconic building on the Southbank, the Oxo Tower Restaurant offers an eclectic menu built around British and European classics. It serves over 200 covers a day but, like many urban restaurants, kitchen space is limited. This means that catering equipment needs to be as efficient as possible, while delivering the best cooking results.

Head Chef Jeremy Bloor recently installed a Frima VarioCooking Centre. Oxo Tower has a 211+ model, which has a 100 litre cooking pan and can be used to boil, fry, deep fry, confit, slow cook and pressure cook. “We use it for a range of Come to a FRIMA COOKINGLIVE event in Ireland

different foods, using different techniques, from blanching asparagus to cooking pork belly under sous vide,” says Jeremy.

“Our oxtail cooked under pressure is also great, falling from the bone, super-moist, in half the time it takes to cook conventionally. The Frima has also cut the cooking time of our stocks down by 50%. With veal and chicken stocks, there is no skimming needed at the first stage and the stock stays perfectly clear, without clouding, and have more yield.”

Despite the Frima’s hi-tech appearance, Jeremy says it is extremely easy to operate.

“A quick training session and we were up to speed,” he

Oxo Tower Head Chef, Jeremy Bloor using Frima’s sous vide function.

says. “In our brasserie we have a bratt pan and a stock boiler that we are looking to upgrade. We’ll replace them with a second Frima.”

Check out the video of Jeremy talking about his Frima at the Oxo Tower Restaurant on the Frima website, www.frima-online.com

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Commercial

PROFILE

GALWAY HOTEL GETS STAR TREATMENT THE CLYBAUN HOTEL IN KNOCKNACARRA, CO GALWAY IS REAPING THE BENEFITS OF A 1M REFURBISHMENT PROGRAMME AND A RECENT FÁILTE IRELAND FOUR STAR CLASSIFICATION AWARD. GENERAL MANAGER FINTAN LOFTUS TALKS TO HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW ABOUT THEIR NEW LOOK OPERATION.

T

he refurbishment programme, which began 18 months ago and finished earlier this year, included the hotel’s ballroom, all 92 bedrooms, the restaurant and bar, as well as lobby and conservatory areas.

“Work started in March 2015 when the hotel’s ballroom was completely refurbished and remodelled,” says Fintan.

“The function suite now caters for weddings and large events of up to 300 people.

Our wedding business has

really taken off since the ballroom was completed and we are extremely busy with show arounds and wedding consultations on a weekly basis. We have bookings in for 2017, 2018 and 2019, and we forecast that our wedding business will continue to grow in the coming years.

The attention to detail and craftsmanship that went into our function suite certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed.”

“We are very lucky to have an owner who is as passionate

(l-r): Dermot Hogan, Sales & Marketing Manager, John Divilly, Financial Controller, Nouman Zeb, Assistant Manager, and Fintan Loftus, General Manager.

as we are,” says Fintan.

“Tom O’Gorman has been a great help and has provided support for the duration of this refurbishment project.”

The hotel has also built a strong relationship with a number of local businesses and organisations, including Aviva Insurance, RSA, TG4, and Udaras na Gaeltachta, who all regularly run events at the hotel.

All 100 bedrooms at the hotel were refurbished and feature different themes and designs, ensuring that each guest enjoys a unique experience. “We started with our six suites and created a different concept and design for each one,” says Fintan.

“We then moved onto our guest bedrooms – we have three different bedrooms that employ different materials, from modern and contemporary, which is geared towards families, with built in DVDs in the TVs for children and good living spaces for parents in the evening time, to our more old world style rooms, which target a lot of our repeat business and the over 50 age bracket. These include comfortable Queen Anne chairs and larger TVs.

In addition, as well as the standard tea and coffee making facilities, most of our bedrooms now have coffee machines.”

Late last year the hotel introduced a brasserie style O’Gorman’s Bar, which opens from 10.30am daily serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“We installed more seating areas in the bar for extra comfort and divided the bar into three separate areas, so we have something to suit everyone’s tastes,”says Fintan.

“For example, in the morning we attract a lot of corporate clients and they regularly use the bar for one-to-one businesss meetings.”

The Clybaun Hotel’s newlycreated Maritime restaurant opens daily from 6pm and can cater for large parties of up to 50 people.”We didn’t want to have a very formal restaurant like you have in a lot of hotels, so we introduced more of a bistro style with fine dining, and we opted for blue leather chairs which were handmade in Italy,” he says.

“The design and construction of the restaurant revolved around these chairs - we had to wait for four months for them to be delivered. While

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PROFILE

The brasserie style O’Gorman’s Bar opens from 10.30am daily, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Fintan Loftus, General Manager The hotel’s newly-created Maritime restaurant.

The hotel’s recently refurbished function suite which can cater for weddings and events of up to 300 people

One of the Clybaun Hotel’s refurbished bedrooms.

we changed the entire look of the restaurant, we have kept the carvery lunch which has always been very popular. We do up to 400 covers for Sunday lunch but we revert back to the bistro style during the week. The Maritime restaurant is proving popular with customers marking special events or celebrations.”

The hotel’s lobby area features new carpets and curtains but has retained its old world charm. “This was important to us because it is a popular area with locals in the evening time, so we kept

HOTEL

it comfortable and didn’t go too modern. We also bought a grand piano for the lobby and a pianist entertains guests in the lobby every Saturday evening from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.”

Fintan Loftus has been General Manager at The Clybaun Hotel for the past seven years. He previously worked for the Great Southern Hotel Group at their Eyre Square, Parknasilla and Rosslare properties, following a three-year stint with the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston.

Fintan is extremely proud of the four-star classification

award. “The staff at the Clybaun Hotel have worked very hard to achieve the high levels of service and commitment required for four star classification,” he explains. “The results of this are very evident in some recent awards that we have received, including a 2016 Service of Excellence award from Trip Advisor, as well as accolades from Booking. com, Holiday Check and RSVP Wedding Magazine. Equally, the feedback that we receive on a daily basis from both first time and repeat guests has further cemented our growing reputation as one of Galway’s

finest hotels. We got four star classification two months ago and we have experienced a lot of new business at the hotel as a result. There has been a massive uplift in afternoon tea sales and in daily food and beverage sales.”

Now that they have completely revamped their operation, the Clybaun Hotel is embarking on a major summer campaign to recruit staff across all areas, from management to kitchen staff and porters. “We will start with the local GMIT in Galway and then target other colleges and we will advertise in local newspapers as well,” says Fintan.

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PROPERTY PROFILE

Moran’s

MAMMOTH MAKEOVER Built almost 20 years ago by renowned hotelier Tom Moran, and in the family ever since, the Red Cow Moran Hotel has just completed a €15m investment programme.

Maev Martin talks to Tracey Moran, the Red Cow Moran Group’s Communications Director, about targeting new, and bigger, markets.

T

he €15m investment in the Red Cow Moran Hotel broke ground in October 2015, overseen by one of Tom’s sons, Michael Moran, Director and Project Manager at Moran Hotels, and was fully completed by the end of 2016. The hotel now comprises 275 guest rooms, including 152 in the new seven-storey extension, an 800-seat conference suite, 21 event spaces, including 14 new spaces and meeting rooms in the extension, which also houses a fitness suite, a new coffee dock and a wine bar. The new bedrooms have floor to ceiling windows, are fully sound proofed and include black-out blinds, a safe, and a 43 inch LCD TV. Linked to the original hotel building (the East Wing) by a link lounge, the new extension (the West Wing) features two dedicated executive floors and a series of meeting rooms with two innovative Think Tank rooms. The first of these, the Ayrshire Suite, has a ping pong table as a centrepiece surrounded by bespoke benches, and the second, the Jersey Suite, has a floor to ceiling whiteboard with tiered upholstered seating and casual floor cushions, both novel settings for getting the creative juices flowing!

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RUSTIC ROOTS The Moran family worked on the development programme with architects Henry J Lyons and interior designer Nikki O’Donnell and her team of interiors specialists from NODA. With subtle references to their family history with its roots in Co Limerick, there are also nods to that background and to the name of both the area and the hotel - the Red Cow - woven throughout the new build.

“Everyone thought we were nuts to open a four star hotel in this location in 1996,” says Tracey. “While we called it the Red Cow because this is the terrain of the red cow, we never embraced all of

the aspects of that name, certainly not from an interior design point of view.”

However, the new look Red Cow fully embraces its name. The 14 new event spaces are each named after a different breed of cattle, such as Charlotte, Angus, Dexter, Friesian and Guernsey. Each meeting room has a single playful touch with just one cowhide chair, added in the same spirit of fun as the ‘look-out’ cow facing in the opposite direction to the rest of the herd, behind the front desk.

The event spaces also feature high speed dedicated broadband and Wi-Fi, screen sharing technology, and large LCD screens of up to 98 inches. They are fully air conditioned with natural daylight, and have access to the hotel’s courtyard garden.

The carpets, materials, wall treatments and finishes in the hotel reflect the rural origins of the hotel owner and

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PROPERTY PROFILE

THE FOCUS IS ON PROVIDING GREAT FOOD SOURCED AS LOCALLY AS POSSIBLE WITH A PARTICULAR EMPHASIS, FITTINGLY, ON EXCELLENT STEAKS.

Clockwise from opposite left: the Ayrshire Suite, one of the two Think Tank rooms; the big table for communal dining and large groups in Tom’s Table restaurant; a creative restaurant wall explains the thinking behind Tom’s Table; the other Think Tank room, the Jersey Suite; the hotel lobby; a luxury one-bedroom suite.

the abstract patterns of field geometry and stone walls are echoed in the organic shapes woven into the bespoke carpets. The specially commissioned images by landscape photographer Eoghan Kavanagh bring the countryside into every room. What may initially seem like antique panelling or leather upholstered walls in the corridors is, in fact, blown-up close ups of Irish cattle of all sorts. These almost abstract photographs printed on textured vinyl create a warm, earthy feeling in the hotel corridors of the West Wing. The colours of the cattle who feature in the abstract corridor panels are

also echoed in the surroundings of the new link lounge with its coffee dock and wine bar.

This room, flooded with light from the floor to ceiling windows on either side, has a feature fireplace and cosy booths and leather club chairs.

Apart from the new extension, other areas of the Red Cow Moran Hotel have also been refreshed and added to, including the lobby and Tom’s Table restaurant, which opened at the beginning of December. This new restaurant has a big table at the front for communal dining and large groups. “The focus is on providing great food sourced as locally as possible with a particular emphasis, fittingly, on excellent steaks,” says Tracey. “The table represents family, comfort, community and the pleasures of sharing friendship and business perspectives over good food and a glass of wine. Tom’s Table is designed to underscore the hospitable, social and welcoming nature of the Red Cow Moran Hotel.”

WHY INVEST? Why did the Red Cow Moran Group decide to embark on such a wide ranging investment plan?

“There were a number of reasons – this is our baby so we wanted to maximise every opportunity in front of us,” she says. “Also, we were a dayto-day operation and we didn’t want to impinge on that by knocking down or closing an existing structure, so that is where the idea of a separate extension came from. In addition, there is a deficit of bedrooms in the Dublin market, so we wanted to drive new business into the area. We have always run meetings and events but we couldn’t cater for the larger ones for associations and AGMs that run over two or three days. We now have the guest rooms and other facilities to accommodate the large conference market. We didn’t have a fitness suite either until we extended the complex. We had been getting a number of requests for a fitness area from our corporate guests and now we can accommodate them. The corporate business space is very competitive but our location gives us a big

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PROPERTY PROFILE

Clockwise from left: the Link Lounge with coffee dock and wine bar; the new fitness suite; the 14 new event spaces are each named after a different breed of cattle, such as Charlotte, Angus, Dexter, Friesian and Guernsey;

advantage. City centre locations aren’t always feasible or cost competitive for companies. The Red Cow Inn is an iconic landmark that has been regarded as the distinctive marker of entry into Dublin since the 18th century. Our convenient location at the gateway to the provinces makes us accessible from all parts of the country. ” UNIQUE PROPOSITION Tracey describes the Red Cow Moran Hotel as family-owned and operated with the “personal touch and traditional values that are lacking across the Dublin market.” She attributes this deficit to the proliferation of chains and brands that are creating a sameness in the market.

“We have always offered a unique proposition but, with the extension, we are also offering a unique facility in terms of the décor and finishes throughout. The décor is very quirky and unique so you are not walking into a standard hotel. Now the landmark location, coupled with the new facilities, makes us a number one destination for business or leisure. The hotel is also serviced by a good transport network, and having the red and green Luas lines linked will also be great for business.”

The Red Cow Moran Hotel and the Red Cow Inn did not form part of the Dalata Group’s acquisition of the Red Cow Moran Group in 2015. Why did the directors of what was then Moran

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HOTEL

Bewley’s decide not to sell the hotel and the inn at that time? “The Red Cow Inn and Hotel was the start of what was to become the Moran family’s business operations in Dublin so the operation had huge sentimental and emotional ties for the Moran family,” says Tracey.

“Also, prior to taking on the Bewleys Hotel Group we had a plan for an extension to the hotel - both ourselves and the planners saw the potential. The plan at that time was for a 17-storey extension, but this was just before the opportunity to purchase Bewleys arose, so we had to decide which route to take.

We postponed the site development in order to go ahead with the Bewleys acquisition, but the expansion of the hotel and the site was always something that we wanted to do.”

RECRUITMENT MODE According to Tracey, the Red Cow Moran Hotel is now in major recruitment mode. “We are continually looking for staff but obviously we are

embarking on a big campaign following the investment programme, particularly when it comes to front of house,” she says. “I am very proud of our team. We have a lot of people who have been with us for a number of years and have come up through the ranks, but we also have new members who come to us with a wealth of experience in hospitality, including Bruno Berta, our Restaurant Manager, who joined us before Christmas and operated his own restaurant in Dublin, and Colm Murphy, who worked with us for over 20 years in the Playwright pub in Blackrock and in Cork, and is now our General Manager.”

So far the Brexit decision, and the uncertainty about the effect that it will have on Ireland, hasn’t negatively affected business. In fact, one positive has been the return of Tracey’s brother Tom and his family, who were encouraged to move back home after the vote, following 18 years living in the UK. “On the business front, there is also a lot of talk about opportunities,” she says. “I don’t see it affecting the trading situation in Ireland and I would like to think that it will encourage more business set ups in Ireland as the UK may not now be the location of choice for a lot of companies.”

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Commercial

PROFILE

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DIGITAL DESK

BOOST YOUR PROFITS WITH WIRELESS CHARGING

Hayley Freedman, Director of CHARGit, a pioneering provider of resonant wireless charging technology, looks at how it can help hoteliers to improve the guest experience - and hotel profitability.

Above: Guests in the new Urchin restaurant at the Cliff Townhouse.

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martphones, tablets and other portable devices are now part and parcel of modern day society.

Thanks to their prevalence, most of us have experienced the frustration of one running out of charge. As a society, we’ve become so attached to our devices (and smartphones, in particular) that nomophobia is a term that has now been coined to describe the fear of being out of mobile phone contact. Whether it’s an actual phobia though, or merely a symptom of social anxiety, it’s certainly evidence of the growing influence of smartphone technology, as well as of our dependence on portable technological devices.

One constant throughout the various incarnations of these - smartphones, laptops, tablets, eReaders - is that they all need electronic charge to function. Consequently, battery anxiety, as well as nomophobia, is an actual thing. People do genuinely worry about their devices running out of charge. This is where we at CHARGit come in. We have developed patented wireless technology that is set to revolutionise charging

capabilities. The five key benefits to hoteliers that we see arising from resonant wireless charging technology are venue differentiation, increased footfall, increased customer spends, better in room experience, and improved corporate image.

There are currently two types of wireless charging available - resonant and inductive. Inductive charging has a limited offering, including limited power, the ability to only charge one device at a time from a single transmitter, the need to drill into furniture as well as aligning devices correctly, and the requirement for mats and messy wires, not to mention associated heat issues. Resonant wireless charging, on the other hand, offers much more potential. It allows for multiple devices to be discreetly charged, with none of the associated downsides of inductive charging, including messy wiring or obvious charging pads.

GETTING AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION But how can wireless charging, and especially resonant wireless charging, help hoteliers? A big bonus is that it offers venue differentiation. Free Wi-Fi is now something that is generally expected

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DIGITAL DESK of a hospitality venue, but the same can’t be said for charging. By offering wireless resonant charging, you will be setting yourself apart from the competition and providing value.

Much like ‘Free Wi-Fi here’ used to be clearly broadcast as an enticement to encourage people to use a bar/restaurant, ‘free charging here’ is the next step.

Taking CHARGit as an example, we have also implemented an app that pinpoints your location and the fact that you have the technology in place, encouraging app users to visit your venue and use your facilities. This app is also able to drive user traffic, thanks to the opportunity to promote directly through it. If you have an offer available at your hotel, even if it is something as straightforward as two-for-one cocktails in the bar, you can actively promote this through our app, alerting users and encouraging visitors.

Driving sociability is a fundamental aspect of resonant charging. Take guests who are on business, for instance.

Staying connected is vital to them, but having a charging zone positioned in/at the hotel bar, allows them to sit and charge their devices without the need to retire to their room to do so. Consequently, they are likely to spend money, staying for drinks with colleagues/clients, or even staying on their own - with charging your device providing a valid reason to be in the bar!

PUSHING UP PROFITS Currently, our system requires a charging key (CHARGkey in our parlance) if the device isn’t already compatible. Hoteliers with resonant charging capabilities installed can offer branded CHARGkeys, which guests can plug into their smartphones. There is an opportunity to provide profitability here - making it free to use in communal areas such as the hotel bar or restaurant, encouraging guests to spend money while using their free CHARGkey, and generating additional revenue through the consumption of food and drink.

‘Topping up culture’ is where guests can add an extra 10% to 15% to charge while having a drink. It’s enough to tide them over, without the need to commit to being somewhere for a couple of hours to fully charge. For guests already checked into the hotel, you can hand out your own branded CHARGkey to use throughout their stay - for a small fee if

looking to increase profits directly, or for free if looking to differentiate your property and offer a luxury experience.

This leads on to the benefits of resonant wireless charging in hotel rooms. The beauty of our CHARGhubs is that they don’t need a mat or obvious space on which to charge. You can, for example, install the hubs under the surface of hotel room bedside tables, eliminating the need to alter the aesthetics of a beautifully designed room. Simply putting a smartphone down on a bedside table will see it charge. The wireless technology remains hidden, with easy and straightforward installation that doesn’t require core-drilling or unsightly charging plates. Any hotel guests who’ve forgotten their charger also needn’t worry. The technology is provided for them and eliminates the need for any arguments over who’s phone needs charging first as it can charge multiple devices at once, offering great potential for improving the guest experience. This is especially so for international travellers who don’t have to remember plug adaptors. Not many hotels have USB charge technology, which means adaptors are still prevalent. With resonant wireless charging though, adaptors are redundant.

BENEFITING THE BUSINESS TRAVELLER And for those using your hotel for business, it also charges laptops. Dell, HP and Lenovo have started incorporating resonant charging capability into their devices, meaning it will soon become commonplace and remove the need for a CHARGkey at all. The technology is also perfect for installing under desks in hotel rooms, allowing guests to charge while working without the need to lug around heavy cables or go through the hassle of plugging and unplugging. Guests using your hotel know that they don’t need to remember to pack their charging cables as you provide that service for them. Consequently, it also makes it an attractive place for business meetings. Installing the technology in function/meeting rooms gives your hotel a more corporate friendly image, again helping with venue differentiation and encouraging corporate engagement. Clients too will know that they only need to bring their devices and not all the charging cables, with the room staying neat and tidy with no wires to trip over.

Resonant wireless technology will become routine in the near future, so getting involved with the latest technology helps to keep your hotel ahead of the curve. The industry is constantly changing, so you can’t afford to miss out on opportunities that your competitors will take up. Both your hotel’s profitability and your guests’ experience will benefit.

#Manage Your Journey A new hotel app called Priscilla has been introduced by MediaConcepts, a provider of digital solutions for hospitality businesses. The app enables hotel guests to manage their entire journey on their smart phone. “According to Grant Thornton’s Hotels 2020 Report, 46% of millennials would stay at a hotel if they could check in on their smartphone,” says John Bowen, CEO MediaConcepts. “Add in the leisure market and hoteliers can’t afford to ignore the importance of smart tech in their customer journey. We have developed Priscilla as a smart phone product which enables guests to manage their experience from pre-arrival ‘check-in’ to stay experiences such as booking dinner reservations or receiving their room key on their phone. Used well, technology can free hoteliers up to focus on hospitality and delivering the best product and experience to their guests. This is a great example of technology aiding the customer experience while also adding to and maximising the hotel’s relationship and knowledge of the customer - experience and data; the core of our work.” Priscilla also offers powerful insights that can help hotels to personalise and provide relevant content. The in-built workflow facilitates the management and assignment of tasks to available staff, and the accompanying staff app notifies them. Department heads and management staff can track feedback and response times of each guest request through the web-based admin console, allowing them to respond as appropriate either in person, or through the app. Having this direct communication helps hoteliers manage issues and helps ensure no surprise negative reviews on TripAdvisor at a later date.

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CATERING REVIEW

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09/03/2017 13:23

CONFERENCE REPORT

ANYONE FOR SECONDS? Hoteliers Tackle Food Waste

A choice of portion sizes and second helpings, along with offers of a food box, may soon be commonplace as hotel and guesthouse owners across the country introduce a range of measures to help reduce the amount of food waste that occurs in their kitchens and dining rooms.

(l-r): Paul Keenan, The Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Pat and Marie Chawke, Killarney, John Ryan, Ardilaun Hotel, Galway and Matt Ryan, The Grand Hotel, Malahide at the conference; (l-r): IHF President Joe Dolan of The Bush Hotel, Leitrim, with Lorraine Walsh and Xavier McAulliffe of The Lyrath Estate at the IHF conference; Minister of State at the Department of Tourism & Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, is greeted by Joe Dolan and IHF CEO Tim Fenn on arrival at the conference. Opposite page: Joe Dolan, President, IHF, with one of the conference speakers, Gerard Lawless, Head of Tourism & Hospitality Dubai Holdings, and Chairman of the World Travel & Tourism Council, and conference chairman Bryan Dobson.

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n Ireland, approximately one million tonnes of food waste is disposed of each year. Although hotels represent a small share of food waste, new guidelines to reduce waste have been introduced at EU level to mark the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. The hotel and guesthouse sector in Ireland is already taking action and, according to an industry survey for the Irish Hotels Federation’s 79th annual conference in Kilkenny, most (72%) have introduced measures that are proving successful.

The IHF survey shows that, among those hoteliers who are actively addressing the issue, eight out of 10 (80%) have changed how they purchase their ingredients (from adjusting quantities that they buy to

sourcing more produce that is seasonal or local), over one third (39%) have reduced portion sizes and are offering seconds to guests instead, and one in six (17%) now offer guests the option of a food box for any uneaten portion of their meal.

According to IHF President Joe Dolan, good planning, purchasing and prepping of ingredients can significantly help in reducing waste and there is already growing awareness among hoteliers of the steps they can take in their own premises. “This can vary from something as simple as ensuring that the right peeler is used for vegetables, to calculating quantities more precisely,” he says. “The industry faces unique challenges in balancing the need to provide choice, quality and variety in their menus, while minimising waste. However, reducing food waste is a ‘win win’ situation for hotels, generating positive environmental results along with economic benefits for hoteliers too.

The savings that hoteliers are making through best practice food waste management are contributing to their own cost competitiveness.”

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CONFERENCE REPORT

STRONG START TO 2017 Hotel and guesthouse owners are reporting a good start to the year, according to another industry survey undertaken by the IHF in advance of its conference. Most say business levels are up compared to this time last year, and they are also seeing an increase in advance bookings for the year. However, while hoteliers nationally have a positive outlook for their business in 2017, their optimism is tinged with caution. Half (50%) of the hoteliers surveyed say that the fall in sterling has already had a direct effect on their business. Nationally, almost three quarters (74%) of hoteliers are seeing an even better start to this year than last. The strong growth in business levels from the US look set to continue in 2017, with almost half of hotels and guesthouses (48%) reporting an increase from this important market. Visitor numbers from German and French markets are proving buoyant too. One third (35%) of premises are reporting an increase in German visitors so far this year and nearly one in five (18%) are benefiting from increased business from France. Hoteliers are also upbeat for the remainder of the year as advance bookings from these markets at this point seem robust. 44% are reporting an increase in bookings from the US, while three in ten (30%) are seeing a rise in bookings from Germany, and one in six (17%) say bookings are up from France.

Domestic tourism is also proving positive.

Already this year two thirds (66%) of hotels and guesthouses are reporting an increase in business levels from home grown visitors, with most also seeing a rise in advance bookings. Almost half (48%) say they will increase staffing levels during 2017 and IHF President Joe Dolan says that the industry is on target to create a further 40,000 jobs by 2021.

The IHF survey reveals that the vast majority of businesses (91%) intend to undertake some capital expenditure projects during 2017. Most plan to refurbish and redecorate their premises, while one in six (15%) intend to increase their facilities with extensions to their properties. Almost half (43%) are also investing significantly in guest technology, increasing the broadband width available in their properties, as well as offering the latest in-room smart TVs and flat screens. This is to cater for guests who are increasingly seeking to bring their own content with them when they travel so

they can watch the same programmes that they would at home.

However, for many hoteliers, the cost of doing business in Ireland continues to be challenging with many citing excessive rising insurance premiums and excessive local authority rates as the most pressing issues stifling cost competitiveness within the sector. These were followed by high labour costs and utility costs.

TACKLING TOUGH CHALLENGES AHEAD In his address to the IHF conference, Fáilte Ireland’s recently appointed CEO Paul Kelly highlighted a number of challenges facing Irish tourism, one of which was maintaining value for money.

“The recent weakening of sterling has had the double impact of Ireland suddenly becoming significantly more expensive for our biggest customer group, UK visitors, while our closest competitor, which is also the UK, has suddenly become cheaper for all our other source markets,” he said. “It is important to note that we are already beginning to see some early warning signs with value for money ratings declining and increases in domestic travellers going to the UK. We will all need to be very mindful of pricing and ensure that we don’t damage our long term reputation for value.”

Another area that he highlighted was the visitor experience. “Building great visitor experiences can only be done by local industry and stakeholders getting together, forming a compelling and differentiated vision for their area, and working collaboratively to deliver it,” he said. “Towns like Killarney, Westport, or here in Kilkenny are excellent examples of where this has happened, and as a result tourism has thrived. Fáilte Ireland will do everything we can to inform, support and facilitate this but, for it to be successful, it will need to be owned by the local community.”

The industry’s diversification strategy also required further development. “I was struck in a recent conversation with Pat McCann from Dalata about how he was prepared to sacrifice some short term revenue opportunities to ensure that he kept a good mix of tour operators, OTAs, direct corporate customers as well as independent travellers,” he said. “At both a sector and a company level we need to work hard to ensure that we have

“THE SAVINGS THAT HOTELIERS ARE MAKING THROUGH BEST PRACTICE FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR OWN COST COMPETITIVENESS.” IHF PRESIDENT JOE DOLAN a better spread of our business in terms of what countries our visitors come from. This will not just be down to the work Niall and his team do in international marketing - we all need to make sure that the visitor experience is optimal for visitors from these different markets.”

He also said that the industry would have to remove the barriers to growth that have arisen due to rapid growth in recent years. “Whether it is accommodation capacity in Dublin, the skills shortage in the industry, or congestion at key tourist attractions, these are all issues we will be working with you on in the coming months and years. One of the key ways to manage this is to achieve a better spread of tourists across both regions and seasons. Achieving this better spread will allow for more efficient operations and asset utilisation across the full industry.” Finally, he talked about how technology has revolutionised buyer behaviour, sales channels and marketing tools. “We will not win in the real world if we don’t win in the digital world,” he said. “Digital skills are now a core competency for anyone in the tourism business and Fáilte Ireland will continue to support you in keeping up to date with the constant changes in this area.”

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CATERING REVIEW

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15/03/2017 09:55

Support 65 Roses Day Thursday April 13th 65 Roses is how children first learn to say Cystic Fibrosis.

Support Cystic Fibrosis Ireland's National Flag Day. Buy a purple rose for â‚Ź2 or donate online at www.65rosesday.ie To organise a 65 Roses Day Collection in your workplace contact fundraising@cfireland.ie

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CRA: 2001 1376 CRA Rgistered Number: 2001 1376 09/03/2017 13:44

INTERIOR TRENDS

Interior DESIRE As Number Twenty Two on Anne Street launches Masquerade and Spectacle, owner Michael Wright tells Hotel & Catering Review about the design that adds atmosphere to the show.

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During the redesign of Number Twenty Two on Dublin’s Anne Street, owner Michael Wright focused on creating a space that could transition effortlessly from one themed experience to another.

The design of the space employs Irish reclaimed wood for fixtures, including the cumbersome balcony, which draws the attention of both performer and audience, thanks to its old world design. The balcony seats approximately 80 people comfortably and Michael attributes the atmosphere of the venue to this key feature. “We wanted to make sure that the artists had a really good experience playing in the venue, so that when they are on stage they actually feel surrounded by the audience on the balcony and very much in touch with the audience,” says Michael.

“I think we managed to install a balcony that feels like it has always been there.”

Another important feature for the space are the stone-effect walls that complete the raw, stripped back look and feel of the space, but also aid in the sound quality of the live performances.

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FOOD HEROES

Kelly’s

KITCHEN Renowned Hotelier Bill Kelly and Executive Chef Eugene O’Callaghan are very excited about their new kitchen which, they believe, will future proof their culinary operation for another three decades. Maev Martin reports.

F

ollowing a €1.5m investment, the new kitchen at Kelly’s Resort Hotel & Spa in Rosslare opened for the 2017 season on February 17th. The design and planning took place in May and June but construction only got underway last November.

The opening followed a quick eight-week construction programme that has added another 120 square metres of additional space in a kitchen that now includes a new preparation area, new refrigeration for hanging meats, a new temperaturecontrolled butchery department, new bakery and new dry store.

“Everything has changed, from where we wash the pots to the main wash up area, which has all new equipment,” says Bill. “One of the biggest parts of the project was the installation of three kilometres of cabling to support all of the new equipment in the kitchen. The entire aeration system, including the extraction system and UV filtration, is electronically controlled and monitors activity, so there is an electrical consumption saving with this new technology. Most importantly, though, we have created more of a line cooking system where the kitchen passes are a series of

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hot and cold service counters. This means that with one step we are going directly from the line to the customer so the fish or meat can be served at optimum temperature and optimum quality. This new system and the new technology has also allowed us to improve our time and motion around the kitchen.” Eugene points out that, previously, each individual fridge in the kitchen had a motor beside it. “A lot of the refrigeration units that we now have in the kitchen have remote compressors so the kitchen is quieter and cooler,” he says.

Kelly’s employed commercial kitchen and catering equipment specialists Kaneco to install all of the new equipment, as well as to make any adjustments that were required to ceilings, floors and walls. “We wanted to use the space we had better and to incorporate some modern equipment into it,” says Eugene. “Our principles and style of cooking hasn’t changed.

Our old style of production still holds but our new working space is more efficient. The kitchen re-vamp was a massive undertaking. It took a lot of planning to get to where we are now and Kaneco were very helpful. They are one of the few turnkey installers in the country - you give them the project and their electricians, plumbers, carpenters and steel fabricators work together so it isn’t done piecemeal by different companies.” Bill points out that Kaneco

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FOOD HEROES

did the kitchen revamps at The Merrion and at Chapter One, and at many other businesses that they went to view before contracting them to work on the new kitchen. “We are confident that this latest renovation will have a lifespan of hopefully 25 or 30 years,” he says.

INDUCTION TECHNOLOGY The new and improved catering operation features a large rotisserie oven. “This is akin to what you would see in outdoor food markets and it can do chicken, shank of lamb or shanks of veal, as well as half pigs, so that is a new item for us,” says Bill. “We will be doing a rotisserie of the day, either meat, poultry or fish, within the hotel which is a nice addition to what we already offer.

We are also running a lot of the units on induction. Induction is probably the way forward in terms of cooking, both from an economic and a control point of view. It is also excellent in terms of maintenance and cleaning, as well as controlling the heated environment of the kitchen, because you are not running gas unecessarily and there is no dish on the stove. With the ventilation system and the range of equipment that we now have we believe that the working environment will be much better for staff, as well as

being more energy efficient.” Kelly’s employs 25 chefs in its main kitchen and another 10 to 12 people in the kitchen porterage and wash up areas, so it is quite a large team in a large space. “We also have a separate kitchen for our La Marine restaurant - we upgraded the kitchen there last year,” says Bill. “The restaurant is celebrating its 20 year anniversary, so we are hosting a number of food and wine events in La Marine, including a celebrity chef evening with Paul Flynn of Tannery restaurant on March 23rd, a ladies cocktail evening followed by dinner in La Marine on May 4th, a craft beer tasting on May 18th, and a wine tasting dinner in association with Wexford Food Festival on May 26th. A separate programme of wine and food events is also running in the hotel itself during the spring and summer period so we have a pretty exciting year ahead.”

ANTICIPATING TRENDS Health and wellness is a major theme in our industry and it is at the forefront of Kelly’s culinary approach. “You can’t eliminate chips but you can do an offer of sweet potatoes and use something healthier than the conventional spud,” says Bill. “There is a big move towards using pulses, rather than potatoes and

pasta, to eliminate starch from the diet. In terms of our salads, we try to reflect the latest trends.

I also think that the handling of food is very important - we are trying to keep the balance between the freshness and the design of the plate.

Also, I think people will revert back to eating bread that is healthy and high quality, which is why we put in the large deck ovens for our bakery.

That will be a huge plus for us going forward.”

Eugene says that they have kept some of their traditional style ovens and installed some hot holding units which hold produce at a specific temperature, either moist or dry. “Our bakery area has doubled in size,” he says. “The large deck oven would be principally for bread and we installed some new dough kneading machines as well.” Bill Kelly points out that it isn’t natural that bread should last beyond 24 hours. “When I was a kid that was always the way, but now most breads last much longer than that because of the additives, so we need to get back to basics,” he says. “Natural sourdough breads preserve the bread, but also help you to digest your food because the fermentation process means the bread has the bifidus qualities that you find in yoghurts.

In fact, there is quitea movement towards fermented foods in general, particularly on the continent, but we aren’t that far yet. You can see it happening here in terms of bread but it is one step at a time.We are moving now to making our own sourdough breads and I can see the consumption of these breads becoming mainstream pretty quickly. Fresh local produce is key to everything that we do, which is why we have our own butchery and fish department – we fillet our own fish and butcher our own meat. There aren’t many hotels and restaurants that are doing that, but it is something we really believe in.”

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CULINARY CREATIONS

ART ON A PLATE How appealing is your food photography?

We highlight three hospitality businesses whose promotional efforts accurately reflect the excellence of their cuisine.

T

he consumer has become front and centre in the dissemination of images and news via social media, including uploading regular posts about whatever meal they happen to be enjoying, either at home or in their favourite restaurant. Our industry isn’t just competing with other caterers for business, it is competing with its potential customers who demonstrate their knowledge of food and, quite often, their creative flair, via foodie images and comments on a daily basis. The emergence of food stylists as a distinct profession is a reflection of just how food obssessed our society has become.

Hotel & Catering Review routinely receives food images from a variety of sources and the quality of these images has increased consistently over the past couple of years. On these pages we feature some beautiful and mouthwatering images of dishes served in Galway’s Aniar, The Coburg restaurant in Dublin’s Hotel Conrad, and at the Cliff Townhouse’s newest dining experience, Urchin. Despite the rise of the professional

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food stylist, these establishments created enticing, colourful and creative imagery by combining their own talents with those of a professional photographer.

In the case of The Hotel Conrad’s Coburg restaurant, the images were the result of a collaboration between the chef, the hotel marketing department and a photographer. The idea was to keep the presentation simple and to focus on the dishes, not the background. Similarly, the appetising dishes of food served at JP McMahon’s Aniar restaurant in Galway didn’t involve a food stylist. The dishes in the images on these pages reflect exactly how they are presented every day in the restaurant. Meanwhile, at Urchin, it was actually Executive Chef Martijn Kajuiter who did the food styling for the photo shoot to promote the new dining experience at the Cliff. The photographer was Shane O’Neill of Aspect Photography, who also shot the images for Martijn’s most recent cookbook, ‘Let’s Go Disco’.

THE SMALL PLATE CONCEPT Urchin is a a new dining experience at Cliff Townhouse at No 22 St Stephen’s Green featuring seaside themed décor, a day to day menu, and a full bar offering. Cliff House Hotel Michelin-star Executive Chef Martijn Kajuiter and Cliff Townhouse Head Chef Sean Smith have joined together to create the Cliff take on the small plate concept. “While staple menu favourites hold steady, the fun of dining at Urchin will be the adventurous daily changing menu,” says Martijn. “The kitchen will continue serving into the night, remaining open alongside the bar, making Urchin a great choice for a delicious late-

night supper. The kitchen area has been designed as an open space and the dynamics of food preparation and cooking are on full view.At Urchin, diners and chefs are encouraged to mingle to create an interactive experience.

Food is ordered through a token system, each one valued at 6. All dishes are priced at 6 and 12. Grab tokens at the bar and step over to the kitchen where many dishes are on display and chefs will talk diners through selections, serving up fresh plates to take back to their table.”

Signature dishes cooked to order include: Sea Urchin, sourced from the Beara Peninsula, poached and served as an edible cocktail, comprising aerated whiskey, tomato and smoked paprika; Irish Wagyu, from master butcher Pat Whelan, with a beef tea fondue; Fresh Irish Skate and an oriental slaw served with a ponzu jam on banana leaf. Also, immediately available from the open kitchen hatch, will be smaller dishes such as freshmade choux buns dipped in caramel, minute marinated

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CULINARY CREATIONS

scallops, pork with yoghurt and mint, and beech mushrooms in a lettuce cup.

“This wasn’t the first time that I cooked dishes for a photoshoot,” says Martijin. “I did it in the past for several different places that I worked for, ranging from commercial retail outings and magazine food to what I do now for Cliff. I don’t style it - I just try to present it well.” What look was he trying to achieve when he was presenting the dishes for the Urchin photoshoot? “The food must be real and relate to the dining concept that the photography is aiming to promote,” he says. “For example, Urchin is all about unpretentious food, bite-sized, fresh and cooked with a bit of flair and imagination. It is served on ‘platforms’ that are also different

but functional and not gimmicky.

All dishes are presented in a logical sequence. I understand that, for larger companies, food styling is important for consistency, product placement, and mood setting, but for any chef it is something they should do themselves.”

Aspect Photography’s Shane O’Neill has taken food pictures for a range of hospitality businesses, including Waterford Castle, The Tannery, Viewmount House and La Boheme.

“Martijn’s ‘Let’s Go Disco’ cookbook was a project I loved working on and the images would form a large part of my food portfolio,” he says. “It was all shot entirely on digital medium format, which created beautiful files that are stunning to look at. The most important

things for a photographer to keep in mind when they are taking pictures of food is simplicity. No props or styling. The art is in the presentation. I like to keep the lighting uniform, even, and a tad soft.

When plating, it is best to work slowly and build the elements, making sure that everything is visible and works compositionally.

Luckily, Martijn is a master at this. I just have to stand back and admire him at his craft. Art on a plate is very satisfying to shoot!”

MARCH 2017 | HOTEL

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CATERING REVIEW

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09/03/2017 13:32

A QUICK CHAT

INGREDIENT: HAND SELECTED FISH & SHELLFISH

I love using wild Mullaghmore lobster and fresh catch of the day from our local fishmonger.

The owner Anthony Gray and I work hand in hand to champion local wild ingredients.

MARCIN SZCZODROWSKI

“The government needs to wake up and start investing in food tourism, especially in the light of Brexit, and realise that it plays a massive role in this country.”

WISH LIST: WATER BATH

I am working on this with Anthony. We fully intend to have a water bath for sous-vide cooking before the end of the year.

“Catex 2017 was a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase what Eala Bhán is all about to a wider audience. We got some fantastic feedback from customers and other restaurant proprietors, which made the trip worthwhile.”

INSPIRATION: NEVEN MAGUIRE

Neven is one of the finest ambassadors for tourism and the food industry this country has ever seen. He consistently promotes Ireland as a must visit culinary destination.

“Tapas bars and rustic cafés are on the increase. If the entire country used local and seasonal ingredients I believe we would become the next world culinary destination.”

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HOTEL

FAVOURITE DISH: SPRING LAMB FROM SHERLOCKS IN TUBBERCURRY

Our climate means that Ireland has luscious lands for grazing and the wildest seas. This dish proves that Ireland punches above its weight.

Hotel & Catering Review talks to Marcin Szczodrowski, Executive Chef at Sligo’s Eala Bhán restaurant, about his menu’s use of local and organic ingredients from Sligo and the surrounding areas.

“My ethos is that you cannot go wrong with fresh ingredients and I enjoy preparing and creating dishes that reflect the different seasons.”

CATERING REVIEW | MARCH 2017

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09/03/2017 13:41

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