Hotel & Catering Review - Issue 5 2018

ISSUE 5 2018

The Rules of Engagement KEEP YOUR GUESTS COMING BACK

Counting Costs MENU COSTING AND YOUR BOTTOM LINE

RESTAURANTS WELCOME RELAXED CHEF PERMITS

# TRENDING INTERIOR DESIGN ADARE MANOR FOOD HEROES 000_HCR_Issue 5 2018_Cover.indd 1

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25.09.2018 Now in their 30th year, the 2018 Gold Medal Awards are recognised as the leading independent awards programme for the Irish hospitality industry.

Judged by industry experts, the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards recognise and reward excellence in hospitality and catering operations across the island of Ireland. The 2018 awards will be presented at a black-tie gala dinner on the 25th of September 2018 at The Lyrath Estate Hotel, Kilkenny.

For more information visit: hotelandcateringreview.ie/awards or contact Jacinta O’Rourke, Event Manager Phone: 01 432 2201 | Email: jacinta.orourke@ashvillemediagroup.com

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ISSUE 5 2018

Go to hotelandcatering review.ie for the online edition

ISSUE 5 2018

The Rules of Engagement

CONTENTS

KEEP YOUR GUESTS COMING BACK

Counting Costs MENU COSTING AND YOUR BOTTOM LINE

RESTAURANTS WELCOME RELAXED CHEF PERMITS

#TRENDING INTERIOR DESIGN ADARE MANOR FOOD HEROES

IN THIS ISSUE

COVER STORY

Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive, Restaurants Association of Ireland

LIGHT AT THE END

OF THE TUNNEL

14

We will be going overseas to promote the changes to countries outside the EU such as [those in] Southeast Asia, China, South Korea and the Middle East and to spread the word that there are jobs available within cheffing in Ireland.”

RAI’s Adrian Cummins talks about the relaxation of the rules governing work permits for foreign chefs.

REGULARS

04

NEWS

22 INTERIOR

34

HOSPITALITY

35

BOOK

DESIRE TECH SHELF

10 12 18 24 28 30 32

36

Guest engagement strategies for 2018.

Counting Costs Tailored menu costings can help boost your bottom line.

On Home Turf Rob Krawczyk talks about his first solo venture in Ballydehob.

Lords of the Manor We paid a visit to the revamped Adare Manor.

Water Watch Sustainable water use is an important factor for any hospitality business.

The Coffee People

Java Republic’s MD on fair trade, growth, and rebranding.

On the Menu A good menu cover can help make a positive first impression.

A Quick Chat With Carmel McGirr

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Editorial & Production Manager: Mary Connaughton Art Director: Alan McArthur Design Assistant: James Moore Creative Director: Jane Matthews Photography: Unilever Food Solutions, Nestlé, The Business of Food, Paul Sherwood, Breac.House, DK, Hodder & Stoughton, Penguin Ireland, MacNean House & Restaurant, Rob Krawczyk/Restaurant Chestnut, Elaine Fleming, Mescan Brewery, Ad4All Designer, Progress Packaging, MJCP, SoftCafé, Ziosk, Spyce, Toast, Gastronomixs Stock Photography iStock Infographics: www.flaticon.com Production: Nicole Ennis Sales Director: Paul Clemenson Managing Director: Gerry Tynan Chairman: Diarmaid Lennon

Published by: Ashville Media, Unit 55 Park West Road, Park West Industrial Estate, Dublin 12, D12 X9F9.

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 2018. 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 W

elcome to our fifth issue of Hotel & Catering Review for 2018.

Included in this edition is the latest news from across the hospitality sector, a quick chat with Carmel McGirr from Nevin Maguire’s MacNean House, and a look at several guest engagement strategies every hotel should be using.

In our regular Food Heroes feature, I caught up with Chef Rob Krawczyk, who grew up outside Schull in West Cork and has recently returned to his roots in opening his first solo restaurant in Ballydehob.

Rob chats about his food creations and what he hopes Restaurant Chestnut will add to Cork’s culinary landscape.

Earlier this year, Ireland relaxed the rules on work permits for foreign chefs, meaning that restaurants can now hire outside the European Economic Area. In our cover story, we talk to Restaurants Association of Ireland Chief Executive Adrian Cummins about this move and why it has received a big thumbs up from the industry. In addition, Hotel & Catering Review travelled to the recently refurbished Adare Manor to discover more about what was involved in that extensive process.

Elsewhere, we look at how you can boost your bottom line by getting menu costings right, and pick out some of the best options available for menu covers – a great way to make a positive first impression. We’ve also got some tips on sustainable water use, chat with Java Republic MD Grace O’Shaughnessy on the company’s rebranding, and profile the latest in hospitality technology.

HOTEL

Email: conor.forrest@ ashvillemediagroup.com

Enjoy the read,

Conor Forrest www.hotelandcateringreview.ie @HC_Review

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Editor: Conor Forrest

@

info@hotelandcateringreview.ie

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Features & Benefits

ISSUE 5 2018

The Rules of Engagement GUESTS KEEP YOUR COMING BACK

Counting Costs

MENU COSTING AND YOUR BOTTOM LINE

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RESTAURANTS RELAXED WELCOME CHEF PERMITS

#TRENDING INTERIOR DESIGN ADARE MANOR FOOD HEROES

ISSUE 5 2018

The Rules of Engagement GUESTS KEEP YOUR COMING BACK

Counting Costs

MENU COSTING AND YOUR BOTTOM LINE

RESTAURANTS RELAXED WELCOME CHEF PERMITS

#TRENDING INTERIOR DESIGN ADARE MANOR FOOD HEROES

ISSUE 5 2018

The Rules of Engagement GUESTS KEEP YOUR COMING BACK

Counting Costs

MENU COSTING AND YOUR BOTTOM LINE

RESTAURANTS RELAXED WELCOME CHEF PERMITS

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#TRENDING INTERIOR DESIGN ADARE MANOR FOOD HEROES

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NEWS The Special Olympics Ireland Team Munster launch at City Hall.

Photo: Gerard McCarthy

THE GIBSON PARTNERS WITH SPECIAL OLYMPICS IRELAND The gibson hotel has announced that it will join Special Olympics Ireland as hospitality sponsor, which will include hosting key events in the lead up to the 2018 Special Olympics Ireland Games in June.

“The values of Special Olympics Ireland are close to our heart here at The gibson hotel – hard work, along with fun, friendship and the feeling of team spirit and belonging,” said Garret Marrinan, General Manager. “We are honoured to be the hospitality sponsor for Special Olympics Ireland and we look forward to welcoming the athletes, patrons, directors, stakeholders and all involved in the organisation over the coming months.”

The Ireland Games return to Dublin for the first time in 16 years, with Special Olympics Ireland celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2018.

NEW COLLECTION PROMISES ‘UNFORGETTABLE IRISH EXPERIENCES’ Ireland’s newest hotel group has been launched – Original Irish Hotels is a new tourism and hospitality brand representing 60 independent, owner-run hotels across the country, and promises to champion individuality, diversity, and authenticity among its members.

The brand – which is the largest collection of privatelyowned hotels in Ireland – will both promote the destinations under its umbrella and manage domestic and international traveller reservations, acting as a guide for visitors seeking accommodation ranging from historic castles and luxury spas to country house hotels and chic urban boutique locations. The idea is that no two visits will be the same.

“We believe Original Irish Hotels will serve as a fantastic guide for those travelling in Ireland. We Irish have a reputation all over the world for our people and food and the diversity of our landscapes and countryside, as well as our culture and history,” said Roisín Wallace, Group Director of Operations and Marketing.

“Each of our hotels has its own personality and charm, and no two stays will ever feel the same. Original Irish Hotels wants to deliver unforgettable Irish experiences in hotels that are muchloved and minded by their owners and managers.”

IRISH HOLIDAYMAKERS PLAN INCREASED SPEND According to a recent survey by AA Travel Insurance, almost half of Irish people plan on increasing their travel spend on their main holiday this summer. Over 40 per cent intend on travelling abroad at least once this year.

“It may not seem like that long ago that many families had to scrap or greatly reduce their traditional summer holiday plans during the worst years of the recession, but these findings do highlight that many of us now are in a better financial position and, as a result, feel a little more comfortable splashing out and treating ourselves while we’re on holiday,” said Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Consumer Affairs.

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A four poster deluxe room at Dingle Benners Hotel.

Photo: Pawel Nowak

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Photo: Michael Cullen

The Alex lobby.

Photos: Ruth Maria Murphy

The Alex Hotel.

O’CALLAGHAN HOTEL GROUP ANNOUNCES REBRAND The O’Callaghan Hotel Group has announced a rebrand of the O’Callaghan Collection.

The Irish-owned and family-run group has invested over 30 million in transforming its four-star Dublin hotels – The Alex, The Davenport and The Green – and will begin an extensive programme of renovation at the three-star Mont Clare Hotel towards the end of the year. The new group brand identity was developed by Dublin agency DesignWorks.

“Our new name and brand identity reflects the transformation that has taken place in our four-star hotels as well as in our team over the past 12 months,” said Eoin Likely, Chief Financial Officer. “We have moved to an impressive collection of unique, bespoke four-star hotels that are leading a new style revolution in Dublin that would be more typically associated with cities such as New York, London, Madrid, or Paris.”

Paddy McCarthy, Good Eating Guide; Liam Campbell, Irish Independent Wine Correspondent; Noel McMeel, Executive Head Chef at Lough Erne Resort and Maria Bailey TD.

LOUGH ERNE CHEF NAMED BEST IN ULSTER Lough Erne Executive Head Chef Noel McMeel was named Best Chef in Ulster at the recent Good Eating Guide to Ireland annual awards, beating off stiff competition from Ulster’s burgeoning culinary scene. Noel has an impressive CV, having created menus for world leaders like Barack Obama at the G8 summit and catered for high profile musicians and film stars from Liam Neeson to Sir Paul McCartney.

Noel also shares his expertise on a regular basis through TV and radio appearances across the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain, has featured on The Great British Menu and held a regular slot on RTÉ’s Afternoon Show.

“Noel’s unique take on modern Irish cooking transforms fresh produce from the best local suppliers into the crèmede-la-crème of contemporary fine-dining,” said William Kirby, General Manager. “With fantastic service, a passion and flair for food and an illustrious career, the impressive accolade of ‘Best Chef in Ulster’ comes as no surprise to those who are familiar with Noel’s mastery in the kitchen.”

ADARE MANOR MAKES HOT LIST

Photo: Jack Hardy

The recently revamped Adare Manor has been named on Condé Nast Traveller’s highly regarded Hot List for 2018 – the only Irish hotel on a list of 102 properties across the globe. Adare Manor reopened last November following an extensive refurbishment process that included the addition of a new ballroom and 42 additional bedrooms.

Condé Nast describes the Co Limerick destination as a “delicious mix of old and new”, noting that “while retaining an old-school, aristocratic vibe, Adare’s fanciful gargoyles, genuinely warm staff, grand and intimate spaces, and super-comfortable rooms make it somewhere unique and unabashedly the Ireland of now.”

Adare Manor.

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Photo: Leon Farrell

MESCAN BREWERY LAUNCHES TOURS

Jamie Heaslip at the Discover Musgrave MarketPlace.

MUSGRAVE EXPLORES DINING HABITS According to new research from Musgrave MarketPlace, over a third of Irish people go out for dinner at least once a week, while one in four eat out for lunch. Half spend between 50 and 100 on each occasion, and 60 per cent of diners always leave a tip. Nearly 40 per cent would like to see more casual dining restaurants in Ireland, and one in five would prefer to see healthier eateries.

Bart Adons of Mescan Brewery.

Mescan Brewery, a two-man craft brewing team based near Croagh Patrick, has launched a series of 90-minute tours taking place across the summer at a cost of 15 per person. Tours will be lead by co-founder Cillian Ó Móráin or his Belgian-born business partner Bart Adons. In September, the brewers are also launching ‘Education at Mescan’, an invitation for beer lovers to join them on a full-day workshop focusing on how to brew Belgian beers and how to drink the resultant product.

“We’ve been inundated with requests to tour the brewery,” said Ó Móráin. “People enjoy finding out how Belgian-style beers are brewed and we like nothing better than talking about beer and brewing – it’s a match made in heaven.”

Mescan Brewery is named after Mescan, an ancient monk said to be a friend of St. Patrick and a brewer. Adons and Ó Móráin are both exveterinary surgeons who have been friends and colleagues for nearly 20 years and spent four years perfecting original recipes for Belgian beer. The focus is on creating small batches with attention to detail, with a range including Mescan Blond (the flagship brew), Mescan Saison, Westporter Stout and Mescan Special Reserve.

Niall Stears, Head Chef at Beaumont House in Dublin.

CARVERY COMPETITION Entries have opened for the Great Carvery competition, supported

by Knorr and now in its ninth year. Shortlisted nominees will be informed on July 16th, with eight provincial winners named on September 10th and the overall winners revealed on September 21st. Entries close on June 30th. For more information see www.ufs.com/carvery.

DO YOU HAVE IRELAND’S BEST BURGER? The hunt is on for Ireland’s best burger as the first National Burger Day takes place on June 21st. Sponsored

by Kepak and supported by Coca-Cola, Heinz, Dubliner Cheese and Tour America, participating outlets across the country will mark the day by offering customers a buy one get one free offer on their signature burger. Voting for Ireland’s best burger commenced on May 28th, with competitors ranging from fast food to gourmet joints.

More information is available on www.nationalburgerday.ie.

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Photo: Leon Farrell

DUBLIN STUDENT TAKES NATIONAL PRIZE

EXPERIENCE THE TASTE OF DUBLIN

Photo: Kevin Murphy.

Taste of Dublin 2018 was officially launched at the beginning of May, encouraging food enthusiasts from across the country to converge on the Iveagh Gardens from June 14th – 17th.

The theme for this year’s festival is the ‘Food Lover’s Playground’, with attractions ranging from cocktails at the top of a wooden tram to an entire menu of food in various shades of pink. Guests at this year’s festival will include Ballymaloe’s Rachel Allen, author Sharon Hearne-Smith, Candice Brown of The Great British Bake Off, and Kevin Dundon of Dunbrody House.

Jade Ainscough.

NESTLÉ IRELAND LAUNCHES NEW BRAND Nestlé has launched its successful premium chocolate brand in Ireland in the wake of impressive European growth. Les Recettes De L’Atelier includes a range of Swiss chocolate blocks with fruit and nut pieces and was originally launched in 2014 in France and Switzerland. Today it’s the company’s fastest growing confectionery brand in Europe.

DONEGAL ETB LAUNCHES HOSPITALITY TRAINEESHIP

Photo: Sasko Lazarov/ Photocall Ireland

Pictured at the launch of Taste of Dublin 2018 are Candice Brown of The Great British Bake Off and Sharon Hearne-Smith, food stylist, with Chef Adrian Martin, food writer and TV chef.

Donegal ETB has launched a new career traineeship in Hospitality Operations. The opportunity has been developed alongside some of the country’s leading hotels and will cover a range of relevant modules including accommodation techniques, reception and frontline office skills, customer service and food preparation. The traineeship will begin in Donegal this autumn.

Jade Ainscough has been crowned the KNORR Student Chef of the Year 2018 following a two-hour cook-off at Dundalk Institute of Technology. Celebrating Ireland’s first Michelin star pub, the Wild Honey Inn in Co Clare, this year’s theme was a ‘Contemporary Take on Traditional Pub Dishes’. The judges were impressed by Jade’s menu, which began with grilled purple broccoli in harissa butter, mixed radish salad, millet croquette and parmesan shavings, followed by fillet of seabass, spring vegetable stew, blanket of white wine jelly and coral crisp.

“For my dishes I researched many typical Irish pub dishes, many of which consist of quick and easy food. I wanted to carry over many of the same characteristics while adding a new twist,” she explained.

The other top two spots were taken by Glenn McCourt (Dundalk IT) and Stephen Deasy (Limerick IT). “The student chefs are coming through college at an interesting time in the hospitality sector and the talent demonstrated in the competition proves our future kitchens are in safe culinary hands,” said Mark McCarthy, Unilever Food Solutions Business Development Chef. “The entrants year-on-year are testament to the Irish food industry and education centres. They are the very reason why KNORR Student Chef of the Year prevails as one of the country’s top culinary competitions.”

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Commercial

PROFILE

NEW HORIZONS FOR

Irish Tourism WITH THE TOURISM INDUSTRY UPBEAT ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, FÁILTE IRELAND HAS BEEN BUSY IN GROWING AND DEVELOPING ITS RANGE OF SUPPORTS AND INITIATIVES.

SENTIMENT UPBEAT FOR 2018 PROSPECTS Despite a difficult start to the year due to unfavourable weather conditions, industry sentiment for most businesses is positive for the remainder of the year. This was one of the findings from the latest Fáilte Ireland Tourism Barometer, a survey of over 500 tourism businesses around the country.

Overall, industry sentiment is positive with the paid serviced accommodation (PSA) sector including hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs enjoying a strong start to 2018, with 48 per cent of businesses receiving more visitors to date than the same period last year. 73 per cent of businesses say that repeat visitors are a positive factor in their outlook for this year. 53 per cent of businesses say that their own investment is one of the main factors they expect to have a positive impact on their business this year.

Further information on the Barometer is available at www.failteireland.ie

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin with Fáilte Ireland's Josephine O’Driscoll and Miriam Kennedy at the launch of the New Horizons on the Wild Atlantic Way 2018 Grants Scheme.

GRANT BOOST FOR HERITAGE PARK

LONG-TERM PLAN TARGETS

IRELAND’S COAST

W

orking with key stakeholders and tourism businesses along the Wild Atlantic Way in Kerry to create a long-term development plan, Fáilte Ireland has announced the New Horizons on the Wild Atlantic Way 2018 Grants Scheme. Capital grants of up to €200,000 will fund projects to develop and improve visitor experiences along the Skellig Coast.

Fáilte Ireland has also developed a long-term development plan for the Connemara Coast and Aran Islands and is currently working on plans along the Wild Atlantic Way – including for the Burren in Clare, the Three Heads (Ballydehob to Kenmare) in Cork, the Dingle Peninsula in Kerry and Malin Head in Donegal – which are expected to be completed by the end of 2018.

Fáilte Ireland is now accepting applications from tourism businesses in the Skellig Coast area who wish to apply for funding as part of the New Horizons on the Wild Atlantic Way 2018 Grants Scheme.

To find out more about the application process and eligibility requirements, visit www.failteireland.ie

Fáilte Ireland’s Jenny De Saulles, and Paul Kelly, CEO, with Maura Bell, Irish National Heritage Park.

The history and stories behind Wexford's Irish National Heritage Park will be brought to life thanks to a €35,000 development grant from Fáilte Ireland. A series of capital grants are available to improve the quality of animation and storytelling at existing attractions across Ireland's Ancient East.

Successful bids are recognised for their ability to improve the quality of physical interpretation using resources such as audio guides, video and interactive technology.

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PROFILE

F

áilte Ireland’s Meet in Ireland team recently visited Germany to promote Ireland at the annual IMEX Frankfurt Trade Exhibition.

IMEX is one of the largest worldwide exhibitions for incentive travel, meetings and events and is attended by over 14,000 industry professionals.

A key focus of Fáilte Ireland’s promotion was Ireland’s authentic and unique food offering with top Fáilte Ireland’s Meet in Ireland Manager Ciara Gallagher, Adare Manor’s Gillian Griffin, Cork chef and food writer, and owner of Convention Bureau’s Seamus Heaney and Dublin’s Medley restaurant, Andrew Galway Convention Bureau’s Rose Finn at this Rudd showcasing the best in Irish food. year’s IMEX Frankfurt.

Meet in Ireland will also host a group of prestigious European association executives for a familiarisation trip to Dublin following IMEX to show them firsthand the potential opportunities available. This familiarisation trip has the potential to win up to 10,500 delegates to Ireland with a value of almost €17m.

A TASTE OF THE ATLANTIC

Renowned seafood producers with Sinead Hennessy, Fáilte Ireland and Jim O'Toole, CEO, BIM at Spanish Point.

Photo: Jürgen Lecher

IRISH FOOD HITS FRANKFURT

Fáilte Ireland and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) recently teamed up to advise seafood producers along the West coast on how best to prepare their tourism offering in advance of the busy holiday period.

Twenty-one renowned seafood producers were selected as members of the Taste the Atlantic – A Seafood Journey Trail. The Trail passes some of Ireland’s most breathtaking seascapes and landmarks and aims to offer visitors unique experiences ranging from boat trips and oyster farm visits to seafood smoking demonstrations and seaweed foraging. These experiences offer leisure tourists an opportunity to meet the maker, learn about their craft, and taste a product freshly harvested from the sea.

Pictured are Martina Bromley (Fáilte Ireland), Eric Cosset, Kathryn Thomas, Fáilte Ireland CEO Paul Kelly, Niamh O’Shea, Paul Carty and Daniel Levine.

Photo: Chris Bellew/Fennell Photography

WOWING VISITORS Wowing visitors with unforgettable experiences and delivering world-class customer care to increase business were the themes of Fáilte Ireland’s ‘Wow Visitors: Win Business’ Customer Experience Summit.

Representatives from over 200 tourism businesses heard from a panel of international and national experts on the latest in international visitor trends, and how exceptional customer service can provide a competitive edge for tourism businesses. The summit covered a host of interesting insights and topics ranging from accessible, convenient and seamless customer journeys to the power of face-to-face encounters.

KERRY WITNESSES GALACTIC INVASION Fáilte Ireland’s first ‘May the Fourth Be With You’ Festival kicked off on Friday May 4th last, which coincided with fans across the globe commemorating the Star Wars universe. The Festival included a host of activities across the Kingdom including beehive huts at Slea Head, a special céilí for Star Wars fans, and an outdoor drive-in movie screening set against the breath-taking backdrop of the west Kerry coast.

Left: Minister Brendan Griffin at a screening of Star Wars: The Last Jedi at Bray Head, Valentia Island, Co Kerry, as part of the Star Wars May the 4th Be With You weekend in Portmagee.

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BUSINESS MATTERS

Guests Engaged,

Captain

Engaged guests are more likely to enjoy their experience, feel a real connection with your hotel, and ultimately pay a return visit. So how can you take steps to increase and enhance your guest engagement strategy?

INFORM YOUR STAFF Your staff are the main link between your business and its customers – they welcome guests to your hotel, check them in, serve them food and much more besides. Ensure that your staff have the answers to guests’ questions beyond the norm. One guest might like to know the provenance of the day’s special, another might look for recommendations for family-friendly activities in the locality.

Having staff who are informed and encouraged to answer such questions is important in enhancing the hotel-customer relationship.

“Staff problems are management problems – the best don’t leave food to chefs or tickets to the concierge,” travel writer Pól Ó Conghaile wrote in the Irish Independent recently. “They have staff taste their menus, learn their ethos, explore their locality... making them feel invested.

Think of anyone who interfaces with a customer as an ambassador.”

#The Small Stuff Top tip: small, simple but important steps can help make your guests feel welcome.

That might include flexibility on the menu (particularly with children), addressing people by name, or leaving small tokens in guest rooms such as a sample of local produce.

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BUSINESS MATTERS

GO SOCIAL Maintaining an active presence on social media is important for any hotel in raising their profile and attracting new guests, but it can also prove useful in engaging guests and increasing return stays. According to a 2016 study by Local Measure – a customer experience platform based in the US – digitally engaged guests are 40 per cent more likely to return to your hotel.

There are many ways you can engage with guests (and potential customers) online. Encourage them to share photos from their stay on Facebook and Instagram and tag the hotel, with one photo every week chosen as a ‘featured photo’ on social media channels and your official website.

Always like the pictures you are tagged in and appreciate people who say nice things about your brand. Questions or complaints should always get a speedy response – the latter represent an opportunity to show you listen and are capable of fixing any problems that may arise.

Competitions are of course a great way to encourage interaction – you could ask guests to upload a photo of one of their favourite moments from their stay and allow users to vote on the choices for a chance to win a prize. You could also run promotions that offer discounts to return customers or create a branded hashtag or poll that allows people to have a say in changes regarding the hotel. Even something as small as choosing a new piece of furniture can help make them feel part of the experience. It doesn’t have to be a post-stay experience – Sol Wave House in Mallorca was the first ever ‘Twitter experience hotel’ back in 2013, and guests can order a drink using the hashtag #poolbarorder.

Take it seriously, but allow your hotel’s personality to shine through!

TAKE CONTROL Alongside being entertained, guests like to feel in control in their rooms. Inroom tablets could allow guests to make reservations in the restaurant, book transport, ask questions, or control aspects of the room including lights, the television or room temperature. It’s something that was recently introduced in Adare Manor following an extensive renovation and restoration programme, operating everything from lighting to the blinds in the bathroom.

Across the pond, Hilton’s Connected Room technology will allow guests to control their stay from their smart device via the Hilton Honors app, ranging from window coverings to the TV. The longer-term view is a connected experience where guests will be able to use voice commands to control their room. “The technology we put in hotel rooms has to be intuitive, simple and quick to pick up because guests typically spend a limited amount of time in their rooms and we want them to spend that time enjoying the experience instead of adapting to new technology,” said Joshua Sloser, Senior Vice President of Digital Product with Hilton.

ENTERTAIN IN-ROOM A lot of in-room entertainment is the same these days – a Wi-Fi connection and a television with a handful of channels offering little choice.

Thankfully, technology is on-hand to make for a more interesting and engaging experience, particularly for those visitors who prefer to relax and unwind in the hotel rather than head out and explore. You could provide a Chromecast in every room, allowing guests to stream their own content on the TV screen (Staycast is another option). Smart TVs can allow guests to directly watch content from their Netflix accounts. Access to TV services from providers like Sky is another differentiator, given that a generation has grown up with paid TV at home. Take Hilton hotels – as part of its roll-out of Connected Room technology in the US this year, guests can enjoy complimentary access to Showtime on demand without the need for a subscription or credentials. Don’t forget to include charging cables for a variety of devices; USB wall sockets are another handy option, particularly for travellers who have forgotten to pack a travel adapter for their phone.

PERSONALISED PREFERENCES Modern hotel management software allows businesses to track information about guest preferences. While it does depend on at least one repeat visit, the next time a particular guest arrives you can surprise them with their favourite brand of coffee waiting in their hotel room, a personalised minibar, or a list of nearby activities they might find enjoyable.

“Using hotel tech and software, you can keep track of everything from what kind of pillows they like to their food and music preferences,” business software directory Capterra noted in a recent blog post. “It’s an opportunity to let your guests know that they are valued, and not simply just another entry in the booking ledger.”

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FINANCE

Counting

Costs

It may not sound very glamorous, but menu costing is a crucial aspect of running a restaurant. We caught up with Blathnaid Bergin from The Business of Food to learn how it can boost your bottom line.

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very restaurateur knows that what’s on a menu need to be enticing and, when dishes arrive at the table, they should taste just as good as they sound. If you’ve managed to hit on the right formula, a winning dish (or dishes) will have customers returning to your restaurant time and again. However, if you haven’t taken the time to cost your menu correctly it may not matter how delicious your food is. It might seem like a particularly tedious exercise, but menu costing is an essential tool for restaurateurs and could be the deciding factor when it comes to making a profit or not.

Correctly costing your menu determines if a dish is profitable, and every menu item will have its own food cost percentage. The lower that number, the less you spend creating it. The higher the number, the more expensive it is to create it. It sounds like a no-brainer, but not all restaurants take the time to properly cost their menu.

“A lot of people don’t bother doing these costings at all but I would absolutely recommend it. How can you fix the selling price of a dish if you don’t know what it’s costing you? Sometimes people make educated guesses; they take the most expensive ingredient on the dish, add surround costs to it, multiply that figure by three or four, add VAT and hope for the best. But anyone who really wants to take it seriously needs to do their costing in a more scientific manner,” says Blathnaid Bergin, Director and Owner of The Business of Food. A graduate of Shannon College of Hotel Management, Blathnaid has been setting up and streamlining food service businesses for decades. Her ‘Business of Food’ courses are specifically designed to give entrants to the industry the tools, skills and knowledge to do it right first time.

For a restaurant costing a menu from scratch, the first thing they need is a recipe. “You can’t cost without a written recipe. Accurate prices for the ingredients required for that recipe are also needed.

The most up-to-date invoice should be used for this,” says Blathnaid. Once these direct costs have been calculated, the next step is to figure out how much you need to sell the dish for. This is where gross profit percentage comes into play, i.e. the gross profit measured as a percentage of the selling price of a dish.

To be financially successful, a restaurant should be making a gross profit percentage of about 65-70 per cent, with food costs of 30-35 per cent.

Although would-be restaurant owners at Blathnaid’s courses are instructed to complete menu costings using a pen and paper, she advises clients to invest in a computerised costing programme or complete it in Microsoft Excel. “It takes too long by hand. I use a particular one called Resource Software which I’ve had for decades,” she says. “I regularly advise clients to invest in it as it’s extremely effective and not expensive.

I gain nothing financially by recommending it but if people do go ahead and buy it, they’ll get a 20 per cent discount if they mention my name.”

Blathnaid Bergin, Director/Owner of The Business of Food.

TO BE FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL, A RESTAURANT SHOULD BE MAKING A GROSS PROFIT PERCENTAGE OF ABOUT 6570 PER CENT, WITH FOOD COSTS OF 3035 PER CENT.

Food costing also needs to be regularly updated as food prices rise or fall. A food costing toolkit is available from Fáilte Ireland and is, says Blathnaid, particularly useful for restaurants with a small menu.

Restaurants with seasonal menus will also have to adjust their prices according to the time of year.

“These menus are usually smaller, which is a good thing, as it’s easier to control the quality of the food,” she notes. “Also, the skills just aren’t out there to prepare big menus anymore. Restaurants with seasonal menus are changing their offering in line with what’s in season, meaning their food is cheaper and of a higher quality.”

Indirect costs such as rent or mortgage payments, lighting and heating, staff, equipment, maintenance and VAT must also be taken into consideration. It’s essential that all costs are tightly controlled so that the net profit ends up as close as possible to the target gross profit. Every restaurant’s cost base is different, says Blathnaid.

“The labour content of one menu might be much higher than it is in another restaurant or one business may have high overheads while another might actually own their own building.

There are so many factors involved in costing and that’s why it’s important for restaurants to take the time and do their own menu costing.”

One of the most important factors is VAT. “You must remember to add VAT,” she adds. “If you forget to add VAT to the selling price of your food it’s an absolute catastrophe, as Revenue will need it from you anyway.”

Developing a menu should be a creative and fun part of running a restaurant. There’s nothing to say that financial success can’t go hand in hand with a chef ’s creativity and a desire to use tasty ingredients. Correctly costing a menu doesn’t just make sound financial sense; it could save you from some serious stress down the road.

“There’s really no excuse for people not doing this properly, particularly when menus are increasingly getting smaller,” says Blathnaid.

“Costing a menu will ensure you’re building your business on good, strong foundations.”

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COVER STORY

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COVER STORY

Hotel and Catering Review talks to RAI Chief Executive Adrian Cummins about the relaxation of the rules governing work permits for foreign chefs, and why it has got a big thumbs up from the industry.

Light at the end of the

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Almost

every day, new reports documenting the hospitality industry’s staffing crisis hit the headlines. Experts say we need 7,000 chefs per year to service the industry and, with restaurants and hotels up and down the country crying out for trained staff, there’s no doubt the situation is at breaking point. In an effort to mitigate the issue and avoid a potentially disastrous crisis in the hospitality sector, the government has finally legislated to ease restrictions on work permits for foreign chefs. Employment permit regulations intended to make it easier for restaurants to hire chefs from outside the EU have been changed and certain chef grades have been added to the occupation list. ”This means that if an employer is unsuccessful in filling a vacancy either domestically or from across the European Economic Area (EEA) it can be filled by a suitably qualified non-EEA national,” Heather Humphreys, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, said of that move. “My decision to remove certain chef grades from the ineligible lists will ensure that there is a mechanism to address the shortage of qualified chefs in the short-term.”

This is big news for the industry and comes at a time when the sector is struggling to deliver the type of service that’s required in a recovering economy. The changes mean that if a business is finding it difficult to fill a role with a candidate from Ireland or the EU, they can look further afield for a suitably qualified person. Under previous employment laws, only ethnic restaurants were permitted to recruit chefs from outside the EU, with the numbers entering the country tightly controlled by State officials. According to the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI), only about 220 chefs were brought into Ireland to work in ethnic restaurants under these rules last year.

Photo: Paul Sherwood

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Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive, Restaurants Association of Ireland

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RESTRICTIONS The new regulations do come with stipulations. A quota has been applied to the scheme, with a limit of two general employment permits per business and an overall quota of general employment permits of 620.

Minister Humphreys has stated that the quota will ensure that demand for chefs will be met from the Irish labour market in the longer term. Despite the quota, this is a much-needed and welcome move says Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the RAI. “We’ve been calling for these changes since 2012,” he explains. “We feel that the changes are extremely positive and the quota of 620 permits is a marked increase to what was previously in place. It has been a long time coming so we’re delighted that Minister Humphreys has finally given it the go-ahead.”

The RAI chief executive added that it’s important to get the new scheme up and running as quickly as possible and to deal with the quota issue if and when it poses problems for businesses.

“If we fill the quota within four or five months, then clearly we’ll need to approach the Department again but, for the moment, we need to start filling these vacancies and allow the industry to recover,” he adds.

Stipulations on salary levels for chefs have also been introduced. Chef de partie, sous chefs and executive chefs will need to have a specific number of years’ experience before they’re granted a work permit. It’s not something that Cummins is concerned with, though he does raise the point about pushing the new work permits to help ease the current crisis.

“We have no issue with that. We would, however, like to see these work permits fast-tracked so there’s no delay in solving this very serious staffing issue,” he notes. “We will be going overseas to promote the changes to countries outside the EU such as [those in] Southeast Asia, China, South Korea and the Middle East and to spread the word that there are jobs available within cheffing in Ireland. It’s important to identify that this is about attracting skilled labour to Ireland.”

The RAI has long claimed that a shortage of staff in the hospitality sector was limiting

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COVER STORY 368,000 in Dublin and around 235,000 outside the capital. Renters by no means escape these housing woes, with rents having risen by an average of 70 per cent since their lowest point. In a recent Daft.ie report on the rental market, it was noted that the figures outlined would offer “little comfort to those who have to venture into the open market in search of rental accommodation.”

“Salaries will certainly attract people to Ireland but the housing side of things may present a problem,” Cummins explains.

“We’ll be advising our members to ensure they have accommodation for new staff members lined up. We can’t afford to allow Ireland’s housing issue derail these new changes.” Some are already ahead of the pack – Ashford Castle has invested in a 45-room staff accommodation block on-site (including a gym) to help attract staff from all over the world. In Killarney, the Europe Hotel is doing something similar, planning to add four staff accommodation blocks complete with a gym, laundry facilities and space for 10 people, in addition to their existing 70-person facility.

Chefs Off the Ineligible List: • Executive chef with a minimum of five years’ experience at that level.

• Head chef with a minimum of five years’ experience at that level.

• Sous chef with a minimum of five years’ experience at that level.

• Chef de partie with a minimum of two years’ experience at that level.

its expansion. It is expected that these changes will go some way towards allowing the sector reach its potential if the necessary steps are taken to ensure its success. Given the fact that proposals have finally reached the light of day, it’s important to make sure that the most is made of this opportunity.

“Every time we brought this issue up with the Department, we hit a brick wall. The fact that it has now been implemented is an important step forward for the sector,” says Cummins. “We need to ensure that the scheme is properly coordinated as our industry is totally disjointed. You have certain agencies with responsibility for training, others looking after development and others looking after work permits. With so many government bodies involved, it’s a complete mish-mash. It really doesn’t make any sense so it’s important that this particular initiative is run properly.”

The lack of affordable housing across the country may affect the viability of the scheme, but this is something that businesses will have to account for, says Adrian. Those looking to buy their own property face an uphill struggle in 2018, with prices soaring to an average of

THE WAY FORWARD It’s hoped that staff shortages will be alleviated by these new changes, but certain issues of negative impact to the sector remain, one of which is the cost of insurance. Public liability costs are prohibitively high and create fresh problems for restaurants and hotels. “When it comes to insurance costs, the government has done nothing to help small businesses and that includes firms in our sector. Public liability has gone through the roof and, currently, a large number of businesses are finding it difficult to pay insurance companies. In my opinion, this is a scandal,” Cummins notes.

“What we have in place at the moment is an ambulance-chasing regime where you have certain people trying to get to court in order to get huge payouts.”

Not enough is being done to provide a solution to this problem and, because of that, there’s a lot of angry businesses out there, says Cummins.

“We’re very fearful of what’s around the corner for our industry. The circumvention of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) by the legal profession is an absolute scandal,” he says. “PIAB was set up to deal with all of this but solicitors are telling their clients not to bother as they’ll get more money in the High Court. We’re being shafted and something has to change.”

To borrow a phrase from a certain political party, there’s a lot done but plenty more yet to do for Ireland’s restaurant trade.

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FOOD HEROES

Award-winning chef Rob Krawczyk has traded the Royal County for the People’s Republic in his first solo venture.

Conor Forrest caught up with the Corkman to learn more about his inspirational family and a focus on culinary simplicity.

On Home Turf T

he village of Ballydehob is a small but vibrant and diverse settlement on the southwestern fringe of Cork, home to a wealth of history and a culture of music at the edge of the Mizen peninsula. There’s an almost haunting beauty to the landscape around these parts – an imposing 12-arch bridge (the last remnant of the West Cork Tramway) provides the backdrop to a children’s playground; an estuary teeming with wildlife flows close by and, several kilometres outside Ballydehob’s borders, is Kilcoe Castle, which stands guard over Roaringwater Bay and was restored to former glories by the actor Jeremy Irons.

The village is also well-known for a wide variety of eateries ranging from traditional Italian dishes to simple but delicious Irish pub food. For the last two months or so, that culinary scope has been expanded by the arrival of Restaurant Chestnut, an intimate 18-seater helmed by chef Rob Krawczyk.

Rob grew up outside the nearby town of Schull in a house where life revolved around the kitchen, and one of his main sources of inspiration has always been his parents – proponents of the supper club before it came back into fashion. Well-known within food circles, his father Frank made world-class charcuterie in West Cork for 25 years and taught Rob how to cure and smoke meat and make salami and dry-aged coppa – his mum Annie would look after front of house as the family hosted guests in their home every summer over the course of a decade.

“They had a little restaurant in the house as well, so I’ve always been around food. I always wanted a small place to do small numbers, to be able to do it and do it right,” he explains.

You’d think that the son of a devotee to the craft of charcuterie might make a beeline for the kitchen but, despite his family influences, Rob’s journey into the world of food took a bit of a roundabout route. At the age of 18 he left for art college, studying model-making and special effects for film and TV. He was in his late twenties when he made the decision to follow the food path and, instead of hitting the books once more, he eschewed culinary college for throwing himself into the deep end in London, with the help of a key friend in Richard Corrigan.

In the intervening years he worked under a string of chefs across the world including Alice Waters of Chez Pannise in San Francisco and Martijn Kajuiter of the Michelin-starred Cliff House Hotel restaurant, won the Best Chef in Leinster title two years in a row, tested local waters during a residency at Glebe Gardens in Baltimore in 2017, and worked as head chef

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FOOD HEROES

ORIGINALLY IT WAS A PUB, THE BUILDING IS ABOUT 100 YEARS OLD. THERE’S A LOVELY FEEL, A LOT OF LITTLE ROOMS – IT’S NOT ONE BIG OPEN ROOM.

of Brabazon Restaurant at Tankardstown House in Co Meath, where diners would begin their meal with a plate of charcuterie made in-house. Now he’s back on home turf.

“I’ve spent the last year-and-a-half just trying to find the right location and we were lucky enough that, kind of by accident, we stumbled upon this,” he tells me. “This part of the world is very important to me personally and I’m so happy to be setting down roots back here.”

Photos: Elaine Fleming

FOOD FOCUS Rob’s approach to food is one of simplicity, avoiding complication and presenting food in its natural state as much as possible. The menu at his first solo restaurant focuses on strong and bold flavours, offering a choice between two starters, two main courses and two desserts and featuring culinary treats such as salted celery root and duck, crispy chicken wing with yeast cauliflower and onion, or rhubarb combined with Jerusalem artichoke, yoghurt and pollen.

Walk-in guests can grab a spot at the bar and enjoy a snack – charcuterie, a selection of local cheeses, terrines, and whatever best is available during that season (not to mention a glass of wine). Dinner is served four nights a week from Wednesday to Saturday, with Sunday reserved for lunch.

“The focus at Restaurant Chestnut will be on quality food and sustainable, respectful methods of growing, cooking and entertaining,” Rob explains. “Good cooking starts with good produce and when you have the richness of the Irish larder to choose from, you’re off to a great start. We want to celebrate Irish producers, in particular small, local and sustainable producers from West Cork, and from all over the country.”

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#Seasonality

Photos: Elaine Fleming

That’s hardly surprising given the artisan blood that flows in his veins and the depth and breadth of food producers right on his doorstep. Skeaghanore West Cork Duck is just down the road, hand-reared farm ducks fed on a natural diet and given space to roam. North of the village, Cornucopia Farm takes the organic approach to food production on 72 acres of forestry, fields, orchards and a vegetable garden. Many local producers come together every Friday for the village’s food market, a social event featuring everything from home-produced jams and baking to local vegetables and craft items. Food is very much embedded within the village’s DNA – take the old butter walk connecting Ballydehob with Schull, a grassy track on which farmers once trekked with oak barrels of salted butter, bound for the Butter Exchange in Cork city.

“We’re very fortunate down here, and another reason why we were looking down around here is the quality of the produce,” he notes, passion exuding from his voice. “All over Ireland it’s fantastic but I just think the level – there’s so much available down here and it’s right there. So many people have come in to me and are growing this or that,

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you’re trying all of this amazing stuff and it’s just fantastic. There’s so much passion and people are really doing it out of love.”

The restaurant itself completes the experience. Housed in an old country pub formerly known as The Chestnut Tree, its got character by the bucketful, a casual and informal space that offers diners the chance to sample quality food in an intimate and homely atmosphere. Think wooden panelling and chestnut floors, bare walls, 1960s G-plan chairs, old English silverware and bone-handled knives, as well as bespoke plates created by a variety of potters.

“Originally it was a pub, the building is about 100 years old. There’s a lovely feel, a lot of little rooms – it’s not one big open room,” says Rob. “We have a larger sharing table, we have the old bar counter and there are a few tables around it. What we call the dining room is a smaller room with just three tables in there, it’s quite intimate, and that leads into the kitchen.”

While the building has been refreshed and altered – cosmetically – in part to suit the needs of a restaurant, the essence of the old pub and its personality has been very much retained.

Inspired by nature, Restaurant Chestnut’s menu is and will be influenced by the seasons, an ever-evolving document. “I really like to cook within the seasons and what’s around,” says Rob. “If it’s not available I don’t use it. [And] I try and keep the main ingredients, the products, quite intact.”

“It was very important to us that we keep the character of the restaurant, and we want to keep the same casual relaxed atmosphere for our diners,” he adds. “The former bar has some of our larder of ingredients on display and is an extension to the kitchen, which can be seen from the main dining space.

It’s a small, practical kitchen and guests are welcome to peep around the corner and visit. I’m cooking mostly on a charcoal grill, and using both old and new techniques – from salting, curing and pickling to liquid nitrogen.”

The restaurant also sits on a half-acre site with plenty of promise – Rob notes that in the long-term they’re hoping to perhaps grow and cultivate some of their own produce; a smokehouse may be another addition at some point. For now, however, the focus is on the quality of the food, enjoying the experience and, of course, filling the restaurant every night. So far, so good – one reviewer on its opening night noted that “West Cork is so much the richer for its arrival”.

“We have a small team, we work hard and it’s great, we all love what we do,” Rob says.

“We have 18 seats – if we do 18 people a night I’ll be happy.”

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INTERIORS

Interior DESIRE Get back to nature at Breac.House, located in the wilds of Donegal.

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Designed by MacGabhann Architects and built by a team of local tradesmen, Breac.

House has been designed to be part of the landscape, both inside and out. The house, which opened in 2017, is located on a dramatic headland called Horn Head overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The interior of the house is all about natural, native materials and locally crafted furniture, fabrics and products.

From the outset, the owners’ philosophy was to collaborate with local makers and designers, sourcing the best quality materials from the area.

Every piece of fitted oak joinery in the bedrooms, library, boot room, kitchen and open areas was crafted by local joiners and makers Hugh Haughey and Frank Morning.

Handwoven Donegal tweed throws and cushions made by one of Ireland’s last handloom weavers, Eddie Doherty, can be found in every bedroom.

The plates, bowls, throws and in fact almost everything at Breac.House, is made with Irish materials by talented local craftspeople, as well as other Irish producers. Tricia Harris, an award-winning contemporary furniture designer, created a unique oak dresser for the house while award-winning Irish furniture designer Simon O’Driscoll designed the sofa and nest of tables using Donegal tweed

by Eddie Doherty and Fanad granite by Thomas Carr.

Designed for pure relaxation, the bedrooms at Breac.House feature superking, custom-crafted oak beds, Irish-made luxury mattresses, pure Irish wool duvets and pillows and organic fair-trade cotton sheets. The handcrafted terrazzo bathrooms include wetroom showers with rainmaker showerheads and local organic seaweed products. All materials used in the house are natural, sustainable and, wherever possible, from the local area.

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FEATURE

Hotel & Catering Review checked in to a new-look Adare Manor to discover a prestigious property that comes with plenty of grá.

Lord of the

Manor

W

hen one of Ireland’s most luxurious resorts closes its doors for a 21-month period to undertake an extensive restoration programme, you know the results are bound to be special.

That’s exactly what took place at Limerick’s Adare Manor ahead of its reopening in November 2017 and the outcome does not disappoint. Six months on, it can be safely said that the hotel – purchased by businessman JP McManus for an estimated €30 million in 2015 – takes its place among the top luxury destinations not only in Ireland but around the world.

“Am I proud of what we have achieved here? Of course,” says General Manager Paul Heery, who came on-board in June 2017 having previously managed hotels of the calibre of The Gleneagles in Scotland.

“There has been a lot involved in opening a property of this scale. We opened in November so Christmas was upon us. We have done a lot and as I said we are proud, but there is still so much to do. It’s a special property and I think we can create something magical down here in Adare Manor that I’m not sure is elsewhere in the country. That’s the exciting journey that we’re on at the moment.”

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FEATURE

Adare images: Jack Hardy

WE HAVE DONE A LOT AND AS I SAID WE ARE PROUD, BUT THERE IS STILL SO MUCH TO DO. IT’S A SPECIAL PROPERTY AND I THINK WE CAN CREATE SOMETHING MAGICAL DOWN HERE IN ADARE MANOR THAT I’M NOT SURE IS ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.

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Photo: Paul Lehane

The newly-designed resort boasts a new 42-bedroom wing, bringing the total number of bedrooms at the property to 104. The entire extension has been clad in limestone in a bid to complement the architectural detail of the original manor house. A new ballroom with a capacity for 350 guests has been added, catering for weddings, events and conferences. Indeed, when we visited, the property was playing host to a wedding group of 180 guests, whose glitz and glamour fitted right in. The interior of the original manor house has been fully refurbished with a new La Mer spa, pool and relaxation area. That’s in addition to a boardroom and cinema for guests and delegates to enjoy. Some new walking trails and walled gardens have also been added to the 842-acre estate.

The resort employs 320 staff with plans to increase that to 350 in the weeks ahead. “It

Paul Heery, General Manager

shows the commitment to the service and the detail that we are trying to achieve,” says Heery. “If I was to put a percentage on it, I’d say 70 per cent of them are coming from the local community. We currently have around 60 employees who sleep on-site so we are providing accommodation for key groups of people, and we feel that within hospitality at the moment there is that need.”

Heery also notes that recruitment has been key to maintaining the high customer service standards set at Adare Manor. One of the values that the hotel adopts is ‘grá’, the Irish word for ‘love’. “When we’re sitting down interviewing people we always want to know that they have the love for the job so, no matter what that job in the business is, they actually have the love and the commitment for it, because we can’t give them that,” he explains.

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FEATURE

#Falconry If you’re planning a stay at Adare Manor, make sure to book yourself in for a spot of falconry. Set within the ground’s walled garden, you can get up close and personal with some of the world’s most majestic birds of prey. Resident falconer Liam Ford is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to his feathered friends and will provide you with ample opportunity to get photos with the likes of Olaf the snowy owl, Flash the peregrine falcon or Oscar the Eurasian eagle owl.

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“They have got to have that love. Any of the iconic hotels throughout the world, those top 15 or 20 hotels, it’s always about the people. The soul and the culture is all down to the people.

We want to do that with our people here.”

ATTENTION TO DETAIL One of the most striking features throughout Adare Manor is its exquisite attention to detail, from silk wallpaper to Ballyhoura ceramics. Brendan O’Connor, newly appointed resident manager, tells us that, as part of the refurbishment process, a huge amount of thought and effort was put into the décor.

“Every part of the detail involves telling a story or connecting things,” he explains. “For example, Bernardaud from Limoges in France do all our crockery for us. In the Oak Room, we used the ceiling pattern and it is reflected as a white pattern in the tableware. It’s very subtle. One in a million people will cop that it is a reflection but it’s great for us to be able to tell people that that’s the effort we went to. When they see it, it puts a smile on their face.”

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FEATURE

Photo: Laurence Lambrecht.

#Did you Know?

In May 2018, Adare Manor was named on the Conde Nast Traveler’s Hot List as one of the best new hotels in the world.

ribbon on the new golf course at Adare Manor.

Designed by renowned golf course designer Tom Fazio, it’s a course capable of hosting the world’s most prestigious golfing events and will be the venue for the high-profile JP McManus Pro-Am in 2020.

Adare Manor plays a key role in the local community and it is estimated that the resort will contribute in excess of 15 million to the local economy annually. With the revamped hotel now in immaculate condition, the Adare Manor team hopes to welcome around 60,000 visitors per year. For now, it’s simply a case of spreading the word.

“I think if Adare Manor can become known throughout the world for exceptional services and creating memories with great, warm Irish hospitality, we’ll be very happy,” says Heery.

“If we can make a little bit of money along the way and ensure that there is profitability then it’s a win-win. But it’s a special place and when you stand and look at it, it’s a piece of magic.

Not everyone knows about it and that’s key to it finding its feet on this journey.”

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Photos: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

The restoration and construction programme, which involved up to 800 people, included upgrading and completely restoring all internal and external finishes, furniture and woodwork, and repairing all external stonework, windows and doors. That saw many of the old traditional tradespeople working onsite, such as stonemasons and French polishers; families who have specialised in such work for generations. “They work in places like Trinity College Dublin or many of the older buildings [in Ireland] so it was great to get them down to the country and work on this project,” says O’Connor. “That set the tone for restoring one of the most important architectural buildings in the country.”

The openings and additions at Adare Manor have been coming thick and fast since our visit. In May, the Carriage House Restaurant, Terrace and Bar – where guests can enjoy an artisan grill experience in a stylishly relaxed atmosphere – was opened. Additionally, in late April, golfers Rory McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Pádraig Harrington and Shane Lowry cut the

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UTILITIES

WATER, WATER,

Everywhere?

Hotels stand to make serious cost savings by reducing their water usage.

Hotel & Catering Review takes a look at how these savings can be made and why you really should get around to fixing that leaky tap.

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H

oteliers are well aware that implementing sustainable practices across their business or ‘going green’ can have a positive impact on their bottom line. For most, these measures are par for the course and have become an essential, routine part of the business; many hotels have an environmental policy, waste paper is recycled, photocopiers are switched off every evening et cetera.

Water consumption is another area where significant savings can be made and, with hotels using a huge amount of water every single day, finding ways to keep these costs as low as possible is a no-brainer.

Keeping an eye on water consumption isn’t just about costs. Increasingly, hotels are taking their responsibility to the environment very seriously. Studies have shown that guests are willing to spend more on a room if that hotel shouts about its green credentials. Water is a hot topic, especially in Ireland, so communicating your water-savings plan to guests could earn you some serious brownie points. But there is a financial benefit.

While a reduction in overall water consumption is key, significant savings can be made through re-use initiatives.

Rainwater harvesting can reduce mains water consumption by up to 30 per cent while greywater recycling (bathroom sinks, showers, baths and washing machines) can save as much as 40 per cent. These measures can also lead to reduced risks of storm water flooding, decreased sewage charges, and lower energy costs associated with water supply. Traditionally, hotels have been reluctant to invest in these systems due to a slow return on investment but new, technologically advanced products mean hotels can benefit from a much faster return than before.

Rainwater harvesting works by collecting water from roofs, storing it in an underground tank and pumping it up to a feeder tank. An on-demand pump is often used to supply water from the rainwater tank to wherever there is a demand for the water. A rain harvesting system can provide water to replace up to 50 per cent of mains supply for non-potable water use. Washing machines, toilets and garden watering can all use water from this system. With greywater recycling, an ultra-filtration membrane system captures the water used for showering or bathing and, after treatment, feeds it back into the property for non-potable purposes such as flushing toilets, irrigation and

UTILITIES

RAINWATER HARVESTING WORKS BY COLLECTING WATER FROM ROOFS, STORING IT IN AN UNDERGROUND TANK AND PUMPING IT UP TO A FEEDER TANK. laundry. Greywater recycling is on the rise and is well-suited for installation in hotels and facilities with a number of baths and showers. With a variety of ranges on the market, it’s important to choose one that will work effectively for you.

MANAGEMENT PLAN It’s also important to implement a water management plan to reduce overall usage levels, thereby helping to minimise costs and limit the negative impact on the environment.

Water usage should be monitored regularly to identify periods of high usage. Water flow to taps and showers should also be limited and, if possible, water flow from showers should not exceed more than nine litres per minute and water flow to taps no more than eight litres per minute. Urinals are heavy users of water but certain devices will help to control this. Manual shut-off valves, timers or waterless urinals have all been utilised by hotels across the country with impressive results. According to the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), installation of a manual shut-off valve could reduce water usage by 75 per cent while installing waterless urinals can reduce water usage by 90 per cent.

Many hotels are also opting for low-flow or high-efficiency toilets that go some way to reducing water consumption.

Alongside high usage levels, leaks can pose big problems for hotels and their water bills, often the result of worn valves, perished washers or corroded pipework. However, overflows and leaks can be avoided by carrying out regular checks on all pipework

and valves and by putting a system in place to report leaks and faults. Monitors and shut-off valves can also be installed to prevent leaks, thereby saving money and water. It has been estimated that a single tap leaking one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water a year.

Small changes, too, can go a long way – loading the dishwasher correctly is one simple method of reducing water usage.

A commercial dishwasher goes through a huge amount of water so it’s worth investigating how these costs can be brought down. According to a case study featured on greenhospitality.ie, one hotel in Adare saved 53,000 per year (gross) by investing in a flight wash dishwasher. Instead of purchasing the new dishwasher outright, the owners entered into a five-year hire purchase agreement at 19,500 per year over the five years. According to the hotel, the new dishwasher reduced running costs by 35,000 (net) per year; this included a reduction in electricity, water, chemicals, breakages and a reduced staff requirement. Over the course of the five-year hire purchase agreement, the new dishwasher saved 265,000 and paid for itself in just under two years.

Beyond the standard measures implemented by most hotels, there are clearly lots of innovative ways to reduce water consumption and save money. As guests increasingly go down the eco-tourism route, sustainability measures will become even more attractive for hotels who want to underline their green credentials, not to mention enhance their bottom line.

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SPOTLIGHT

Coff ee People The

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O

Photo: Joe Were Photography

We caught up with Grace O’Shaughnessy, Java Republic’s Managing Director, to learn more about the company’s recent rebranding and its evolution over the last two decades.

n the green slopes of Huila, southwestern Colombia, a man moves methodically through rows of plants, plucking red and yellow coffee cherries from the stems by hand. Inside each cherry are one or two stone fruits known as coffee beans – producing around 500g of coffee requires some 1,700 of these cherries in optimum condition. Harvesting is only the first step in a long process – cherries are washed, dried and brought for milling to obtain the green coffee seeds that are either roasted or shipped abroad.

Some of the world’s finest coffee is produced on these shores, many on small plantations where farmers and labourers endure backbreaking work and battle for survival. Hundreds of Colombia’s farmers and others across the globe have benefited from the development of Fairtrade, an independent body that advocates for better prices and working conditions for farmers and workers in developing countries. The concept of fair trade is a key element of how Irish coffee company Java Republic does business, though its Managing Director Grace O’Shaughnessy explains that the company goes a step further through its focus on Coffee with a Conscience. The independent coffee brand supports communities both in Ireland and across the globe and its Origin trips fall under this umbrella – representatives travel to meet and build connections with coffee farmers around the world, not only in search of the best coffee grown at origin, but to give something back. In Rwanda, for example, Java Republic offers support to local farmers in the form of supporting their health insurance.

“That’s something that has been the ethics and the backbone of our business from the getgo in terms of giving back to the communities that grow our coffee, but also underneath that umbrella sits what we do locally here on the ground in Ireland,” says O’Shaughnessy. “We support a lot of local sports events and charities to give back to those communities in Ireland as well as abroad.”

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SPOTLIGHT

Photo: Jason Clarke Photography

Grace O’Shaughnessy, Java Republic’s Managing Director.

Photo: Joe Were Photography

EVOLUTION I’m speaking with the busy MD as Java Republic heads towards 20 years in business, a milestone for the firm that has gone from strength to strength. The company was founded by David McKiernan in 1999, an entrepreneur who spotted a niche gap in the market for an open, transparent roastery based in Dublin – today more than 1,200 venues across Ireland serve over 100,000 cups of Java Republic product every day.

Coffee remains its predominant focus; its people travel the length and depths of the globe to find the best coffee beans for customers, import them into Ireland and handroast the product at Java Republic’s carbon neutral facilities in Blanchardstown.

The company doesn’t just supply the coffee but also the machines, services and the training required across the HORECA sector – hotels, restaurants and cafés, not to mention the travel sector across airline and rail. In latter years it has added two cafés to its portfolio – one in Blanchardstown and the other on Dublin’s Molesworth Street.

As O’Shaughnessy explains, those outlets provide not just a foothold in the high street retail market but a great insight into the challenges faced on a daily basis by their clients. As a market, Ireland remains its most important outlet – we’re still consuming coffee by the bucketload as a nation.

“The market has never been as competitive.

We have over 100 players in terms of coffee roasters or providers of coffee currently and growing. And we see little consolidation in that as we move forward,” she says.

“As we look to the high street then, if you look through any of the statistics from Euromonitor or the trade itself, we currently have over 500 cafés, independent cafés, on the Irish footprint. But by 2020 that’s going to grow to more than 800. So there’s no slowdown in that market. We’re drinking more coffee but more than anything we’re actually drinking more coffee out of home. And that’s been a big change in our consumption patterns over the last couple of years.”

However, we’re still also a country of tealovers, even if our tastes have become more eclectic beyond a simple milk and sugar brew, and so, Java Republic offers a selection of some 45 organic teas. “We’re actually moving into the realm of green tea, herbal teas and infusion,” O’Shaughnessy adds.

“And that’s something that Java Republic has supported since 2005 in terms of having a range of tea to suit that market as well. So while a consumer will have a really quality coffee, the tea drinker should have equally a superb tea experience.”

A FRESH FOCUS The company is by no means sitting on its laurels. As part of a recent rebranding process, 500,000 has been invested as Java Republic bids to appeal to a new generation of coffee and tea consumers and stand out within an increasingly competitive and crowded market. Its focus is on bringing the coffee story to the fore once again, working with Dublin-based illustrator Steve Doogan to bring its passion and expertise to life.

Its brand promise is captured within The Manifesto, a recently published document that outlines the ideas at the heart of the business and how they are enacted daily.

The company’s independence remains one of its key differentiators; a homegrown Irish business that is passionate about both coffee and people.

“As we rebranded the company after 19 years, one of our key messages that’s come very much to the fore is that we are coffee for the people, by the coffee people,” says O’Shaughnessy. “More than anything, people deal with people and it’s relationship-driven.”

The signs are certainly positive.

O’Shaughnessy describes the prospects for growth in Ireland as “ample”, pointing to a growing coffee consumption that has never been as prominent, and a customer base that is discerning in its tastes. The hospitality trade is one source of expansion, as increasing the quality of coffee on hand can be mutually beneficial.

“While independent cafés are driving coffee quality on the ground, from a hotel experience we’re seeing a rise in the coffee quality being offered in hotels too,” she explains. “The challenge we would [see] from a food and beverage perspective in hotels is that they are realising that their competitive landscape is those independents on the high streets. And while room rates and occupancy has never been as high in the Irish economy, the challenge now is how you actually retain those consumers on-site to enjoy the food and beverage offer that that hotel has to deliver. And one of those key elements is improving and raising the bar when it comes to coffee quality.”

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SUPPLY LINE

What’s on the

Looking for a menu cover to help create a positive first impression? We pick out some of the available options.

MENU?

AD4ALL DESIGNER Founded in 2012 and based in Kenmare, Ad4All Designer offers menu covers (among other accessories) for restaurants, pubs, cafés and other food outlets. The company provides personalised projects for companies in the catering industry, wineries and breweries, including leather-look vinyl, transparent film and PVC menu covers in a variety of colours and designs. The company’s menu covers are found in restaurants across Europe, including Ireland, the UK, Spain, France, Portugal, Greece, Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and have also been sold online through eBay and Amazon since the foundation of the business.

For more information visit www.ad4alldesigner.ie.

PROGRESS PACKAGING Producing solutions across a range of business sectors including retail, drinks, fashion and e-commerce, Progress Packaging’s product focus includes a range of bespoke menu covers. As part of the growth of Artists Residence’s chain of restaurants, Progress Packaging produced a variety of vibrant A5 menu covers (top right) for each of their sites. Covered in Winters & Co. Brillianta Book Cloth, the covers were branded with a foilblocked logo to the outer, and 10mm interscrews were supplied for fitment of the menu listings inside. For the London venue, a digital printed stripe pattern was also added. Progress Packaging manufactured a collection of drinks menus and bill folders (above) for Greek cuisine restaurant, Meraki in London, working from the clever, creative designs of Dutchscot. Using a combination of grey leather and coated Buckram book cloth to cover the menus, they were then foil-blocked four colours to the outer. The smaller bill folders replaced the foil option with a subtle debossed logo.

For more information see www.progresspackaging.co.uk.

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SUPPLY LINE HONOURABLE MENTIONS PAPYRUS BESPOKE: Based in the UK, Papyrus produces a variety of quality and stylish leather goods, including menu and wine list presenters. A variety of designs and colours are available.

See www.papyrus.uk.com.

BUNZL RAFFERTY HOSPITALITY: Provides a range of menu covers in a variety of colours and materials, including embossed pewter, vinyl, leather and wood effect.

For more, visit raffertyhospitality.com.

IMENUPRO iMenuPro is an online menu maker from SoftCafé that allows users to instantly create and print menus, starting with built-in designs and offering plenty of opportunities to customise. It’s easy to use – add food items, prices and other details, drag and drop to the menu, choose a design, and then print a PDF. A variety of sizes are available, your own logos, food photos and fonts can be used, and menus can be embedded online with automatic and real-time updates.

MAINLY MENUS: Suppliers of menu covers including wipe clean, rubber effect, wooden, and metal options.

See mainlymenus.ie.

MENUSHOP: A leading supplier (based in Wiltshire) to the hospitality industry, menu covers are among a range that also includes placemats and information folders.

See menushop.ie.

To learn more, visit imenupro.com.

MJCP London-based MJCP provides creative print solutions for the retail, hospitality, construction and creative industries, ranging from interior graphics to bespoke menus. Their menu selection comprises bespoke folders, guest books, wine lists and bill holders for restaurants, hotels and bars, with a wide selection of materials ranging from book cloths to leather.

Bespoke binding options are available and the company can print, foil or deboss company logos, brands and artwork to required specifications.

“We invest significant time and energy in developing unique ways to allow each and every one of our clients to communicate the brand position, brand personality and brand story of their business,” the company states.

To learn more, visit www.mj-cp.co.uk.

Menu set for restaurant Canto Corvino London.

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HOSPITALITY TECH

HOSPITALITY

TECH ESSENTIAL PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE

ZIOSK

GASTRONOMIXS

SMART PAYMENT

CULINARY KNOWLEDGE

Ziosk, a company specialising in tabletop tablets for the restaurant industry, has made its pay-at-the-table technology available to independent restaurants across the USA with the new Ziosk Aurizon tablet. The firm notes that the Aurizon provides restaurants with secure and reliable payment at the table while capturing insights through guest survey data. These benefits help generate greater guest satisfaction, frequency, throughput, retention and revenues for all restaurateurs so they can be more successful in a competitive market.

Gastronomixs, an online platform that provides chefs with an enormous database of culinary knowledge, has launched in Ireland. Classic Irish preparations have been included in the database along with preparations from French, Asian and South American cuisine. All components have been made and tested by a team of professional chefs.

For more information, visit www.ziosk.com.

To discover more, visit www.gastronomixs.com.

SPYCE

ROBOT CHEFS A restaurant in downtown Boston has replaced human chefs with seven automated cooking pots that whip up meals in three minutes or less. An ingredient delivery system collects all necessary ingredients from the fridge, which are then delivered to a robotic wok. Once the process is complete, the woks tilt downward and transfer the food into a bowl.

According to the owners, Spyce does employ multiple people to add a human touch to diners’ experience while the robots add efficiency and lower operating costs.

To learn more, visit www.spyce.com.

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TOAST

POS ON THE GO Toast, the US restaurant technology platform, has unveiled Toast Go, a fullyintegrated handheld point-of-sale device for restaurants. The new product has been custom-built for restaurants and combines hardware, software and payments in a device built to withstand the rigours of the restaurant industry.

According to the company, Toast Go can accelerate front and back of house productivity, improve table turn time and grow revenue.

For more information, go to www.toastgo.com.

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BOOKSHELF

THE STORY OF FOOD – AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF EVERYTHING WE EAT Author: Publisher: RRP: Available:

Giles Coren DK 22 Easons.com

A celebration of everything we eat, The Story of Food is described as the essential reference tool for any foodie. This newly-published book explains how food has become a part of our culture, from its origins to how it is eaten and its place in world cuisine, along with the symbolism and traditions that come wrapped up on our plates.

Book SHELF Bulk up your book collection this month.

WILD SIGNS AND STAR PATHS Author: Publisher: RRP: Available:

Tristan Gooley Hodder & Stoughton 23.99 dubraybooks.ie

Tristan Gooley shows how it’s possible to achieve a level of outdoors awareness that will enable you to forecast weather from woodland sounds. Examining how we’ve become distanced from experiencing our environment, he looks at how we can enjoy the outdoors in an exciting way.

THE HAPPY PEAR: RECIPES FOR HAPPINESS Authors: Publisher: RRP: Available:

WHEN TO JUMP

David & Stephen Flynn Penguin Ireland 19.99 Easons.com

Packed with quick and easy veggie options, clever meat-free versions of popular favourites, and inspiring advice on how to be healthier, the new book from the Greystones duo is crammed with recipes to make you healthier. Dishes include chickpea tikka masala, Thai golden curry, one-pot creamy mushroom pasta, double chocolate brownie cake, and an ingenious one-pot lasagne that’s cooked on the hob.

Author: Publisher: RRP: Available:

Mike Lewis’ latest book is a collection of real-life stories from those who have chosen to defy the status quo and take a leap of faith to pursue a passion. These are empowering tales about taking risks and embracing fear. If you’re at a crossroads, this is the book you need.

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Mike Lewis Hodder & Stoughton 17.99 dubraybooks.ie

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A QUICK CHAT

“Our team is young, talented, hardworking and willing to jump onto any section to learn from each other.”

WHERE IT STARTED

I started cheffing 18 years ago.

I met Neven when he was teaching at Fermanagh College and started working for him at MacNean Restaurant. In 2001 I was Neven’s commis chef for the Bocuse d’Or competition in France. To further my career and improve my skills, I worked at Bang café restaurant in Dublin for four years before starting back at MacNean Restaurant in 2010. Over the years I’ve also worked with Andy McFadden, Patrick Guilbaud and Gordon Ramsey.

CARMEL MCGIRR ON THE MENU

Our Erne lamb rump with sweet breads, red pepper purée and wild garlic is delicious!

“My mum inspires me. She’s a special lady who looked after all seven of us and still had time to make potato, soda or wheaten bread for us.”

“I try to promote as much Irish and local food as possible on our menu. In the restaurant we love working with the wee suppliers. Thornhill Duck has been supplying us for a very long time and they are only a few miles from the restaurant.”

INGREDIENTS

Seasonality dictates our menu and allows us to be creative and bring the best produce to our customers.

“If you’re happy in what you do, that will show in the food you serve your customer.”

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Head Chef at Neven Maguire’s MacNean Restaurant, Carmel McGirr chats to Hotel & Catering Review about her cooking style and why her mum inspires her.

COOKING STYLE

Using quality ingredients and showcasing our skills when it comes to flavour and texture.

We push ourselves every day, we’re willing to listen and we’re open to trying new things.

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