Hotel and Catering Review Issue 11 2020

ISSUE 11 2020

Clear Vision

Hospitality recruitment by the hospitality experts

Cash was King, NOW IT'S

EMPEROR How to prepare for 2021

The Art of

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Go to hotelandcatering review.ie for the online edition

Contents ISSUE 11 2020

17 10

IN THIS ISSUE

13 15 not e can the e ff o into ish C the Ir ing stone a wider f o e als to rtanc stepp ced impo ed; it is a hat appe ell balan e e h T “ w at ffe ry t derst rs are tego sh Co be un hiskey ca he flavou ot just Iri ns” t fa en W Irish ce. When le becom Whiskey n h p e land audi ake peo t true Iris ts Ire m u i l r b l i i , p s w t S it er e, Hiconv oogu D n Ia

REGULARS

04

28

NEWS

THE LAST WORD

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SUPPORTING THE INDUSTRY Fáilte Ireland continues to update its online Covid-19 Business Supports Hub on www.failteireland.ie with the most relevant, effective and urgent supports

ASK THE EXPERTS Gerardo Larios Rizo, Head of Hospitality at Bank of Ireland, gives his advice on what hospitality businesses need to do now to prepare for reopening

RECRUITMENT From hotel group GM to MD of Career Vision Recruiters, Stuart O’Connor chats about his plans to open a second office and standing out from the recruitment crowd

ELIMINATE POOR PERFORMANCE AT WORK Hospitality employers can’t afford to retain poor performers, however dismissal on these grounds is often difficult. So why not think about deploying a Performance Improvement Plan? Dr Gerry McMahon gives the lowdown on PIPs

FESTIVE TIPPLES Take a look at the new releases and gift packs from Ireland’s drinks industry that are set to make Christmas that bit jollier

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Editor Denise Maguire Creative Director: Jane Matthews Art Director: Áine Duffy Designer: James Moore Stock Photography iStock Infographics: www.flaticon.com Production: Ciara Murray Sales Director: Trish Murphy 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 2020. 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 Welcome to issue 11 of Hotel & Catering Review 2020 Restrictions under Level 5 have finally lifted and hotels are back open. However, with people not permitted to travel outside their county until later in the month, it’s likely that some businesses will find it unsustainable to reopen for such a short period. It’s another blow to a sector that has already suffered so much over the past nine months. Indoor dining is permitted within restaurants and pubs that serve food have also reopened. Traditional pubs, however, remain closed. The sense of disappointment and anger that this government decision has provoked is palpable right across the country. VFI Chief Executive Padraig Cribben described the move as an act of government hypocrisy, adding: “The Taoiseach said he is trusting business owners and customers to act responsibly when the country reopens next week but his message to publicans is ‘we don’t trust you.’” With no clear date from government as to when pubs will be permitted to reopen, the industry is once again facing into another period of uncertainty.

With so many pubs remaining shuttered for now, it’ll be a Christmas like no other.

From all of us here at Hotel & Catering Review, we’d like to wish our readers a Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. Best of luck to all the businesses opening up for the festive season and to the pubs unable to do so, the country stands with you all in solidarity.

Here’s to a happy, healthy and ‘open for business’ 2021.

Editor: Denise Maguire Email: denise.maguire@ ashvillemediagroup.com

Denise Maguire www.hotelandcateringreview.ie | info@hotelandcateringreview.ie @HC_Review | facebook.com/hotelandcateringreview

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Talk to us on 0818 363 749 or visit www.pinergy.ie

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News

News Your monthly round-up…

GOLDIE OPENS SHOP TO SUPPORT LOCAL FISHERMEN Aishling Moore and Stephen Kehoe, proprietors of Goldie Restaurant in Cork city centre, have opened a fish shop at the restaurant’s location on Oliver Plunkett Street. This will directly support the fishermen who have supplied the restaurants since its opening in 2019. The fish shop will be open only when the day boats from East Cork sail (usually Wednesday to Saturday).

As with the restaurant, Goldie Fish Shop will also take a “whole catch” approach, meaning it will take whatever is caught on the day, regardless of the quantity and species.

Moore and Keogh see the shop as a natural progression for the restaurant, particularly in the current environment. “We have used the time in lockdown to really learn about drying, salting, pickling and storing every part of the fish, as well as how best to use the seaweed and sea vegetables readily available on our coastline,” says Moore. “We feel that this knowledge will bring something totally new to Goldie going forward and means that we will be in complete control of our output.”

DUBLIN RESTAURANTS WIN BIG AT WORLD LUXURY RESTAURANT AWARDS Two Dublin restaurants have won major accolades at the “World Luxury Restaurant Awards 2020”. SOLE Seafood and Grill has been recognised as “Best Luxury Seafood Restaurant” in Europe for the second year running while its sister restaurant, Fire Steakhouse, brought home the gong for “Global Steakhouse of the Year 2020”.

The win for Fire comes after a one million euro investment on a new fit-out at the restaurant and the rejuvenation of its menus this year.

Culinary Director of both restaurants, chef Richie Wilson, said: “Winning ‘Best Global Steakhouse’ with Fire is incredible. This could only have come from the passionate driving force that is our team, following the enhancements we have made to both the dining room and our menus. Sometimes it’s harder to retain an award than win it, so for SOLE to have received the award for ‘Best Luxury Seafood Restaurant in Europe’ once again shows how aligned our teams are, consistently delivering a truly special dining experience in both restaurants.”

With indoor dining completely closed in Dublin for the past 27 weeks, the teams at Fire and SOLE are calling on the government to engage with the industry to agree additional restrictions for opening restaurant indoor dining from December 1st.

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Adare Manor Resort and Golf Course

IRISH HOTELS COME OUT ON TOP AT WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS Some of the country’s top hotels were recognised at this year’s World Travel Awards. For the second consecutive year, Adare Manor was named Ireland’s Leading Hotel, picking up two additional awards – Ireland’s Best Golf Course and World’s Best Golf Clubhouse – at the event. Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel was again chosen as Ireland’s Leading Business Hotel 2020.

“During what has been a difficult year for everyone, this award is both a boost for our associates and a testament to them and the hard work that they put in each day in looking after our guests,” said Yvonne Donohue, Director of Sales and Marketing at The Shelbourne.

The award for Ireland's Leading Boutique Hotel 2020 went to The Clarence while Conrad Dublin was recognised as Ireland's Leading Luxury Hotel, with Conrad’s Presidential Suite winning the award for Ireland’s Leading Hotel Suite. The annual Travel Awards are the leading independent awards for the European hospitality industry and aim to recognise and celebrate the achievements of the very best of the region’s travel and tourism sector to the world.

Shelbourne lobby

Conrad Presidential Suite

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FOOD WORKS LAUNCHES RECRUITMENT DRIVE FOR 2021 PROGRAMME Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and Teagasc have launched Food Works 2021, a governmentsupported accelerator programme that provides a launchpad for scalable and export driven Irish food and drink businesses to grow. The organisations are calling on Irish food and drink entrepreneurs, who even through challenging times are using creativity and innovation to build their business, to apply for the 2021 Food Works development programme.

Successful applicants will participate in an intensive growth programme with unique access to feasibility grant funding of up to €35,000 for each company. Funding will provide these companies with the support to develop their early stage product into an investment-ready food and drink product with international appeal.

Now in its ninth year, the programme provides high potential food and drink businesses with a range of business supports including consumer market research, research and development expertise, investor ready business plan development, technical advice and commercial viability planning.

Previous Food Works alumni include Wicklow Wolf, Nobó, FIID and Bean & Goose Chocolate.

For more information on how to apply, visit www.foodworksireland.ie

GUINNESS LAUNCHES SUPPORT LINE FOR PUB OWNERS AND STAFF Guinness has launched a freephone helpline for pub owners, their staff and their immediate families who have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The purpose of the ‘Raising the Bar’ helpline, which is being financed as part of Guinness’s €14 million Raising the Bar fund, is to provide emotional counselling and financial information to the Irish pub sector. Liam Reid, Corporate relations director of Guinness manufacturer Diageo Ireland, said: “Guinness is committed to working with our partners in the LVA, VFI and Hospitality Ulster to identify key areas where we can support all those in the sector who continue to be hardest hit as an industry by the effects of the Covid-19 crisis.” Meanwhile, Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) CEO Donall O’Keefe said: “We have sought support from both our suppliers and government and we welcome the further invaluable, practical measures that Guinness are announcing today as part of their Raising the Bar platform.”

All contact details for the helpline are available at www.mydiageo.com

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Seafood Suppers BouiIllabaisse

SEAFOOD SUPPERS @HOME Niall Sabongi of Sustainable Seafood Ireland and Klaw Restaurants along with Michelin star chef Mickael Viljanen have set up a new food delivery service.

Each meal will feed two to four people, including a dessert to share and customers can choose from two options. “This is an exciting way to showcase how delicious and versatile our seafood and shellfish can be. Since March, we’ve opened new fish stalls and taken our Salty Buoy Truck on the road. We’ve met so many new customers and this is a great way to encourage more people to embrace our wonderful seafood and shellfish. This is all about two good friends, cooking up all their favourite seafood dishes that they love and miss,” said Sabongi.

Ice Water’s Peter Wynne and Jason Holland

TOP GREEN AWARD FOR ICE WATER GROUP Irish-owned Ice Water Group was named “Best Green Non-Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturer” at the inaugural Green Food and Beverage Producer Awards. The company was successful ahead of other nominees, including the global Coca-Cola brand. The award marks the second time that Ice Water and ERG Group have been recognised for their contribution to waste reduction and climate change after winning the “Sustainable Water Achievement Award” at the National Green Awards earlier this year.

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BUSHMILLS PARTNERS WITH REBEL CHILLI FOR COCKTAIL MASTERCLASSES Bushmills Irish Whiskey has collaborated with hot sauce specialists, Rebel Chilli, to host a series of online cocktail masterclasses this winter. Rebel Chilli was set up in 2014 by Paul Moore, who now supplies some of the largest retailers in Ireland. As part of the collaboration Paul has created a Black Bush Barrel Aged Hot Sauce, inspired by the similarities between the maturation process used to create both Bushmills whiskey and Rebel Chilli’s hot sauce. Paul will join Bushmills Brand Ambassador, Lauren McMullan, to host a number of online events across November and December to celebrate the fusion of whiskey and hot sauce and to unveil the limited edition product.

For more information, go to blackbushstories.com

SUPPORT LOCAL WITH ‘GO ANYWHERE GIFT CARD’ Irelandhotels.com is encouraging shoppers to join the #GreenFriday movement, support local and choose the ‘Go Anywhere Gift Card’ when buying online. For every €200 spent on the gift card, which can be used at over 350 participating hotels and guesthouses around Ireland, there will be an additional €20 added absolutely free.

The gift card was launched earlier this year by the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), with support from Fáilte Ireland. Commenting on the benefits of buying Irish this year, IHF President Elaina Fitzgerald Kane said: “There are numerous benefits of purchasing a ‘Go Anywhere Gift Card’ as part of the Black Friday promotion; it offers the best choice for a lovely break away, you’ll have the feel-good factor of supporting our local economy and you’ll receive €20 free when you spend €200. Support local and together let’s make green the new black.”

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THE SOMMELIERS HAVE SPOKEN Julie Dupouy Young has been appointed the new Deputy General Secretary at the International Sommelier Association (ASI). Julie claimed the title of Best Sommelier of Ireland in 2018 and finished in third place at the 2016 Best Sommelier of the World competition.

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I ng

redi ents

Pictured (l to r) are Noirín Hegarty, Lonely Planet, Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland and Catherine Martin, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

. ..

PAMELA KELLY ON THE JOYS OF TROUT THIS CHRISTMAS

Trout Rillettes Makes 6 starter portions 1.2kg trout, pin boned and skinned 200g butter 10g fresh dill 5g fresh tarragon 2 lemons 120ml water 2 bay leaves 1/2 teaspoon good quality Irish sea salt

• Bring the water with one sliced lemon, bay leaf and a pinch of salt to a simmer.

• Cut trout fillets into large pieces, 300g each approx. Place trout in shimmering water for six minutes, until lightly poached. Trout should be a little darker in the centre.

• Remove the trout and gently flask into a clean bowl. Add chopped herbs, lemon zest and juice of one lemon. Allow to cool.

• Meanwhile, heat butter until the clear fat rises to the top, pour off leaving the solids behind. Add butter to the fish and mix together, taste and adjust seasoning. Add salt if needed.

• Pot into ramekins or little glasses, whatever you have at home that will look nice. Press gently and refrigerate. Rillettes will last 3-4 days in the fridge.

Serve with pickles and brown bread.

Pamela Kelly is Head Chef at The Farmgate Café in Cork’s English Market

LONELY PLANET NAMES BURREN ECOTOURISM NETWORK ‘BEST COMMUNITY TOURISM PROJECT’ The Burren Ecotourism Network in Co Clare has been named a ‘Best Community Tourism Project’ by Lonely Planet. Described by Lonely Planet as “an impressive community collaboration of local enterprises which has transformed Ireland’s Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark into a global leader for sustainable tourism”, the Network was set up in 2008 with the aim of establishing the Burren as an internationally-recognised sustainable tourism region ensuring the sustainable development of its communities, environment and heritage.

APPOINTMENT The K Club has announced the appointment of Paul Heery as General Manager and CEO. Paul comes to The K Club from Adare Manor, where he was GM for over three years. He grew up on a farm in North County Dublin and began helping out in his family pub collecting glasses at a young age. He began his professional career with Sheen Falls Lodge and in 1999, he moved to the US and began a five-year period with Ritz-Carlton properties across the country. Later roles include stints at the Merrion Hotel, the Connaught Hotel in London and the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. “To be part of the new journey of The K Club really excites me,” said Paul. “I very much look forward to working with the team at The K Club and helping to evolve the business alongside our owner, Michael Fetherston.”

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Paul Heery

Here in The Farmgate Café we alternate between trout or salmon for our rillettes. We use salmon when we can get it but it’s rare to get wild salmon these days and it’s expensive, so we mostly use trout from Goatsbridge Farm in Co. Kilkenny. It’s a really wonderful product and Goatsbridge Farm is a member of the Origin Green programme which is Ireland’s national food sustainability programme.

It brings together the entire food industry and ensures the production of safe, nutritious food within the industry that also protects and enhances the natural environment and the local community.

Trout is a versatile product to use on any dinner menu, particularly as a starter over Christmas. You can also source all Irish products for the recipe below and make it in advance, so it’s one less thing to worry about when family and friends are (hopefully) tumbling through the door.

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Partner PROFILE

Fáilte Ireland:

COVID-19 BUSINESS SUPPORTS HUB We continue to update our online COVID -19 Business Supports Hub on www.failteireland.ie with the most relevant, effective and urgent supports. Our engagements with all sectors of our industry enable us to gauge what challenges are most pressing and in which areas we are able to help.

HR Challenges

O

ur updated HR support webinar provides the latest advice following government updates on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme, along with useful information on HR challenges. Please visit the HR section of our online Covid-19 Business Support Hub at www.failteireland.ie to watch the full webinar.

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE WEBINAR PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT PAYMENT (PUP) DEADLINE DATE The Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is available to employees and self-employed workers who have lost their jobs on or after the 13th of March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The deadline for applications for the PUP has now been extended until the end of March

2021. Remember, applications cannot be made for the PUP if the employer has confirmed that they have work available.

EMPLOYMENT WAGE SUBSIDY SCHEME (EWSS) UPDATE The aim of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) is to ensure that employees retain their link with their employer rather than becoming unemployed if possible. The scheme is available to employers for qualifying employees and has recently been amended. There are now four payment rates/ bands – €203, €250, €300 and €350 in line with earnings. No payment support is available for employees earning below €151.50 per week. This revised scheme is currently scheduled to run until the end of January 2021.

MINIMUM WAGE UPDATE The government has approved a 10 cent per hour increase for the National Minimum Wage – this brings it to €10.20 per hour from the 1st of January 2021. This is equivalent of 1% increase and is set to benefit over 122,000 minimum wage workers.

For more information on other schemes and HR issues including redundancies and employee rights, please visit the HR section in our Covid-19 Business Supports Hub on www.failteireland.ie

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Partner PROFILE

Take Care Together As level 5 restrictions are lifted and some sectors of the tourism and hospitality industry re-open, it is important that we stay safe. To make it easier for businesses to communicate key safety messages and reassure customers, Fáilte Ireland and the Government of Ireland have created ‘Take Care Together’.

‘Take Care Together’ is a campaign to remind everyone of some simple steps to help keep us all safe indoors when visiting tourism businesses and dining out at restaurants, gastro pubs and hotels this Christmas.

A digital toolkit is available to download from www.failteireland.ie with printable posters, table cards and strut cards outlining the key safety measures, which can be used throughout a business premises.

The messages of the campaign are focused on the key guidance that both customers and businesses should follow in order to stay safe during the Christmas period:

1. WHAT WE (BUSINESSES) ARE DOING TO LOOK AFTER YOU: · All of our team is fully trained in Covid-19 prevention measures · We keep our environment safe and hygienic, and provide hand sanitiser throughout the premises · All our staff wear facemasks at all times when working indoors 2. WHAT WE ASK OF YOU (THE CONSUMER) TO HELP US: · Always sanitise your hands when entering or leaving the building · Always wear your face mask indoors and when moving around the building,

including when visiting the bathroom · One person from your group provides details for contact tracing A consumer campaign will run from the 4th December across national press, radio and TV. Businesses registered with the Covid-19 Safety Charter will receive a bespoke toolkit with Safety Charter branding included. The Covid-19 Safety Charter is a Government endorsed initiative to boost public confidence in the safety of tourism and hospitality businesses.

For more information and details on how to apply, visit www.failteireland.ie

To find out more about ‘Take Care Together’ and download the digital toolkit, visit www.failteireland.ie.

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Ask the Experts

Cash was King,

now it’s Emperor WHAT SCHEMES OR GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS ARE AVAILABLE TO HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES? The CRSS scheme (Covid Restrictions Support) and supports like it are keeping hope alive for lots of businesses around the country. That’s not to say it hasn’t been challenging; all the little adjustments that businesses have been forced to make are extremely demanding at a time when there’s very little new money coming in. The challenge of that uncertainty and not knowing if the investment you’re putting into your premises will be worth it is difficult.

An Adaptation Grant is also available from Failte Ireland. While a good number of businesses have availed of this grant, there’s still a sizeable number that haven’t.

Gerardo Larios Rizo, Head of Hospitality at Bank of Ireland, gives his advice on how hospitality businesses can prepare for reopening HOW IS THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY COPING WITH RESTRICTIONS? Considering the level of uncertainty that has defined the industry since the beginning of the pandemic, I think it’s coping quite well. Restaurants, bars and hotels have adapted from day one, firstly with safety panels and hygiene measures and then with investment to the outside of their premises.

At the same time, quite a few businesses have invested in reinventing themselves and looking at product development; a large number had to adjust their menus and manage stocks to ensure they could offer takeaways. A lot of businesses are doing relatively well with takeaway, particularly because expenses are being subsidised.

WHY IS THAT? I think that maybe some businesses felt they didn’t qualify or the administration burden was too high.

You only have to fill in two pages for the Adaptation Grant, it’s very simple. That grant is still available from Failte Ireland so all the businesses that invested in getting their premises ready with either internal safety screens or outside seating should apply. All the grants and supports that are available to businesses will help so by the time they reopen, they have that little bit of cash. That’s the biggest challenge that hospitality businesses are facing right now; they’re burning cash and making very little in terms of profit because even with the government supports, they’re basically just keeping the doors open. A lot are still unable to pay rent and the money they’re making right now is going to electricity, gas, wages and that’s it. When they’re allowed open and demand resumes, they will be faced with obligations like VAT, paying the rent etc. They could be hit all at once with costs that they can’t afford.

SO WHAT MEASURES SHOULD BUSINESSES BE PUTTING IN PLACE NOW TO AVOID THAT? They need to ensure there’s enough cash available to finance a full reopening. Government supports are available right now but that could change in the future, for example the CRSS only runs until March next year. We’re heading into a part of the year that’s probably not going to be very busy, even if

government restrictions are eased. There will still be little or no international visitors and possibly a large number of people that won’t be comfortable going to a packed restaurant. If an establishment remains open but is making little profit, come January or February they could be burning whatever cash reserves they have. The Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS) facilitates lending to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises at a reduced rate.

It can be used for cashflow purposes and gives that bit of flexibility heading into the winter.

ARE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS PLAYING THEIR PART IN SUPPORTING THE INDUSTRY? I think for the most part financial institutions have been very open to helping their customers. It’s in our interest that they not only survive but thrive going into the future. Because of the uncertainty that we’re all operating in, businesses are reluctant to make cashflows for January or February, they just don’t see the benefit of it and that’s understandable. However, it’s important to do a detail of the outflows; you may not know the money coming in but you know what’s going out so you can make a plan around that. It’s always been said that cash is king but at the moment, cash is emperor.

SOME RESTAURANTS HAVE DECIDED NOT TO REOPEN UNTIL NEXT YEAR. FOR OTHERS, DO YOU THINK IT’S WORTH REOPENING IN THE RUN-UP TO CHRISTMAS IF ALLOWED? It’s a tough call. Having a busy trading period with smiling customers can be very inspiring for people so I think that if they can, a lot of businesses will reopen. I believe that most hotels and restaurants have implemented a lot of measures and have adapted to Failte Ireland’s safety charter. If businesses are allowed open and even if there’s just one infection in a hotel, that could be used against the industry so again, it’s a tough call. I believe the sector has been excellent in playing its part to keep those infections down. It’s important to remain positive about the year ahead and get your finances in order now so that when things return to normal, businesses are well placed to get back to what they do best.

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Recruitment

A Clear

Vision

A

From hotel group GM to MD of Career Vision Recruiters, Stuart O’Connor chats to Hotel & Catering Review about his plans to open a second office and standing out from the recruitment crowd

fter 25 years in the hospitality industry, Stuart O’Connor knows what clients are looking for when they advertise for a GM, a chef or a KP. He also knows what candidates are after when they decide it’s time to

Clients return to Career Vision Recruiters because they’re looked after, says Stuart. “We understand their business. Everyone working here has a background in the industry. We aim to give both the client and candidate 100% and we’re completely honest with them at all times. We’re in this for the long haul; we’ve

candidate that applies for a role with us will receive the information, regardless of whether they’re suitable or not. You don’t get a sense of a person from their CV, they might have an amazing ‘can do’ attitude that could make them ideal for a role that they otherwise may not be suited to.”

move on from their role in a restaurant or hotel.

Last year, he decided to channel all that expertise into something new. In August 2019 he set up Career Vision Recruiters, a dedicated hospitality recruitment agency in Naas and he’s about to open a second office in Limerick.

Stuart kicked off his career in hospitality in the old Berkeley Court hotel with the likes of Joe Russell, Michael Vaughan and Barry O’Connor. It was their passion for the job that ignited his own interest in the sector and led to roles such as General Manager of the Towey Group. His interest in recruitment came about by accident. “I fell into recruitment about four and a half years ago. I had gone for an interview for a GM role in the midlands and the agency ended up pitching recruitment to me instead. Initially, I was unsure as it wasn’t something I had any experience in but someone said to me, you’ve been involved in recruitment all your life. In the couple of years before that, I had probably interviewed a couple of hundred people. So I decided to go for it,” said Stuart.

After working in recruitment for a few years, he decided to venture out on his own and set up his own agency in Naas, Co Kildare. Before Covid hit, the agency was performing extremely well. “The first three months of this year were probably the best I’ve ever had in recruitment. For a new business we were steaming ahead and doing 14 or 15 placements a month. That’s basically unheard of at the start of the year, for any recruitment firm. We had plans to move to a second property in Limerick in April of this year, but obviously that was put on the backburner.

We’re now full steam ahead to open early next year.”

invested substantially in the company and we’re seeing growth even during Covid.” Only roles for live jobs are posted, says Stuart. “We don’t post roles just to increase our database.

I’ve been in that position before where I’ve applied for a role and gone to an agency, only to be told at the end of the process that they have nothing for me at the moment and my CV will be filed. That really gets to me. A

With demand for its services increasing, Career Vision Recruiters will open its second office in Limerick in February 2021. “We’ve got four staff members here in the Naas office and we’ll start off with three in Limerick. We’ll be focusing on the Wild Atlantic Way and Munster in general; it’s an area of growth for us and I believe staycations will become more of a trend over the next couple of years.”

Stuart O’Connor, MD, Career Vision Recruiters

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For more information on sponsorship opportunities contact Trish Murphy Sales & Sponsorship Director.

Phone: 086 837 9246 Email: trish.murphy@ashvillemediagroup.com

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Irish Coffee

The Art of

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We’re renowned for Irish Coffee around the world but is it the most underutilised cocktail in Ireland?

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Cover Story

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hat makes Irish Coffee so special and why is it still so popular today? A moment of pure indulgence at the end of a meal, something to share with a neighbour by an open fire or just a great way to celebrate winning a spot in the much-coveted snug.

The rise of modern cocktail culture has seen a number of iterations on how to make an Irish Coffee, but the foundations are always rooted in the right balance of coffee, sugar, Irish whiskey and finished with a layer of lightly whipped fresh cream. A lot of bartenders say the secret to its success is all in the preparation; having the coffee batched with sugar and using a protein shaker to mix the cream can make the process a lot simpler. With all the steps that goes into making an Irish Coffee, the crowning moment always comes down to the fine art of setting the cream afloat on the back of a spoon which inevitably leaves onlookers ordering one too.

There are many claims to the origins of the Irish Coffee but despite being a country that never let the truth get in the way of a good story, there always seems to be one version that rises to the top. That is the tale of one faithful night in 1943 when a Pan Am transatlantic flight scheduled for New York was grounded at the Flying Boat terminal in Foynes, just 35 miles from Shannon Airport.

After several hours of turbulence, the captain made the decision to land the plane.

The shaken passengers were in for a turn of luck as O’Regan’s restaurant was still open and head chef Joe Sheridan was there to greet them with something warm to “calm the nerves”, a serving of coffee with Irish Whiskey and a generous helping of Irish cream on top.

“There are many claims to the origins of the Irish Coffee but despite being a country that never let the truth get in the way of a good story, there always seems to be one version that rises to the top. That is the tale of one faithful night in 1943 when a Pan Am transatlantic flight scheduled for New York was grounded at the Flying Boat terminal in Foynes, just 35 miles from Shannon Airport.”

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Cover Story

The delighted passengers asked Joe if he had used Brazilian coffee to which he simply replied, “No, it was Irish coffee.”

Fame came a few years later for the muchloved Irish Coffee when it was sampled by Stanton Delaplane, a Pulitzer Prize-winning travel writer. Delaplane brought reports of the Irish Coffee back to his friend Jack Koeppler at the Buena Vista in San Francisco. They worked to recreate the Irish Coffee but could never get it quite right. In the pursuit of serving the perfect Irish Coffee, Koeppler made the decision to invite Sheridan to join his team at The Buena Vista in 1952 where he continued to work for the next 10 years. The beauty of this partnership now sees the Bunea Vista with sales of Irish Coffee in excess of 250,000 serves a year.

There are a lot of great places around the globe that you can enjoy house serves of Irish

Coffee, one of the most famous being the Dead Rabbit in New York where their preferred bean of choice is a Sumatra coffee and they use demerara sugar syrup as a sweetener.

London is the home of another Dead Rabbit inspired Irish Coffee serve; Swift in Soho was named Britain’s best bar in the GQ Food and Drink Awards in 2018 and a visit there would never be complete without sampling one of their finest! However, if you are looking to have the real authentic experience, then Dublin City is a great place to start, The Bankers Bar and Restaurant on Trinity Street is one of Ireland’s most iconic Irish Coffee venues. Despite these challenging times facing the hospitality industry, Alan Campbell has managed to keep this traditional Christmas serve alive by opening a successful takeaway hot serves menu. A brief stroll from The Bankers will bring you to The Hyatt Centric Hotel located

on Dean Street in The Liberties. This stunning hotel opened its doors in 2019 and has perfected its Irish Coffee experience by offering unique desert pairings created by chef Gavin O’Rourke in The Liberties Gate Bar & Restaurant.

Commenting on Irish Coffee, Ian Doogue from Hi-Spirits Ireland, said: “The importance of the Irish Coffee cannot be understated; it is a stepping stone into the Irish Whiskey category that appeals to a wider audience. When the flavours are well balanced it will make people become not just Irish Coffee converts, but true Irish Whiskey fans.”

To book your Paddy Irish Coffee Masterclass, contact Ian Doogue, Business Development Manager - Hotels, Restaurants & Catering on Iand@hi-spirits.ie

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Workplace

Eliminate poor

PERFORMANCE Hospitality employers can’t afford to retain poor performers, however dismissal on these grounds is often difficult. So why not think about deploying a Performance Improvement Plan?

Dr Gerry McMahon gives the lowdown on PIPs

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s far back as 2005, the Irish Business and Employers’ Confederation (IBEC) warned its members that the chances of being deemed to have fairly dismissed an employee on the grounds of poor performance were slim; it’s a long drawn out process with little guarantee of a successful outcome. Recent research at Technological University Dublin confirms IBEC’s warning. From a representative sample of 400 dismissals contested before third parties in recent years, performance was relevant to the judgement in just over 5% of cases and even then, not all of the judgements went in the employer’s favour. In an effort to address this issue, the practice of deploying a Performance Improvement (or Expectation) Plan (PIP) has now emerged as a means of addressing underperformance.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, a PIP “is a great way to give struggling employees the opportunity to succeed while still holding them accountable for past performance”. IBEC also recently reported that PIPs “are an increasingly common tool utilised by employers to manage cases of poor work performance”. For example, the Irish civil service now applies PIPs to those “who have not improved following interventions made through regular performance management processes” and is “built on principles of natural justice and closely reflects good HR practice in other sectors”. Under their PIP scheme, underperformance issues are initially handled informally but if unresolved and performance has not improved, the employee can be (fairly) dismissed.

THE LAW AND PIPS Significantly, the PIP process now frequently features in dismissal cases coming before third parties. For example, last year an Adjudication Officer (AO) at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) upheld the employer’s

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decision to dismiss a long serving operations manager who failed his PIP. He concluded that the procedures used were fair and the rules of natural justice were followed. Likewise, in 2017 the employer’s decision to dismiss a supervising pharmacist after he failed the PIP was upheld, as the adjudicator noted that the employer provided the complainant with ongoing mentoring and support throughout the PIP period and that it had even extended the plan’s duration on his request. She also noted that the employer’s procedures “were clear and detailed and were available at all times to the complainant” and the pharmacist had been informed of his performance issues, what was expected of him and the consequences of not achieving his PIP. At around the same time another adjudicator at the WRC found an employer’s dismissal of an accountant to be fair, where the process included the application of a PIP in a process that was deemed reasonable and in line with procedures. The AO recorded that the employer had used PIPs with other employees and had tried to use one with the accountant who didn’t cooperate, as he claimed that it was “rigged” for him to fail.

REAL COMMITMENT Of course to succeed in a contested dismissal case, Dr Gerry it’s important for the employer to be able to show that McMahon they also committed to the PIP process. Otherwise, it may be held that they “produced no evidence ... to show that training was made available to the claimant to address his shortcomings....”. A similar deficiency in such scenarios surfaced in the Irish Wheelchair Association’s case which found that they should have “engaged more constructively” with the claimant around the implementation of the performance improvement process.

However, where it can be shown that the employer implemented a PIP and as held by the State’s workplace adjudication service, “behaved reasonably at all times and did its utmost to support the claimant ... affording him every opportunity to adapt to the particular requirements of the respondent’s business”, the decision is likely to go in the employer’s favour. Google (Ireland)

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Workplace

Ltd has also relied heavily on its PIP (or Performance Expectation Plan) in a case where it successfully defended a discriminatory dismissal claim at the WRC. PERFECT PIPS However, research confirms that a significant obstacle to effective PIPs is that managers are often neither interested in nor capable and confident enough about the practice. This has significant implications for the organisation attempting to tackle underperformance. So to maximise the prospect of a successful PIP, the following guidelines should be applied: STEP 1 – BEFORE THE PIP MEETING 1. Assemble and review all of the relevant evidence relating to the employee’s past performance 2. As part of the information gathering process the following questions should be asked: • Is the problem attributable to the employee’s performance and/or attitude?

• At what point did the employer become aware of the problem?

• What was done about it?

• To what extent have the employee’s Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic and Time bound (SMART) objectives been achieved?

• Did the employee fully understand what they were expected to achieve?

• Did the employee get sufficient support from their manager and colleague(s)?

• Has the employee the ability to bridge the gap and perform effectively in the role?

• How have/are others in equivalent roles performing?

• In the course of previous exchanges, has the manager been successful in obtaining agreement on the cause of the problem(s) and what will be done about it? What happened?

• Is this a problem warranting external help (eg counselling)?

STEP 2 – DURING THE PIP MEETING 1. Encourage the employee to diagnose and prescribe in respect of the problem performance 2. Ensure that the employee understands the reason(s) for devising a PIP 3. Set and confirm the SMART (performance and development) objectives 4. Ensure that the employee understands the implications of continued underperformance vis-à-vis the organisation’s disciplinary/dismissal procedure 5. Confirm the required support actions\resources 6. Agree the improvement time-scale cum review schedule and diary it 7. Keep a (signed) record of the meeting and the agreed actions/ outcomes and furnish the employee with a copy.

PHASE 3 – AFTER THE PIP MEETING 1. Follow up and deliver on the promises made at the PIP meeting (i.e. support actions/resources, reviews) 2. As part of the review process, give specific feedback vis-à-vis the SMART objectives 3. In the event that no progress has been made under the PIP, confirm and diagnose the persistent performance gaps and determine whether new or revised SMART objectives or an updated PIP is required. The consequences for the employee of continued underperformance should also be confirmed. It may also be decided to progress matters via the disciplinary procedure 4. In the face of persistent underperformance, convene a meeting under the organisation’s disciplinary procedure.

Dr. Gerry McMahon is M.D. at Productive Personnel Ltd, HR consultancy and training company and an Adjudicator at the Workplace Relations Commission - tel 087 247 1415 or email ppl1gerry@gmail.com

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The 2020 Gold Medal Awards Deadline for entries has been extended until further notice We look forward to celebrating with you all again soon For more information please contact Ciara Murray, Event Manager Email: ciara.murray@ashvillemediagroup.com

Thank you to our sponsors

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Christmas Drinks

Festive TIPPLES

Take a look at the new releases and gift packs from Ireland’s drinks industry that are set to make Christmas that bit jollier

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Christmas Drinks

Christmas gifts from Teeling Whiskey Described by Teeling as the perfect stocking filler, Teeling Trinity Pack consists of three expressions of the Teeling whiskeys – Teeling Small Batch, Single Grain and Single Malt – each of which are bottled at 46% with no chill filtration.

Also available from the Distillery is its flagship Irish whiskey, Teeling Small Batch, presented in a branded tin box with two engraved whiskey glasses. This small batch bottling consists of hand selected casks of grain and malt whiskey, initially aged in ex-bourbon casks for up to six years and then married together for more than six months in ex-rum casks from Central America.

Teeling’s distillery exclusive bottlings are sold in the Teeling Whiskey Distillery and are matured in casks made of unique and interesting types of wood. The current editions are aged in Chinkapin Oak. Available nowhere else in the world, this whiskey is bottled at 46% with no chill filtration.

Finally, Teeling has also launched The Renaissance Series 2 18 Year old Single Malt, part of a limited series of single malt bottlings.

Limited to just 9,000 bottles and initially matured in Bourbon casks, The Renaissance Series 2 has been finished in Australian Shiraz casks for 18 months, imparting a beautiful bouquet of dark fruit flavours of cherry and blackberry character. www.teelingdistillery.com/shop/

Personalised bottle engraving with Jameson Irish Whiskey This Christmas, Jameson has combined coffee and whiskey to bring Jameson Cold Brew to the market.

The new release combines the smooth taste of triple distilled Jameson and the richness of natural cold brew coffee into one bottle. A perfectly balanced combination of smooth Irish Whiskey with hints of toasted oak, dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla and an aromatic coffee aroma, Jameson Cold Brew is best enjoyed over ice or in a cocktail.

Also available from the brand is Jameson Black Barrel, an exclusive pot still version of Jameson which has been distilled with recrafted barrels, adding another level of smoothness. Jameson Black Barrel has a unique richness, with intense vanilla sweetness, pot still spiciness and nutty notes, complimented by an intense aroma of butterscotch, fudge and creamy toffee. For an additional festive touch, you can also purchase personalised Jameson Black Barrel Bottle’s and whiskey decanter sets. www.jamesonwhiskey.com

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Christmas Drinks

Bushmills unveils Causeway Collection Bushmills Irish Whiskey has announced the release of The Causeway Collection across selected global markets, a new series of extremely rare and unique cask finished single malt whiskeys from The Old Bushmills Distillery. Leading the line-up are two cask strength releases that will be exclusively available for the island of Ireland – the 2008 Muscatel Cask and the 1995 Malaga Cask. The two exclusive Irish releases are the first cask strength Irish single malt whiskeys to be introduced by The Old Bushmills Distillery in over 15 years.

The 2008 Muscatel Cask, first aged for eight years in oloroso sherry butts and bourbon barrels, is then matured in rare muscatel casks for a further four years. Permeated with wine made from the muscat grape, the muscatel cask imparts deep waves of flavour with luscious ripe fruit notes and a smooth sweetness.

The 1995 Malaga Cask is a rare single malt, aged for over 10 years in oloroso sherry butts and bourbon barrels, before further maturation for 14 years in Malaga casks. After almost 25 years resting in oak, the triple wood maturation bestows notes of sweet spiced plum, toasted vanilla and pinches of coffee grounds on this golden spirit.

The Causeway Collection has been expertly crafted by Bushmills Master Blender, Helen Mulholland, who said: “This launch represents a bold new step for Bushmills, one that not only honours the giants and generations before us but also the incomparable natural landscape in which it’s forged. We are excited to reintroduce cask strength Bushmills single malt whiskeys to our loyal fans across the island of Ireland. With these two new exclusive releases, we celebrate our passion for single malt, showcase our rare and unique casks and honour our 400-year north coast provenance.”

Only 1,454 bottles of the 2008 Muscatel Cask are available, bottled at 56.4% ABV, non chill-filtered and priced at €100 for 700ml. Only 2,491 bottles of the 1995 Malaga Cask are available, bottled at 53.5% ABV, non chill-filtered and priced at €400 700ml.

Tasting Notes The 2008 Muscatel Cask Colour: Rose gold Nose: Velvety smooth sweetness, caramelised toffee sugars with a note of orange flower Taste: Sweet dried fruit producing a warming mouthfeel, a hint of citrus leads into a rich vanilla floral smoothness Finish: A burst of sweet raisin The 1995 Malaga Cask Colour: Antique gold Nose: Rich black coffee and nuts with sweet wood roundness Taste: Deep rich honey character, sweet spiced plum and vanilla undertones are evident Finish: Distinct nuttiness with a long lingering finish

www.bushmills.com/causeway-collection

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Christmas Drinks

A taste of Ireland with Writers’ Tears Copper Pot Walsh Whiskey has launched a new and improved Writers’ Tears gift pack, just in time for Christmas. Each pack contains a 700ml bottle of the newly rebranded Writers’ Tears Copper Pot as well as a Writers’ Tears branded hip flask.

Writers’ Tears Copper Pot is the original release under the Writers’ Tears brand and is, says Walsh Whiskey, a unique marriage of aged Single Pot Still and Single Malt Irish whiskey, distilled entirely from barley, both malted and unmalted. Writers’ Tears Copper Pot is triple distilled, non-peated and matured in Flame Charred American Oak bourbon casks. This is an award-winning whiskey that has also been included in Ian Buxton’s publication “101 Whiskeys to try before you die”. www.walshwhiskey.com

Tasting Notes Nose: Flashes of apple with hints of vanilla Palate: Gently spiced, ginger and orchard fruits Finish: Long and elegant with dark chocolate

New whiskey cask release from Hinch Distillery The An Chead Dún cask release from Hinch Distillery contains its first ever distillation of Irish Single Malt spirit, using traditional Irish distilling methods combined with Hinch’s bespoke distilling techniques. Through maturation in American Bourbon Oak Casks, this spirit will develop into an Irish whiskey over a number of years and will, says the Distillery, be sought after by some of the world’s most ardent whiskey collectors and connoisseurs.

An Chead Dún, which translates from Irish as “The First Down”, is the first single malt spirit released by Hinch Distillery.

It represents the combination of traditional Irish distilling skills with ageing in American Oak casks from the Maker’s Mark Distillery in Kentucky USA, whose origins date back from 250 years ago when the Samuel’s family emigrated from the north of Ireland and started distilling. With this shared ancestry, it seemed appropriate to use Maker’s Mark casks in the Hinch cask programme.

Only 161 casks will be made available in recognition of the origins of the 161-year-old Killaney Estate on which the distillery sits. With prices at €5,540 (£4,950), each cask owner will receive a limited-edition gift presentation box containing a bottle of Hinch 18 Year Old Single Malt and Château de la Ligne Grande Reserve wine, in addition to a small memento bottle of the original spirit before it enters the cask. www.hinchdistillery.com

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Reopenings

New gifting selection and cocktail classics from Powers Powers Three Swallows is a modern expression of what the original Powers Whiskey tasted like back in the days of the John’s Lane distillery. This style of whiskey Single Pot Still is exclusive to Ireland, developed from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and triple distilled in traditional copper pot stills. www.powerswhiskey.com

How to make the perfect Old Fashioned A perfectly blended balance of Powers Gold Label, bitters and sugar are used to create the perfect premixed Old-Fashioned cocktail. This cocktail comes in at 38% ABV, which means you can really savour the spicy and bold flavour of Powers Gold Label, beautifully balanced with the aroma and flavour from the orange peel. To serve, pour 50ml of Powers Old Fashioned over a few cubes of ice and simply add a twist of orange peel.

The Irishman Founder’s Reserve gets sherry for Christmas Walsh Whiskey has announced the launch of an exclusive, limitededition release of The Irishman Founder’s Reserve – Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish to ease you through the festive season. This is the first time The Irishman Founder’s Reserve has been finished in oloroso sherry casks. Previous limited-edition finishes have seen Florio Marsala and Chairman’s Reserve Rum cask finishes.

The Irishman Founder’s Reserve – Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish is triple-distilled entirely in copper pots and aged in American Oak Bourbon Barrels before being finished in oloroso casks for an additional 12 months and bottled at 46% ABV. The release is limited to just nine sherry butts, which will yield just over 8,000 bottles. The casks are being distributed to a limited number of markets including the USA, Canada, Russia, Ireland and a select number of other key regions, with a recommended retail price of €75.

Announcing the limited-edition release, Bernard Walsh, creator of The Irishman range of whiskeys and Managing Director of Walsh Whiskey, said: “This decadent oloroso sherry finish to Founder’s Reserve, which is our original whiskey, combines to deliver Christmas in a bottle. It is meant to be a treat to accompany the rich baking and cooking of the festive season, and of course to either reflect on the day or to share with your nearest and dearest. I hope you will join me in savouring a tasocan (dram) of this limited edition over the winter months.” www.walshwhiskey.com

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The Last Word

Pictured is Matthew Hughes, a publican in Ballinamore Bridge, East Galway, switching on the Christmas lights as part of a national campaign to highlight pubs readiness for a safe reopening. Picture courtesy of Conor McCabe Photography

no other W

A year like Restaurants and hotels are open but traditional pubs remain shuttered as 2020 finally comes to a close

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ith 2020 almost at an end, pubs across Ireland still remain closed. Hotels have been permitted to open along with restaurants and pubs that serve food but hoteliers are criticising the government’s decision not to allow inter-county travel until as far out as the 18th of December. This will, said the IHF, leave hotels effectively in extended lockdown. For many, bookings from within their own county would only account for less than 10% of their December business. “Given the enormous loss of revenue already this year, this extended lockdown will have a devastating impact – not only on hotels, but on their local economies, employees and communities,” said Tim Fenn, Chief Executive at the IHF. Meanwhile, the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) welcomed the government's announcement that restaurants, cafés and gastropubs could reopen their indoor dining areas early December. “This will be a Christmas season like no other, and we welcome the additional supports announced for our colleagues in the wider hospitality sector who unfortunately will

be unable to open their doors,” said RAI CEO Adrian Cummins.

The decision to keep pubs closed was met with disappointment, shock and anger by vintners across the country. The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) said the political decision to keep pubs closed while allowing food premises to reopen highlighted a stunning act of government hypocrisy, which has resulted in publicans now being treated as secondclass citizens within the hospitality sector. Publicans strongly believe that because both pubs and restaurants are defined as controlled environments, all outlets should have the opportunity to trade. Over 22,000 people will now continue on the PUP over Christmas, with no prospect of returning to work in the New Year.

On the 20th of November at 5pm, pubs across Ireland simultaneously switched on their Christmas lights in a campaign that highlighted pubs readiness for a safe reopening. Thousands of online views and hundreds of shares highlighted the groundswell of support out there for Irish pubs. The campaign was made possible by the €14 million ‘Guinness Raising the Bar’ fund, a two-year programme that has been available since June 2020 to assist pubs in safely reopening.

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READY WHEN YOU ARE Let’s do our part to keep each other safe this Christmas.

Offer your guests and staff a seamless, safer travel experience.

Partition Screen 4,500 screens installed as an added safety measure.

Reduced Contact Rate A max. of 2 passengers can travel in the back seat. We have a range of multi-seaters for larger groups.

Full Traceability Track the journey in real-time via our online booking system.

Regular Sanitisation Drivers wipe down the vehicle and touch points between each trip and keep the cars ventilated.

For more information or to discuss your travel requirements, contact cormac.doyle@free-now.com free-now.com/ie/business/covid-19-duty-of-care

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DIGITAL

Let Mona

B O O K I N G , C R M & R E S TA U R A N T S Y S T E M

Your Digital Assistant

help You

through the crisis Mona is Picasso Digital’s new digital assistant taking on many of your time consuming tasks, giving you more time for service and saving you operating costs.

Mona also reduces the potential for infection by significantly reducing the number of physical contact points with your guest. The impact on the climate is reduced as well by operating exclusively via the guest’s mobile phone.

Mona handles all this… and more…

• Digital formatting of reservations: Mona in conjunction with the fully integrated YPI Channel formats all room reservations, completing all forms and customer details, validating the information and saving the staff time.

• Digital payment: Before arrival, confirmation is sent to the guest via email or text with a guide and payment link for mobile payment.

Welcome to our latest Picasso user: Lough Lannagh Village

• Digital key handover: Via SMS / email, the guest is sent a welcome greeting with room access via app / door code / key card or key box.

• Digital check-in: Available room is allocated. payment is checked and the guest is automatically checked in on arrival.

• Digital check-out: On the day of departure, a text message is sent with a check-out and payment link. The invoice is also sent to the guest’s email.

– and much more. Mona digitizes the entire reception area.

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AK Techotel Ltd | Unit 5 | Moyvalley Business Park Dublin Road, Ballina | County Mayo, Ireland Tel +(353) 09622907 | www.techotel.ie | abr@techotel.ie

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