Irish Restaurant Awards 2011 National Finals - Full Results & More !

For 2012 Irish Restaurant Awards - go to Homepage

It was a night of surprises - and for some, no surprise, but I'll let that sit...

Chapter One scooped the Best Restaurant Award & Mickael Viljanen, Head Chef at Gregans Castle is crowned Best Chef in Ireland! What a Night!

The Undisputed : Mr Mickael Viljanen

At the Santa Rita/Sunday Independent Irish Restaurant Awards 2011 in the Burlington Hotel, Wednesday 25^th March 2011, over 700 industry peers attended the awards ceremony where the regional and All Ireland winners were announced in the following categories:

Industry:

Best Seafood Experience 2011                 O’ Grady’s on the Pier, Barna, Co. Galway

Best Ethnic Restaurant 2011                     Rasam, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

Best Newcomer 2011                                The Fatted Calf, Glasson, Co. Westmeath

Best Cocktail Experience 2011                 Saba, Dublin

Best Restaurant Design 2011                    Ely Bar and Brasserie, Dublin

Best Coffee Experience 2011                    Fallon and Byrne, Exchequer St, Dublin

Best Practice in Environmental 2011        Radisson Hotel, Dublin Airport

Best Restaurant Website 2011                  Seapoint, Monkstown, Dublin

Best Club Restaurant 2011                        Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club, Dublin

Best Supplier 2011                                    Keeling’s

Best Cookery School 2011                        The Tannery, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford

Best Innovation 2011                                O’ Brien Chop House, Co. Waterford

Best Food Producer 2011                         Silverhill Foods

Most Informative Menu 2011                    Bodega, Co. Waterford

Local Food Hero 2011                              Jack McCarthy, McCarthy’s of Kanturk



photo by @italianfoodie


The Regional Winners are:
Best Chef
                        Ulster                Noel McMeel, Lough Erne Resort
                        Munster             Mickael Viljanen, Gregans Castle

            Dublin                Kevin Thornton, Thornton’s

                        Leinster             Billy Whitty, Aldridge Lodge
                        Connaught        Philippe Farineau, Mount Falcon

Best Restaurant      

            Ulster                MacNean House and Restaurant

            Munster            The Tannery

            Dublin               Chapter One

            Leinster             Campagne

            Connaught         Asian Tea House

Best Casual Dining 

            Ulster                La Boca

            Munster            La Cucina

            Dublin               Michie Sushi

            Leinster             L’Olivier

            Connaught         Bar 8

Best Customer Service           

            Ulster               Harvey’s Point

            Munster            Gregans Castle

            Dublin               Chapter One

            Leinster             Chakra by Jaipur

            Connaught         Lough Inagh Lodge

Best Hotel Restaurant      

            Ulster               Snaffles Brasserie Castle Leslie

            Munster            Gregans Castle

            Dublin              The Cellar Restaurant, The Merrion Hotel

            Leinster            The Strawberry Tree, Brooklodge Wells and Spa

            Connaught        The Kitchen Restaurant, Mount Falcon

Best Gastro Pub     

            Ulster                Harry’s Bar

            Munster            Cronin’s Pub

            Dublin               L. Mulligan Grocer

             Leinster            Fallons

            Connaught        O’Dowd’s Bar and Seafood Restaurant

Best Wine Experience     

Dublin               The Winding Stair

And The Overall Winners are:

Best Restaurant 2011                Chapter One

Best Chef 2011                         Mickael Viljanen for Gregans Castle

Best Customer Service 2011      Gregans Castle

Best Casual Dining 2011            La Cucina

Best Hotel Restaurant 2011        Gregans Castle

Best Wine Experience 2011        Jacques at Greenacres

Best Gastro Pub 2011                Harry’s Bar

Local Food Hero 2011                 Jack McCarthy’s, McCarthy’s of Kanturk 

photo by @italianfoodie

A Super Supper was Served!

Guests on the night were treated to a five-course menu prepared by the winning Chefs in each of the five regions in 2010. This year’s event saw legends of the Foodie world: Danny Millar (Balloo House), Garret Byrne (Champagne), Seamus Commons (Knockranny House), Paul Flynn (The Tannery) and Eamonn O’ Reilly (One Pico) prepare a sumptuous meal for over 700 guests at a glittering black tie event – a fantastic celebration of all that is great in the Irish Restaurant Industry.

photo by @italianfoodie

A Highlight in the Restaurant Calendar

The Irish Restaurant Awards are organised by The Restaurants Association of Ireland and are sponsored by Santa Rita & Sunday Independent LIFE Magazine.

This year’s event recognized achievement and excellence in the Restaurant and Hospitality Industry, throughout the whole island of Ireland, in 22 categories. The awards celebrate all aspects of the Industry from Chefs, Restaurants, Food Producers, Cookery Schools and even Local Food Heroes!

photo by @italianfoodie

Readers of the Sunday Independent LIFE Magazine and members of the Restaurants Association of Ireland put forward nominations for the awards. The awards process ran from the beginning of February 2011 until the 25^th of May 2011 whereby nominated Restaurants faced scrutiny from the Consumer, Regional Judges, a Mystery Guest Visitor and finally the National Awards Academy. The County winners were announced at a number of Regional events, over the last few months, in the run up to the Main Event last night in the Burlington Hotel Dublin.

Don’t Forget to Feed the Fish at the bottom of this post!

zack