Irish Restaurant Awards 2012 National Finals - Full Results

see HERE for 2013 Irish Restaurant Awards Full Results

The Regional and All Ireland Titles of the Irish Restaurant Awards were announced at the Awards Ceremony which was held in the Burlington Hotel Dublin on Monday 14th May 2012. 

The awards celebrate all aspects of the Industry from Chefs and Restaurants to Food Producers, Local Food Heroes and Cookery Schools. Nominations for the awards are made by readers of the Sunday Independent LIFE Magazine and members of the Restaurants Association of Ireland.


The event recognizes achievement and excellence in the Restaurant and Hospitality Industry throughout the Island of Ireland. The Irish Restaurant Awards are brought to you by The Restaurants Association of Ireland and are sponsored by Santa Rita/Sunday Independent LIFE Magazine & others. The awards are the largest and most coveted awards in the Irish Restaurant Industry.


County winners were announced at a number of Regional Events in the run up to this main event.  Guests at the main event were treated to a five course menu prepared by the winning Chefs in each of the five regions from last year.

There were 3 components to the final phase of the process & each element was independently assessed by KPMG.

1. Mystery Guest Visit (35%) -This component of the awards was conducted by Prism Consulting headed by Hugo Arnold, independent food writer and consultant (http://www.hugoarnold.com). All County Winners received a mystery guest visit throughout the month of April.

2. National Awards Academy (55%) -The National Awards Academy were made up by representatives from each of the regional judging panels and they met during May to Judge the County Winners.

3. Menu Judging (10%) -All County winners and the Dublin Shortlist in each category were asked to submit a copy of their food menu and wine list for judging.

The Winners in each of the following categories were:



BEST CASUAL DINING 2012

This category recognises the dining experience which best offers outstanding value, excellent food, appropriate service, genuine hospitality and an appropriate overall dining experience.

ULSTER - Il Pirata
MUNSTER - La Cucina
LEINSTER - A. Caviston
CONNAUGHT - Mulberrys Restaurant & Wine Bar
DUBLIN - O'Connells
ALL-IRELAND WINNER - O'Connells

BEST HOTEL RESTAURANT 2012

This category will recognise a hotel restaurant that demonstrates the very best in a dining experience as evidenced by attention to detail, a well-structured, balanced and appropriate menu, exemplary customer service and enjoyable and suitable atmosphere.

• ULSTER - The River Room @ Galgorm Resort
• MUNSTER - The Long Room @ Doonbeg
• LEINSTER - Beaches Restaurant @ Kelly's Resort Hotel
• CONNAUGHT - Ballynahinch Castle
• DUBLIN - Seasons Restaurant @ The Four Seasons Hotel
• ALL-IRELAND WINNER - The Long Room @ Doonbeg

BEST GASTRO PUB 2012

Goes to the gastro pub with an impressive food aspect, genuine and demonstrable hospitality and an outstanding, relevant and complementary drinks offering.

• ULSTER - The Brewers House
• MUNSTER - The Roadside Tavern
• LEINSTER - The Fatted Calf
• CONNAUGHT - Bar One
• DUBLIN - The Chop House
• ALL-IRELAND WINNER - The Chop House

BEST CHEF 2012

The chef who most impresses in their approach, design and execution of dishes and who is clearly pushing at culinary boundaries in Ireland.

• ULSTER - Joery Castel, The Boathouse
• MUNSTER - Wade Murphy, The Long Room @ Doonbeg
• LEINSTER - Garrett Byrne, Campagne
• CONNAUGHT - Philippe Farineau, Mount Falcon
• DUBLIN - Ross Lewis, Chapter One
• ALL-IRELAND WINNER - Garrett Byrne, Campagne

BEST WINE EXPERIENCE 2012

This goes to the restaurant offering a balanced and appropriate wine list, an interesting range of producers and which strives for excellence in the service of wine.

Best Wine Experience Ireland - West @ The Twelve Hotel

Best Restaurant 2012

This goes to the restaurant offering a balanced and appropriate wine list, an interesting range of producers and which strives for excellence in the service of wine.

• ULSTER - James Street South
• MUNSTER - Les Gourmandises
• LEINSTER - Campagne
• CONNAUGHT - Artisan
• DUBLIN - Chapter One
• ALL-IRELAND WINNER - Chapter One

Best Kids Size Me 2012

This award goes to the restaurant who aims to ensure children have access to healthier food options when dining out by making child size portions of appropriate adult meals available as an alternative to ordering from the standard children's menu.

Best Kid Size Me Menu Ireland  - Ely Gastro Pub, Dublin

Best Customer Service 2012

This award recognises the establishment that demonstrably goes above and beyond a normal level of service and does it consistently and in an appropriate manner.



ULSTER - Harveys Point Hotel
MUNSTER - Isaacs Restaurant
LEINSTER - Viewmount House
CONNAUGHT - Renvyle House
DUBLIN - Rasam
ALL-IRELAND WINNER - Harveys Point Hotel

*Comeragh Mountain Lamb - Local Food Hero 2012 Sponsored by Life Magazine

INDUSTRY CATEGORIES

Best Restaurant Website sponsored by Lightbox - Milano, Ireland
Best Coffee Experience sponsored by Robert Roberts - 3FE, Dublin 
Best Ethnic Restaurant sponsored by Tiger Beer - Ananda, Dublin 
Best Artisan Producer sponsored by IFSA - Boulabane Ice-Cream
Best Club Restaurant sponsored by La Rousse - Restaurant FortyOne @ Residence, Dublin
Just Ask 2012 sponsored by Bord Bia - L. Mulligan Grocer, Dublin 
Best Seafood Experience sponsored by Kish - O'Gradys On The Pier, Co. Galway
Best Supplier sponsored by RAI - Pallas Foods
Great Value Dining sponsored by Tourism Ireland - Thyme, Co. Westmeath
Best Practice in Energy Management sponsored by Calor - Dromoland Castle, Co. Clare
Best Innovative Restaurant sponsored by Failte Ireland - Mulberry Garden, Dublin 
Best Restaurant Design sponsored by Hugh Jordan - Bijou, Dublin 
Best Cocktail Experience sponsored by Smirnoff Mojito - The Exchequer, Dublin 
Best Newcomer sponsored by Elavon - The Green House, Dublin
Best Cookery School sponsored by Avonmore - The Tannery Cookery School, Co. Waterford

The Irish Restaurant Awards 2012 are independently supervised by:

For more details see  http://www.rai.ie/news-top-restaurants-in-ireland-announced-at-the-santa-rita-life-magazine-irish-restaurant-awards-2012-105.html

Congrats to Everyone that got through to the finals and Well Done to All the Winners!

Zack

A National Irish Tea Cosy Competition!

"A cuppa Tea's a Darling Thing!"  as Joxer Daly said to Captain Boyle in 'Juno & the Paycock', Sean O'Casey's famous play. In the play, the Boyle family are set against the political and social events of the Irish Civil War in 1922. 

Irish playwrite Sean O'Casey wrote "Juno & the Paycock" in 1924

Click here for an excellent website about Sean O'Casey
Set in a tenement house, Juno and the Paycock is an epic tale of survival and vengeance punctuated by dreadful poverty. Juno, the spirited matriarch of the Boyle household tries to keep her family together while it is being pulled apart by growing political unrest. Her husband, Captain Jack Boyle drinks his way through his days with his side-kick Joxer Daly, while their children fail tragically in their own search for a better life.

"A cuppa Tae's a darlin' thing, a darlin' thing" says Joxer Daly

They spend more time drinking tea, procrastinating and talking about a revolution, than working or taking part in anything!


The lovely people from the Irish Craft Festival 2012 are looking back towards the golden days of the Tea Cosy, by looking forward to people using them again! 

They have launched a Tea Cosy Making Competition as part of their festival and the idea has really taken off! Part of what they are trying to do is to get people making their tea in a Teapot again and to stop making 'one in a cup'. 

And right they are! No-one ever drinks only one cup of tea! And after all the talk, this week on Twitter, about Tea, making tea, the politics of tea and more, it is a great idea that they have spawned!


Here are some pictures of home-made Tea-Cosies that I found:

So, Now is Your chance to get involved!

You can find out more and Enter the competition here at: http://craftfestival.wordpress.com/teacosy/

What a lovely idea!


Zack

Roscommon Lamb Festival 2012 Now On!

Roscommon Lamb Festival 2012 is in it’s fifth year - celebrating all aspects of County Roscommon’s food, farming, heritage, craft  and most importantly – family, in a range of events designed to suit everyone’s tastes.  

The majority of our events are free and the festival itself is a non profit event. The Roscommon Lamb Festival runs until the evening of Monday 7th May.

Irish Lamb Cutlets - simply delicious! Pic: Bordbia

Roscommon Lamb Festival started in 2008 organized by a committee of local farmers, restaurant owners and community groups.  The vision for the festival was to “highlight the quality of locally-produced food and to attract additional tourists to Roscommon thus boosting the local economy and benefitting primary producers and suppliers”. 

This is still the case with the added vision of creating an internationally recognised festival in the Northwest of Ireland and an annual celebration for the people of Roscommon and its visitors.

Based on the fact that Roscommon has the highest lamb output in the country, the festival celebrates lamb in a diverse range of food and farming events over the course of the weekend. They are organising this event to increase awareness of the festival and promote lamb as a dish.

As part of this year’s Roscommon Lamb Festival we are launching the Roscommon Alternative Money (RAM). The RAM will be in the form of tokens embossed with the Lamb Festival logo. 1 RAM token will be equivalent to 3 euros and will be exchangeable at participating Restaurants, Pubs and Businesses and events throughout the weekend.   For example 1 RAM will pay for 1 tasting at the Global Village event.

On Saturday a Kids Can Cook workshop will take place in the festival marquee with a "Crafternoon" tea event running simultaneously.

There will be a competition to find the North West Young Sheep Farmer 2012 and this will be judged by Macra president Alan Jago. Saturday night finishes with the usual massive Barbeque Brazilian Style with music from Four Men and a Base. Sunday morning sees the start of the international sheep dog trials at 8am.  The trials will continue throughout the day.

The family Fun Day takes place also on Sunday in Loughnaneane Park with a host of attractions and activities for all. 

Irish Lamb cooked Brazilian BBQ style at the Roscommon Lamb Festival

The Global Food Village will also feature in the park.  Meanwhile the Wool Craft Village will be in full swing in the marquee with workshops and demonstrations featuring shearing, spinning, weaving, felt making, knitting, dyeing, in short everything to do with wool.

Sounds like a great weekend of what I reckon to be the Tastiest Meat in the World! Lamb.

For more details see http://www.roscommonlambfestival.com/

Ireland's Oldest Sweet Manufacturer to Close!

A Guest Post by Connie Duffy - Donegal Democrat

Oatfield Sweet factory has itself made an enduring economic, social and cultural contribution to Letterkenny over its 85 years of existence. Not only has been a major employer in Letterkenny down through the years with up to 150 in its workforce at one stage, it has also been very much part of the fabric of the town.

Its founders, the McKinney family had been trading in Letterkenny for close to 100 years. The business first started as a wholesale and retail outlet on the Port Road. The premises are now occupied by Tinneys’ as a clothing and outfitters shop.

Oatfield Sweet Factory in Letterkenny, Co Donegal

In 1927, the late Ira and Haddon McKinney decided to make their own sweets and in August of that year the first sweets were made on the open coke fire in a shed at the back of the shop. The land on which the factory now stands was purchased in November 1929; the first sod was cut in February 1930. Six people were employed at the time.

The trade name of the company at that time was ‘Mayfield Confectionery’ but this was changed when it was discovered that another confectionery firm in Manchester, North of England had the same name. The land on which the factory is built was known as ‘Oatfield’ so the ‘May’ was dropped and ‘Oat’ substituted and hence the name ‘Oatfield’ was arrived at.

The old 7lb. Tin of mixed Oatfield boiled sweets

The first sweets were unwrapped boilings, boiled on an open coke fire and packed in 4lb. jars and 7lb. cans, 1/2d. and 1d rocks and Peggys Legs a count line still make today, but not by Oatfield. The weekly production was about 3 tons compare that with production today where we produce something like 65 tons a week.

The famous "Peggy's Leg" was one of the first Irish Rock candies

In 1930 sugar was purchased from Tate and Lyle and this as delivered by ship and rail via Derry to Letterkenny railway station. They then turned to Irish sugar. Glucose came from Manchester, the same route as the sugar and sometime later glucose was purchased direct from Holland and shipped to the port at Letterkenny. 

It is understood, the glucose used until the closure was Irish and came from Co. Cork. Butter has always been Irish Creamery Butter. Other ingredients come as far away as the West Indies and Malaya.

Irish Creamery Butter was always used in the sweet making process

Up until the year 1960 Oatfield still continued with the wholesale side of the business until it was decided that it would stop marketing packed sweets made by Cadburys, Rowntree, Urneys Chocolates, Bassetts Licorice Allsorts, Jacobs Biscuits, William and Wood, Ritchies Mints and Milroy Confectionery and would concentrate entirely on selling Oatfield sweets. This decision was a major turning point for the company and was a tremendous success.

The Oatfield Sweet Lorry was a common sight on Ireland's roads!

It launched its export side of the business in 1964. The first sweets were exported to Northern Ireland and the first overseas customer was a gentleman from Malta. It is understood he was still one of their most valued customers and he had visited the factory many times.

The sweets are exported on a world-wide scale which includes countries as far away as U.S.A., Canada, Iceland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Nigeria, Kuwait, Bahrain, Cyprus, Greece, Sweden, France, Holland, Germany, Denmark and Norway, just to mention a few.

Distribution in 1930 was by means of a one-ton van, which serviced Donegal and surrounding areas, and the balance was transported by rail from Letterkenny railway station to Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan and the south.

In recent times the company employed outside transport to distribute to all the 32 counties in Ireland. Orders, which were being exported, were loaded on to hired containers at the factory and then transported to the docks, their distribution could be up to any of the 90 countries we export to throughout the world.

Packing Sweets by hand, at Oatfield Sweet Factory

A number of years ago, the factory employed approximately 95 people and produced up to 65 tonnes of sugar and chocolate confectionery each week. The main production lines were Emerald, Toffees, Eclairs, Boiled sweets. 

Emerald continues to be the biggest seller, followed by Colleen Assortment and Orange Chocolate. Roll pack sweets were a major part of their business too, manufacturing as they did a varieties of Rolls, at one time up to 12 different kinds!

The all-time favourite Oatfield "Emerald" Irish Caramel sweets - Yum!

The factory has experienced a constant demand for its products with increased seasonal demand at Christmas. This required them to recruit additional staff to cope with the demand for its popular Christmas range of products.

In 1994, the company was accredited with ISO 9002, a registered and approved Quality System, together with the Irish Quality Association’s approved Quality System. They ensure that all its products are produced to the highest quality standards in a consistent manner by our experienced staff. Three years later in 1997, a HACCP Food Safety System was developed and implemented in the factory, which ensures the safe manufacture of its confectionery products to an increasingly discerning customer.

But challenging future lay ahead for all employees in the new millennium. Like many manufacturing companies its success would be determined by its ability to change with new technologies, invest in employee development, adapt to changing consumer tastes and constant review of its packaging and presentation.

Chocolate "Eclairs" were another popular Oatfield Sweet

Since 1999 Oatfield sweets was owned by Donegal Creameries PLC who are now funding substantial investment to modernise the factory for the future. It experienced lay offs in 2008, a year after the company was sold to Zed Candy. It said the cuts were part of a rationalisation procedure as a result of the recent downturn in the economy.

Since that time workers have claimed that the operations in Letterkenny was being downsized on a gradual basis with machinery being removed. Their fears proved right this week with the news of the plant closure at the end of May. Management are due to meet the staff next Thursday to begin the process.

Zed Candy was formed in Dublin, in 1999, producing bubble. Oatfield sweets joined the group in 2007

The news will mark the end of an era as the Oatfield sweet brands had been manufactured in the town for over 80 years. The company said the difficult decision had been taken after a detailed review of the business. They said they would do all they could to minimise the impact of the job losses.

The remaining 15 workers at the plant were given 30 days notice and are due to meet with management to discuss redundancy terms next Thursday. Some of the workers have up to 40 years service.

Thanks to Connie for his wonderful text on the history of Ireland's oldest sweet factory.

The Oatfield Sweet Factory plant is owned by Dublin based firm Zed Candy, although the site is owned by Donegal Creameries. The plant is set to close on 27 May. It is understood that production of Oatfield brand sweets will move to Kettering in Northamptonshire, UK.

For more on Zed Candy see: www.zedcandy.com

FOOD&WINE Magazine recruiting for a New Restaurant Critic

Are you a fearless foodie?

FOOD&WINE Magazine is recruiting for one of Ireland's most critical jobs… The Restaurant Critic!

If you're interested in writing about food and wine, love eating out, and have an evening or two to spare a month, this could be just the thing for you. Other skills are required beside the ability to eat though. Can you stick to a deadline and write flawless copy? Do you read commission instructions with a fine tooth-comb? Then FOOD&WINE Magazine is looking for you.

The magazine is considered by many to be Ireland's Food & Wine Bible

"Despite the downturn there are still plenty of restaurants, new and old, waiting to be rated for FOOD&WINE Magazine so we need to expand our panel of restaurant critics" says Ross Golden-Bannon, Editor of the magazine.

Wine Editor Raymond Blake with magazine Editor Ross Golden-Bannon

How to Apply:
The standards are high and the competition will be tight. Submit 150 words on your favourite food experience, not a restaurant review and not forgetting why the experience ranks so high. An immediate good-bye will be said to those who don’t follow the criteria. Spelling, grammar and style are important, as well as knowledge of what’s libellous and knowing your Béarnaise from your Beaujolais would be a distinct advantage!

FOOD&WINE magazine May 2012 Issue - OUT NOW!

"We don’t count calories, we count quality." says Ross. "We believe in substance over style and integrity over spin, so sharpen your pencils and start writing."

The FOOD&WINE Christmas show gets bigger every year!

Deadlines are Important!
The deadline is Friday, 8 June 2012. The top three entries will be published in the magazine and the winner will be chosen by a combination of public voting and the editorial team's needs. The winner will be announced in the September issue of the magazine (on shelves Monday 20 August).

Entries to:
Entries can be submitted to foodandwine@harmonia.ie with Restaurant Critic Job as the subject title.

Closing date for submissions is 5pm Friday, 8 June 2012.

Zack

Win a Professional Chef's Knife!

My good friend Sean Brosnan over at Emerald Trading has kindly given me a
25cm Mondial Professional Chef's Knife for one of you lucky readers to win because the company is celebrating 15 years in business this year!

EMERALD TRADING Co. Donegal Town
Celebrating 15 years supplying Hotels & Restaurants of the North & West of Ireland

Founded by Sean, in 1997, Emerald Trading is a family run independent business, based in Donegal Town and specialising in the distribution of a vast range of high quality cleaning, hygiene & catering supplies and equipment.

"Emerald Trading’s philosophy is to provide all our customers with the best knowledge and care possible. Consistency and reliability is our main priority" says Sean.


Their product range is indeed massive! Here are a few links to some of their wide-ranging catering equipment:

• Janitorial & Cleaning Supplies

• Industrial Paper Roll

• Toilet Paper

• Paper Products

• Dispenser Products

• Refuse Sacks

• Take Away & Packaging Products

• Crockery & Cookware

• Cutlery

• Hotel/Pub Products

• Industrial Work Wear

• Stationery

The company has grown into a large supplier of all cleaning and hygiene needs, establishing an excellent customer base in the North & West of Ireland.

WIN THIS CHEF'S CHOPPING KNIFE!

To WIN this professional Chef's Knife you have to

Like Emerald Trading's Facebook page by clicking this button:

Like the Irish Food Guide Facebook Page by clicking this button:

and leave a comment at the end of this Post with a contact detail. 


Competition runs until the 1st May. Good Luck!
Zack


Update: The Winner, picked by random number generator is...
Lorraine Ni Bhealatuin


I'll be in contact by email to get your postal address - Zack.