FFT.ie Feb 2018 The Official Publication Of The Restaurants Association Of Ireland Food For Thought FOOD | DRINKS | HOSPITALITY The Trouble with Irish Whiskey Part three of our series ............p14 Hospitality Expo is preparing the Industry for the next Generation of Customers he theme of Exhibition this business sectors. managing a successful this year’s With over 200 The Hospitality kitchen. Hospitality exhibitors Hospitality Summit will be Hospitality Expo Expo, Expo offers a visual chaired by Matthias will also be hosting RDS from index of the products, Muller, President, Irish the Tech Theatre, TFebruary 6th -7th, services and ideas Hospitality Institute a specially designed is ‘preparing the needed for you to and will feature forum to demonstrate In Conversation with Toners Pub hospitality industry for take your business keynote speaker Mark and discuss Keeping alive its traditions .......p24 the next generation of to the next level. The Nolan, Managing new technology customer’. Whether Technology Village Director of Dromoland and innovation. this is by adopting will showcase the Castle, looking at how Technology leaders new Technology or latest in tech innovation traditional hospitality from companies renewing premises while the Catering venues can connect include OpenTable, through Design and Fit and Bar Equipment with new and younger Cloudbeds, Sensys, Out, offering new Food zone will allow clientele. The Summit Wonder Bars and and Beverage options you to procure for will also cover topics Mitsubishi. or revamping Bar and upgrades to facilities including technology The School of Catering Equipment, and machinery. The and marketing, Culinary Arts and we are showcasing Design and Fit Out staff retention and Food Technology, ideas to hospitality Pavilion provides recruitment and DIT, will be running business owners a comprehensive design and fit out, a Business Advice Wine Trends in 2018 who are looking display of the latest along with extensive Centre featuring What to expect in the to invest in their design ideas for industry updates and a continuous coming year ............................p28 businesses to attract refurbishment, fitanalysis. programme of free the next generation out and facilities For pubs, the LVA will seminars discussing of customers. development of your be running a seminar key business hospitality premises. for publicans, the LVA challenges and free A Booming Sector The popular Food Pub Forum. Here, one to one business According to the and Beverage Sorcha Hamilton, the consultation sessions Drinks Industry Village will provide a Craft Beer columnist to attendees. Group of Ireland menu of new products with the Irish Times, Co-located with (DIGI), profits for the on the market while alongside Kevin Hospitality Expo is Fit hospitality industry the Brew Expo will O’Hara, Chairman, Out Expo featuring in Ireland have allow you to sample Independent Craft the Fit Out Expo and increased, with over the latest craft beers Brewers of Ireland, Summit where you �6.4bn in profits being will be discussing new can hear case studies recorded in 2017. This Learn from the products. Other topics and insight into design Craft Beer: Time for Consolidation? was in due in part to Experts - 6 Seminar include events and and refurbishment Will 2018 see more brewery more than 10 million Theatres Over entertainment, social ... cont on page 17 closures? ................................p33 people visiting Ireland 2 Days media and marketing in 2017, spending Learning from others and managing food Visit us at �5.78 billion. With is key to success in business in pubs. Stand J2 revenues expected any business but none Meanwhile, for at Food & Bev Live Citywest to rise even further more so than the ever- restaurants we will be in 2018 coupled changing hospitality hosting the Synergy Save up to 90% on Labour by using with an increase in industry. This is why Prochef Forum, a THE CUTLERY POLISHER.......... Dries - Polishes - Sanitizes Cutlery visitors, now is the Hospitality Expo will specially designed View demo on www.ghenterprises.ie time to invest in your feature six theatres seminar exploring Save on labour/water/detergent & electricity costs by using Save on Time & Labour hospitality business. addressing the key the business of being THE DECARBONISING TANK... BY USING Removes grease, grime and the heaviest carbon The ‘BIG ONE’ challenges affecting a head chef and from pots, pans extractor filters, tops of cookers, THE GLASS oven internals, baking trays etc. Visit www.ghenterprises.ie POLISHER.................... Call us for a FREE on site Demo Official Hospitality Expo Show Guide Starts on Page 17 Tel: 068 28133 Email: [email protected] Web: www.ghenterprises.ie supported by organised by IRELAND Food For Thought Feb18.indd 1 29/01/2018 18:05 2 Guest Editor @FFTresource | Feb 2018 Frank Gleeson, President at Aramark Northern Europe t’s a great pleasure to have this year and next to be about economic climate is to focus on been invited to be the guest double the rates in Germany the variables within our control, Ieditor of Food for Thought and three times the rates in the and continue to build a stron- for the first issue of 2018. UK. Unemployment is also ex- ger, better business. Many The Aramark team is ded- pected to fall towards levels not Irish companies are doing like- icated to enriching and nour- seen since 2007 and this is re- wise and will prove resilient in ishing lives every day across flected in increased consumer spite of, or indeed because of, Northern Europe and here in confidence and spending. Brexit. Ireland we have over 6,500 2018 will be another exciting Many thanks to all at Food for incredible people delivering year for our company as we Thought for inviting me to be for our clients in over 400 lo- continue to build on our busi- Guest Editor for this edition of cations across the island of ness success. Our acquisition the publication. It’s a great hon- Ireland. Ireland’s leading vis- of John Coughlan (read more our and I hope all our readers itor, shopping and sporting on page 5) provides us with a find it to be an entertaining, in- destinations are all serviced by fantastic platform from which formative & educational read. Aramark and together with our to expand our presence in the presence in hospitals, universi- sporting and leisure arena. Happy New Year to you all! ties and employment sites, we We also expect to announce touch more people’s lives than new partnerships which will Frank Gleeson any other company. allow us to offer new and The Irish economy continues unique food concepts to our to go from strength to strength. clients throughout the island of The European Commission Ireland. expects Ireland’s growth rates Our focus in this positive In this Issue... Contacts: The Trouble with Irish Whiskey For any editorial, pr or content related queries please Part three of our series ......................................................p14 contact: [email protected] Tel: +353 1 254 9860 Restaurants Association of Ireland For subscriptions, accounts or general enquiries please contact: [email protected] Tel: +353 1 254 The latest from the industry’s association .......................p22 9860 In Conversation with Toners Pub Queries with relation to advertising should please be Keeping alive its traditions ................................................p24 addressed to: [email protected] Tel: +353 1 254 9860 Q&A Sheerin Wilde All material copyright 2017. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a Focusing on wine pairings is paramount at Avalon ....... retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior consent of p26 the Publisher. Opinions and comments herein are not necessarily those of the Publisher. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that all information contained in this Wine Trends in 2018 publication is factual and correct at time of going to press, the Publisher cannot be held What to expect in the coming year ..................................p28 responsible for any inadvertent errors or omissions contained herein. Craft Beer: Time for Consolidation? FFT.ie, Top Floor, 30 Francis St, Dublin 8 Will 2018 see more brewery closures? ..........................p33 This Month’s Poll: Weird News Some of the stranger news stories from this month ......p34 Do you intend to renovate your premises in 2018? Letters Answers to [email protected] Your questions answered .................................................p35 Last Month’s Poll: Has your business suffered in the past as a result of last minute group cancellations? Design... Yes: 43% No: 57% Clear Designs Telephone: 01 445 9363 [email protected] www.cleardesigns.ie Clear Designs Food For Thought Feb18.indd 2 29/01/2018 18:05 Feb 2018 | @FFTresource News 3 Luxe Materials at the Forefront of 2018 Design Trends 018 will see a rise in a into design over the past few design. More than ever, cus- creating eye-catching and design project. Our advice, number of new design years, and this trend will con- tomers are paying attention unique spaces for all to appre- going forward, is to be inno- 2trends in the hospitality tinue to grow. There are psy- to their surroundings. For that ciate. vative, thoughtful and brave industry, while also witnessing chological studies showing reason, attention to detail has Lastly, in 2018 lighting will when considering any future a strengthening of others from the positive effects of planting never been more important, remain a vital factor in any design within the hospitality recent times. in interior spaces, and it would with surfaces, lighting, floor- design. Lighting schemes can industry. Luxe materials, such as vel- appear that people are going ing, art and other details often make or break an atmosphere. You can visit L’Estrange De- vets, leathers and sheepskins to be further drawn to botan- vying to be elements of focus. and should always be placed signs at Hospitality Expo, stand will be mixed in new and in- ical influenced interiors.