Book A Free WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT: - 1-1 Consultations - VIP Entertaining .ie Consultation - Innovation FFT - Product Launches nnovation - Industry Events - In-house Training Dec 2017 [email protected] - Live Demo’s NOW centre OPEN Gibson Lane FFT 136x26px.indd 1 24/11/2017 13:06 Food For Thought FOOD | DRINKS | HOSPITALITY The Restaurants Association has some Food for Thought An important announcement ......p4 Zeroing in on the Drinks Trade Exclusive Interview: FFT.ie expanding its scope ........p5 Liam Edwards, President of the Restaurants Association of Ireland “We Don’t Have Enough Chefs” t’s a tough job ciation of Ireland. business for 47 years the power of osmosis. to preside over As a second gener- in the harbour town. Knowledge seeped Local Focus: The Gourmet a professional ation business owner Liam points up to the directly through the Greenway body of over who grew up ‘over ceiling, indicating that ceiling. As we chat, A cycle path has provided inspiration 2000 members, the shop’, hospitality his childhood bed- the first generation of in Mayo ...................................p10 Ibut someone has to service is in this man’s room, now one of the this family business is do it. Restaurateur blood. When we meet, accommodation bed- sitting at the bar hav- and publican Liam Ed- he tells me the Jim Ed- rooms at the pub, was ing an early morning wards has that precise wards Bar and now located directly over coffee meeting. Liam’s role, as President of seafood restaurant in the bar. It’s clear Liam father hasn’t totally re- the Restaurants Asso- Kinsale, has been in learned his trade by tired yet. ... cont on page 18 Dealing with Christmas What Are the Secret Ingredients To Cancellations Continuing the discussion from part Running a World Class Kitchen? one .........................................p23 ospitality Expo, Chef – Management and in Irish Restaurants with JJ taking place on Control with John Wood, Healy, CIT the 6th & 7th of ex-Dorchester Hotel • Career Paths with Mar- The Official February 2018 in • Brexit: Impact on Menu teen Mc Conraghan the RDS, will host Choice with Martin Potts, • Healthy Eating and Calo- Publication Hthe Synergy Pro Chef Forum, a Synergy Pro Chef rie Calculation with Doug- specially designed conference • Critical Success Factors las Harrington, IT Tallaght Of The for culinary professionals. ... cont on page 2 The forum will explore the Restaurants business of being a head chef and managing a successful Association kitchen. Top chefs and industry professionals will be discussing Of Ireland the key issues and challenges facing kitchen professionals today and exploring the skills and solutions needed to over- come them. Key speakers and topics include: • The Business of Being a “The light music of whisky falling into glasses made an agreeable interlude.” James Joyce Food For Thought Dec17.indd 1 24/11/2017 19:06 2 News @FFTresource | Dec 2017 Blackwater Teams with Barry’s Tea for New Gin ... cont from page 1 What Are the Secret aterford-based tion in London for its Blackwater Ingredients To “We’ve won many international Blackwater Distillery No.5 Gun, and has been short- Running a World awards for our gin, but the op- has teamed up with listed for the IWSC International W portunity to partner with Barry’s Class Kitchen? Barry’s Tea for a new gin, spe- Gin Distillery of the Year award. Tea is definitely something we cially for the Christmas period. Denis Daly, Master Blender at • Food Cost Control with couldn’t pass up. I was exper- The limited edition Black- the family-owned Barry’s Tea, Martin Potts, Synergy Pro imenting with some different water Barry’s Tea Irish Gin is said: “This is an exciting and Chef flavours and discovered that available as of November and once off opportunity for all of us • Getting a Product to Mar- Barry’s Tea gives the gin some is a blend of Barry’s Tea Classic at Barry’s Tea. The chance to ket with Dermot McGreal, nice, spicy notes when distilled. Blend, Sicilian lemons, sweet work with an Irish gin brand is Aryzta Europe Really, it is a celebration of Ire- Spanish oranges, juniper ber- something Barry’s Tea is proud • Managing the Books with land’s tea heritage.” ries and cinnamon. of, and ties in perfectly to our Ollie McDonnell, Synergy The Blackwater Barry’s Tea The Blackwater Distillery long standing Irish heritage.” Bookkeeping Gin is available in retailers na- recently won old at the Inter- Peter Mulryan, Co-founder Hospitality Expo will be Ire- tionwide, priced €35. national Wine & Spirit Competi- of Blackwater Distillery, said: land’s largest trade show for restaurants, hotels and pubs in 2018 with over 200 exhibitors and 3,000 owners, manager and operators of restaurants, Howl at the Moon Demolition Permission Denied pubs and hotels in attendance. To attend this trade only The initial permission granted bulk and mass”. event you can register now at by Dublin City Council was The inspector’s report www.hospitalityexpo.ie/regis- appealed by a number of pointed out that the building ter. parties including the Ger- “Takes a positive contribution For stand enquiries, please man Ambassador Matthias to the streetscape, by virtue contact Luke Treacy: Tel 01405 Hopfner, who subsequently of its decorative features and 5552 or [email protected]. withdrew his complaint. The prominence in the streets- complainants argued that the cape”. There were also con- demolition was unnecessary cerns that the submitted plans n Bord Pleanála has Jr and Matt Ryan, who also own as it would remove two via- would, if given the green light, overturned previously the Press Up Entertainment ble, historic buildings. “Introduce a visually jarring A granted planning per- Group – the country’s largest In response, Dublin City element into a largely intact mission which would have hospitality company which Council noted that the de- part of this historic streets- seen the existing Howl at the recently also purchased the velopment would have “Pro- cape”. Moon nightclub demolished Elephant & Castle restaurant vided significantly greater Dale Vision Ltd is understood and a 53 room boutique hotel in Temple Bar. The company vibrancy and footfall” onto the to be working on revised built in its place. had applied for permission Lower Mount St area. plans for the property, taking Dublin Pub Granted The property was purchased to knock down the existing In its final ruling, An Bord into consideration the inspec- €1m Extension in late 2016 by Dale Vision Ltd building and construct a six Pleanála said the proposed tor’s report. The application for a reported �3.2m. Dale Vi- storey hotel, comprising of 53 development “Would be in- will likely be lodged by early he owner of the Merchant’s sion is a development vehicle bedrooms, as well as a roof- congruous in terms of its de- 2018. Arch Bar and Restaurant on headed up by Paddy McKillen top terrace with restaurant. sign and its excessive height, TWellington Quay has been granted planning permission to extend his premises back into Temple Bar. Contacts: In this Issue... Tom Doone plans to invest € For any editorial, pr or content related queries please 1m in expanding the well known The Restaurants Association has some Food for contact: [email protected] Tel: +353 1 254 9860 premises into the former 18th Thought Century Tailor’s Guild Hall. Cir- For subscriptions, accounts or general enquiries please An important announcement ..............................................p4 cuit Court President, Mr. Justice contact: [email protected] Tel: +353 1 254 9860 Raymond Groarke, granted him a Zeroing in on the Drinks Trade Declaratory Order which ensures Queries with relation to advertising should please be FFT.ie expanding its scope .................................................p5 his existing drinks license will be addressed to: [email protected] Tel: +353 1 254 9860 extended into the new develop- ment, should it be completed in Local Focus: The Gourmet Greenway All material copyright 2017. No part of this publication accordance with planning permis- A cycle path has provided inspiration in Mayo.............. may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or p10 sions. transmitted in any form or by any means without the Mr. Doone, co-owner of Mer- prior consent of the Publisher. Opinions and comments Irish Pubs Global Award Winners chant’s Arch Restaurant Company herein are not necessarily those of the Publisher. Whilst Find out who was crowned best Irish pub ......................p13 Limited, had said in the Circuit every effort has been made to ensure that all information Civil Court that he turns away dozens of tourists every day due contained in this publication is factual and correct at Liam Edwards Interview time of going to press, the Publisher cannot be held to lack of space. We chat to the RAI president, 9 months into his tenure p18 responsible for any inadvertent errors or omissions The current proposals allow contained herein. for the existing building to be ex- Opening a New Chapter with Bushmills Red Bush tended at ground and first floor FFT.ie, Top Floor, 30 Francis St, Dublin 8 The first new expression in nearly 5 years.....................p21 levels to accommodate an addi- tional 90 diners. This Month’s Poll: Dealing with Christmas Cancellations The building itself, overlook- ing the Ha’Penny Bridge, has a Continuing the discussion from part one ........................p23 Has your business suffered in the past as a result of long history dating back to 1821. last minute group cancellations? It has been, at various points, a a What to Drink this Christmas? hall for the Merchant’s Guild, a Answers to [email protected] Which wines to dine with ..................................................p24 Protestant boys school, and a va- riety of shops of different nature.