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!
Chapter One scooped the Best Restaurant Award & Mickael Viljanen, Head Chef at Gregans Castle is crowned Best Chef in Ireland! What a Night!
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| The Undisputed : Mr Mickael Viljanen |
At the Santa Rita/Sunday Independent Irish Restaurant Awards 2011 in the Burlington Hotel, Wednesday 25th 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
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| 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 LodgeConnaught Philippe Farineau, Mount Falcon
Best Restaurant
Ulster MacNean House and Restaurant
Munster The Tannery
Dublin Chapter One
Leinster Campagne
Connaught Asian Tea House
Ulster La Boca
Munster La Cucina
Dublin Michie Sushi
Leinster L’Olivier
Connaught Bar 8
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
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| 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.
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| 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!
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| 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 25th 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