Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards 2009
Congrats to Kevin and Catherine Dundon and the team at Dunbrody Country House Hotel, who struck gold at this year’s Gold Medal Awards, picking up the supreme Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence at a gala event in Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel on 21 September.
Dunbrody scooped the top award following its earlier triumphing in the Country Houses & Guesthouses category, sponsored by Laurent-Perrier, and joined with 13 other category winners and 65 category finalists celebrating on the night.
Download Supreme Winner Press Release
Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards 2009 - Winners & Finalists
Five Star Hotels - Sponsored by: Edward Dillon & Company
Finalists:
Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, Adare, Co Limerick
Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa, Killarney, Co Kerry
Dylan, Dublin 4
The Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney, Co Kerry
The Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin 4
Hayfield Manor Hotel, Cork
Winner:
The Europe Hotel & Resort
Four Star Hotels - Sponsored by: Remy Martin
Finalists:
Harvey’s Point Hotel, Lough Eske, Co Donegal
Jurys Cork Hotel, Cork
Kelly’s Resort Hotel & Spa, Rosslare, Co Wexford
Knockranny House Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Galway
Westport Plaza Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
Winner:
Harvey’s Point Hotel
Three Star Hotels - Sponsored by: BWG Foodservice
Finalists:
Claregalway Hotel, Claregalway, Co Galway
Clew Bay Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, Co Limerick
Killeen House Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry
Winner:
Claregalway Hotel
Country Houses & Guesthouses - Sponsored by: Laurent-Perrier
Finalists:
Dunbrody Country House Hotel, Arthurstown, Co Wexford
Gregan’s Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
Mount Falcon Country House Hotel, Ballina, Co Mayo
Moy House, Lahinch, Co Clare
Rathmullan House, Rathmullan, Co Donegal
Rathsallagh House Hotel & Golf Club, Dunlavin, Co Wicklow
Winner:
Dunbrody Country House Hotel
Hotel Groups - Sponsored by: Allied Wines @ Barry & Fitzwilliam Ltd.
Finalists:
Carlton Hotel Group
Hotel Partners
Maldron Hotels
Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts Ireland
Winner:
Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts Ireland
Fine Dining Restaurants - Sponsored by: Paul Jaboulet Aine
Finalists:
The Dining Room at Gregan’s Castle, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
The Harvest Room Restaurant at Dunbrody Country House Hotel, Arthurstown, Co Wexford
The House Restaurant at The Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, Co Waterford
Thornton’s Restaurant, Dublin 2
Winner:
The Dining Room at Gregan’s Castle
Bistros & Brasseries - Sponsored by: Champagne Pannier from Classic Drinks
Finalists:
Castle Murray House Hotel Restaurant, Dunkineely, Co Donegal
Dylan Restaurant at Dylan, Dublin 4
O’Grady’s on the Pier, Barna, Co Galway
The Ballymore Inn, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare
The Poet’s Rest, Slane, Co Meath
Winner:
O’Grady’s on the Pier
Casual Dining - Sponsored by: Hungerford Hill from Classic Drinks
Finalists:
Andy’s Bar & Restaurant, Monaghan
Lohan’s Café Bar & Restaurant, Salthill, Galway
Maddens Bistro at the Clew Bay Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
The Cellar Bar at The Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2
Winner:
The Cellar Bar at The Merrion Hotel
Ethnic Restaurants - Sponsored by Cobra Beer
Finalists:
Ananda, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 14
Bella Cuba, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Chakra by Jaipur, Greystones, Co Wicklow
Pinocchio, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
Winner:
Chakra by Jaipur
Cafés & Coffee Shops - Sponsored by: The Kenco Coffee Company
Finalists:
Café Leon, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2
Pinocchio, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
Queen of Tarts, Cow’s Lane, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Stonecutters Kitchen, Doolin, Co Clare
The Silk Road Café at The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin 2
Winner:
The Silk Road Café
In House Caterers - Sponsored by: The National Hygiene Partnership
Finalists:
Aramark/Campbell Catering at 02 Dublin, Dublin 2
Kylemore Food Group at Bank of Scotland Ireland, Dublin 2
Sodexo at PayPal, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Winner:
Sodexo at PayPal
Institutional Caterers - Sponsored by: The National Hygiene Partnership
Finalists:
Aramark/Campbell Catering at Mount Carmel Private, Churchtown, Dublin 14
The Black Olive Catering Company at Barretstown, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare
Kylemore Food Group at St Francis Hospice, Raheny, Dublin 5
Skibbereen Residential Care, Skibbereen, Co Cork
Wheatfield Prison, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
Winner:
Aramark/Campbell Catering at Mount Carmel Private
Wine Experience - Sponsored by: Gilbeys of Ireland
Finalists:
The Cellar Bar at The Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2
The Four Seasons, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
West at The Twelve, Barna, Co Galway
Winner:
The Four Seasons
Customer Experience - Sponsored by Failte Ireland
Finalists:
Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, Adare, Co Limerick
Dunbrody Country House Hotel, Arthurstown, Co Wexford
Harvey’s Point Hotel, Lough Eske, Co Donegal
Hayfield Manor Hotel, Cork
Killeen House Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry
Moy House, Lahinch, Co Clare
Winner:
Killeen House Hotel
DON’T MISS …
A full report from this year’s Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards will run in the October issue of the magazine including pictures of all the glitz and glamour on the night, plus a word from the judges on why they selected this year’s winners.
Sarah Grennan
Editor
Hotel & Catering Review
______________
In Pursuit of Excellence -
A Year in the Life of the Gold Medal Awards
Chairman of the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards Jury Sarah Grennan explains the lengthy process involved in the running and judging of the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards.
15 September 2008
Wake up in one of the luxurious guestrooms in The Shelbourne Hotel with a mild hangover. The Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards celebrated their 20th anniversary last night when the supreme award was presented to The Merrion Hotel in Dublin and the party continued until the wee small hours of the morning. The Merrion is the only property to win the top award, which is the highest accolade in the hospitality industry, twice and last won it in 2003.
Head into the office to deal with PR requests relating to last night's Awards. Meet with the photographer, events manager and get update from PR company. The PR and events teams liaise with winners and finalists, providing media packs for their own publicity purposes.
Meet later with Hotel & Catering Review managing director, events and production teams to review the event and discuss improvements for following year.
October 2008
Meet with the Jury of the Gold Medal Awards in The Merrion Hotel, Dublin, the supreme winner of the 2008 Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence, to discuss possible changes and improvements for the 2009 Awards. Follow with a celebratory lunch with members of the Hotel & Catering Review team to thank judges for their continued support of and contribution to the Gold Medal Awards.
November/December 2008
Meet with members of the industry to discuss the possibility of introducing new award categories to the Gold Medal Awards. Agree to introduce a new Customer Experience category which will promote the importance of the unique Irish welcome. The award is generously supported by Fáilte Ireland which has pledged to sponsor the category.
January 2009
Meet with further industry parties who propose the addition of further categories. Review and discuss at length internally but decide in light of current economic climate to hold off making further additions in 2009 and pledge to review the situation in 2010.
February/March 2009
Appoint Marilyn Bright, Hotel & Catering Review columnist, food writer and food consultant to the Gold Medal Awards Jury. Review 2008 entry forms with Denis Tucker, Gold Medal Awards juror and former quality assurance manager with Fáilte Ireland. Make changes to 2009 assessment forms, introducing individual forms for each category. Forms are extremely detailed and designed to enable jurors to assess entrants business operation firstly. From these entrants a selection of businesses will be nominated for a site visit. The sheer financial cost of visiting premises to adjudicate them prohibits Hotel & Catering Review from visiting every entry and so businesses are judged first on the information supplied on their entry forms.
April 2009
Launch 21st Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards in the magazine and post entry forms online. Weekly email alerts are sent to the Gold Medal Awards and Hotel & Catering Review databases to remind businesses of the closing date for entries.
May 2009
Closing date for entries is 22 May 2009. Receive a bumper number of entries this year with competition intense across all categories. Events manager Nicola Hickey packages all entries in 14 categories for judges to review. Meet with judges to review entries and decide on shortlist of premises to be inspected. Allocate entries for inspection to individual judges. Take care to ensure judges do not inspect the same businesses as previous years.
June/July/Early August 2009
Hit the road armed with entry forms from hotels, restaurants and caterers and extensive assessment forms. Assessment procedures vary for hotels and guesthouses, restaurants, caterers and wine experience entrants, with individual forms for each. Forms are adapted by judges for individual grades – ie Five Star, Four Star, Fine Dining, Bistros & Brasseries.
Judges visit hotels and restaurants incognito and announce their visits for the catering and hotel group categories. Businesses are judged from booking to check out, with judges looking for evidence of excellence in customer experience, but also clever business skills. Assessments are incredibly detailed, with every minute detail of operations inspected, from housekeeping and maintenance to service and food presentation. Judges travel close to 10,000 kilometres across the country to visit premises. At the end of the process they are stuffed to the gills, somewhat exhausted and delighted that, although this is a hugely difficult year for the industry, by and large standards have remained high.
Back at Hotel & Catering Review HQ preparations for the 21st Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards ceremony are underway. Hotel & Catering Review's managing director and chairman liaise with the awards generous sponsors while the events team beginning planning with The Shelbourne C&B team and the AV company.
A follow up article with tips on what the judges look for when adjudicating is printed in the June issue of Hotel & Catering Review. This follows the May article, which explains the entry procedures and shares ideas for filling out the form.
August 2009
Meet with the 11 members of the Gold Medal Awards Jury (10 inspectors, plus Douglas Jordan, special advisor to the Jury and registrar of Fáilte Ireland) in the RDS Members Club to report back on inspections. In lengthy, day long deliberations, select the finalists and vote for the winners in each of the 14 categories. As always, it is a difficult task and discussions are animated. Following the selection of the 14 category winners, further deliberations ensue as members of the Jury vote for their preferred winner of the supreme Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence 2009. It is a long process but judges are guided by the principal that the supreme award should be presented to the establishment which is judged to be the most outstanding in its field. Dunbrody Country House, winner of the Country Houses & Guesthouses Award, sponsored by Laurent-Perrier is selected.
Send letters to each of the 65 category finalists to notify them of their progress to the next stage of the Awards. Follow two days later with letters to all entrants who unfortunately did not make it to the final cut. Events manager Nicola Hickey liaises with finalists about tickets and asks for names of possible collectors of the awards. All 65 finalists are asked to nominate a collector to avoid giving the game away to the successful 14.
Nicola deals with feedback requests from entrants and advises that feedback will be shared where requested after the Awards. No correspondence with the judges may be entered into in advance of the Awards ceremony and all queries must be directed through the chairman of the Jury.
A list of the 65 category finalists are published in the August issue of Hotel & Catering Review.
September 2009
Plans are well advanced for the 21st Gold Medal Awards. Invites are sent to industry representatives, tickets are sold to finalists and other attendees (you don't have to be a finalist to come – it's a great party and open to all in the industry). Table plans are compiled, MC Colm Murray's speech is written, the production team work on the power point presentation and liaise with the AV company on the awards presentation, music, lighting etc. Entertainment is booked, photographer briefed, staff organised. Hotel & Catering Review designers produce the awards certificates, menus, tickets. The team meet with Shelbourne chef Garry Hughes to pick a menu for the Awards.
A list of the 14 category winners and supreme winner of the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence 2009 is published in the September issue of the magazine which is posted to readers following the event.
21st September 2009
After a busy day preparing for the Awards, the Gold Medal Awards team don the glad rags and get ready for a party. Awards are presented to Gregan's Castle (Fine Dining, sponsored by Paul Jaboulet Aine); O'Grady's on the Pier (Bistros & Brasseries, sponsored by Champagne Pannier at Classic Drinks); The Cellar Bar at The Merrion (Casual Dining, sponsored by Hungerford Hill at Classic Drinks); The Silk Road Café (Cafés & Coffee Shops, sponsored by The Kenco Coffee Company); Chakra by Jaipur (Ethnic Restaurants, sponsored by Cobra Beer); Sodexo at PayPal (In House Caterers, sponsored by the National Hygiene Partnership); Aramark Healthcare at Mount Carmel Hospital (Institutional Caterers, sponsored by the National Hygiene Partnership); Killeen House Hotel (Customer Experience, sponsored by Fáilte Ireland); Wine Experience (The Four Seasons, sponsored by Gilbeys of Ireland); Dunbrody Country House Hotel (Country Houses & Guesthouses, sponsored by Laurent-Perrier); Claregalway Hotel (Three Star Hotels, sponsored by BWG Foodservice); Harvey's Point Hotel (Four Star Hotels, sponsored by Remy Martin); The Europe Hotel & Resort (Five Star Hotels, sponsored by Edward Dillon & Co); Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts Ireland (Hotel Groups, sponsored by Allied Wines at Barry & Fitzwilliam). The much anticipated Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence 2009 is presented to Dunbrody House and a great party ensues with winners, finalists and industry supporters shaking off the recession blues and letting their hair down in what is a much needed celebration for the industry.
23 September 2009
A tired team start the whole process again. PR is followed up with the media and media packs are sent to the winners for their own marketing purposes. The team meet to discuss the Awards and suggest improvements for the following year. Kind emails and notes fly into the office, congratulating the team for a great night. The Shelbourne is booked for the 22nd Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards on 20 September 2010.
24 September 2009
Follow up with media interviews discussing the Gold Medal Awards. Work commences on the anniversary Gold Medal Awards issue which publishes in October and details all the winners from this year's Awards. Over the following days and weeks feedback is shared with entrants who have requested a report on their entries and visits.
October 2009
Work has commenced on changes and improvements for the 2010 Awards. A high profile new judge has been enlisted to join the Jury next year. His appointment, and others, will be announced in Hotel & Catering Review in the coming months. Plans are underway to launch the 22nd Gold Medal Awards in the February 2010 issue of Hotel & Catering Review. Work at Gold Medal Awards HQ never stops...
Gold Medal Awards - Frequently Asked Questions
Every year at Gold Medal HQ we are inundated with queries about the Awards as hoteliers, restaurateurs and caterers look for guidance when entering the awards. Here are some of our answers to your frequently asked questions. If you have any more queries you can reach us by email here Gold Medal Awards - Enquiries or direct on Tel: 01 764 2700.
Gold Medal Awards - FAQ's
Q: How do we enter?
Hotel & Catering Review’s Gold Medal Awards can only be entered online this year through this website. The final closing date for entries is FRIDAY, 22 MAY 2009. You may email supporting material, such as menus and wine lists, to goldmedalawards@jemma.ie.
IMPORTANT: Please do not post any entries to us at Hotel & Catering Review as they will not be considered for the Awards.
Q: What happens then?
There are four steps on the path to success in Hotel & Catering Review’s Gold Medal Awards. Operators are first judged on the business case they put forward on their entry form. From this extensive entry a number of businesses in each category will be short-listed for an inspection by members of the Gold Medal Awards Jury. The judges will carry out their inspections during the summer months and they will visit anonymously in the case of hotels and restaurants and announced for in-house and institutional caterers and hotel groups.
Members of the Jury will meet to deliberate their findings at the end of the summer when finalists for all 14 categories will be selected and the jury will vote for winners in all categories. In the final step, from the 14 category winners the supreme winner of the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence 2009 will be selected.
Q: When will we find out how we got on?
The finalists will be notified in writing following the final meeting of the judges in late August. A full list of finalists will be published in the September issue of Hotel & Catering Review and the Awards will be presented at a gala ceremony in The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin on Monday, 21 September 2009.
Q: Does it cost anything to enter?
There is no charge for submitting an entry to Hotel & Catering Review’s Gold Medal Awards. However, in light of the significant rise in judging costs we have experienced in recent years while adjudicating the awards, hotels which make it through to the second round of judging and are selected for a site visit will be asked to waive the cost of the overnight stay for the judge.
The general manager of the hotel, country house, guesthouse or hotel group will be asked to guarantee on our online entry form that the cost of one night’s accommodation for the judge will be taken off the bill on checkout. The judges will however continue to pay for all other costs associated with judging, including all food and beverage charges.
Judging will still be conducted anonymously and members of the jury will only identify themselves to staff on checkout when they will present a coupon of the online entry agreeing to waive the accommodation rate, along with a card announcing our visit.
For our part, judges will endeavor not to visit during peak times when you can charge premium rates for rooms. While we cannot always visit mid-week due to scheduling difficulties of judges, we will try our best not to land on your doorstep during busy times such as the Volvo Ocean Race or local festivals.
Q: How important is the entry form?
VERY! Applicants are judged first on the answers they provide online. From this initial entry a list of premises for inspection is selected so it is vital you put your best foot forward.
We want to know why your business is a viable business going forward and why you deserve a Gold Medal Award. While the inspections are based on the customer experience, the first round of judging is based on the business case you make. We want to know how you’re doing, how you’re responding to the downturn, what management structures you have in place and what plans you have for the future.
You may think you’re the best at what you do and you may think we think you’re the best at what you do, but you still need to demonstrate why you are the best on your entry. In the interest of fairness for all concerned, a good reputation is not enough to qualify for inspection.
Q: You’re asking for pretty sensitive information. Can we trust you not to share it?
Absolutely. Rest assured all entries are confidential and will not be shared with a third party. Information submitted for the Gold Medal Awards will be used only for the purpose of the Awards. You’re not going to find yourself as the case study in the next issue of Hotel & Catering Review for instance – well, not unless you want to!
Q: So, we had a look at the questions online and they’re pretty detailed. Are you looking for a thesis?
No thank you. In fact, we would appreciate the opposite. It’s a case of quality not quantity so short, concise answers getting straight to the point are good.
Q: Can we enter more than one category?
Yes. If you are a five star hotel with a fine dining restaurant, a separate bistro and a great wine offering then you can enter the five star, fine dining, bistros and wine experience categories. You will need to complete separate entries for each category however and you will be judged separately for each.
Q: I’m not sure what we are, can we tick all the boxes?
No, we’re sorry to be harsh, but each year a number of restaurants tick fine dining, bistros and brasseries, casual dining, ethnic restaurants and cafés and coffee shops as they are unsure of what kind of business they are. This makes it even harder for us if we don’t know what you’re going for so this year you’re going to have to make the choice and just enter one category. Unless of course you have two separate businesses, ie a bistro downstairs and a fine dining restaurant upstairs, in which case you can enter both – but again, you need separate entries for each category.
Q: Okay then, so what’s the difference between Fine Dining, Bistros & Brasseries and Casual Dining?
The Fine Dining category is open to formal dining rooms where emphasis is placed on fine cuisine, a plush environment, crisp linen, sparkling crystal, a fine wine offering and silver service.
At the other end of the spectrum, Casual Dining is open to popular restaurants serving quality food in a relaxed and casual environment where prices are affordable. Casual dining eateries are restaurants where diners can visit on a regular basis for a meal outside the home.
Restaurants in the middle range of the market, who operate below the strict standard of fine dining but above the relaxed offering of casual dining should apply for the Gold Medal Award for Bistros & Brasseries, and while this is a French term, it is open to all mid-range eateries.
Q: What’s the difference between In House Catering and Institutional Catering?
In House is the new name for our industrial catering category. The category is open to caterers operating in corporate environment. Institutional Catering is open to caterers in the healthcare, justice and educational sector.
Q: Can event caterers enter the In House Catering category?
Unfortunately no as the In House Catering Award is purely for operators providing a full-service year-round offering in a corporate environment.
Q: We are a group, can we enter more than one premises?
This year we are introducing a restriction and groups can only enter two operations per category.
Q: Can marketing groups or franchised hotels enter the Hotel Groups category?
No. This category is strictly for organisations which are controlled and managed as a group by one operator and not for collections of individually owned or operated hotels which come together for marketing purposes, or for franchised hotels which operate independently.
Q: Can previous winners re-enter the Awards?
Yes. There is no restriction on winners applying for a Gold Medal Award the following year and we would like you to defend your title. The Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards recognise and reward excellence in hotel and catering so if you’re still the best, show us.
Q: Can businesses from Northern Ireland enter the Awards?
Yes please. All are welcome. Hotels entering from Northern Ireland must be registered with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board however.
Q: We are a new hotel and have yet to receive our classification from Fáilte Ireland or NITB. Can we still enter?
Only hotels that are registered with Fáilte Ireland or NITB are eligible for a Gold Medal Award so if you haven’t been classified by the time of entry we suggest you wait until next year at which stage we will be delighted to consider you.
Q: How flexible is the closing date for entries?
Not at all. In previous years we have granted a bit of leeway but this year we will stringently enforce the date as we need to get our judges on the road inspecting premises. The final closing date for entries is Friday, 22 May 2009. You can enter online at www.hotelandcateringreview.ie.
Q: If we pass the initial stage what can we expect?
Bar in the categories of industrial and institutional catering (where it is impossible for us just to turn up and wander around) our judges will arrive to inspect you unannounced and hopefully unrecognised. We will visit your premises like any normal guest or diner, except we will be even more vigilant than your most discerning of customers, monitoring all aspects of your business, from customer service through to food and beverage and the physical standard of your premises. We will check the cleanliness of your toilets, the comfort of your beds, the taste and presentation of your food, the speed and cost of your wifi, the freshness of your bread, the quality of your cocktails, the service of your wine, the ambience of your bar, the power of your shower and the performance of your staff.
Your entry form will earn you a visit, but after that it is up to your staff and your premises to deliver the goods.
Q: But what if we’re having a bad day, the head chef is sick, the accommodation manager has gone AWOL and the receptionist can’t cope with the new IT system?
We’re sorry, while we may have enjoyed many previous visits to your premises, we cannot judge you on reputation alone and in the interest of fairness to all our applicants, we can only judge you on our experience at that particular point in time. But remember, we judges are only human too. We know what it’s like when the computer network goes down or the oven goes on fire. Often a bad situation can be rescued by sensitive handling of the issue.
Q: But it’s not fair, you came when we were really, really busy. Can you come again?
In a word, no. We specifically moved the judging of the Gold Medal Awards from winter for summer a couple of years ago for two reasons: (1) So we could open the Awards to seasonal premises who are closed in the winter months and (2) So we can judge you at your busiest and see you in action when you are tested most. If dealing with peak times is a problem then we’re afraid you shouldn’t be eligible for an award.
Q: Help! You came when there was no one else here. Can you come again?
Yes, we have heard this one too and the answer is as above – no. The judges are on the road for two months during the summer when they will travel the length and breadth of the country to assess entrants, all of which they do in their own personal time. As a result, we will not always be able to judge you at your preferred time, but we will make allowances for lack of atmosphere if we’re eating at 6.30pm on a Tuesday.
Q: So who are the judges?
All of our judges have been invited to join the Gold Medal Awards Jury because of their exceptional hotel and catering experience.
The judges are: Paul Boksberger, catering industry consultant and chairman of the Food Safety Professionals Association of Ireland; Marilyn Bright, food consultant, writer, Hotel & Catering Review columnist and former chair of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild; Dick Bourke, immediate past chair of ITIC, past president of the Irish Hotels Federation, board member of Fáilte Ireland; Ray Carroll, hotel consultant, former chief executive of the K Club and former winner of the IHI’s Lifetime Achievement Award; Frank Corr, columnist with Hotel & Catering Review and leading industry correspondent; Eugene McSweeney, chef and restaurant consultant; Tom Mythen, restaurant industry consultant and past president of the Restaurants Association of Ireland; Mary O’Callaghan, wine consultant and DIT lecturer; Denis Tucker, former quality assurance manager at Fáilte Ireland and special advisor to the Jury, Douglas Jordan, registrar, Fáilte Ireland, past president of the Irish Hospitality Institute. The Jury is chaired by Hotel & Catering Review’s editor, Sarah Grennan.
Q: How do we know you visited?
Judges will leave a Gold Medal Awards calling card on departure. In the cases of hotels, judges will notify you of their visit on departure.
Q: What happens then?
As discussed, members of the Jury will meet at the end of the summer to pick finalists, category winners and the supreme winner of the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence 2009. If, unfortunately you don’t make it to the final this year, you will be notified in writing following the judges’ meeting at the end of August.
Q: Who will we be going up against?
Hotel & Catering Review’s Gold Medal Awards attract a large number of entries from hotel and catering operations across Ireland every year and previous winners read like a ‘Who’s Who’ of the Irish hospitality industry.
Only one business, The Merrion Hotel, Dublin, has won the supreme Gold Medal Award for Excellence twice (2003 and 2008) in the Awards’ 20 year history. Previous supreme winners are as follows: Royal Hospital Kilmainham (1998); The Park Restaurant, Blackrock, Co Dublin (1989); Cashel House Hotel, Connemara, Co Galway (1990); Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry, Co Cork (1991); Clifford’s Restaurant, Cork (1992); Sea View House Hotel, Ballylicky, Co Cork (1993); The K Club, Straffan, Co Kildare (1994); Parknasilla Great Southern Hotel, Sneem, Co Kerry (1995); Thornton’s Restaurant, Dublin 2 (1996); Clarence Hotel, Dublin 2 (1997); Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Dublin 2 (1998); Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links, Portmarnock, Co Dublin (1999); Browne’s Brasserie & Townhouse, Dublin 2 (2000); Moran’s of the Weir, Kilcolgan, Co Galway (2001); The Four Seasons Hotel, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 (2002); The Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2 (2003); Wheatfield Prison, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 (2005); Roly’s Bistro, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 (2006); Kelly’s Resort Hotel, Rosslare, Co Wexford (2007); The Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2 (2008).
Q: What’s the Supreme Winner about and how do you pick them?
Each year at our Awards we pick one outstanding category winner and present them with the supreme Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence. All 14 winners of the individual categories are eligible to win this coveted award but judging it every year can, as we’re sure you can understand, be difficult. It would be impossible, and indeed unfair, for us to compare the 14 winners on a like-for-like basis as each of their individual businesses are so varied and so we are guided by one key principle, the supreme winner of the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence must, by far and away, be the outstanding business within its chosen field of operation.
Q: So it sounds like it will be a great party. Where can we get tickets?
It will! The Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards are always nights to remember and this year we’re very excited as we celebrate our 21st birthday. Following on from the success of last year’s Awards, the Gold Medal Awards return to our traditional home of The Shelbourne this year and will be held on 21 September. To get your hands on a golden ticket, contact Nicola Hickey at n.hickey@jemma.ie or 01 764 2700.
Dunbrody Strikes Gold
Congrats to Kevin and Catherine Dundon and the team at Dunbrody Country House Hotel, who struck gold at this year’s Gold Medal Awards, picking up the supreme Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence at a gala event in Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel on 21 September.
Dunbrody scooped the top award following its earlier triumphing in the Country Houses & Guesthouses category, sponsored by Laurent-Perrier, and joined with 13 other category winners and 65 category finalists celebrating on the night.
Download Supreme Winner Press Release
Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards 2009 - Winners & Finalists
Five Star Hotels - Sponsored by: Edward Dillon & Company
Finalists:
Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, Adare, Co Limerick
Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa, Killarney, Co Kerry
Dylan, Dublin 4
The Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney, Co Kerry
The Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin 4
Hayfield Manor Hotel, Cork
Winner:
The Europe Hotel & Resort
Four Star Hotels - Sponsored by: Remy Martin
Finalists:
Harvey’s Point Hotel, Lough Eske, Co Donegal
Jurys Cork Hotel, Cork
Kelly’s Resort Hotel & Spa, Rosslare, Co Wexford
Knockranny House Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Galway
Westport Plaza Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
Winner:
Harvey’s Point Hotel
Three Star Hotels - Sponsored by: BWG Foodservice
Finalists:
Claregalway Hotel, Claregalway, Co Galway
Clew Bay Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, Co Limerick
Killeen House Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry
Winner:
Claregalway Hotel
Country Houses & Guesthouses - Sponsored by: Laurent-Perrier
Finalists:
Dunbrody Country House Hotel, Arthurstown, Co Wexford
Gregan’s Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
Mount Falcon Country House Hotel, Ballina, Co Mayo
Moy House, Lahinch, Co Clare
Rathmullan House, Rathmullan, Co Donegal
Rathsallagh House Hotel & Golf Club, Dunlavin, Co Wicklow
Winner:
Dunbrody Country House Hotel
Hotel Groups - Sponsored by: Allied Wines @ Barry & Fitzwilliam Ltd.
Finalists:
Carlton Hotel Group
Hotel Partners
Maldron Hotels
Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts Ireland
Winner:
Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts Ireland
Fine Dining Restaurants - Sponsored by: Paul Jaboulet Aine
Finalists:
The Dining Room at Gregan’s Castle, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
The Harvest Room Restaurant at Dunbrody Country House Hotel, Arthurstown, Co Wexford
The House Restaurant at The Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, Co Waterford
Thornton’s Restaurant, Dublin 2
Winner:
The Dining Room at Gregan’s Castle
Bistros & Brasseries - Sponsored by: Champagne Pannier from Classic Drinks
Finalists:
Castle Murray House Hotel Restaurant, Dunkineely, Co Donegal
Dylan Restaurant at Dylan, Dublin 4
O’Grady’s on the Pier, Barna, Co Galway
The Ballymore Inn, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare
The Poet’s Rest, Slane, Co Meath
Winner:
O’Grady’s on the Pier
Casual Dining - Sponsored by: Hungerford Hill from Classic Drinks
Finalists:
Andy’s Bar & Restaurant, Monaghan
Lohan’s Café Bar & Restaurant, Salthill, Galway
Maddens Bistro at the Clew Bay Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
The Cellar Bar at The Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2
Winner:
The Cellar Bar at The Merrion Hotel
Ethnic Restaurants - Sponsored by Cobra Beer
Finalists:
Ananda, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 14
Bella Cuba, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Chakra by Jaipur, Greystones, Co Wicklow
Pinocchio, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
Winner:
Chakra by Jaipur
Cafés & Coffee Shops - Sponsored by: The Kenco Coffee Company
Finalists:
Café Leon, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2
Pinocchio, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
Queen of Tarts, Cow’s Lane, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Stonecutters Kitchen, Doolin, Co Clare
The Silk Road Café at The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin 2
Winner:
The Silk Road Café
In House Caterers - Sponsored by: The National Hygiene Partnership
Finalists:
Aramark/Campbell Catering at 02 Dublin, Dublin 2
Kylemore Food Group at Bank of Scotland Ireland, Dublin 2
Sodexo at PayPal, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Winner:
Sodexo at PayPal
Institutional Caterers - Sponsored by: The National Hygiene Partnership
Finalists:
Aramark/Campbell Catering at Mount Carmel Private, Churchtown, Dublin 14
The Black Olive Catering Company at Barretstown, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare
Kylemore Food Group at St Francis Hospice, Raheny, Dublin 5
Skibbereen Residential Care, Skibbereen, Co Cork
Wheatfield Prison, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
Winner:
Aramark/Campbell Catering at Mount Carmel Private
Wine Experience - Sponsored by: Gilbeys of Ireland
Finalists:
The Cellar Bar at The Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2
The Four Seasons, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
West at The Twelve, Barna, Co Galway
Winner:
The Four Seasons
Customer Experience - Sponsored by Failte Ireland
Finalists:
Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, Adare, Co Limerick
Dunbrody Country House Hotel, Arthurstown, Co Wexford
Harvey’s Point Hotel, Lough Eske, Co Donegal
Hayfield Manor Hotel, Cork
Killeen House Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry
Moy House, Lahinch, Co Clare
Winner:
Killeen House Hotel
DON’T MISS …
A full report from this year’s Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards will run in the October issue of the magazine including pictures of all the glitz and glamour on the night, plus a word from the judges on why they selected this year’s winners.
Sarah Grennan
Editor
Hotel & Catering Review
______________
In Pursuit of Excellence -
A Year in the Life of the Gold Medal Awards
Chairman of the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards Jury Sarah Grennan explains the lengthy process involved in the running and judging of the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards.
15 September 2008
Wake up in one of the luxurious guestrooms in The Shelbourne Hotel with a mild hangover. The Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards celebrated their 20th anniversary last night when the supreme award was presented to The Merrion Hotel in Dublin and the party continued until the wee small hours of the morning. The Merrion is the only property to win the top award, which is the highest accolade in the hospitality industry, twice and last won it in 2003.
Head into the office to deal with PR requests relating to last night's Awards. Meet with the photographer, events manager and get update from PR company. The PR and events teams liaise with winners and finalists, providing media packs for their own publicity purposes.
Meet later with Hotel & Catering Review managing director, events and production teams to review the event and discuss improvements for following year.
October 2008
Meet with the Jury of the Gold Medal Awards in The Merrion Hotel, Dublin, the supreme winner of the 2008 Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence, to discuss possible changes and improvements for the 2009 Awards. Follow with a celebratory lunch with members of the Hotel & Catering Review team to thank judges for their continued support of and contribution to the Gold Medal Awards.
November/December 2008
Meet with members of the industry to discuss the possibility of introducing new award categories to the Gold Medal Awards. Agree to introduce a new Customer Experience category which will promote the importance of the unique Irish welcome. The award is generously supported by Fáilte Ireland which has pledged to sponsor the category.
January 2009
Meet with further industry parties who propose the addition of further categories. Review and discuss at length internally but decide in light of current economic climate to hold off making further additions in 2009 and pledge to review the situation in 2010.
February/March 2009
Appoint Marilyn Bright, Hotel & Catering Review columnist, food writer and food consultant to the Gold Medal Awards Jury. Review 2008 entry forms with Denis Tucker, Gold Medal Awards juror and former quality assurance manager with Fáilte Ireland. Make changes to 2009 assessment forms, introducing individual forms for each category. Forms are extremely detailed and designed to enable jurors to assess entrants business operation firstly. From these entrants a selection of businesses will be nominated for a site visit. The sheer financial cost of visiting premises to adjudicate them prohibits Hotel & Catering Review from visiting every entry and so businesses are judged first on the information supplied on their entry forms.
April 2009
Launch 21st Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards in the magazine and post entry forms online. Weekly email alerts are sent to the Gold Medal Awards and Hotel & Catering Review databases to remind businesses of the closing date for entries.
May 2009
Closing date for entries is 22 May 2009. Receive a bumper number of entries this year with competition intense across all categories. Events manager Nicola Hickey packages all entries in 14 categories for judges to review. Meet with judges to review entries and decide on shortlist of premises to be inspected. Allocate entries for inspection to individual judges. Take care to ensure judges do not inspect the same businesses as previous years.
June/July/Early August 2009
Hit the road armed with entry forms from hotels, restaurants and caterers and extensive assessment forms. Assessment procedures vary for hotels and guesthouses, restaurants, caterers and wine experience entrants, with individual forms for each. Forms are adapted by judges for individual grades – ie Five Star, Four Star, Fine Dining, Bistros & Brasseries.
Judges visit hotels and restaurants incognito and announce their visits for the catering and hotel group categories. Businesses are judged from booking to check out, with judges looking for evidence of excellence in customer experience, but also clever business skills. Assessments are incredibly detailed, with every minute detail of operations inspected, from housekeeping and maintenance to service and food presentation. Judges travel close to 10,000 kilometres across the country to visit premises. At the end of the process they are stuffed to the gills, somewhat exhausted and delighted that, although this is a hugely difficult year for the industry, by and large standards have remained high.
Back at Hotel & Catering Review HQ preparations for the 21st Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards ceremony are underway. Hotel & Catering Review's managing director and chairman liaise with the awards generous sponsors while the events team beginning planning with The Shelbourne C&B team and the AV company.
A follow up article with tips on what the judges look for when adjudicating is printed in the June issue of Hotel & Catering Review. This follows the May article, which explains the entry procedures and shares ideas for filling out the form.
August 2009
Meet with the 11 members of the Gold Medal Awards Jury (10 inspectors, plus Douglas Jordan, special advisor to the Jury and registrar of Fáilte Ireland) in the RDS Members Club to report back on inspections. In lengthy, day long deliberations, select the finalists and vote for the winners in each of the 14 categories. As always, it is a difficult task and discussions are animated. Following the selection of the 14 category winners, further deliberations ensue as members of the Jury vote for their preferred winner of the supreme Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence 2009. It is a long process but judges are guided by the principal that the supreme award should be presented to the establishment which is judged to be the most outstanding in its field. Dunbrody Country House, winner of the Country Houses & Guesthouses Award, sponsored by Laurent-Perrier is selected.
Send letters to each of the 65 category finalists to notify them of their progress to the next stage of the Awards. Follow two days later with letters to all entrants who unfortunately did not make it to the final cut. Events manager Nicola Hickey liaises with finalists about tickets and asks for names of possible collectors of the awards. All 65 finalists are asked to nominate a collector to avoid giving the game away to the successful 14.
Nicola deals with feedback requests from entrants and advises that feedback will be shared where requested after the Awards. No correspondence with the judges may be entered into in advance of the Awards ceremony and all queries must be directed through the chairman of the Jury.
A list of the 65 category finalists are published in the August issue of Hotel & Catering Review.
September 2009
Plans are well advanced for the 21st Gold Medal Awards. Invites are sent to industry representatives, tickets are sold to finalists and other attendees (you don't have to be a finalist to come – it's a great party and open to all in the industry). Table plans are compiled, MC Colm Murray's speech is written, the production team work on the power point presentation and liaise with the AV company on the awards presentation, music, lighting etc. Entertainment is booked, photographer briefed, staff organised. Hotel & Catering Review designers produce the awards certificates, menus, tickets. The team meet with Shelbourne chef Garry Hughes to pick a menu for the Awards.
A list of the 14 category winners and supreme winner of the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence 2009 is published in the September issue of the magazine which is posted to readers following the event.
21st September 2009
After a busy day preparing for the Awards, the Gold Medal Awards team don the glad rags and get ready for a party. Awards are presented to Gregan's Castle (Fine Dining, sponsored by Paul Jaboulet Aine); O'Grady's on the Pier (Bistros & Brasseries, sponsored by Champagne Pannier at Classic Drinks); The Cellar Bar at The Merrion (Casual Dining, sponsored by Hungerford Hill at Classic Drinks); The Silk Road Café (Cafés & Coffee Shops, sponsored by The Kenco Coffee Company); Chakra by Jaipur (Ethnic Restaurants, sponsored by Cobra Beer); Sodexo at PayPal (In House Caterers, sponsored by the National Hygiene Partnership); Aramark Healthcare at Mount Carmel Hospital (Institutional Caterers, sponsored by the National Hygiene Partnership); Killeen House Hotel (Customer Experience, sponsored by Fáilte Ireland); Wine Experience (The Four Seasons, sponsored by Gilbeys of Ireland); Dunbrody Country House Hotel (Country Houses & Guesthouses, sponsored by Laurent-Perrier); Claregalway Hotel (Three Star Hotels, sponsored by BWG Foodservice); Harvey's Point Hotel (Four Star Hotels, sponsored by Remy Martin); The Europe Hotel & Resort (Five Star Hotels, sponsored by Edward Dillon & Co); Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts Ireland (Hotel Groups, sponsored by Allied Wines at Barry & Fitzwilliam). The much anticipated Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence 2009 is presented to Dunbrody House and a great party ensues with winners, finalists and industry supporters shaking off the recession blues and letting their hair down in what is a much needed celebration for the industry.
23 September 2009
A tired team start the whole process again. PR is followed up with the media and media packs are sent to the winners for their own marketing purposes. The team meet to discuss the Awards and suggest improvements for the following year. Kind emails and notes fly into the office, congratulating the team for a great night. The Shelbourne is booked for the 22nd Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards on 20 September 2010.
24 September 2009
Follow up with media interviews discussing the Gold Medal Awards. Work commences on the anniversary Gold Medal Awards issue which publishes in October and details all the winners from this year's Awards. Over the following days and weeks feedback is shared with entrants who have requested a report on their entries and visits.
October 2009
Work has commenced on changes and improvements for the 2010 Awards. A high profile new judge has been enlisted to join the Jury next year. His appointment, and others, will be announced in Hotel & Catering Review in the coming months. Plans are underway to launch the 22nd Gold Medal Awards in the February 2010 issue of Hotel & Catering Review. Work at Gold Medal Awards HQ never stops...
Gold Medal Awards - Frequently Asked Questions
Every year at Gold Medal HQ we are inundated with queries about the Awards as hoteliers, restaurateurs and caterers look for guidance when entering the awards. Here are some of our answers to your frequently asked questions. If you have any more queries you can reach us by email here Gold Medal Awards - Enquiries or direct on Tel: 01 764 2700.
Gold Medal Awards - FAQ's
Q: How do we enter?
Hotel & Catering Review’s Gold Medal Awards can only be entered online this year through this website. The final closing date for entries is FRIDAY, 22 MAY 2009. You may email supporting material, such as menus and wine lists, to goldmedalawards@jemma.ie.
IMPORTANT: Please do not post any entries to us at Hotel & Catering Review as they will not be considered for the Awards.
Q: What happens then?
There are four steps on the path to success in Hotel & Catering Review’s Gold Medal Awards. Operators are first judged on the business case they put forward on their entry form. From this extensive entry a number of businesses in each category will be short-listed for an inspection by members of the Gold Medal Awards Jury. The judges will carry out their inspections during the summer months and they will visit anonymously in the case of hotels and restaurants and announced for in-house and institutional caterers and hotel groups.
Members of the Jury will meet to deliberate their findings at the end of the summer when finalists for all 14 categories will be selected and the jury will vote for winners in all categories. In the final step, from the 14 category winners the supreme winner of the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence 2009 will be selected.
Q: When will we find out how we got on?
The finalists will be notified in writing following the final meeting of the judges in late August. A full list of finalists will be published in the September issue of Hotel & Catering Review and the Awards will be presented at a gala ceremony in The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin on Monday, 21 September 2009.
Q: Does it cost anything to enter?
There is no charge for submitting an entry to Hotel & Catering Review’s Gold Medal Awards. However, in light of the significant rise in judging costs we have experienced in recent years while adjudicating the awards, hotels which make it through to the second round of judging and are selected for a site visit will be asked to waive the cost of the overnight stay for the judge.
The general manager of the hotel, country house, guesthouse or hotel group will be asked to guarantee on our online entry form that the cost of one night’s accommodation for the judge will be taken off the bill on checkout. The judges will however continue to pay for all other costs associated with judging, including all food and beverage charges.
Judging will still be conducted anonymously and members of the jury will only identify themselves to staff on checkout when they will present a coupon of the online entry agreeing to waive the accommodation rate, along with a card announcing our visit.
For our part, judges will endeavor not to visit during peak times when you can charge premium rates for rooms. While we cannot always visit mid-week due to scheduling difficulties of judges, we will try our best not to land on your doorstep during busy times such as the Volvo Ocean Race or local festivals.
Q: How important is the entry form?
VERY! Applicants are judged first on the answers they provide online. From this initial entry a list of premises for inspection is selected so it is vital you put your best foot forward.
We want to know why your business is a viable business going forward and why you deserve a Gold Medal Award. While the inspections are based on the customer experience, the first round of judging is based on the business case you make. We want to know how you’re doing, how you’re responding to the downturn, what management structures you have in place and what plans you have for the future.
You may think you’re the best at what you do and you may think we think you’re the best at what you do, but you still need to demonstrate why you are the best on your entry. In the interest of fairness for all concerned, a good reputation is not enough to qualify for inspection.
Q: You’re asking for pretty sensitive information. Can we trust you not to share it?
Absolutely. Rest assured all entries are confidential and will not be shared with a third party. Information submitted for the Gold Medal Awards will be used only for the purpose of the Awards. You’re not going to find yourself as the case study in the next issue of Hotel & Catering Review for instance – well, not unless you want to!
Q: So, we had a look at the questions online and they’re pretty detailed. Are you looking for a thesis?
No thank you. In fact, we would appreciate the opposite. It’s a case of quality not quantity so short, concise answers getting straight to the point are good.
Q: Can we enter more than one category?
Yes. If you are a five star hotel with a fine dining restaurant, a separate bistro and a great wine offering then you can enter the five star, fine dining, bistros and wine experience categories. You will need to complete separate entries for each category however and you will be judged separately for each.
Q: I’m not sure what we are, can we tick all the boxes?
No, we’re sorry to be harsh, but each year a number of restaurants tick fine dining, bistros and brasseries, casual dining, ethnic restaurants and cafés and coffee shops as they are unsure of what kind of business they are. This makes it even harder for us if we don’t know what you’re going for so this year you’re going to have to make the choice and just enter one category. Unless of course you have two separate businesses, ie a bistro downstairs and a fine dining restaurant upstairs, in which case you can enter both – but again, you need separate entries for each category.
Q: Okay then, so what’s the difference between Fine Dining, Bistros & Brasseries and Casual Dining?
The Fine Dining category is open to formal dining rooms where emphasis is placed on fine cuisine, a plush environment, crisp linen, sparkling crystal, a fine wine offering and silver service.
At the other end of the spectrum, Casual Dining is open to popular restaurants serving quality food in a relaxed and casual environment where prices are affordable. Casual dining eateries are restaurants where diners can visit on a regular basis for a meal outside the home.
Restaurants in the middle range of the market, who operate below the strict standard of fine dining but above the relaxed offering of casual dining should apply for the Gold Medal Award for Bistros & Brasseries, and while this is a French term, it is open to all mid-range eateries.
Q: What’s the difference between In House Catering and Institutional Catering?
In House is the new name for our industrial catering category. The category is open to caterers operating in corporate environment. Institutional Catering is open to caterers in the healthcare, justice and educational sector.
Q: Can event caterers enter the In House Catering category?
Unfortunately no as the In House Catering Award is purely for operators providing a full-service year-round offering in a corporate environment.
Q: We are a group, can we enter more than one premises?
This year we are introducing a restriction and groups can only enter two operations per category.
Q: Can marketing groups or franchised hotels enter the Hotel Groups category?
No. This category is strictly for organisations which are controlled and managed as a group by one operator and not for collections of individually owned or operated hotels which come together for marketing purposes, or for franchised hotels which operate independently.
Q: Can previous winners re-enter the Awards?
Yes. There is no restriction on winners applying for a Gold Medal Award the following year and we would like you to defend your title. The Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards recognise and reward excellence in hotel and catering so if you’re still the best, show us.
Q: Can businesses from Northern Ireland enter the Awards?
Yes please. All are welcome. Hotels entering from Northern Ireland must be registered with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board however.
Q: We are a new hotel and have yet to receive our classification from Fáilte Ireland or NITB. Can we still enter?
Only hotels that are registered with Fáilte Ireland or NITB are eligible for a Gold Medal Award so if you haven’t been classified by the time of entry we suggest you wait until next year at which stage we will be delighted to consider you.
Q: How flexible is the closing date for entries?
Not at all. In previous years we have granted a bit of leeway but this year we will stringently enforce the date as we need to get our judges on the road inspecting premises. The final closing date for entries is Friday, 22 May 2009. You can enter online at www.hotelandcateringreview.ie.
Q: If we pass the initial stage what can we expect?
Bar in the categories of industrial and institutional catering (where it is impossible for us just to turn up and wander around) our judges will arrive to inspect you unannounced and hopefully unrecognised. We will visit your premises like any normal guest or diner, except we will be even more vigilant than your most discerning of customers, monitoring all aspects of your business, from customer service through to food and beverage and the physical standard of your premises. We will check the cleanliness of your toilets, the comfort of your beds, the taste and presentation of your food, the speed and cost of your wifi, the freshness of your bread, the quality of your cocktails, the service of your wine, the ambience of your bar, the power of your shower and the performance of your staff.
Your entry form will earn you a visit, but after that it is up to your staff and your premises to deliver the goods.
Q: But what if we’re having a bad day, the head chef is sick, the accommodation manager has gone AWOL and the receptionist can’t cope with the new IT system?
We’re sorry, while we may have enjoyed many previous visits to your premises, we cannot judge you on reputation alone and in the interest of fairness to all our applicants, we can only judge you on our experience at that particular point in time. But remember, we judges are only human too. We know what it’s like when the computer network goes down or the oven goes on fire. Often a bad situation can be rescued by sensitive handling of the issue.
Q: But it’s not fair, you came when we were really, really busy. Can you come again?
In a word, no. We specifically moved the judging of the Gold Medal Awards from winter for summer a couple of years ago for two reasons: (1) So we could open the Awards to seasonal premises who are closed in the winter months and (2) So we can judge you at your busiest and see you in action when you are tested most. If dealing with peak times is a problem then we’re afraid you shouldn’t be eligible for an award.
Q: Help! You came when there was no one else here. Can you come again?
Yes, we have heard this one too and the answer is as above – no. The judges are on the road for two months during the summer when they will travel the length and breadth of the country to assess entrants, all of which they do in their own personal time. As a result, we will not always be able to judge you at your preferred time, but we will make allowances for lack of atmosphere if we’re eating at 6.30pm on a Tuesday.
Q: So who are the judges?
All of our judges have been invited to join the Gold Medal Awards Jury because of their exceptional hotel and catering experience.
The judges are: Paul Boksberger, catering industry consultant and chairman of the Food Safety Professionals Association of Ireland; Marilyn Bright, food consultant, writer, Hotel & Catering Review columnist and former chair of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild; Dick Bourke, immediate past chair of ITIC, past president of the Irish Hotels Federation, board member of Fáilte Ireland; Ray Carroll, hotel consultant, former chief executive of the K Club and former winner of the IHI’s Lifetime Achievement Award; Frank Corr, columnist with Hotel & Catering Review and leading industry correspondent; Eugene McSweeney, chef and restaurant consultant; Tom Mythen, restaurant industry consultant and past president of the Restaurants Association of Ireland; Mary O’Callaghan, wine consultant and DIT lecturer; Denis Tucker, former quality assurance manager at Fáilte Ireland and special advisor to the Jury, Douglas Jordan, registrar, Fáilte Ireland, past president of the Irish Hospitality Institute. The Jury is chaired by Hotel & Catering Review’s editor, Sarah Grennan.
Q: How do we know you visited?
Judges will leave a Gold Medal Awards calling card on departure. In the cases of hotels, judges will notify you of their visit on departure.
Q: What happens then?
As discussed, members of the Jury will meet at the end of the summer to pick finalists, category winners and the supreme winner of the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence 2009. If, unfortunately you don’t make it to the final this year, you will be notified in writing following the judges’ meeting at the end of August.
Q: Who will we be going up against?
Hotel & Catering Review’s Gold Medal Awards attract a large number of entries from hotel and catering operations across Ireland every year and previous winners read like a ‘Who’s Who’ of the Irish hospitality industry.
Only one business, The Merrion Hotel, Dublin, has won the supreme Gold Medal Award for Excellence twice (2003 and 2008) in the Awards’ 20 year history. Previous supreme winners are as follows: Royal Hospital Kilmainham (1998); The Park Restaurant, Blackrock, Co Dublin (1989); Cashel House Hotel, Connemara, Co Galway (1990); Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry, Co Cork (1991); Clifford’s Restaurant, Cork (1992); Sea View House Hotel, Ballylicky, Co Cork (1993); The K Club, Straffan, Co Kildare (1994); Parknasilla Great Southern Hotel, Sneem, Co Kerry (1995); Thornton’s Restaurant, Dublin 2 (1996); Clarence Hotel, Dublin 2 (1997); Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Dublin 2 (1998); Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links, Portmarnock, Co Dublin (1999); Browne’s Brasserie & Townhouse, Dublin 2 (2000); Moran’s of the Weir, Kilcolgan, Co Galway (2001); The Four Seasons Hotel, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 (2002); The Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2 (2003); Wheatfield Prison, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 (2005); Roly’s Bistro, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 (2006); Kelly’s Resort Hotel, Rosslare, Co Wexford (2007); The Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2 (2008).
Q: What’s the Supreme Winner about and how do you pick them?
Each year at our Awards we pick one outstanding category winner and present them with the supreme Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence. All 14 winners of the individual categories are eligible to win this coveted award but judging it every year can, as we’re sure you can understand, be difficult. It would be impossible, and indeed unfair, for us to compare the 14 winners on a like-for-like basis as each of their individual businesses are so varied and so we are guided by one key principle, the supreme winner of the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence must, by far and away, be the outstanding business within its chosen field of operation.
Q: So it sounds like it will be a great party. Where can we get tickets?
It will! The Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards are always nights to remember and this year we’re very excited as we celebrate our 21st birthday. Following on from the success of last year’s Awards, the Gold Medal Awards return to our traditional home of The Shelbourne this year and will be held on 21 September. To get your hands on a golden ticket, contact Nicola Hickey at n.hickey@jemma.ie or 01 764 2700.
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