Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards 2010
Gold Medal Finalists Announced
Following a busy summer travelling through the four provinces of Ireland to judge hotels, restaurants and catering operations, the Gold Medal Awards Jury have voted for their selection of finalists in this year’s Awards. A total of 67 businesses have been chosen to progress to the final round of the Gold Medal Awards, including 40 new category finalists.
They are:
Five Star Hotels
- Aghadoe Heights Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry
- Dromoland Castle Hotel, Newmarket on Fergus, Co Clare
- Fota Island Resort, Cork
- The G Hotel, Galway
- Hayfield Manor Hotel, Cork
- Park Hotel Kenmare, Co Kerry
Four Star Hotels
- The Brehon, Killarney, Co Kerry
- Cromleach Lodge, Castlebaldwin, Co Sligo
- Harvey's Point, Lough Eske, Co Donegal
- Inchydoney Island Lodge, Co Cork
- Kelly's Resort Hotel, Rosslare, Co Wexford
- Knockranny House Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
Three Star Hotels
- Bloomfield House Hotel, Mullingar, Co Westmeath
- The Blue Haven Hotel, Kinsale, Co Cork
- The Claregalway Hotel, Claregalway, Co Galway
- Downhill House Hotel, Ballina, Co Mayo
- The Headfort Arms Hotel, Kells, Co Meath
- Park Inn, Belfast
Country Houses & Guesthouses
- Gregan's Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
- Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel, Recess, Connemara, Co Galway
- Mount Falcon, Ballina, Co Mayo
- Tankardstown House, Slane, Co Meath
- Rathmullan House, Rathmullan, Co Donegal
- Wineport Lodge, Glasson, Co Westmeath
Hotel Groups
- The Doyle Collection
- The Moran & Bewleys Hotel Group
- Tifco
Fine Dining Restaurants
- The Dining Room at Gregan's Castle, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
- La Boheme, Waterford
- MacNean House & Restaurant, Blacklion, Co Cavan
- Moira's Restaurant at Cromleach Lodge, Castlebaldwin, Co Sligo
- Dax Restaurant, Dublin 2
- One Pico, Dublin 2
Bistros & Brasseries
- Bijou Restaurant, Rathgar, Dublin 6
- Crackpots, Kinsale, Co Cork
- First Floor Restaurant at Harvey Nichols, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 16
- Louie's Bistro, Dublin 1
- Perrott's Garden Bistro, Hayfield Manor, Cork
- West at The Twelve Hotel, Barna, Co Galway
Casual Dining
- Itsa 4, Sandymount, Dublin 4
- Lord Kenmare's Restaurant, Killarney, Co Kerry
- Max's Restaurant & Wine Bar, Kinsale, Co Cork
- The Morning Star, Belfast
- The Tavern Bar & Restaurant, Murrisk, Co Mayo
- Wild Honey Inn, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare
Ethnic Restaurants
- Ananda, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 16
- Chakra by Jaipur, Greystones, Co Wicklow
- Chameleon Restaurant, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
- Little Jerusalem, Rathmines, Dublin 6
- Rotana Café, Portobello, Dublin 2
Cafés & Coffee Shops
- Café Noir, O'Connell Street, Limerick
- Café No.11 at The Old Bank House, Kinsale, Co Cork
- Kay's Real Chefs, Real Food, Blanchardstown Centre, Dublin 15
- Partridge's Artisan Café, Gorey, Co Wexford
- Silver Restaurant at Newbridge Silver Visitor Centre, Newbridge, Co Kildare
In House Caterers
- Aramark Ireland at Genzyme, Waterford
- Sodexo Northern Ireland at PSNI Seapark, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim
- Sodexo Ireland at APC Galway
- The Barristers Tea Rooms, The Four Courts, Dublin 7
Institutional Caterers
- Black Olive Catering at Barrettstown, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare
- St Brigid’s Hospital, Shaen, Co Laois
- Aramark Healthcare at Beneavin Healthcare Campus, Glasnevin, Dublin 11
- Aramark Healthcare at University Hospital Galway, Galway
- Masterchefs Munster at Moffetts Restaurant, National University of Ireland, Galway
Wine Experience
- Kelly's Resort Hotel, Rosslare, Co Wexford
- Max's Restaurant & Wine Bar, Kinsale, Co Cork
- No.1 Pery Square, Limerick
- Pinocchio, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
- The Twelve Hotel, Barna Co Galway
- The Cornstore, Cork
Customer Experience
- Aghadoe Heights, Killarney, Co Kerry
- Cromleach Lodge, Castlebaldwin, Co Sligo
- Doonbeg Lodge, Doonbeg, Co Clare
- Glenlo Abbey, Galway
- Harvey's Point Hotel, Lough Eske, Co Donegal
- Hayfield Manor, Cork
- The Merrion Hotel, Dublin
The Gold Medal Awards will be presented at a gala event in The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin on 20 September. If you would like to book tickets for the Awards please contact Nicola Hickey on 01 764 2727 or via email.
Remember, you don’t have to be a finalist to join the party – all are welcome at this special industry celebration.
Download Entry Forms Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards
1. Five Star Hotel Application Form - Download
2. Four Star Hotel Application Form - Download
3. Three Star Hotel Application Form - Download
4. Country Houses & Guesthouses Application Form - Download
5. Hotel Group Application Form - Download
6. Fine Dining Applications Form - Download
7. Bistros & Brasseries Application Form - Download
8. Casual Dining Application Form - Download
9. Ethnic Restaurants Application Form - Download
10. Cafes & Coffee Shops Application Form - Download
11. In House Caterers Application Form - Download
12. Institutional Caterers Application Form - Download
13. Customer Experience Application Form - Download
14. Wine Experience Application Form - Download
FAQ's: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Gold Medal Awards, But Were Afraid to Ask…
We know you found the answers to these Frequently Asked Questions handy last year when you were entering the Awards so we’ve listed them again. Please note, we have made a number of changes to the process this year so there are some new tips below.
Q: How do we enter?
Hotel & Catering Review’s Gold Medal Awards can only be entered via email. Please download the relevant entry forms shown above, fill them out and email them to us, together with relevant supporting material, to Entry Submissions By Email. The final closing date for entries is FRIDAY, 30 APRIL 2010. Entries submitted after this date will not be accepted.
Q: Can we post our entry to you?
No. Entries will only be accepted via email to Entry Submissions By Email. Please do not post us entries, even if they are accompanied by bows and chocolates and other such flourishes. They look pretty, and the girls in the office love the treats (thank you very much), but they will not be accepted. In the interest of fairness for all we have a uniform policy for entering. No postal entries (even plain ones) will be accepted.
Q: We're not keen on the questions you asked, can we answer our own questions?
We're not kidding, we have received entries in the past where entrants have replaced our questions with their own and given their own answers. We have also received entry forms which have been doctored, where questions have been paraphrased and where entry forms have been reformatted to make them more aesthetically appealing. We don't mind you pasting logos or photographs into the document if you so desire but please note this will not gain you extra marks. We are looking for clear, concise information about your business and naturally, entry forms which have been doctored to suit your own questions will not be accepted and these entrants will be immediately disqualified.
Regular entrants to the Gold Medal Awards will notice that this year’s entry forms are less detailed. This is because we are changing the process this year and no longer judging the information you provide in your written submission in a first round. From now on, all entrants to the awards (bar any naughty ones who post us their entry forms, change them or submit them late – see above) will be visited for an inspection. See question, ‘Why the Change?’ for more.
We also understand that you’re really busy right now and are operating with less staff and resources than ever so we’ve made the forms quicker and easier to fill out.
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. Please remember to note on each entry form the other categories you are entering.
Q: I’m not sure what we are, can we tick all the boxes?
No, you must decide which type of business you are. Every 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 you will 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 Caterers and Institutional Caterers?
The In House catering category was introduced last year as a replacement for the Industrial Catering category. This category is open to caterers operating in a corporate environment and offering workplace catering and private dining options for businesses. Institutional Catering is open to caterers in the healthcare, justice and educational sector.
Q: Can event caterers enter the In House Caterers category?
Unfortunately not as the In House Caterers Award is purely for operators providing a full-service year-round offering in a corporate environment.
Q: We operate a catering facility on behalf of a company but we cater to the public. Do we enter the In House Caterers category?
The In House category is purely for workplace catering. If you are serving the public, for instance in an airport or a museum, you should enter one of the other restaurant categories that best describes your business, such as Bistros & Brasseries, Casual Dining or Cafés & Coffee Shops.
Q: We are a group, can we enter more than one premises?
Groups may 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. 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 and guesthouses entering from Northern Ireland must be registered with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
Q: Do I need to include anything with the entry forms?
If you are entering a restaurant or catering operation please include menus. Entrants for the Wine Experience category must also include a copy of their wine list. This is clearly marked on all entry forms. Remember all hotels and guesthouses entering must be registered with either Fáilte Ireland or the Northern Irish Tourist Board.
NB: All entry forms must be accompanied with a release form signed by the manager and waiving the cost of our visit. (See question 'Does it cost anything to enter?' for more.)
Q: We are a new hotel and don't expect to receive our classification until after your entry deadline. Can we still enter?
If you are not classified by 30 April 2010 we suggest you wait until next year at which stage we will be delighted to consider you.
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 due to the increase in number of businesses entering the Awards, we are asking hotels and restaurants to waive the cost of our visit during our inspection. This will enable us to inspect all businesses that enter the awards.
Q: Why the change?
In previous years entrants were judged first on the written submission presented on entry forms and from that a (long) shortlist was selected to go through to the second round for a site inspection. Although we endeavoured to visit as many businesses as possible (in excess of 70% of all entrants), the significant cost implication of judging every single entrant unfortunately prohibited us from being able to visit everyone.
We have however taken on board the comments of those who did not progress to the second round of the Awards and receive a visit last year and we understand their disappointment. In order to make the Awards as fair and as transparent as possible for everyone concerned we will commit to visiting every operation that submits a valid entry form this year. To enable us to do so however we are asking all entrants to waive the cost of our inspection during our visit. Without this we would be unable to continue the Gold Medal Awards which have grown in popularity and entry numbers every year since their launch in 1988.
Q: What costs will we be asked to waive?
In the case of hotels, this will entail one night's accommodation for the Gold Medal judge and their partner (judges travel in pairs to enable us to judge you thoroughly but the booking will be for one room, one night only); a meal in your restaurant (again for two, wine, tea and coffee included); two drinks in your bar (one each); and breakfast for two. If the judge is enjoying their stay and wishes to kick back and indulge further on extra wine, drinks or spa treatments or even an extra night's stay he/she will cover the cost of this either at the time of ordering or on check-out.
Restaurants entering the awards will be asked to waive the cost of the meal, including wine, tea/coffee for two.
Please note that judges at all times will be mindful of your needs and will not order extravagantly priced wines or cocktails, book into penthouse suites or run up large bills. As all of the judges are previous practitioners or are involved with the industry either as consultants or educators, they are cogniscent of the pressures hotels and restaurants are facing. They will also endeavor not to visit at peak times, such as a local festival like the Galway Races, however, as many of the judges fit their inspections around day jobs and other commitments please note that they will not always be able to visit mid-week or during quiet periods. Please bear in mind that they visit during the summer months, from May to August.
Q: What happens once we enter?
Once the entry forms have been collated and sorted by category by the team at Hotel & Catering Review they will be divided among the judges who will hit the road in May and travel around the country inspecting the various entrants.
Q: Will we know the judge is coming?
Visits are unannounced in the cases of hotels and restaurants. Judges will book in incognito and will announce themselves on departure when they will present your staff with a card notifying you of their visit and the release form which the manager of your organisation will have signed agreeing to waive the cost of their visit.
Judging for the In House and Institutional catering categories involve an announced site visit and a member of the judging team will ring you during the summer to arrange this visit.
The Hotel Groups category is judged in two parts, the first of which is an unannounced visit to one of your hotels (this will follow a similar format as all hotel inspections and will include an overnight stay). Secondly, a member of the Gold Medal Awards Jury will visit your head office to meet with one or more of your senior management team. The judge in question will contact the person who submits your entry to schedule a meeting. Again, this will be conducted at some stage between the months of May and August.
Q: What do the judges look for when they’re visiting?
No matter what the category, the criteria are the same: the judges are looking for evidence of excellence in every facet of your business.
Bear in mind, the judges are also professionals who have worked extensively in or with the industry. These are business awards, and while the customer experience is the most important part of the judging process we will also look for evidence of clever business sense. Are you promoting all aspects of your business? Are your staff up selling? (Not to the point of turn off, of course.) Are you missing any valuable opportunities? These are factors the judges will also take into consideration.
An article detailing judges likes and loathes, plus some tips for success, will appear in the April edition of Hotel & Catering Review.
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: Who are the judges?
All the judges have been invited to join the Gold Medal Awards Jury because of their exceptional hotel and catering experience and we are very proud of the considerable expertise the team bring to the Gold Medal Awards Jury.
The judges are: Paul Boksberger, catering industry consultant, immediate past chair of the Food Safety Professionals Association and past president of the Irish Hospitality Institute; Dick Bourke, board member, Fáilte Ireland, past president, Irish Hotels Federation, past chair, Irish Tourist Industry Confederation, former general manager, Jurys Hotel, Ballsbridge; Marilyn Bright, food consultant, writer, Hotel & Catering Review columnist and past chair of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild; Aileesh Carew, hotel consultant; Ray Carroll, hotel consultant, former chief executive, The K Club; Eugene McGovern, former head of catering at Trinity College Dublin, past president, Panel of Chefs of Ireland; Paula McIntyre, chef, lecturer, Northern Regional College, and cookery writer; Eugene McSweeney, chef and restaurant consultant and former proprietor of Lacken House, Kilkenny; Rory Murphy, former general manager, Ashford Castle; Tom Mythen, restaurant consultant, past president, Restaurants Association of Ireland, former head of catering, Irish Rail; Mary O’Callaghan, president of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers, wine consultant and lecturer, DIT; and Denis Tucker, chairman, the National Hygiene Partnership and former quality assurance manager, Fáilte Ireland. Douglas Jordan, registrar, Fáilte Ireland and past president, Irish Hospitality Institute, is a special advisor to the Jury. The Jury is chaired by Hotel & Catering Review’s editor, Sarah Grennan.
Q: When do the judges make their decision?
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 2010 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, 20 September 2010. A full report on the Awards will appear in the October issue of Hotel & Catering Review.
Q: Can we get feedback?
In a new move this year, feedback will be issued to all entrants following this year’s Gold Medal Awards. This report will be issued directly to entrants in October 2010.
If you have any queries about your entry or the Gold Medal Awards process please contact Hotel & Catering Review’s events manager, Nicola Hickey by email , tel: 01 764 2700.
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’ 22 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); Dunbrody Country House Hotel (2009).
Q: What is the supreme winner 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, the only criteria is that 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: I hear the Awards are a great party. Do we have to be finalists to go?
The Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards are always a great night out and you don’t have to be a finalist to join us. Other entrants, suppliers and industry dignitaries always join in the fun, as do hoteliers, caterers and restaurateurs who haven’t entered the Awards. All are welcome. We promise it’s a great night out with your friends in the industry.
Once again we are returning to our traditional home of The Shelbourne this year and the event will be held on 20 September. To get your hands on a golden ticket, contact Nicola Hickey by email or tel: 01 764 2700).
Gold Medal Finalists Announced
Following a busy summer travelling through the four provinces of Ireland to judge hotels, restaurants and catering operations, the Gold Medal Awards Jury have voted for their selection of finalists in this year’s Awards. A total of 67 businesses have been chosen to progress to the final round of the Gold Medal Awards, including 40 new category finalists.
They are:
Five Star Hotels
- Aghadoe Heights Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry
- Dromoland Castle Hotel, Newmarket on Fergus, Co Clare
- Fota Island Resort, Cork
- The G Hotel, Galway
- Hayfield Manor Hotel, Cork
- Park Hotel Kenmare, Co Kerry
Four Star Hotels
- The Brehon, Killarney, Co Kerry
- Cromleach Lodge, Castlebaldwin, Co Sligo
- Harvey's Point, Lough Eske, Co Donegal
- Inchydoney Island Lodge, Co Cork
- Kelly's Resort Hotel, Rosslare, Co Wexford
- Knockranny House Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
Three Star Hotels
- Bloomfield House Hotel, Mullingar, Co Westmeath
- The Blue Haven Hotel, Kinsale, Co Cork
- The Claregalway Hotel, Claregalway, Co Galway
- Downhill House Hotel, Ballina, Co Mayo
- The Headfort Arms Hotel, Kells, Co Meath
- Park Inn, Belfast
Country Houses & Guesthouses
- Gregan's Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
- Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel, Recess, Connemara, Co Galway
- Mount Falcon, Ballina, Co Mayo
- Tankardstown House, Slane, Co Meath
- Rathmullan House, Rathmullan, Co Donegal
- Wineport Lodge, Glasson, Co Westmeath
Hotel Groups
- The Doyle Collection
- The Moran & Bewleys Hotel Group
- Tifco
Fine Dining Restaurants
- The Dining Room at Gregan's Castle, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
- La Boheme, Waterford
- MacNean House & Restaurant, Blacklion, Co Cavan
- Moira's Restaurant at Cromleach Lodge, Castlebaldwin, Co Sligo
- Dax Restaurant, Dublin 2
- One Pico, Dublin 2
Bistros & Brasseries
- Bijou Restaurant, Rathgar, Dublin 6
- Crackpots, Kinsale, Co Cork
- First Floor Restaurant at Harvey Nichols, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 16
- Louie's Bistro, Dublin 1
- Perrott's Garden Bistro, Hayfield Manor, Cork
- West at The Twelve Hotel, Barna, Co Galway
Casual Dining
- Itsa 4, Sandymount, Dublin 4
- Lord Kenmare's Restaurant, Killarney, Co Kerry
- Max's Restaurant & Wine Bar, Kinsale, Co Cork
- The Morning Star, Belfast
- The Tavern Bar & Restaurant, Murrisk, Co Mayo
- Wild Honey Inn, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare
Ethnic Restaurants
- Ananda, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 16
- Chakra by Jaipur, Greystones, Co Wicklow
- Chameleon Restaurant, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
- Little Jerusalem, Rathmines, Dublin 6
- Rotana Café, Portobello, Dublin 2
Cafés & Coffee Shops
- Café Noir, O'Connell Street, Limerick
- Café No.11 at The Old Bank House, Kinsale, Co Cork
- Kay's Real Chefs, Real Food, Blanchardstown Centre, Dublin 15
- Partridge's Artisan Café, Gorey, Co Wexford
- Silver Restaurant at Newbridge Silver Visitor Centre, Newbridge, Co Kildare
In House Caterers
- Aramark Ireland at Genzyme, Waterford
- Sodexo Northern Ireland at PSNI Seapark, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim
- Sodexo Ireland at APC Galway
- The Barristers Tea Rooms, The Four Courts, Dublin 7
Institutional Caterers
- Black Olive Catering at Barrettstown, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare
- St Brigid’s Hospital, Shaen, Co Laois
- Aramark Healthcare at Beneavin Healthcare Campus, Glasnevin, Dublin 11
- Aramark Healthcare at University Hospital Galway, Galway
- Masterchefs Munster at Moffetts Restaurant, National University of Ireland, Galway
Wine Experience
- Kelly's Resort Hotel, Rosslare, Co Wexford
- Max's Restaurant & Wine Bar, Kinsale, Co Cork
- No.1 Pery Square, Limerick
- Pinocchio, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
- The Twelve Hotel, Barna Co Galway
- The Cornstore, Cork
Customer Experience
- Aghadoe Heights, Killarney, Co Kerry
- Cromleach Lodge, Castlebaldwin, Co Sligo
- Doonbeg Lodge, Doonbeg, Co Clare
- Glenlo Abbey, Galway
- Harvey's Point Hotel, Lough Eske, Co Donegal
- Hayfield Manor, Cork
- The Merrion Hotel, Dublin
The Gold Medal Awards will be presented at a gala event in The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin on 20 September. If you would like to book tickets for the Awards please contact Nicola Hickey on 01 764 2727 or via email.
Remember, you don’t have to be a finalist to join the party – all are welcome at this special industry celebration.
Download Entry Forms Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards
1. Five Star Hotel Application Form - Download
2. Four Star Hotel Application Form - Download
3. Three Star Hotel Application Form - Download
4. Country Houses & Guesthouses Application Form - Download
5. Hotel Group Application Form - Download
6. Fine Dining Applications Form - Download
7. Bistros & Brasseries Application Form - Download
8. Casual Dining Application Form - Download
9. Ethnic Restaurants Application Form - Download
10. Cafes & Coffee Shops Application Form - Download
11. In House Caterers Application Form - Download
12. Institutional Caterers Application Form - Download
13. Customer Experience Application Form - Download
14. Wine Experience Application Form - Download
FAQ's: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Gold Medal Awards, But Were Afraid to Ask…
We know you found the answers to these Frequently Asked Questions handy last year when you were entering the Awards so we’ve listed them again. Please note, we have made a number of changes to the process this year so there are some new tips below.
Q: How do we enter?
Hotel & Catering Review’s Gold Medal Awards can only be entered via email. Please download the relevant entry forms shown above, fill them out and email them to us, together with relevant supporting material, to Entry Submissions By Email. The final closing date for entries is FRIDAY, 30 APRIL 2010. Entries submitted after this date will not be accepted.
Q: Can we post our entry to you?
No. Entries will only be accepted via email to Entry Submissions By Email. Please do not post us entries, even if they are accompanied by bows and chocolates and other such flourishes. They look pretty, and the girls in the office love the treats (thank you very much), but they will not be accepted. In the interest of fairness for all we have a uniform policy for entering. No postal entries (even plain ones) will be accepted.
Q: We're not keen on the questions you asked, can we answer our own questions?
We're not kidding, we have received entries in the past where entrants have replaced our questions with their own and given their own answers. We have also received entry forms which have been doctored, where questions have been paraphrased and where entry forms have been reformatted to make them more aesthetically appealing. We don't mind you pasting logos or photographs into the document if you so desire but please note this will not gain you extra marks. We are looking for clear, concise information about your business and naturally, entry forms which have been doctored to suit your own questions will not be accepted and these entrants will be immediately disqualified.
Regular entrants to the Gold Medal Awards will notice that this year’s entry forms are less detailed. This is because we are changing the process this year and no longer judging the information you provide in your written submission in a first round. From now on, all entrants to the awards (bar any naughty ones who post us their entry forms, change them or submit them late – see above) will be visited for an inspection. See question, ‘Why the Change?’ for more.
We also understand that you’re really busy right now and are operating with less staff and resources than ever so we’ve made the forms quicker and easier to fill out.
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. Please remember to note on each entry form the other categories you are entering.
Q: I’m not sure what we are, can we tick all the boxes?
No, you must decide which type of business you are. Every 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 you will 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 Caterers and Institutional Caterers?
The In House catering category was introduced last year as a replacement for the Industrial Catering category. This category is open to caterers operating in a corporate environment and offering workplace catering and private dining options for businesses. Institutional Catering is open to caterers in the healthcare, justice and educational sector.
Q: Can event caterers enter the In House Caterers category?
Unfortunately not as the In House Caterers Award is purely for operators providing a full-service year-round offering in a corporate environment.
Q: We operate a catering facility on behalf of a company but we cater to the public. Do we enter the In House Caterers category?
The In House category is purely for workplace catering. If you are serving the public, for instance in an airport or a museum, you should enter one of the other restaurant categories that best describes your business, such as Bistros & Brasseries, Casual Dining or Cafés & Coffee Shops.
Q: We are a group, can we enter more than one premises?
Groups may 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. 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 and guesthouses entering from Northern Ireland must be registered with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
Q: Do I need to include anything with the entry forms?
If you are entering a restaurant or catering operation please include menus. Entrants for the Wine Experience category must also include a copy of their wine list. This is clearly marked on all entry forms. Remember all hotels and guesthouses entering must be registered with either Fáilte Ireland or the Northern Irish Tourist Board.
NB: All entry forms must be accompanied with a release form signed by the manager and waiving the cost of our visit. (See question 'Does it cost anything to enter?' for more.)
Q: We are a new hotel and don't expect to receive our classification until after your entry deadline. Can we still enter?
If you are not classified by 30 April 2010 we suggest you wait until next year at which stage we will be delighted to consider you.
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 due to the increase in number of businesses entering the Awards, we are asking hotels and restaurants to waive the cost of our visit during our inspection. This will enable us to inspect all businesses that enter the awards.
Q: Why the change?
In previous years entrants were judged first on the written submission presented on entry forms and from that a (long) shortlist was selected to go through to the second round for a site inspection. Although we endeavoured to visit as many businesses as possible (in excess of 70% of all entrants), the significant cost implication of judging every single entrant unfortunately prohibited us from being able to visit everyone.
We have however taken on board the comments of those who did not progress to the second round of the Awards and receive a visit last year and we understand their disappointment. In order to make the Awards as fair and as transparent as possible for everyone concerned we will commit to visiting every operation that submits a valid entry form this year. To enable us to do so however we are asking all entrants to waive the cost of our inspection during our visit. Without this we would be unable to continue the Gold Medal Awards which have grown in popularity and entry numbers every year since their launch in 1988.
Q: What costs will we be asked to waive?
In the case of hotels, this will entail one night's accommodation for the Gold Medal judge and their partner (judges travel in pairs to enable us to judge you thoroughly but the booking will be for one room, one night only); a meal in your restaurant (again for two, wine, tea and coffee included); two drinks in your bar (one each); and breakfast for two. If the judge is enjoying their stay and wishes to kick back and indulge further on extra wine, drinks or spa treatments or even an extra night's stay he/she will cover the cost of this either at the time of ordering or on check-out.
Restaurants entering the awards will be asked to waive the cost of the meal, including wine, tea/coffee for two.
Please note that judges at all times will be mindful of your needs and will not order extravagantly priced wines or cocktails, book into penthouse suites or run up large bills. As all of the judges are previous practitioners or are involved with the industry either as consultants or educators, they are cogniscent of the pressures hotels and restaurants are facing. They will also endeavor not to visit at peak times, such as a local festival like the Galway Races, however, as many of the judges fit their inspections around day jobs and other commitments please note that they will not always be able to visit mid-week or during quiet periods. Please bear in mind that they visit during the summer months, from May to August.
Q: What happens once we enter?
Once the entry forms have been collated and sorted by category by the team at Hotel & Catering Review they will be divided among the judges who will hit the road in May and travel around the country inspecting the various entrants.
Q: Will we know the judge is coming?
Visits are unannounced in the cases of hotels and restaurants. Judges will book in incognito and will announce themselves on departure when they will present your staff with a card notifying you of their visit and the release form which the manager of your organisation will have signed agreeing to waive the cost of their visit.
Judging for the In House and Institutional catering categories involve an announced site visit and a member of the judging team will ring you during the summer to arrange this visit.
The Hotel Groups category is judged in two parts, the first of which is an unannounced visit to one of your hotels (this will follow a similar format as all hotel inspections and will include an overnight stay). Secondly, a member of the Gold Medal Awards Jury will visit your head office to meet with one or more of your senior management team. The judge in question will contact the person who submits your entry to schedule a meeting. Again, this will be conducted at some stage between the months of May and August.
Q: What do the judges look for when they’re visiting?
No matter what the category, the criteria are the same: the judges are looking for evidence of excellence in every facet of your business.
Bear in mind, the judges are also professionals who have worked extensively in or with the industry. These are business awards, and while the customer experience is the most important part of the judging process we will also look for evidence of clever business sense. Are you promoting all aspects of your business? Are your staff up selling? (Not to the point of turn off, of course.) Are you missing any valuable opportunities? These are factors the judges will also take into consideration.
An article detailing judges likes and loathes, plus some tips for success, will appear in the April edition of Hotel & Catering Review.
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: Who are the judges?
All the judges have been invited to join the Gold Medal Awards Jury because of their exceptional hotel and catering experience and we are very proud of the considerable expertise the team bring to the Gold Medal Awards Jury.
The judges are: Paul Boksberger, catering industry consultant, immediate past chair of the Food Safety Professionals Association and past president of the Irish Hospitality Institute; Dick Bourke, board member, Fáilte Ireland, past president, Irish Hotels Federation, past chair, Irish Tourist Industry Confederation, former general manager, Jurys Hotel, Ballsbridge; Marilyn Bright, food consultant, writer, Hotel & Catering Review columnist and past chair of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild; Aileesh Carew, hotel consultant; Ray Carroll, hotel consultant, former chief executive, The K Club; Eugene McGovern, former head of catering at Trinity College Dublin, past president, Panel of Chefs of Ireland; Paula McIntyre, chef, lecturer, Northern Regional College, and cookery writer; Eugene McSweeney, chef and restaurant consultant and former proprietor of Lacken House, Kilkenny; Rory Murphy, former general manager, Ashford Castle; Tom Mythen, restaurant consultant, past president, Restaurants Association of Ireland, former head of catering, Irish Rail; Mary O’Callaghan, president of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers, wine consultant and lecturer, DIT; and Denis Tucker, chairman, the National Hygiene Partnership and former quality assurance manager, Fáilte Ireland. Douglas Jordan, registrar, Fáilte Ireland and past president, Irish Hospitality Institute, is a special advisor to the Jury. The Jury is chaired by Hotel & Catering Review’s editor, Sarah Grennan.
Q: When do the judges make their decision?
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 2010 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, 20 September 2010. A full report on the Awards will appear in the October issue of Hotel & Catering Review.
Q: Can we get feedback?
In a new move this year, feedback will be issued to all entrants following this year’s Gold Medal Awards. This report will be issued directly to entrants in October 2010.
Please note, the decision of the Gold Medal Awards Jury is final and no correspondence can be entered into with the judges.
If you have any queries about your entry or the Gold Medal Awards process please contact Hotel & Catering Review’s events manager, Nicola Hickey by email , tel: 01 764 2700.
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’ 22 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); Dunbrody Country House Hotel (2009).
Q: What is the supreme winner 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, the only criteria is that 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: I hear the Awards are a great party. Do we have to be finalists to go?
The Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards are always a great night out and you don’t have to be a finalist to join us. Other entrants, suppliers and industry dignitaries always join in the fun, as do hoteliers, caterers and restaurateurs who haven’t entered the Awards. All are welcome. We promise it’s a great night out with your friends in the industry.
Once again we are returning to our traditional home of The Shelbourne this year and the event will be held on 20 September. To get your hands on a golden ticket, contact Nicola Hickey by email or tel: 01 764 2700).
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