Tipperary businesses win big at major national hospitality awards

Celebrating Ireland’s gold standard champions of the food and hospitality industries, the winners of the Georgina Campbell Irish Food & Hospitality Awards 2024 were announced this week.  Ireland’s Business Hotel of the Year was awarded to Horse & Jockey and Sadler’s in Fethard won the highly regarded Restaurant and Bar of the year award.

Georgina Campbell said of each winner:

Horse & Jockey: Once discovered, few would travel between Cork and Dublin without a stop at the Horse & Jockey and there are good reasons for that. A hotel of many parts, this family-run four star is exceptionally well located for both business and leisure, with access to a wide area and many visitor attractions, including Cahir Castle, the Rock of Cashel, Cashel Blue Cheese Visitor Experience and The Apple Farm at Cahir. Owned by the Egan family since 1986, the original 250 year old pub remains the beating heart of what is now a substantial hotel providing excellent amenities. The location is ideal for business meetings and events, and the accommodation and all facilities have been developed imaginatively over the years to cater well for differing markets - and, unlike many newer hotels, this is a place with heart and a real sense of place. Pride in the county's equestrian prowess is seen all around, for example, and – as Taste of Tipperary producers network members - also the area's outstanding local produce.  Being close to a major motorway junction and with plenty of parking, ease of access is a boon for all, especially business guests who come from all over Ireland to avail of the wide range of impressive meeting and conferencing facilities offered for all sizes of groups, including an auditorium for 200 delegates. A remarkable place, with every visitor's needs considered, good food and - especially - caring owners and staff who make every guest feel welcome.

Sadler’s: A new venture from the team behind the Cashel Palace Hotel and Mikey Ryan's, Sadler's opened in nearby Fethard in March 2024. And it’s a cracker. Looking pretty in pink, the smartly refurbished building is enticing and there’s great attention to detail in the bright, stylish and very comfortable interior, where hands-on manager and Restaurant Director, Liam O’Toole, has ensured that everything - right down to the selection of cutlery - combines to create the perfect ambience. And, before food even comes into the equation, there's that sense of being part of the region's equestrian community. With memorabilia all around, notably referencing their many big race winners, there would be no prizes for guessing the connection with the Magnier family of nearby Coolmore Stud - and that sense of community also comes through in the food, of course, with local producers proudly credited.  With deliciously flavoursome food, an informal ambience and lovely warm service Sadler’s is a boon to locals, but also well worth a detour off the Dublin-Cork motorway with a wonderful rural drive to enjoy. And don’t be in too much hurry while you’re there - allow some time to check out the back corridor, which is lined with photos and newspaper cuttings going back many years. Fascinating.

Ireland’s longest running food and hospitality awards, the selections are the result of independent all-year assessments by a team of anonymous experts. This year, the great benefits of regional collaborations in creating hubs of excellence around the country are especially recognised, along with the increased importance placed by the food and hospitality sector on sustainability and supporting Irish producers - who are celebrated in a special category of the awards as providing the foundation of all of our good food.

However, celebrated food and hospitality writer, Georgina Campbell, offered a note of caution about falling standards in some areas, particularly around the most important meal of the day: breakfast.

“Cost-cutting is understandable and often necessary in the current business environment,” said Georgina, “but it needs to be done with care. Slashing the quality of breakfast in an otherwise enjoyable experience is counter-productive, and leaves guests disappointed on departure. But, as usual, this year’s Irish Breakfast Award winners are setting a gold-star standard for the famous Irish breakfast and showing how a reputation for serving an outstanding breakfast can be good for business.”  

The prestigious ceremony featured an engaging panel discussion and a lively Q&A with special guest and award-winning Irish chef, Richard Corrigan, who is a great ambassador for Irish food and an inspiration for young people considering a career in hospitality. This year, Georgina particularly acknowledged the achievements of those who have been striving for high standards over many years and continue to do so in the face of all kinds of challenges.

Georgina said: “We need to encourage more young people to see the food and hospitality industry as an exciting option. Even quite young children could experience the enjoyment of doing rewarding work with a hospitality team, and that could create positive associations that would remain with them later, when career choices are to be made. It is not enough to tell a child about the hospitality sector, we must help them to develop an early interest and that could shape the sector’s future pioneers from the get-go.”

Sustainability

Georgina added: “Something special that we noticed this year was how the rise of the kitchen garden is accelerating. We’re seeing more chefs getting actively involved in this eco-friendly initiative and not just paying lip-service to the concept. Growing their own seasonal produce is something for establishments to be proud of, as well as having environmental benefits. It’s great to be working with deliciously fresh, nutrient-dense produce grown right outside your door, and it’s a point of special interest for guests.”

Room for improvement

Georgina did offer words of caution however, noting: “Although service has improved a lot this year and there is generally a warmer feel to hospitality, shortcuts are being taken in some establishments. We would like to see cost challenges addressed in more imaginative ways than cutting quality – by offering more choice of sizes for dishes on menus, for example, and reducing waste overall. That the shorter weeks and shorter opening hours that resulted from the pandemic are still continuing in many places – often together with higher prices - is not helping matters and must be discouraging for people thinking about having a break or a meal out.”