Noel McMeel swaps chef whites for hard hat at Derry's Ebrington Hotel

It has been announced that one of Ireland’s finest and most celebrated chefs, Noel McMeel has joined the Ebrington Hotel in Derry  in advance of it’s opening in June this year. 

Having spent the last 15 years as Culinary Director at Lough Erne Resort in Fermanagh, Noel is known as the King of Irish Cuisine, championing the use of fresh seasonal, hand-selected ingredients across all his menus, using only the finest locally sourced produce.

Noel has cooked for royalty, politicians, and celebrities, including Barack Obama and Paul McCartney and his cuisine is considered one of the world’s best with his many awards holding testimony to that.

After 20 years he has now returned to the Northwest to The Ebrington Hotel and is currently devising menus across all areas of the business including the hotel’s Oak Room Restaurant which has floor to ceiling windows showcasing views of the entire city.

Cecil Doherty, Managing Director of the Ebrington Hotel said: "We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Chef Noel Mc Meel to our ever-increasing team at the Ebrington.

"His passion for fresh locally sourced food and his vast experience in creating world class menus with teams of chefs who share the same vision is something we are so excited to see evolve across the entire hotel operation under his careful guidance.”

He added, “Our purpose is to create a desirable, sought after destination that lifts the whole of the Northwest and which introduces our city, our cuisine and our hospitality to new people across the globe.

Noel McMeel - Pictured at Roof Top Terrace at The Ebrington. Photos: Lorcan Doherty

"By having the calibre of Noel Mc Meel planning our menus, hand selecting producers and creating a team, we are putting in place a location to inspire vision, drive tourism & create jobs making it a more vibrant city for everyone.”

Resting on the banks of the River Foyle, this landmark 93 Bedroom hotel with142 seater restaurant and separate bar & lounge sits overlooking the historic walled city in one of the most iconic locations in the city, located directly at the end of the peace bridge with views of the entire city.

McMeel confirmed: “This is a really exciting role to take on. Not only will there be an array of gourmet offerings at the Ebrington, but there will also be a very strong emphasis on our sustainability when it comes to great Northern Irish Food.

“We believe that our Food is the gateway to our heart, which connects our people and the heritage of the city. With access to the best of the North and Wild Atlantic coast, it’s time to leverage that positivity and allow more people to experience what we have to offer, which is some of the most incredible ingredients and artisan producers at our fingertips.”

He added, “The hotel plans to not only source top local producers but we also want to attract top chef talent who want to be part of The Ebrington kitchens bringing something completely new but nostalgically familiar. We have started to build our team and I’m now looking for Food & Beverage Managers to join us as well as Sous Chefs, Breakfast Chefs, Pastry Chefs, Chef De Parties, Commis Chefs and Kitchen Porters to join our team.

“This is one of those once in a life time opportunities, to be involved in something so special that we would ask any budding chefs to email their CV straightaway to careers@theebrington.com so as not to miss this amazing opportunity.”

Inishowen Man, Gary McDonald , Hotel Manager at The Ebrington welcomes World Class Chef Noel McMeel to The Ebrington

Noel joins Donegal Man, Gary McDonald who has taken up the reins as Hotel Manager at The Ebrington after returning home after 6 years as General Manager in Dunkeld House in Scotland.

The Ebrington is built within a former army barracks, dating from 1841 and is in the heart of Derry City on Ebrington Square, directly overlooking the Peace Bridge.

The 93 Bedroom hotel is a blend of listed buildings and new modern architecture linking the past & the present with amazing, elevated views across the River Foyle and entire Derry landscape.

Although not opening until June 23, the hotel has already been gaining large amounts of attention by the travel industry and has already made it into the Fab 50 places to stay in Ireland in 2023 by the Irish Independent newspaper.