The Tannery scoops Santa Rita Best Restaurant Award 2013

Top restaurants in Ireland announced at the

Santa Rita Irish Restaurant Awards 2013

The Tannery scoops Santa Rita Best Restaurant Award 2013

Waterford restaurant, The Tannery, scooped the Santa Rita Best Restaurant Award and Sunil Ghai, Head Chef at Ananda restaurant in Dundrum, has been crowned Best Chef in Ireland at the Santa Rita Irish Restaurant Awards 2013 at the Burlington Hotel last night (Monday 10^th June 2013).

Almost 800 restaurateurs and industry players turned out to attend Ireland’s biggest ever restaurant awards where regional and all-Ireland winners were announced in the following categories:

The Tannery                                         Best Restaurant in Ireland Sponsored by Santa Rita

Sunil Ghai of Ananda                           Best Chef in Ireland Sponsored by Tipperary Water

The Lady Helen at Mount Juliet            Best Hotel Restaurant in Ireland Sponsored by Pallas Foods

The Brewer’s House                             Best Gastro Pub in Ireland Sponsored by Faustino

Saba                                                    Best Casual Dining in Ireland Sponsored by Joseph Drouhin

Renvyle House Hotel                            Best Customer Service in Ireland Sponsored by La Rousse Foods

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud                 Best Wine Experience in Ireland Sponsored by Thomas Barton

The Exchequer                                     Best Cocktail Experience Sponsored by Smirnoff Mojito

Sol Rio Restaurant                               Best Kids Size Me Menu in Ireland Sponsored by Heinz

Glenilen Farm                                      Local Food Hero in Ireland Sponsored by LIFE Magazine

Ox                                                        Best Newcomer in Ireland Sponsored by Discover Diners Club

Idaho Café                                            Best Café in Ireland Sponsored by United Coffee

The Happy Pear                                    Best Digital Marketing in Ireland Sponsored by QT Comments

Declan Maxwell of Chapter One            Best Restaurant Manager in Ireland Sponsored by Champagne Pannier and Classic Drink

For a full list of winners, see below.

Pádraic Óg Gallagher, President of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, said:

“This year’s awards have been the biggest, brightest - and the best. They are the awards everyone wants to be associated with, and everyone wants to be a winner. As a testament to their success, we’ve seen a huge increase in nominations and votes since last year, with 30,000 votes cast across 10,000 nominations for Ireland’s favourite restaurants, chefs, gastro pubs, hotel restaurants and local food heroes throughout the country. The Irish Restaurant Awards are all about celebrating those who have brought acclaim to the Irish food scene from abroad and who keep the restaurant industry thriving at home. This year, it was great to see a variety of winners across the categories - with a Waterford restaurant winning Best Restaurant in Ireland, and an ethnic chef winning Best Chef.

Ireland has so much to offer to the culinary tourist, and these awards remind everyone of the quality and class of Irish restaurants and chefs. The Irish restaurant scene is vital to the economy, employing 64,000 people and generating revenue in excess of €2 billion per year, it’s great to celebrate the work that all of our restaurateurs around the country do to keep this aspect of our culture alive and kicking.”

Sally-Anne Cooney, General Manager of Gilbeys, distributors of Santa Rita wine in Ireland, sponsor of this year’s awards, said:

“Once again, Santa Rita, the leading Chilean wine in Ireland, is delighted to be associated with these prestigious awards. As the established hospitality industry Chilean wine, we are keen to acknowledge and recognise the achievement and excellence of the restaurant and hospitality industry throughout Ireland. Santa Rita is delighted to be in a position to reward this ongoing achievement of these nominated chefs and restaurants. We have so many restaurants and chefs in Ireland who are accomplishing wonderful things, and there is something special about these particular winners and finalists. Winning this award underscores their contribution to the hospitality industry, in that they have built and sustained something that is quite unique but delivers the right culinary experience for their customers. We wish this year’s winners and finalists a heartfelt congratulations!”

Best Casual Dining Kindly Sponsored by Joseph Drouhin

v  Connaught- Café Rua, Mayo

v  Munster- Sol y Sombra Tapas Bar, Kerry

v  Leinster- An Tintáin Restaurant, Westmeath

v  Ulster- Coast, Down

v  Dublin- Saba

v  All-Ireland- Saba

Best Customer Service Kindly Sponsored by La Rousse Foods

v  Connaught- Renvyle House Hotel, Galway

v  Munster- Ballygarry House Hotel, Kerry

v  Leinster- Eastern Seaboard Bar & Grill, Louth

v  Ulster- The Olde Post Inn, Cavan

v  Dublin- Saba

v  All-Ireland- Renvyle House Hotel

Best Gastro Pub Kindly Sponsored by Faustino

v  Connaught- Eat @ Massimo, Galway

v  Munster- The Derg Inn, Tipperary

v  Leinster- Harte’s Bar & Grill, Kildare

v  Ulster- The Brewer’s House, Tyrone

v  Dublin- The Purty Kitchen

v  All-Ireland- The Brewer’s House

Best Hotel Restaurant Kindly Sponsored by Pallas Foods

v  Connaught- The Kitchen Restaurant @ Mount Falcon, Mayo

v  Munster-The Munster Room @ Waterford Castle, Waterford

v  Leinster-The Lady Helen @ Mount Juliet, Kilkenny

v  Ulster-Catalina Restaurant @ Lough Erne Resort, Fermanagh

v  Dublin-The Saddle Room @ The Shelbourne Hotel

v  All-Ireland-The Lady Helen @ Mount Juliet

Best Chef Kindly Sponsored by Tipperary Water

v  Connaught-Philippe Farineau of Mount Falcon, Mayo

v  Munster-Paul Flynn of The Tannery, Waterford

v  Leinster-Gary O’Hanlon of Viewmount House, Longford

v  Ulster-Neven Maguire of Macnean House, Cavan

v  Dublin-Sunil Ghai of Ananda

v  All-Ireland-Sunil Ghai of Ananda

Best Restaurant Kindly Sponsored by Santa Rita

v  Connaught-Aniar Restaurant, Galway

v  Leinster -Thyme Restaurant, Westmeath

v  Munster-The Tannery, Waterford

v  Ulster-Browns Restaurant & Champagne Lounge, Antrim

v  Dublin- Ananda

v  All-Ireland-The Tannery

Best Kids Size Me Kindly Sponsored by Heinz

v  Connaught- Sol Rio, Mayo

v  Munster- Cornstore Restaurant, Cork

v  Leinster-The Olive Grove, Westmeath

v  Ulster-The Lemon Tree, Donegal

v  Dublin-La Banca

v  All-Ireland-Sol Rio

Best Wine Experience Kindly Sponsored by Thomas Barton

v  Connaught- The Twelve Hotel, Galway

v  Munster- Hayfield Manor, Cork

v  Leinster- The K Club, Kildare

v  Ulster- Nicks Warehouse, Antrim

v  Dublin- Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud

v  All-Ireland-Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud

Best Just Ask! Award Kindly Sponsored by BordBia

v  Connaught- Oscar’s Seafood Bistro, Galway

v  Leinster- Sqigl Restaurant @ Roches Bar, Wexford

v  Ulster- Sargasso, Donegal

v  Dublin- Essence Bistro

v  All-Ireland- Sargasso

Engaging With The Gathering Award Kindly Sponsored by Tourism Ireland

v  Connaught- Wilde’s @ Lisloughrey Lodge, Mayo

v  Munster- Paddys Bar & Restaurant, Tipperary

v  Leinster- Sheraton Athlone Hotel, Westmeath

v  Ulster- Harveys Point Hotel, Donegal

v  Dublin- The Exchequer

v  All-Ireland- Sheraton Athlone Hotel

Other winners include:

v  Idaho Café Best Café in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by United Coffee

v  The Exchequer Best Cocktail Experience 2013 Sponsored by Smirnoff Mojito

v  Ox Best Newcomer in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Discover Diners Club

v  Restaurant FortyOne at Residence Best Private Dining and Club Restaurant in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Total Produce

v  Kai Café & Restaurant Best Restaurant Design in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Bunzl

v  Declan Maxwell of Chapter One Best Restaurant Manager in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Champagne Pannier and Classic Drinks

v  Fishy Fishy Café Best Seafood Experience in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Wrights of Howth

v  Dublin Cookery School Best Cookery School in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Avonmore

v  Chameleon Best World Cuisine Sponsored by Tiger Beer

v  The Brasserie at Bewley’s Hotel, Leopardstown Best Practice in Energy Management Sponsored by Calor

v  Aniar Restaurant Best Emerging Irish Cuisine in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by Fáilte Ireland

v  Glenilen Farm Local Food Hero in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by LIFE Magazine

v  The Happy Pear Best Digital Marketing in Ireland 2013 Sponsored by QT Comments

v  Castlemurray House Hotel Best Sustainable Restaurant of the Year Sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions

Castle Hotel to Represent Cork at Restaurant Awards

Castle Hotel to Represent Cork at Restaurant Awards

B's Restaurant at the Castle Hotel

The boutique 4 * Castle Hotel, Macroom celebrated their success at the Munster Regional Irish

Awards, winning Best Customer Service in Cork, and will now go on to represent their county for

the national title of ‘Best Customer Service’ in Ireland.

The All-Island Santa Rita/LIFE Magazine Irish Restaurant Awards will take place on Monday, 10th June in The Burlington Hotel, Dublin, to name and fame the top restaurants in Ireland for 2013.

The night will see an expected crowd of up to 800 fellow restaurant owners, staff and industry

experts gather in The Burlington Hotel to celebrate their hard work and achievements in the run

up to the coveted Awards.

In the Best Customer Service category sponsored, The Castle Hotel Macroom will face competition in a pool of 32 county award winners from the whole island of Ireland.

Speaking of their involvement in the Awards, Hotelier and Owner Don Buckley said: “The Irish Restaurant Awards are renowned for recognising and rewarding achievement and excellence within the Restaurant and Hospitality industry. It is a lovely surprise and boost for management and staff. It will spur us on in continuing to exceed customer expectations after all customer is king ! Fingers crossed for The All Ireland on June 10th”.

Speaking of the upcoming Awards, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland Adrian Cummins said; “In their fifth year now, the Irish Restaurant Awards continue to go from strength to strength. Each year, the awards cast a spotlight on the brightest and best players on the Irish restaurant scene. The Irish Restaurant Awards are the awards everyone wants to win. This year the nominations went online for the first time and we got a spectacular response from the public- nominations doubled and we received 10,000 votes for Ireland’s favourite restaurants, chefs, gastro pubs, hotel restaurants and customer service experience.

“We celebrate the award winning cuisines and the great restaurateurs and chefs who are constantly bringing international recognition and accolades to the Irish restaurant scene. Restaurateurs are entrepreneurs, and that is reflected in the fact that the restaurant sector is the biggest employer within the hospitality industry. We provide employment to 64,000 people and the industry has annual sales in excess of €2 billion; on the night, everyone is a winner.”

The All-Ireland and Industry Category Winners will be announced at the All-Ireland event on 10

th June, 2013. Tickets are priced at €130 for the All-Ireland Event, with discounts for group bookings,

and can be bought directly from the Restaurants Association of Ireland on +353 (01) 677 9901 or

awards@rai.ie