Restaurants should be doing more to promote small, struggling producers who supply them with quality ingredients, the European chefs' group Euro-Toques said yesterday.
Ruth Hegarty, secretary general of Euro-Toques Irish branch said some artisan producers were "really struggling so anything you can do to promote them by listing them on the menus can help".
She said discerning diners increasingly wanted to know the source of ingredients. "Probably a lot of restaurants are using local suppliers but aren't saying it on their menus . . . so people aren't aware of it."
She was speaking as a judge at yesterday's Restaurant of the Year awards run by Food & Wine magazine and Edward Dillon wine and spirits distributors.
Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud in Dublin was voted best overall restaurant of the year, while Garrett Byrne from Chapter One in Dublin was named chef of the year. The best service award went to Aghadoe Heights Hotel in Killarney, Co Kerry while Nick's Warehouse in Belfast won the best value for money award. Chakra by Jaipur in Greystones, Co Wicklow was voted best world cuisine restaurant.
Biddy White Lennon of the Food Writers' Guild, who was also a judge, said diners were paying too much for their food in "middle market" restaurants. "At the top end, yes it's expensive in the evening, but you can experience the occasion at lunch time for far less. I think at the middle end we probably are being ripped off because the prices are nearly as dear, because you are paying for little bits," she said. She advised people to follow young chefs who were moving from well known restaurants to open their own businesses.
RESTAURANTS: top awards
Ulster best restaurant award: Shu, Belfast.
Ulster best chef award: Raymond McArdle, Nuremore Hotel and Country Club, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.
Munster best restaurant award: The Tannery, Dungarvan.
Munster best chef award: Noel Enright, The Chart House, Dingle.
Leinster best restaurant award: Aldridge Lodge, Duncannon, Co Wexford.
Leinster best chef award: Sunil Ghai, Chakra by Jaipur, Greystones.
Connacht best restaurant award: Ard Bia, Galway city.
Connacht best chef award: Michael O'Meara, Oscar's, Galway city.
