Many people in restaurants had their best year ever last year but pubs are doomed unless they change their approach, according to food writer John McKenna who launched the latest edition of the Bridgestone Guides today.
This is the 21st year that Mr McKenna and his wife Sally have co-authored the Bridgestone 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland and Bridgestone 100 Best Places to Stay in Ireland.
He said there was no recession where good food was concerned and people were eating their way through the recession.
“Matching restaurant food with Irish craft ales and beers is the big trend for 2012 and, as the bigger breweries stumble, craft brewers thrive,” he said. “Pubs that don’t recognise this and adapt are doomed, in my opinion.”
He said there was no doubt that pubs that served the same drinks as every other establishment and refused to offer something different and exciting would not survive.
The '10 Hot Chefs' singled out by the guide are: Bruno Coppola (La Cucina, Limerick); Derek Creagh (The Salty Dog, Co Down); Padraic Hayden (Camden Kitchen, Dublin); Martin Kajuiter (Cliff House Hotel, Co Waterford); Enda McEvoy (Aniar, Galway); Piero Melis (The Courthouse, Co Leitrim); Raymond Moran (Harry’s Bar & Restaurant, Co Donegal); Graham Neville (Number Forty One, Residence, Dublin); Gary O’Hanlon (Viewmount House, Longford) and Mickael Viljanen (Gregan’s Castle, Co Clare.)
The guide also nominates Ireland’s '10 Great Women Chefs'. They are: Martina Delaney (O’Callaghan-Walshe, West Cork); Sue Farmer (The Bay Tree, Co Down); Anne Gernon (Brocka on the Water, Tipperary); Jess Murphy (Kai Cafe & Restaurant, Galway); Georgina O’Sullivan (The Ballymore Inn, Co Kildare); Jean Perry (Glebe Gardens, West Cork); Caitlin Ruth (Deasy’s Harbour Bar, West Cork); Christiana Righi (Taste of Emilia, Dublin); Mary Ryan (Knockranny House, Mayo) and Carmel Somers (The Good Things Cafe, West Cork).
There are 17 new entries in the restaurant guide of which seven are in Dublin, two in Galway and one each in Antrim, Cork, Down, Kerry, Leitrim, Limerick, Mayo and Waterford.
Mr McKenna said the trend for staycations meant that good hospitality providers had a great year. “Fantastic new places continue to emerge. We have 12 new entries in this year’s 100 Best Places to Stay – up three on last year.”
The guide features '10 Great Hotel Managers'. They are: Adriaan Bartels (Cliff House Hotel, Waterford); Dermot Brennan (Brook Lane Hotel, Co Kerry); Ronnie Counihan (Renvyle House, Co Galway); Neil Grant (West Cork Hotel, West Cork); Simon Haden (Gregan’s Castle, Co Clare); Neil Lucy (Gouganebarra Hotel, Co Cork); Dermot Madigan (Mulranny Park, Co Mayo); Anne McKiernan (Brook’s Hotel, Dublin); Patrick O’Flaherty (Ballynahinch Castle, Co Galway) and Fiona Teehan (Pembroke House, Dublin).
For the first time this year, the guides are also available on apps, developed by Davorka Naletilic and Gary Quinn. The Bridgestone Restaurants app is already available and the Bridgestone Places to Stay app will be available from Friday, both costing €6.99. The guide books cost €12 each.
New entries to Bridgestone 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland 2012:
* Alexis, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin (a re-entry)
* Aniar, Lower Dominick St, Galway
* La Boheme Restaurant, Georges St., Waterford
* Camden Kitchen, Camden Market, Dublin
* Coppinger Row, Coppinger Row, Dublin
* The Courthouse, Kinlough, Co Leitrim
* La Cucina, Castletroy, Limerick
* Glebe Gardens, Baltimore, Co Cork
* Jack’s Coastguard Restaurant, Killorglin, Co Kerry
* Kai Cafe & Restaurant, Sea Road, Galway
* Mulberry Garden, Donnybrook, Dublin
* L Mulligan Grocers, Stoneybatter, Dublin
* Mulranny Park, Westport, Co Mayo
* Number Forty One, Residence, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin
* The Salty Dog Bangor, Co Down
* Taste of Emilia, Lower Liffey St, Dublin
* Restaurant Victoria, Great Victoria Street, Belfast
New entries to Bridgestone 100 Best Places to Stay in Ireland 2012:
* Brook Lane, Kenmare, Co Kerry
* The Inn @ Ballilogue Clochan, Inistioge, Co Kilkenny
* Lancaster Lodge, Western Road, Cork
* Liss Ard Estate Skibbereen, Co Cork
* Mount Juliet Thomastown, Co Kilkenny
* Mount Vernon Burren, Co Clare
* Mulranny Park Westport, Co Mayo
* QC’s (Cahirsiveen, Co Kerry
* The Salty Dog Hotel, Bangor, Co Down
* Seven Cross Street, Cross Street, Galway
* West Cork Hotel, Skibbereen, Co Cork
* Wild Honey Inn, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare
