Nominations for the #FoodOscars are now open to the public via www.irishtimes.com/irishrestaurantawards

Wednesday, 11^th January 2017

The Restaurants Association of Ireland are delighted to announce that the nominations for the Irish Restaurant Awards 2017 are now open. The public are able to choose their favourites across 20 categories including Best Restaurant, Best Casual Dining, Best Chef, Best Seafood Experience, Best World Cuisine and more.

Nominations can be made via www.irishtimes.com/irishrestaurantawards from 12 noon, Wednesday 11^th of January until 12 noon, Wednesday 25^th of January

The Irish Restaurant Awards showcase the true talent that Ireland’s hospitality industry has to offer by acknowledging outstanding performers in the sector. Growing steadily from its humble beginnings back in 2009, the awards are now a five-month long process consisting of online public nominations, judging panels, mystery guest inspections and regional and national events.

Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association commented; “The aim of the Irish Restaurant Awards is to honour the hard working people of the hospitality industry from cocktail makers, sommeliers and waiters to restaurant managers and local food champions. The restaurant industry is the biggest employer within the Irish tourism sector, employing over 74,000 people and these awards are a celebration and acknowledgement of the hard work put in by restaurateurs year round.”

This year, there are 20 categories in which the general public can nominate. These categories are made up of 15 Main award categories, including an exciting new category ‘Pub of the Year’, and five National award categories.

Main categories are as follows:

• Best Restaurant
• Best Chef
• Best Restaurant Manager
• Best Hotel Restaurant
• Best Casual Dining
• Best Gastro Pub
• Best Newcomer
• Best Customer Service
• Best Wine Experience
• Best Emerging Irish Cuisine
• Best World Cuisine
• Best Cafe
• Best Kids Size Me
• Local Food Hero
• Pub of the Year (NEW!)

National Categories

• Best Cocktail Experience
• Best Private Dining & Club Restaurant
• Best Cookery School
• Best Seafood Experience
• Best Digital Marketing

In the first stage of the judging process, online nominations are given a weighting of 30%, while the remaining 70% is made up from a regional judging panel assessment. Both of these results are combined and reviewed by an independent auditor (BDO) to give an overall county winner per category. These winners will be announced at a number of regional events held in March.

Each county winner then goes forward to the Regional and All-Ireland stage whereby they will then each receive a mystery guest inspection.  They will be assessed on their menu, customer service, and the overall dining experience from the moment the booking is made until the customer receives the bill. Full details on the judging process can be found on the official Awards website www.irishrestaurantawards.com.

National Categories will not receive a mystery guest inspection. They will be judged by the National Academy with the exception of Best Cocktail Experience which will be judged by the Bartenders Association of Ireland at a live competition.

The All-Ireland final of the Irish Restaurant Awards 2017 takes place on Monday 8th of May 2017 in the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road.

ENDS

For more information, please visit:

Website: www.irishrestaurantawards.com
Twitter: @restawards  #FoodOscars
Facebook: www.facebook.com/IrishRestaurantAwards

Restaurants Association of Ireland,
11 Bridge Court, Citygate,
St Augustine Street, Dublin 8.

Telephone: +353 1 6779901

Email: awards@rai.ie

Website: www.rai.ie

Twitter: @RAI_ie

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RestaurantsAssociationOfIreland