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Ulster Regional Award Winners Announced!

 

TOP RESTAURANTS IN ULSTER ANNOUNCED AT

IRISH RESTAURANT AWARDS 2014

 

OVER THIRTY RESTAURANTS, HOTEL RESTAURANTS & CHEFS

 HONOURED AT PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS

 

April 8th 2014, Belfast.

 

The Ulster Regional Final of the Irish Restaurant Awards, in association with Sunday Independent LIFE Magazine, took place in The Merchant Hotel Belfast last night and named the top restaurants in the nine counties 2014.

 

Over 300 restaurant owners and staff celebrated their hard work and achievements at the Awards, which saw many well-known restaurateurs of Ulster, turn out to see if they had won one of the prestigious awards.

 

Speaking at the awards last night, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland Adrian Cummins said; “The Irish Restaurant Awards celebrate their sixth year this year and have become the Island’s biggest food awards. The credibility that these awards have is reflected in the amount of nominations they received this year- over 19,000 votes were cast across nine categories, showing that these are the awards that everyone wants to win.

 

“The Irish restaurant scene is internationally recognised for its high calibre of restaurateurs and chefs. These awards celebrate the people that make the restaurant sector the dynamic and exciting industry it is. They are the people who provide 64,000 jobs to our economy and generate revenue in excess of €2 billion. We’re recognising the talent, hard work and commitment that everyone here gives to the food industry. Tonight, everyone is a winner.”

 

Having won the Best Newcomer Award in 2013, OX took home the award for Best Restaurant in Antrim, Best Chef in Antrim for Stephen Toman and Best Wine Experience for Antrim. OX Manager Alain Kerloc’h also took home the Award for Best Restaurant Manager in Ulster. For a full list of winners, see below.

 

Food outlets were nominated under the categories of Best Restaurant, Best Chef, Best Restaurant Manager, Best Hotel Restaurant, Best Casual Dining, Best Gastro Pub, Best Customer Service, Best Wine Experience and Best Kids Size Me.

 

All County winners now compete for the Regional and All Ireland Title which will be announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards in the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel, Dublin on Monday 9th June, 2014.

 

There are 3 components to phase two of the process. Each element is independently assessed by Ernst and Young.

 

1. Mystery Guest Visit (55%) This component of the awards is conducted by Prism Consulting headed by Hugo Arnold, independent food writer and consultant. All County Winners and Dublin Shortlist receive a mystery guest visit throughout the month of April and May.

2. National Awards Academy (35%) Our National Awards Academy is made up of representatives from each of the regional judging panels and will meet in May to Judge the County Winners and Dublin Shortlist. The Academy members include food writers, journalists, academics and hospitality magazine editors.

3. Menu Judging (10%) All County winners and the Dublin Shortlist in each category are asked to submit a copy of their food menu and wine list for judging. These menus are then independently reviewed by Bord Bia.

Voting in the Industry categories has been extended until Friday, 11th April. Voting in these categories is exclusive to Restaurants Association of Ireland members only, with members competing for:

 

Industry Categories 2014

Best Private Dining & Club Restaurant Best Café Best Emerging Irish Cuisine
Best Newcomer Best Seafood Experience Best World Cuisine
Best Cocktail Experience Best Cookery School Best Restaurant Design
Best Sustainable Restaurant Best Digital Marketing Best Energy Management

 

The winners of the Industry Categories will be announced at the All-Ireland event on 9th June, 2014.

Tickets for the All-Ireland Event can be bought directly from the awards team on (01) 677 9901 or awards@rai.ie.

 

Best Restaurant – Sponsored by Dalcassian & Wakefield Wines

 

Antrim- OX

Armagh- Uluru Bistro

Cavan- MacNean House and Restaurant

Derry- Browns Restaurant & Champagne Lounge

Donegal- The Mill Restaurant

Down- The Boat House Restaurant

Fermanagh- Watermill Lodge Restaurant

Monaghan- Courthouse Restaurant

Tyrone- Black Cat Restaurant

 

Best Chef – Sponsored by La Rousse Foods

 

Antrim- Stephen Toman, OX

Armagh- Sean Farnan, The Moody Boar

Cavan- Neven Maguire, MacNean House and Restaurant

Derry- Ian Orr, Browns Restaurant & Champagne Lounge

Donegal- Remy Dupuy, Castle Murray Restaurant

Down- Joery Castel, The Boat House Restaurant

Fermanagh- Noel McMeel, The Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort

Monaghan- Conor Mee, Courthouse Restaurant

Tyrone- Brian McMonagle, The Brewer’s House

 

Best Gastro Pub – Sponsored by Total Produce

 

Antrim- The Morning Star

Armagh- Sally McNally’s

Cavan- The Big Apple

Derry- Mary’s Bar

Donegal- The Water’s Edge

Down- The Hillside

Fermanagh- Blakes of the Hollow

Monaghan- Andy’s Bar and Restaurant

Tyrone- The Brewer’s House

 

Best Casual Dining – Sponsored by Bunzl McLaughlin

 

Antrim- Hadskis

Armagh- The Moody Boar

Cavan- Murph’s Bistro

Derry- Browns in Town

Donegal- La Bella Donna Restaurant

Down- Vanilla Restaurant

Fermanagh- Café Merlot at Blakes of the Hollow

Monaghan- Bistro Restaurant at The Fiddlers Elbow

Tyrone- Deli On The Green

 

Best Hotel Restaurant – Sponsored by Pallas Foods

 

Antrim- River Room @ Galgorm Resort

Armagh- Newforge House

Cavan- The Courtroom Restaurant @ Cabra Castle Hotel

Derry- Ardmore Restaurant @ Beech Hill Country House

Donegal- Castle Murray Restaurant @ Castle Murray House Hotel

Down- Rayanne House

Fermanagh- The Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort

Monaghan- Snaffles Restaurant @ Castle Leslie

Tyrone- The Kitchen Restaurant @ Tullylagan Country House Hotel

 

 

Best Customer Service- Sponsored by TheDiningRoom.ie

 

Antrim- Shu

Armagh- The Moody Boar

Cavan- The Olde Post Inn

Derry- Thompson’s Restaurant at City Hotel Derry

Donegal- Lakeside Restaurant at Harvey’s Point Hotel

Down- Vanilla Restaurant

Fermanagh- Dollakis

Monaghan- Courthouse Restaurant

Tyrone- Oysters Restaurant

 

Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by Classic Drinks & Hungerford Hill Wines

 

Antrim- OX

Armagh- Uluru Bistro

Cavan- MacNean House and Restaurant

Derry- Browns Restaurant & Champagne Lounge

Donegal- Lakeside Restaurant @ Harvey’s Point Hotel

Down- The Boat House Restaurant

Fermanagh- Watermill Lodge Restaurant

Monaghan- Snaffles Restaurant @ Castle Leslie

Tyrone- Oysters Restaurant

 

Best Kids Size Me – Sponsored by Heinz

 

v  The Olde Castle Bar & Red Hugh Restaurant, Donegal

 

Best Restaurant Manager (Ulster) – Supported by the Restaurants Association of Ireland

 

v  Alain Kerloc’h, OX, Antrim

Our thanks to