Awards also see Peter Caviston presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award
Aoife Carrigy (Centre) at the Irish Food Writing Awards
The Merrion in Dublin was this week named ‘Five-star Hotel of the Year’ at the Good Food Ireland Awards 2024, held at the K Club in Co Kildare.
The hotel was described as having achieved “a harmonious balance between culinary excellence… luxurious surroundings, beautifully appointed rooms, state-of-the-art amenities and exceptional service” at the awards.
Kelly’s Resort Hotel & Spa in Co Wexford won ‘Four-star Hotel of the Year’, with Castle Leslie Estate in Co Monaghan named ‘Culinary Haven of the Year’.
The Awards celebrate businesses at every layer of Ireland’s food and drink industry, from producers to chefs, shops and hospitality outlets, with winners selected through mystery inspections and assessments shortlisted by an independent panel, according to Margaret Jeffares of Good Food Ireland.
The Sea Rooms restaurant at Kelly’s Resort in Co Wexford. Photo: Ger Lawlor
“We’ve seen a notable rise in confidence in the tourism and hospitality industry to prioritise Irish ingredients due to customers being far more vocal about wanting to see Irish produce on the menu,” Ms Jeffares said, adding that awareness around sustainability has increased “across the board”, and that many winners were second or third-generation family businesses.
An Port Mór in Westport, Co Mayo, won ‘Restaurant of the Year’, with its culinary creativity cited alongside a “warmth of hospitality” and “exceptional service”.
The awards also saw Forbes Street by Gareth Mullins at Anantara The Marker win ‘Hotel Restaurant of the Year, and The Lifeboat Inn in Cork named ‘Pub of the Year’.
Peter Caviston of Caviston’s Seafood Restaurant & Food Emporium in Glasthule, Dublin was presented with a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’, with Anthony Creswell of Ummera Smoked Products in Cork recognised for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to Food Production’.
The O’Neill Family of Mountain View, Co Kilkenny took home ‘Food Innovator of the Year’, with ‘Overall Producer of The Year’ going to Kelly’s butchers of Newport, Co Mayo.
Aoife Carrigy (Centre) at the Irish Food Writing Awards
The announcements follow the annual Irish Food Writing Awards, which were revealed last week at a ceremony in the RDS in Dublin.
Winners included Irish Independent contributor Aoife Carrigy for ‘Writing on Sustainability in Irish Food’, and Marie Claire Digby for an ‘Outstanding Achievement in Food Writing’.
For more, see goodfoodireland.ie and irishfoodwritingawards.ie