Cormac McCreary Of Powerscourt On His Culinary Journey
Hospitality Ireland
Hospitality Ireland is the industry magazine for the Irish food service and on-trade drinks sectors.
In this week's edition, Cormac McCreary, executive chef at Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa, speaks exclusively to Hospitality Ireland about earning his stripes in some of the most famous dining establishments in the World.
Cormac McCreary has a resume that most chefs can only dream about.
Dublin born McCreary began his career at a young age at the K Club where chef, Finbarr Higgins took him under his wing, training him from scratch and developing his cooking skills over five years. Leaving as a junior sous, he joined Gordon Ramsey’s team for the opening of Powerscourt Hotel Estate & Spa in 2007.
Knowing that his career would benefit from some overseas experience, he moved to London to work at the acclaimed Michelin one star Read’s Restaurant and then with prestigious chef Michael Caines for three years.
He then decided to sharpen his skills by moving to The Ritz London, under renowned executive chef John Williams, MBE. At this famous establishment, McCreavy became an integral part of the sous chef team that achieved a long awaited Michelin star for the restaurant.
McCreay discusses what it was like to work at these exclusive establishments and how it felt to cook with globally renowned chefs at the top of their game.
He also discusses the Sally Gap Bar & Brasserie which opened this summer in Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa.
The culinary team led by McCreary have developed a menu with an emphasis on the hotel’s commitment to supporting local suppliers, partnering with select farms and dairies where possible.
“We have been able to partner with the best local suppliers, from the finest Wicklow Ridgeway Wagyu, whiskeys from our neighbours in Powerscourt Distillery and even the honey from our onsite beehives," McCreary told Hospitality Ireland.
JP McMahon On His Love For Galway
JP McMahon speaks to Robert McHugh about what the future will hold for the Galway Food Festival and the Food On The Edge symposium.
JP McMahon was last month named as the Galway Chamber of Commerce President’s Award nominee. The award is presented to someone who has had an exceptional impact on Galway City, the region, and his/her/their sector.
McMahon is the owner and culinary director of the Michelin-starred Aniar restaurant and the award-winning Spanish restaurant Cava Bodega. Aniar is home to the Aniar Boutique Cookery School, where McMahon runs cooking classes for young chefs and adults alike.
The busy chef is also the director, founder, and current chair of the Galway Food Festival and runs Blas na Gaillimhe, the network that promotes the series of festivals, which take place in May and November.
In addition, McMahon founded the award-winning international Food On The Edge symposium. The event features international chefs and people working with food and hospitality from across the globe.
Owners Of The Shelbourne Consider Its Sale
The Sunday Times has reported that the owners of the Shelbourne Hotel are considering the sale of the iconic establishment for €260 million.
According to the report, Kennedy Wilson has appointed the commercial agent Eastdil Secured to ‘sound out buyers’ for a 50% share in the hotel, valued at €130 million.
Kennedy Wilson will also consider selling the entire property, according to sources in the Sunday Times article.
Irish Hotel Occupancy Returns To 2019 Levels
The Irish hotel industry returned to pre-pandemic performance levels in 2023, according to the latest insights report from Savills Ireland.
The property advisors noted that the industry is witnessing a ‘cautious yet optimistic outlook’ for 2024, with forward bookings indicating strong months ahead, driven by major events such as the UEFA Europa League Final and concerts by Taylor Swift and Coldplay.
“Occupancy rates have returned to their 2019 levels with even stronger pricing, reflecting the industry’s adaptability and resilience,” said Tom Barrett, director and head of hotels and leisure at Savills Ireland.
“While we faced cost pressures across various sectors, including payroll and energy, the growth in top-line revenue has largely offset these challenges, making 2023 a positively memorable year for many hotel operators.”
However, Savills warned that surpassing the €326 average rate achieved in Dublin during the Notre Dame v Navy American football game in August 2023 remains a challenge.
The investment market in prime Dublin hotels has also seen shifts, with yields moving from 3.6% in early 2022 to around 4.75%/5.0% presently.
“The gap between buyer and vendor expectations has widened, influenced by frequent interest rate hikes throughout 2022 and 2023,” said Barrett.
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“This has temporarily slowed down investment transactions in the Dublin hotel sector.”
Diageo Seeking To Divest Remaining Beer Portfolio
Diageo is seeking to divest its beer portfolio on margin concerns, except flagship brand Guinness, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the world's largest spirits maker.
The company is looking to sell beer brands including Smithwick's, Kilkenny and Harp Lager, based in Ireland, and Tusker in Kenya, among others, Axios reported, adding that its beer brands were a margin drag on the rest of the business.
Diageo declined to comment on the report.
Irish Drinks Trade Report
Casual dining restaurants and pubs with a food focus were the most popular channels for the Irish drinks trade during a three-month period.
This is according to the latest CGA by NIQ’s Ireland OPUS 2023 Report, which leverages On Premise market measurement, location planning, sales targeting and consumer research to track consumer eating & drinking out behaviours.
The report shows a higher proportion of consumers visiting pubs, bars, and restaurants for food-led occasions, but it’s drink-led visitors who visit the on trade more frequently and spend more when they are out.
Not surprisingly, current market factors such as the cost-of-living crisis, increases on VAT and availability of certain produce are all having an impact on consumers spend.
CGA claims all these shifting aspects have an influence on not only consumers’ willingness to spend, but their overall experience when they are out in venues.
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