FOOD&WINE Magazine Restaurant of the Year Awards 2013 Winners

The winners of the 13th annual FOOD&WINE Magazine / Maison Louis Latour Restaurant of the Year Awards were announced at a gala luncheon on Sunday 25 August at The Four Seasons, Dublin 4. These awards, now in their 13th year, are considered one of the most prestigious and authoritative culinary awards in the Irish calendar. 

Recognising the best Irish restaurants and culinary talent, diners from all over Ireland were invited to nominate their favourite restaurants and chefs, with the top entries going forward for deliberation by a national culinary panel of judges, made up of industry experts and national food critics. After much deliberation on each category, each judge votes in secret for their top 10 in each category, including the top 10 restaurants and chefs from all four provinces, with Dublin treated separately.

The national awards for Overall Best Chef and and Overall Best Restaurant are put through a further judging process, whereby the entire judging panel and all previous panel members vote electronically and in private to ensure a measured choice for these important awards. All of the regional and national winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 25 August. In addition to Best Chef and Best Restaurant, awards will also be presented for Best Sommelier, Best Service, Best World Cuisine and Best Wine Experience.

“In recent years, Ireland’s food sector has faced difficult business conditions, however, many chefs and restaurateurs have responded with better value and creativity. The 2013 shortlist sees some excellent new talents emerging, but also shows that old favourites continue to maintain standards while adapting with the times and offering exceptional quality and value for money,” commented Miriam Atkins, editor of FOOD&WINE Magazine. Maison Louis Latour returns for a second year as title sponsor with the other fine wineries in the Febvre portfolio sponsoring individual national awards.

Gregory Alken, sales and marketing director of Febvre & Company and representing the title sponsor, Maison Louis Latour, reiterated that point adding, “Working in collaboration with the hospitality industry and partnering restaurants and food emporia around the 32 counties of Ireland, we admire how this sector has embraced the challenges by making so many changes, improving standards and yet offering even better value while promoting fresh Irish food at its best. We at Febvre together with Maison Louis Latour take great satisfaction and pride at being associated with such a resourceful industry that showcases the very best of Irish produce in an innovative and local way”.

Louis Fabrice Latour is the 11th generation of the Latour family 

Maison Louis Latour, was founded in 1797 and has become a natural custodian of an ancient tradition.  Authentic to its roots, it has always remained a point of honour to remain independent and family-owned and is now run by Louis Fabrice Latour who represents the 11^th generation of the family.  Their wines are celebrated around the world for the elegance and balance that have always outlined the vinification practice of Maison Louis Latour.

And the FOOD&WINE Magazine
Restaurant of the Year Awards 2013 Winners are..

Best Restaurant Ulster SHORTLIST

Balloo House, Down

Browns Restaurant, Derry

Deanes Restaurant, Howard St, Belfast

James Street South, Belfast

MacNean House and Restaurant, Cavan

Ox, Belfast

Rayanne House, Belfast

Shu, Belfast

The Boat House Restaurant, Down

The Catalina Restaurant, Lough Erne, Fermanagh

WINNER The Catalina Restaurant

Best Chef Ulster SHORTLIST

Alan Foster, Tedfords, Belfast

Brian McCann, Shu, Belfast

Conor McClellend, Rayanne House, Belfast

Danny Millar, Balloo House, Down

Gearoid Lynch, The Olde Post Inn, Cavan

Joery Castel, The Boat House Restaurant, Down

Neven Maguire, MacNean House & Restaurant, Cavan

Noel McMeel, The Catalina Restaurant, Fermanagh

Simon Toye, Deanes Restaurant, Belfast

Stephen Toman, Ox, Belfast

WINNER Stephen Toman, Ox

Best Restaurant Munster SHORTLIST

Ballymaloe House, Cork

Farmgate Restaurant, Midleton, Cork

Gregan's Castle, Clare

Les Gourmandises, Cork

Longueville House Restaurant, Cork

No. 5 Fenns Quay, Cork 

The Cliff House Hotel, Waterford

The Old Convent, Tipperary

The Tannery, Waterford

Wild Honey Inn, Clare

WINNER  The Tannery

Best Chef Munster SHORTLIST

Aidan McGrath, Wild Honey Inn, Clare

David Hurley, formerly Gregans Castle, Clare

Dermot Gannon, The Old Convent, Tipperary

Eric Kavanagh, Longueville House, Cork

Eric Theze, La Boheme, Waterford

Kate Lawlor, No. 5 Fenns Quay, Cork

Martijn Kajuiter, The Cliff House, Waterford

Michael Quinn, formerly Waterford Castle, Waterford

Paul Flynn, The Tannery, Dungarvan, Waterford

Wade Murphy, 1826 Adare, Limerick

WINNER Paul Flynn, The Tannery

Best Restaurant Leinster SHORTLIST

A Caviston, Greystones, Wicklow

Aldridge Lodge Restaurant, Wexford

Campagne, Kilkenny

Campo De' Fiori, Bray

Chakra By Jaipur, Greystones

Dunbrody Country House Hotel, Wexford

Lady Helen Restaurant, Kilkenny

Sha-Roe, Carlow

The Strawberry Tree, Brooklodge, Wicklow

Viewmont House, Longford

WINNER Campagne

Best Chef Leinster SHORTLIST

Aidan McManus, King Sitric, Howth

Billy Whitty, Aldridge Lodge, Wexford

Cormac Rowe, Lady Helen Restaurant, Kilkenny 

Daniel Cruikshank, A Caviston , Greystones

Garrett Byrne, Campagne , Kilkenny

Gary O'Hanlon, Viewmount House , Longford

Henry Stone, Sha-Roe, Carlow

Marco Roccasalvo, Campo de' Fiori , Bray

Oliver Dunne, Bon Appetit, Howth

Robbie Krawczyk, Harvest Room, Dunbrody, Wexford

WINNER Garrett Byrne, Campagne

Best Restaurant Connaught SHORTLIST

An Port Mor, Westport

Aniar, Galway

Ballynahinch Castle, Connemara

Coopershill House, Co Sligo

Inis Meain Restaurant, Aran Islands, Galway

Kai Café, Galway

La Fougere Restaurant, Knockranny, Westport

Renvyle House Hotel, Galway

The Oarsman, Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim

Upstairs @ West, The Twelve Hotel, Galway

WINNER Kai Café

Best Chef Connaught SHORTLIST

Campbell White, West @ The Twelve Hotel , Galway

Christina McCauley, Coopershill House , Co Sligo

Frankie Mallon, An Port Mor , Westport

Jessica Murphy, Kai Café, Galway  

Jonathan Keane, Wilde's Restaurant, Lisloughrey Lodge , Mayo

Martin O'Donnell, Pins @ The Twelve, Galway

Seamus Commons, La Fougere , Mayo

Tim O'Sullivan, Renvyle House Hotel Galway

Ultan Cooke, Aniar , Galway

Xin Sun, Ballynahinch Castle, Galway

WINNER Seamus Commons, La Fougere

Best Restaurant Dublin SHORTLIST

Ananda, Dundrum, D16

Chapter One, D1

Dax Restaurant, Pembroke St, D2

l'Ecrivain, D2

Nede, D2

Restaurant Forty One, Residence, D2

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, D2

The Greenhouse, D2

Thornton's, D2

Triple seven/777

WINNER Restaurant Forty One

Best Chef Dublin SHORTLIST

Conor Dempsey, Dax

Derry Clarke, l'Ecrivain

Dylan McGrath, Fade Street Social

Graham Neville, Restaurant Forty One

Guillaume Lebrun, Patrick Guilbaud

Kevin Thornton, Thornton's

Mickael Viljanen, The Greenhouse

Rory Carville (formerly Locks)

Ross Lewis, Chapter One

Sunil Ghai, Ananda

WINNER Graham Neville, Restaurant Forty One

Best Wine Experience National SHORTLIST

Cellar Bar & Restaurant, Merrion Hotel, Dublin

Chapter One, Dublin

Dax, Dublin

Ely Wine Bar, Dublin

Fallon & Byrne, Dublin

Greenacres, Wexford

Kellys, Wexford

La Fougere, Mayo

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Dublin

West at The Twelve Hotel, Galway

WINNER Greenacres, Wexford

Best Sommelier SHORTLIST

Alain Kerloc'h, Ox

Colm McCann, Ballymaloe

Damian Corr, The Cellar, Dublin

Ed Jolliffe, Chapter One, Dublin

Lorraine Harmon, The Green House, Dublin

Martina Delaney, l'Ecrivain Restaurant, Dublin 

Naoise Doddy, The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin

Nicholas Faujours, La Fougere, Mayo

Olivier Meisonnave, DAX, Dublin

Pierre-Marie Faure, Rest Patrick Guilbaud, Dublin

Soizic Kiely, Les Gourmandises, Cork

WINNER Nicolas Faujours, La Fougere

Best Ethnic & World Cuisine SHORTLIST

777, Dublin 2

Ananda, Dundrum

Chakra by Jaipur, Greystones

China Sichuan, Sandyford

Jaipur, Dalkey

Kinara, Clontarf Road, D3

M&L Chinese Restaurant, Cathedral St, D1

Maks, Dublin 6

Saba, Clarendon St, D2

The Silk Road Café, Castle St, D2

WINNER Ananda, Dundrum

Best Service SHORTLIST

Aldridge Lodge, Wexford

Ananda, Dundrum

Chapter One, D1

Dax Restaurant, D2

l'Ecrivain, D2

MacNean House and Restaurant, Cavan

Rayanne House, Belfast

Renvyle House Hotel, Galway

Restaurant Forty-One, Residence, Dublin

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Dublin

WINNER l'Ecrivain, D2

Best Casual Dining SHORTLIST

777, Dublin 2

A. Caviston, Greystones

Campo De' Fiori, Bray

Eastern Seaboard, Drogheda

Fade St. Social, D2

Ginger, Belfast

Hatch & Sons, D2

Las Tapas De Lola, Dublin 2

Maks, Dublin 6

Terre Madre, Dublin 1

WINNER 777, Dublin 2

Avant Garde - Fade Street Social

Readers' Choice - Campo di Fiori

Hall of Fame - Nick Price, Nick's Warehouse

Hall of Fame - Peter Caviston, Cavistons

All of the regional and national winners were announced at the awards ceremony at a gala luncheon on Sunday 25 August at The Four Seasons, Dublin 4. 

Zack