Michelin Star Chef Rory Carville opens BLÁS Restaurant in Donegal Town

The Blás Restaurant, at The Gateway Lodge in Donegal Town, offers a modern new Taste of Donegal.  In 2015, Seamus Quinn from Donegal Town, the successful owner of Quinn Construction in London, purchased an historic building, in a great location, in Donegal Town. He wanted to make significant changes to the property and working with local company, Paul Doherty Architects, they not only extended the building, but completely renovated the interior, giving the house and hostel a new sleek and modern feel. 

Seamus Quinn brought almost twenty Donegal men (who work for him in London) back home for three months, to refurbish the hostel, chalets and restaurant, adding a new modern lobby, re-roofing the existing building, re-facing the main entrance and extended the car parking to include modern camper facilities.

Seamus then went looking for the best chef he could find, to open a new restaurant in Donegal Town.

Michelin starred chef, Rory Carville, was looking to open a new restaurant at the same time!

Rory Carville, Head Chef at the new Blás Restaurant at The Gateway Lodge, in Donegal Town

Rory Carville, from Castleblayney in County Monaghan, graduated from Killybegs Catering College in 2000, where he also happened to meet his wife, Erin. His final placement from college was at the Limetree Restaurant in the Park Hotel in Kenmare and after that he moved to Dublin, spending three years with Terry White at the Four Seasons Hotel.

He then joined Derry Clarke's team in l'Ecrivain, in Dublin, for two and a half years. Rory then worked for a year in Chapter One under Ross Lewis and while he was there Derry rang him up to see if he'd like to work for the summer on a yacht (belonging to a business partner) in the south of France. Around this time Rory had been working on a new venture with Dylan McGrath, but that fell through, so he jumped at this opportunity.

Michelin Chef Rory Carville with Marian and Seamus Quinn at Blás Restaurant, Donegal Town

Rory came back from France in September 2010, when he was offered the job of opening up Locks Brasserie, on the canal in Dublin. He spent three years at Locks, winning his first Michelin Star along with numerous other awards.

"Winning a Michelin Star takes a lot of hard work and dedication from a chef and his whole team, putting in long hours and intense concentration." says Rory. "It's great for business but it's a different kind of pressure as your cooking to satisfy a different kind of clientele. And there are so many great restaurants now in Dublin that the competition is very tight."

Daniel Cavan, sous chef at Blás Restaurant in Donegal Town

Rory Carville is joined in the new Blás kitchen by his sous-chef, Daniel Cavan. Daniel, originally from Dumbarton in Scotland, is one of those young chefs who lives for food. He is passionate and capable and he really loves his career as a chef. 

Rory's plans for Blás Restaurant are to keep it simple, tasty, rustic and he describes his food as modern Irish, with a bit of a twist. 

Velvet Cloud Sheep's Yogurt with Dandelion Honey & Chive at Blás Restaurant

"I love cooking great fish and I really like cooking slow cuts of meat and working new flavoursome ways of cooking vegetables" he says. He also has a great passion for sourcing local, as he explains, "I'm working with local butcher Marty Walsh for all of my beef. I'm using all the local suppliers and everything on the menu here comes from within a twenty-mile radius of Donegal Town. All our fish is coming in from Killybegs. I also do a lot of foraging for mushrooms, wild garlic and home grown herbs."

Finishing off a dish of John Dory and Organic Broccoli 

Rory says he is delighted to be part of the northwest's modern food scene and gives credit to how food in the best restaurants around County Donegal is easily comparable to any of the top restaurants around Ireland.

The bedrooms have been totally refurbished at the Gateway Lodge in Donegal Town

"Things are changing in the Irish restaurant scene these days. Chefs are getting back to basics and working with their local food producers now, more than they ever did, but producing a modern original Irish Cuisine style." says Rory. "It's brilliant for the food producers, the restaurants but ultimately it's great for our customers."

The Chalets at the Gateway Lodge have also been completely refurbished

Blás at the Gateway Lodge is becoming a another success story in accommodation and dining in Donegal Town. It's success is down to the passion of it's owner, in creating a place that reflects it's heritage while looking to the future and a passionate chef, who understands that locally sourced food is the best way for people to truly understand the location they are in.

Official Opening Night at Rory Carville's new Blás Restaurant in Donegal Town was brilliant!

Blás at The Gateway Lodge offers you "a place on a plate" in one sitting and Rory also says he hopes that Blás will be the first Michelin approved restaurant in the northwest of Ireland.

For bookings at Blás Restaurant & Guest Accommodation Tel: 00 353 74 9740405

Check it out on the Web: www.thegatewaydonegal.com

You can follow Head Chef Rory Carville on Twitter
You can follow sous chef Daniel Cavan on Twitter

Zack

Major Food Tourism Workshop in Donegal Town - Free Registration

The Wild Atlantic Way is the world’s Longest Defined Coastal Touring Route. Irish people and visitors to the west of Ireland who travel the route, find it really inspiring, renewing, relaxing and invigorating. 

From its northernmost point in Donegal to its southernmost in Cork, the Wild Atlantic Way offers one of the world’s most diverse and spectacular coastlines. You can immerse yourself in the culture, music and food found in the towns and villages along the way, climb the most breathtaking heights and experience a landscape that revives the soul.

In response to the greater emphasis our international visitors now place on food as part of their overall holiday experience, Fáilte Ireland, Ireland's National Tourism Development Authority, has developed Ireland’s Food Story – a resource packed full of engaging content and inspirational advice to help people in business to capitalise on this growing trend.

Fáilte Ireland has recently asked all their Food Champions to host workshops to help people in the tourism business along the route to develop their Food Story using the new Failte Ireland Food Story Toolkit. 

Let's Talk Food on the Wild Atlantic Way is a workshop on how Food Tourism can enhance your marketing and drive sales to your business.

As there are four Food Champions in County Donegal and here being the starting point of the Wild Atlantic Way, we decided to host one central Donegal Workshop to avoid duplication. 

Sliabh Liag sea cliffs are on the Wild Atlantic Way in Donegal

Let's Talk Food on the Wild Atlantic Way will provide practical tips and advice on how to write a food story for your business and how it can deliver additional business.

Workshop Content:

• Food and the Wild Atlantic Way – how and why it’s important to your business
• Examples of the food experiences your target market wants
• Marketing tips to create, promote and deliver your food story 
• Examples of how other businesses have used local food to gain business, stand out and drive revenue 
• Ireland’s Content Pool – How to access the free collection of images, video and copy to use in your marketing material

This three-hour workshop is open to everyone who is interested in building and promoting their business on the Wild Atlantic Way. It will be especially beneficial to managers, marketing managers, business owners and the people who write content for your website, social media, brochures, advertising etc.

This Free Workshop is fully subsidised by Fáilte Ireland and takes place at: 

Donegal Town Community Enterprise Centre, in Donegal Town, 

on Wednesday 22nd April from 10.00am – 1.00pm.

Directions to Donegal Town Community Enterprise Centre

To Register email development@donegaltown.ie

or contact any one of the four

Donegal Failte Ireland Food Champions

Mary McGettigan 087 1777140 (A Taste of Donegal Food Festival)

Hugh O'Donnell 087 7975704 (Kitty Kelly’s Restaurant Killybegs)

Zack Gallagher 086 6632079 (The Irish Food Guide)

Donal Doherty 087 2195577 (Harrys Restaurant & Harrys Shack)

This is a great opportunity for people in business and potential new businesses to learn from and work with some of Failte Ireland's Food Champions and to make the most of this amazing country we live in.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Zack

Solis Lough Eske Donegal Food & Wine Festival Evening 5th October

Lough Eske Castle, is a five-star castle hotel located on a secluded lakeside estate just outside Donegal Town. It has a rich history dating back to the 1400s being associated with the O'Donnell Clan, one of the leading ancient clans in Donegal.

On the 5th October the Solis Lough Eske Castle again host their annual Food & Wine Festival and this is a unique way to experience the food and wine from the northwest and Donegal. Local food producers and wine suppliers will showcase their products and talents in an evening packed full of vareity of food and beverages. 

Each food producer takes over a hotel room to showcase their own products and the guests explore the gastonomic delicacies of the region as they journey throughout the amazing interior of the 17th century castle.

The evening includes an impressive banquet of culinary delights from the hotels Culinary team who are joined for the day by some of Donegal's renowned local Chefs from other local hotels and restaurants. Included in the day are exquisite wines from around the globe and some special Craft Beers by Donegal producers.

The Lough Eske Food & Wine Festival Evening kicks off with a cocktail reception at 7pm and Stations will be set up around the lobby lounge, Red & Green Rooms, Oak Bar and cedars restaurant offering Food and Beverages. Guests meander through the Castle finding a progression of Starter dishes, Soups, Meats, Poultry, Fish, Desserts, Cheese and Tea/Coffee on the route.

The main Kitchen will be showcasing two Local Eateries as the chefs all team up to provide local foods paired with local Donegal Craft Beers and the evening finishes with local musicians in the Gallery Bar.

The event €60pp including all food and beverage offerings.

Bookings in advance are essential and to make your reservation please contact (074) 97 25100 

or Email: reservations.lougheske@solishotels.com (Book a Table of 10 and get 1 Free Ticket).

For more see: www.solislougheskecastle.ie  or their Facebook page HERE

You can Follow the Solis Lough Eske Hotel on Twitter on @SolisLoughEske

Zack

A Taste of Donegal 2014 on from 23rd- 25th August

Since its launch in 2008 the Taste of Donegal Food Festival has grown into a three-day celebration of great food and has continued to attract thousands of people every day to a tented village on the pier area in Donegal Town. Over 26,000 people attended the festival last year over the three days!

Against the backdrop of the Bluestack Mountains and Donegal Bay a mixture of celebrity and local chefs will again be cooking up a storm over the weekend of the 23rd, 24th and 25th August.

This years festival has once again gathered together top local restaurants and hotels and over 100 food and drink producers from all over Ireland and Northern Ireland who will be showcasing and selling their products. The food stalls will also be offering tastings from an unbelievable variety of food and drink, wine and craft beers, confectionery, specialist foods, meat, fish and dairy products.

Cookery demonstrations over the weekend will include: 
Neven Maguire, Gary O’Hanlon(Donegal Food Ambassador), Tony Singh (the Incredible Spice Man), Kevin Dundon (Dunbroody House), Brian Mc Dermott (the No Salt Chef), Anthony Armstrong, Máire Dufficy (Bordbia), Philippe Henkes, Martin Anderson (Fat Chef Slim), Ciaran Kennedy, Ethna Reynolds (Burlesque Chef) and me, Zack Gallagher (Irish Food Guide). There's also a Comedy Cookery Theatre by Joe Shannon & Frank Forde.

The food festival will also include master classes by experts who will showcase their specialist skills in pastry and bread making, meal planning, cocktail mixing and will help you make the right decision when choosing wine and craft beers for all meal occasions.

Experts include Richard Finney (wine and beers), Sian Breslin (meal planning) and Franck Pasquier (artisan bread making).

"A Passion To Inspire" Chefs Competition will take place under the watchful eye of Anthony Armtrong a judge from the World Association of Chefs Society , Peter Griffths M.B.E., President British Culinary Federation, Gerard M. Molloy American Culinary Federation and Mr Bob Mc Donald, Judges from the Master Chefs of Great Britain. Entrants will be required to cook and present two different dishes, a starter and a main course, each for two covers, showcasing the best of Irish produce.

The Committee say they are looking forward to again welcoming people to what has become the premier food and drink event here in the North West and one of the best Food Festivals in Ireland!

To quote Chairperson of the organising committee and award winning master butcher, Ernan Mc Gettigan, “Come along and experience the wonderful food and drink variety available. We promise to tantalise your taste buds and as our caption says, Discover, Dine, and Delight in Donegal Town over this festival weekend and indeed every time you visit this region”.

Award winning chef Gary O'Hanlon, originally from Ramelton and currently executive chef at Viewmount House, Longford, has written a new book"Food for the Soul" and the book's official launch takes place during A Taste of Donegal Food Festival, this weekend!

Gary O'Hanlon will be launching his new book, Food for the Soul, at this years festival

In this cookbook Gary opens the door to his own kitchen with recipes for home cooked dishes each with a very unique story attached. Gary will be signing copies of the book on Saturday and Sunday. You can purchase them at a special launch price of just €10.00.

A Taste of Donegal Food Festival will take place on Friday 22nd, Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th August 2014 on the Pier Area in Donegal Town. The Festival will open to the public at 4.00pm to 10.00pm Friday, 11.00.am to 7.00pm Saturday and Sunday.

The opening evening (Friday) will conclude with an amazing fireworks display over Donegal Bay!

Last year's Fireworks Display looked stunning over Donegal Bay

Admission is only €4.00 per adult, €2.00 per child and only €10.00 for a weekend pass!

Extra Parking is Available during A Taste of Donegal Food Festival at these positions around town
Abbey Vocational School – The Glebe, Donegal Town
Donegal Livestock Mart – (behind the St. John Bosco Centre)
Four Masters GAA Pitch – Revlin, Mountcharles Road, Donegal Town
Behind Donegal Tyre Centre – Drumlonagher, Donegal Town.
Public Car Parks - behind Main Street, Bank Walk, and any other designated parking areas available.

For the full programme of events and regular updates go to www.atasteofdonegal.com and find A Taste of Donegal on Facebook. Tweet your pics/messages to @DonegalFood with the hashtag #TasteOfDonegal 

I look forward to seeing you all there!
Zack

Foodie Quiz on Monday 2nd December in County Donegal

Think you know your Blaa from your Baps? Can you name the ingredients for a classic Bouquet Garni?

If you love your food and all things foodie you'll have to get yourself down to the Village Tavern in Mountcharles, 4 miles west of Donegal Town, for a fundraising All Food Quiz on Monday night!

In aid of the Northwest Culinary Team for Olympia, the quiz starts at 7.30pm and the entry fee for teams of four is simply by donation. The Chefs, all based in the Northwest of Ireland have come together and founded a new Regional Culinary Team which intends to compete as an independent Culinary Team at Hotelympia, London, in April 2014.

Joe Clinton, Dee Clinton, Gabriel McSharry, Billy Grimes

John Kelly, Alan Fitzmaurice, Tony Campbell, Sylvester Dolan

The Northwest Culinary Team comprises some of the top chefs from counties Donegal , Leitrim & Sligo who have all taken part, very successfully, in international culinary competitions in the past. Earlier this year the North West Culinary team took 4 Golds, 4 Silvers and 6 Bronze Medals at the Chef Ireland International competition held in the RDS Dublin. From this achievement was born their desire to enter a team into one of the world’s most prestigious culinary competitions, Hotelympia.

Enda O'Rouke, proprietor/chef at the Village Tavern, has been at the forefront of developing the reputation of County Donegal as a food destination for many years. His restaurant serves some of the best local food in the county and Enda is always on the look out for new producers and products to use on his menus. Some of the award winning chefs on the Northwest Culinary Team have work in the Village Tavern over the years and Enda is delighted to be able to help them raise funds for their trip to London next year.

"I have great believe in the Northwest culinary team", said Enda. " These chefs are at the top of their game and as I see them develop their food strategy for the Hotelympia competitions I have full faith in them coming back with several gold medals. Any thing I can do to help them raise the funds to go I will do. If anyone out there wants to help or make a donation I would encourage them to do so".

The Foodie Quiz in the Village Tavern, Mountcharles, starts at 7.30pm on Monday, 2nd December, with the entry fee for Teams of 4 being by donation. You can make a donation to the Chefs Fund of as much as you wish!

Do support this excellent venture and test your foodie friends out for what they really know!

Zack

New North West Irish Culinary Team to Compete at Hotelympia London 2014

A group of professional Irish Chefs from the Northwest of Ireland have come together and founded a new Regional Culinary Team which intends to compete as an independent Culinary Team at Hotelympia, London, in April 2014.

Hotelympia is the UK & Ireland's largest hospitality and food service event and the most important event of 2014 for people involved in the hospitality industry and the Salon Culinaire is at the centre of Hotelympia for all chefs. Over 8,000 chefs visit the event and for many, the three different sections of Salon Culinaire are the principle reason for their visit.

The Northwest Culinary Team Captain  is international award winning chef Joe Clinton

The Northwest Culinary Team comprises some of the top chefs from counties Donegal , Leitrim & Sligo who have all taken part, very successfully, in international culinary competitions in the past. Earlier this year the North West Culinary team took 4 Golds, 4 Silvers and 6 Bronze Medals at the Chef Ireland International competition held in the RDS Dublin. From this achievement was born their desire to enter a team into one of the world’s most prestigious culinary competitions, Hotelympia.

Hotelympia is a world-class culinary competition and the largest of its kind in the UK & Ireland consisting of three elements: fine dining restaurant La Parade des Chefs, stunning culinary creations in Salon Display and the live competition thrills of the Live Theatre.

La Parade des Chefs is the fine dining experience at the very heart of Hotelympia, where competing teams of chefs from around the world cook for visitors and their guests. The newly formed Northwest Culinary Team say they are determined to win La Parade des Chefs!

Meet the newly formed Northwest Culinary Team

Joe Clinton, Dee Clinton, Gabriel McSharry, Billy Grimes

John Kelly, Alan Fitzmaurice, Tony Campbell, Sylvester Dolan

"We have about 25 members in the complete team between the main exhibition chefs and the backup team. These are both young & senior men and women who want to promote the local region in terms of tourism and in particular our regional food," said Gabriel McSharry, Team Manager. "We believe that we have the best quality food in the world produced locally and at our fingertips, and we want to expose this great food product to the rest of the world. Our shores contain an abundance of beautiful seafood, sea vegetables and a host of other marine foods. Our fields are filled with wonderful organic fruit and vegetables."

"We intend to compete as an international culinary team at Hotelympia London next year and we look forward to putting our skills and knowledge, as professional Chefs, to the test, without fear, on the world stage!" said Joe Clinton.  "We are requesting people involved in the Hotel, catering and restaurant industry and the general public in this region to support us in our efforts to promote our region and help us to help the local industry promote our food and hopefully create jobs in our region."

The chefs have organised "A Taste of the North West", a fundraising night and the Official Launch of the Northwest Hotelympia Culinary Team, with celebrity Executive Chef  Joe Shannon, in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Sligo, on Tuesday, 29th October. The night will include cooking demonstrations, culinary delights & tastings and some special guest appearances. Comedian Frank Ford will also entertain during the evening.

Tickets for the event are only €10 each or 3 for €25 and are available from:
the Radisson Blu Hotel in Sligo on 071 914 0008
or from the chefs:
Alan 087 2472607 (Sligo) - Sylvester 086 8187165 (Leitrim) - Billy 086 8416476 (Donegal)

If you'd like to sponsor the North West Culinary Team in their goal to win at Hotelympia 2014 in any way, please contact any of the chefs above.

Zack

Donegal Food Producers work towards Developing their Food Tourism potential

Food Tourism is a fast growing market segment internationally and many Irish tourist destinations are now developing this important sector as a means of gaining competitive advantage. Food creates a link to interacting with local people, which is of significant importance for visitors and can be a vehicle for experiencing our culture and heritage. Failte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, are the driving force behind the recent increase in the regional development of Food Tourism in Ireland.

It is a natural business progression that food producers also open their production facilities to visiting tourists so that they can experience the story behind the local food. This obviously creates an opportunity for a food brand to become personalised and this in turn can create new customers for the product as people feel a bond with the product through their experience with the producer.

The food producers in southwest of Ireland realised this potential several years ago and with the help of The Allen Family at Ballymaloe and local food writers like John & Sally McKenna, who also live in west Cork, they have established the south and southwest of Ireland as leading the way in the development of Irish Food Tourism.

"We want to show Donegal Food Producers the potential increased revenues that can be achieved by adding tourism experiences to their facilities such as taking a more active part in the development of local food trails, starting new food festivals and showcasing their product, on-site, to visitors." said Eve Anne McCarron, Business Executive for The Food Coast, Donegal’s Good Food Initiative.

And so, Donegal County Enterprise through their Donegal Food Coast initiative have joined up with Irish Food Tours to offer a new concept in understanding food tourism education and are organising a Food & Tourism Insight Tour to the west coast via Sligo, Mayo & Galway. 

This tour will help Donegal food producers in the coastal regions of the county to understand the ethos behind the newly developed Failte Ireland Wild Atlantic Way. It will also benefit food producers who are not on the Wild Atlantic Way route by helping them to understand the business potentials that are possible by developing part of their food business as a tourism experience for visitors.

The Donegal County Enterprise Board are working with Zack Gallagher who is collating the tour & it's itinerary and has been developing a co-ordinated approach to Irish Food Tourism over the last year with his business partner, Wendy White Kavanagh, who co-founded Irish Food Tours.

"We have been building up our connections with food producers all over Ireland with a view to being able to facilitate Food Tours such as this," said Zack. "We work with Tour Operators, HR Departments and Educational facilities that want to offer Food Tours as part of their operations and also with government agencies, like County Enterprise Boards, that wish to develop better food tourism in their region."

The Purpose of this tour is to invite Donegal food producers to visit and meet with established producers that have already developed their business and embraced the potential of food tourism or include guided visits to their premises.

Format of the Tour:             2 Days, 1 Overnight.

Dates:                                  Tuesday 5th & Wednesday 6th, November 2013.

                                            

Departures from:                         Letterkenny & Donegal Town

If you are from County Donegal and have an interest in developing the food tourism potential of your business or becoming a producer with a food tourism offering, please contact Eve-Anne McCarron to register your interest at emccarron@donegalenterprise.ie or call 074-9160735. Tour costs per person are supported by Donegal County Enterprise Board. CLICKHERE for more Details. Limited spaces available. 

A Failte Ireland link with more information on the different ways that a food producer can be involved in food tourism can be found by clicking here.

Zack