What a wonderfull weekend on the #foodtrail to the Kingdom. I probably don’t need to go into any furthuer detail on my experience in Listowel & Tralee as I have well documented my reviews on Social Media. So I’m going to just ‘tip’ on being an owner/operator having spoken to both proprietors on my journey and from my own experience of being a bar and hotel owner in my own time. Firstly I want to acknowledge the guys in Listowel & Tralee and wish them continued success in the future. When I began my career in the late 80’s going to the pub/restaurant was in the Top 5 of places of interest to go socialise and meet with friends family etc. 30 yrs later with the advent of so many many forms of social activity people are more health concious and with the demise of the Celtic Tiger the f&b trade has suffered a major downturn and our customers are now finely tuned in to ‘value for your buck’ Bars & Restaurants are under constant screunity from not alone the well travel and versed general public but from also within by the governing food and drink bodies. I have heard on countless occasions people saying ‘oh I’d love to have a pub/restautant’ they see an operation on a busy weekend night and immediately marry the till take to a it’s a good money maker. It’s obviously not the case. Our guests do not see what goes on behind the scenes and what an enermous effort it takes just to open the door let alone keep it open and trading successfully. My point without over stating the obvious is the respect I have for the guys I met this weekend. Hard working conceious people as well as being food lovers they are employers they are fantastic chefs and front house operators. I personaly am fully supportive of anyone in business but in particular in our Industry. It’s 7 days 7 nights every week week in week out. It’s then sometimes that naturaly I become disappointed when I read the reviews of staff and premises on Tripadvisor. Posted up by ‘mini-private eye foodies’ without a seconds thought for someone’s career and someone’s hard work. I was brought up to the mantra if you have nothing nice to say don’t say anything and if you realy feel something is to be said at least be constructive. My point again coming from being an employer to a damm good employee is We should all help support and encourage those who make the brave step forward to become an owner/operator. We should all take time to be transparent with out customers and when an opportunity arises to explain how deathtraemtal someone’s unkind review can be on any form of Social Media. The good times are gradually coming back People have a few extra bob in their pocket and once again with thanks to will oiled professionals in hospitality who did not bail out people are coming back into our bars & Restaurants and the ‘steaks’ are high and we need to continue to produce the goods and the experience our guests now demand. And we will I know all of us here on TCG will endevour to produce the best to the best of our ability. So I encourage everyone to support the Owner/operator. I for One raise my glass to you guys this evening. After all… we are the willing led by the unknown doing the impossible for sometimes the ungrateful but we keep doing it! Why I ask. Because that’s what we do. #atyourservice 👤

So having worked hard and as I said before giving every last drop to work, I’ve come to the point where we felt like opening my own. Teamed with chef Noel and Paul from the Tralee culinary gangsters, we’ve open a restaurant. The excitement is huge and so is the work load. Noel and Paul both in the kitchen and me front of house. Now I get to give the same dedication to this my own as I have for others so many times before. We have learned so much over the years and now we sit at are own table. We know all the right producers with a menu that consists with everything Irish and 97% of it from Kerry. Followed by carefully selected wines to marry the stunning food that’s leaving the kitchen. Chef Noel has a chump of lamb from Banna strand produced by Peter Curran of the well bred butcher and for this we have a rioja, supplied by Stephen Wallace of Ardfert. A full bodied red that explodes in your mouth with flavour which excentuates the flavour of the lamb. The lamb is tender and packed with flavor. Some light dressing and trimming because on this stage the lamb doesn’t need much company. Together they are perfection.

Follow kevin on twitter @parsnip78

Now as bad as that teaching was on food I went to an all boys secondary school which had no subject on food I had zero knowledge of basic of prepearing a dinner for myself one of life’s most importing things and we where never taught about it in a place where they are teaching you  to help you become adults but yet in a maths class we can now finds x is the number 2 what good is that to me .then your been tuaght  all this stuff so you can go to college .so now I’m in college I have to stay up in college for a week away from home no mommy to feed me now I ask the question am how do I cook a simple piece of chicken what tempature dose the oven need to be at. how do I know when its cooked.and all of sudden stutends in college are getting takeaways most night and the government talking about obesity

It all starts from an early age getting cooking with yours kids as young as you can the more they know about food the bitter chance they have to mind them self’s

Follow james on twitter @boilingjames

I thought I’d do a blog on front of house management of a hotel and the formula(s) involved in a successful operation.

1 Customer satisfaction

2 Guest experience

3a Consilidation of business & 3b repeat business.

4 Enhancing Profitability.

For me I’m blessed to have had a genuine love of sport…all sport. I can readily hold a conversation with a complete stranger at the drop of a hat in the hotel when a game is on. It can be an indedidious sport English Prem league Golf Baseball Tennis and of course Rugby. Immediately all barriers disolve between me a GM!! and the now customer/sports buddy; man woman and child ( particularly like that I recognise their club jersey) I have had many a spectacular success through my own bars in my time. Building up relationships with community’s of ppl emersing myself into their enviornment thru my love & knowledge of the games. Heineken Cup victories World Cups Both rugby & soccer. Champions league The ally pally darts world championships. Olympics yes Olympics Grand nationals All Ireland Finals Ryder Cups the list is endless. I think you get my point.

I have a few secrets when I’m out front operating no more than the talented chefs here on TCG  however I don’t have the lovely pictures you guys posess to post on Facebook. I have my touch and my memories and my successes tho.

So back to the top.1 Customer satisfaction is paramount. Tv’s are in good view. Volume is adjusted accordingly atmosphere is set. I’m on the floor behind the bar and even tho it’s generic to my guests to sit and watch and listen in fact I’m running the show. I’m mentaly prepared I know the teams competing and I know when to give the odd “come on lads” the tv is not for my pleasure it’s for the customer. I never side with a team or a customer I never let on I know the score after all they want to tell me It’s there team after all and I never show emotion to any particular side I’m balanced but deep down inside I’m bursting with my own emotions.

2 Guest experience Firstly I never run full hotel/bar menus it’s a big game after all who wants their head stuck in a plate just at the time their team gets that all important score.. It’s a finger food it’s tasty it’s served right to their seat it’s served stratigitaly and at the right times It’s served before during and after. Keep it going. It’s fast and fouruius like the game itself. If I  could bring these guys the bathroom during the game I would. 3a It’s not just a once off I’m sure most of you by now are saying it’s a big game it’s perhaps a final customers will be out anyway. Yes of course they are but I’m building relationships accross the board of sport teams and customers from a long way out. I’m not putting all my eggs in one basket I’m spreading the net wide and far. My key is I’m always going to be there I’m there from the start of the campaign and right to the end. I know what to say when your team looses I know how to celebrate when they win. After its your journey your day your team. 3b I guess and I’m sure you can understand the business will repeat; naturaly it will repeat for the games but the knock on effect is I see my customers come back for Sunday lunch with their families I see them come back for their celebrations I see them come back for their office parties then its full menu full service full comolienent of staff in rooms in restaurant in bars and I see them come back for their pint just to say hello and and recall the game again. And I enjoy that and I always listen like I had never heard or saw the game before after all its their club their team their time.

4 Yes it’s profitable of course it is but I firmly believe I profit most as does the customer You can’t put a price on a special moment in a game you can’t put a price on emotion you can’t put a price on the roar of a victory or the composite consoling hug of the un-victorious. It’s a marriage sport has its peaks and it’s lows but spprt unifies I’m just their because I love it I’m just there because it’s more than my job it’s my life. For the love of sport. Diarmuid

There is no such thing as a superfood. A term that is very overused is superfood. The term superposition is given to a nutrient dense food. Foods labeled as super food are foods usually rich in vitamins. Kale is an example of this. Being extremely high in vitamin A and C. However people think that super foods such as wheat grass and kale will complete their diet. This in turn would allow them to remain in their sedentary lifestyle. Encorperating these foods is great but doesn’t lead to a balanced diet. Any food can be labeled superfood. Whether it’s common carrots rich in vitamin A or avocado that has an abundance of  healthy fats. This term is thrown around losely and can be MIsrepresented on any menu as a simple salad. Grocery stores use this to their advantage. Technically its false advertisement. While these foods can be included in a balanced diet they are not the answer to making up for a bad Diet. However the recognition of these foods and how to prepare them is a good thing. The price at which their sold to extort ordinary people.

By keith