Kevin talks about the first 10 months at Croí

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Croí, how it is for Kevin

I’ll start by talking about the name. It came out of Noel’s mouth at a Tralee culinary gangster meeting one night and when I heard it, it was like the pide piper was playing my song. Croí is the Gaelic for Heart but it has another meaning too….

For as long as I can remember I have been a sensitive person but my love for people has never changed. I’ve dabbed at this and dabbed at that but the one thing that doesn’t change is that I love people. Difficult people, easy people, awkward people, it doesn’t matter, people all work from love or damaged love and that’s something that I love so when I heard Noel say Croí, which in old Irish means the spirit or the essence of, it blew me away myself.

In the last 10 months I have watched us all go through our stuff, the 3 of us growing at rapid pace. Paul has developed into an outstanding chef. Literally sponging knowledge at a rapid rate, producing dishes of an exceptional calibre. Backing Noel up and giving him a freedom to work on other stuff like festivals, markets and let’s not forget our ever changing seasonal menu with dishes that tantalize our guests mouths. Finding new local suppliers to help us build our arsenal of what our stunning county has to offer. Most places have 1 or 2 Mickey mouse suppliers and then use a big huge multinational to supply them with the rest but the way we see it is, the fish monger can’t deliver steaks cos, it’s very simple, that’s not his business, if the fish monger takes his business, we see that as “NOT FAIR PLAY” so you get a red card.

Noel has the “Father figure” in Croí and Paul and I are happy to go along with this and if needed we are all well able to reign the other in because we have total faith in the other. Noel’s drive and stamina is a privalage to watch. He counts us in for everything too then as Croí is the 3 of us. He spreads the credit around and passes on the limelight and sits back and then watches myself and Paul enjoy the ride. Paul and I work really really hard to allow Noel the freedom and Noel doesn’t forget that, and that’s humbling.

I have grown so much in 10 months. The reality of the world of business and the need for survival instincts is massive but if I focus on that it will destroy the natural me which is or so I have been told is, some have said “away with the fairies” but this one isn’t really me, so, I will explain because one of my primary school teachers got it right. I like to enjoy myself, I like to have fun, I am happy go lucky and I mix that with love and the let’s do this right attitude is how I sum me up. Perhaps Noel or Paul could shine more light on that but if I use the joe/Harry window (counselling term) is how I view myself and let’s not forget my self confessed “I’m a sensitive guy”.

So to end my piece, CROÍ
You have given me so much and your just a building and a world until you add, Noel, Paul and Kevin. Then you become an institution for love, care, passion, personality, desire, belief and an awful lot more positive words. So to end I say thank you for everything, now let’s cook this motherfucker……

Chef shortage

I watched year after year at this time the same thing starts, looking for chefs , same places same problem every year, now I’m banging around for quite a bit so here is my cents worth . For what it’s worth

Ok my kitchen (4) chefs have all been trained by me from start as in I brought them in to the kitchen for the first time ,from the sous down
So why not train your own I have 2 commis starting collage courses both courses 2 years ( different courses), problem solved in staffing,for the next 2 years,I have 2 young chefs getting better all the time as the restaurant grows

Lots of chefs complain about the pay well I have had chefs work for me looking for a pay rise and they are not worth it , the good chefs are paid well if you are not been paid right leave period move to another places that will pay you for your hours

1. hire better maybe your kp wants to step up or a waiter wants to step in, create the environment you want
2. a training environment from when they start through collage and on (commi for 2 plus years trained)
3 create a pay system for the young chefs as they get better
4 sponsor their course
5.give late starts early finishes to our crew.

I’ll send them home early and do the floors and bins myself ,
Leaders lead , bosses boss,
be the change you want to see,
My 2 cents worth

Killarney brewery visit by Kevin

So today I had the privilege of visiting the Killarney brewery. Where they brew their outstanding range of beers. From stout to larger, blond Ale to red Ale. We received a visit from one of the brewers last week for dinner and he and his partner were delighted to see their beers on our menu. It was such a treat to meet one of the masterminds behind the operation and even though he isn’t the master brewer, he knows his stuff (Thanks John). Seeing the passion and belief in their product can do nothing but inspire. Seeing them use local ingredients in their beers again adding to the ethos we use in our Croí which bolsters my belief.

Kevin’s year in review 2017

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2017 started like no other, working away busy busy getting ready for another hopeful season. I was working in the Ashe hotel and I enjoyed it but felt a change in the mix. I started working for a company I had previously and there was a travel included in that wasn’t going to work, I’d made a big mistake. Mentally I was not tough enough for the distance and to be fair I bit off more then I could chew. All of a sudden I found myself in business with Noel, Paul and things were about to take a different spin.

We opened Croí in May and to this day “Touch wood” is doing well. The huge change for me in 2017 was my own personal growth. I got a glimpse of what it must be like to be part of something that was far bigger then I. We started a sort of crusade with Tralee Culinary Gangsters, now we were putting money in the mouth. Because we’d met all the local producers previous to this, we felt very passionate about our people, our county and our town. I watched local business people and listened to how they operate which was huge. I’d only ever worked for people and now that I was my own boss with Noel and Paul, the shoes stayed the same but the feet changed. If you read my stuff you’ll know I do do things out of love. The big change foe me in 2017 was my personal growth. Looking at things in a different way. It used to be for others but now it’s for me, my love for Croí is huge and I’ll defend it to the hilt but that’s not the point. The point is about the feeling inside, the respect I have now for some of my previous employers is different. I saw in them what I now see in me. A love and drive and passion that “this will work”. I have met 2 of the best guys anyone would have the pleasure of meeting. Noel and Paul are my solids. Working together and owning a business is different, this is my money now and ain’t no body goin mess with that but my passion is still people.