Neven Maguire named the top chef at restaurant awards (again)
Blacklion chef Neven Maguire of MacNean House and Restaurant has been crowned the Best Chef in Ireland at the Irish Restaurant Awards 2014, which took place last Monday night in Dublin.
In association with the Sunday Independent Life magazine, the event took place at The DoubleTree by Hilton, where over 900 restaurateurs and industry players turned out for the pretentious ceremony.
Also announced on the night were winners of regional and All-Ireland awards, where several top restaurants and chefs in Cavan and neighbouring counties has earned nominations.
Among them were: The Olde Post Inn (Best Customer Service), Cabra Castle Hotel (Best Hotel Restaurant), Courthouse Restaurant in Carrickmacross (Best Chef, Best Restaurant), Murph’s Bistro, formerly Cootehill, now at The Derragarra Inn (Casual Dining), The Black Horse Inn (Best Gastro Pub), Castle Leslie in Glaslough (Best Hotel Restaurant, Best Wine Experience), the Watermill Lodge near Lisnaskea (Best Chef, Best Wine Experience), Lough Erne Resort in Enniskillen (Best Restaurant, Best Hotel Restaurant) and Lough Rynn Castle in Mohill (Best Hotel Restaurant).
However, only west Cavan’s Neven Maguire managed to claim an award, though the celebrity chef’s restaurant had earned nominations in the Best Restaurant and Best Wine Experience categories also.
Proud
A delighted Neven tweeted: “So proud to win best chef in Ireland last night big thanks to @RAI_ie and my wonderful wife and staff, so happy so proud!”
The stars of the restaurant trade were joined by a star on the plate too, with the opening course of the banquet meal served, by Ian Orr of Browns Restaurant & Champagne Lounge, being slow cooked Cavan Pork neck with Toffee Apple Purée & Poached Rhubarb. The menu for the five-course feast was created by five chefs who have previously won Best Chef titles at the Irish Restaurant Awards.
Biggest yet
Pádraic Óg Gallagher, President of the Restaurants Association of Ireland said this year’s awards had been the biggest, brightest and the best yet.
With over 19,000 nominations for Ireland’s favourite restaurants, chefs, gastro pubs, hotel restaurants, restaurant managers and ‘foodie towns’ throughout the country, he said the awards are “all about celebrating those who have brought acclaim to the Irish food scene from abroad and who keep the restaurant industry thriving at home”.