Local producers and some of the best chefs in Galway put their heads together to showcase what local talent can do with local ingredients at the Galway Hospitality Ball.
The Irish Hotels Federation held the annual hospitality ball at the Galmont Hotel last week to honour CEO of Galway International Arts Festival John Crumlish, and recognise the IHF Galway Employee of the Year sponsored by Grenke.
Martin O’Donnell, Head Chef at the Twelve Hotel in Barna, was recognised as Employee of the Year of the Irish Hotels Federation Galway Branch.
Martin will go on to represent Galway at the IHF National Conference this March when the nationwide winner will be announced.
He was chosen from among six contestants in the hotel sector across Galway city and county shortlisted for the 2019 award.
The other five candidate nominated were:
- Eimear O’Brien Front Office Manager, The g Hotel and Spa
- Hannah Creaven Food and Beverage Assistant, The Clayton Hotel, Galway.
- Daniel Smith, Duty Manager at the Salthill Hotel
- Dave Connolly Meetings nad Events Assistant Office Manager, The Galmont Hotel and Spa
- Wagner Ludwig, Head Front of House Porter, The Ardilaun Hotel
It was a great showing for local food as representatives of the hotel and hospitality industry gathered at the 2019 Hospitality Ball for a night featuring the best of Galway’s cuisine.
Before the dinner even started culinary students from GMIT cooked a range of canapés including Connemara Smokehouse Mackeral, and Galway Goat Farm Mousse.
Chefs from hotels around Galway concoted a five course tasting menu at the Hospitality Ball that’d be enough to convince anyone it’s worth staying here.
Dominique Majecki, chef at the Glenlo Abbey Hotel, started the crowd of with a light starter of Goat’s Cheese Cannelloni with beetroot textures and spiced pumpkin chutney.
This dish was made with the help of the award winning Galway Goat Farm in Dunmore, where Larry and Anne Maguire make fine artisinal goat’s milk cheese and yogurt, as well as selling bottled milk from their herd.
Any good menu in Galway must include a taste of the ocean, and Ultan Cooke of the Ardilaun Hotel served up an exquisite plate of Atlantic Pollock with Abalone and a creamy Seaweed Risotto.
Washing that down was a sweet soup of Jerusalem artichoke & roasted pear with rosemary syrup and pear puree whipped up by Adrian Bane of the Galmont Hotel.
The fruit and veg for that lovely appetiser came from Total Produce, a local food supplier on the Tuam road in Galway city, sourcing greens from farms across the west of Ireland.
The main course of the evening was a meat combo of a soft Hereford Seared Striploin alongside a wonderfully seasoned short rib wellington served with smoked potato, king oyster mushroom, and port jus.
Leading the charge on the lynchpin of the meal was chef Jason O’Neill over from the G Hotel & Spa for the night with ingredients from Pallas Foods.
And Patrick Lowen, Sous Chef at the Clayton Hotel, brought a sweet end to the evening with an unconventionally firm but still delicious mousse of White Chocolate and Dillisk, with added Rasberry and Rosewater Fluid Gel.
Dinner at the Hospitality Ball ended with a Special Recognition Award being presented to John Crumlish CEO of GIAF for his many years of work promoting Galway.
