Sunday May 29 2011

A working mother's day is never done. There I was, hot off the plane from Chelsea, after 24 hours of epic celebrations for the gold medal achieved by my brilliant brother-in-law Diarmuid Gavin for his truly spectacular garden at the world's most prestigious flower show.

Home and hearth never looked more alluring, but my legendary devotion to my work required a 10-minute turnaround at home, where I swapped the floral linen and pearls for an LBD and some diamonds.

This isn't my usual home (see Books, page 11), but with Barry Egan on mysterious business in Hamburg, I was deputising as diarist and Burlington-bound for the Santa Rita/Sunday Independent Life Magazine Irish Restaurant Awards 2011. A technical hitch with the plane (and there I was worrying all about an ash cloud) meant my flight was a couple of hours delayed, so the evening was in, ahem, full flight by the time I reached our table.

It was bliss as I arrived breathless to be handed a chilled glass of Santa Rita's finest sauvignon blanc and a dainty plate of terrine of organic chicken foie gras. These are, after all, the foodie awards and with 800 members of the culinary industry under one roof, you'd better make sure you feed and water them properly. To this end, five of our finest chefs were commissioned to prepare a course each, and our starter came courtesy of Seamus Commons from Knockranny House.

The event really does what it says in the tin -- these RAI awards comprehensively honour restaurateurs the length and breadth of the country. There are awards for everything from the best coffee/ cocktail/seafood/wine experience to the most informative menu and the best website, and they run the gamut of the hospitality industry, from small country pubs to Michelin-starred restaurants.

Our MC for the night Life Magazine editor Brendan O'Connor brought his customary wit to the proceedings, and controlled the glamorous crowd with cheek and charm. And the glamour was sensational. Rachel Allen looked lovely in Lucy Downes and was accompanied by her husband Isaac and her mother-in-law Darina, who waxed lyrical about her eight grandchildren. Rachel was heading to London for a girly break the next day, while Isaac is imminently off to Ipswich for a night out with his pal farmer Jimmy Doherty and their mutual friend, Jamie Oliver.

Artist Helen Steele accepted a Best Producer award for Silver Hill Foods looking a bit like Daphne Guinness with her platinum hair, extravagant Eilis Boyle dress and sky-high platform boots. Marie Cooney, director of Tipperary Water, presented a raft of awards; in decade-old scarlet Richard Lewis and pearls, she was one of the most elegant women in the room, along with her daughter Sallyanne, General Manager of Gleesons incorporating Gilbeys.

At our table, TV presenter Maura Derrane (attending with her husband John Deasy, Fine Gael TD) was stunning in electric blue, the same colour sported by my gorgeous goddaughter and niece Holly Carpenter, a talented art student who is the favourite to pick up the Miss Ireland crown in September. Gay Byrne, there with his wife Kathleen Watkins, spoke warmly about his recent encounter with royalty, while model Ruth Griffin rhapsodised about the fish course, sea bream with a red pepper escabeche, created by Colin Kelly at One Pico.

There was no rest for our man of the moment Brendan, after fillet of beef and potato boxty (Danny Millar, Balloo House) accompanied by an excellent Bordeaux, as he was back up on stage and, with patience and aplomb, got the increasingly rowdy proceedings under control.

Having recently attended a fabulous 50th birthday party at the Cellar in The Merrion, I can attest to it richly deserving a nomination for Best Hotel Restaurant Award, though it was scooped at the final hurdle by Gregans Castle in Co Clare, which picked up a staggering six awards, including Best Chef for Mickael Viljanen. Paul Flynn, who created the luscious wild-garlic-and-shrimp chilled soup, won a couple of laurels for his Tannery in Dungarvan.

The Local Food Hero for 2011, sponsored by Life Magazine and presented by Independent News and Media deputy MD Declan Carlyle, was Jack McCarthy, from McCarthy's of Kanturk, who, judging by the rapturous reception, was an extremely popular winner.

The event was also occasion to catch up with old friends across the industry, among them the delightful Charlotte and Jimmy Lyons, who've brought Matt the Thresher up to Dublin; Stephen Caviston, of the legendary Glasthule emporium, Best Chef (Dublin) Kevin Thornton; debonair Trevor Tighe, who's head honcho at L'Oreal Luxury Ireland; and the new president of the Restaurant Association of Ireland Brian Fallon, ably filling last year's president's -- Paul Cadden -- shoes.

Brilliant Ross Lewis, who recently cooked dinner for the Queen Elizabeth II, deservedly picked up the glittering prize -- the Best Restaurant in Ireland -- for Chapter One, and graciously told us: "[I am] so humbled to be here for the third year in a row, and it's absolutely incredible, but most of all I want to say that it's not about Chapter One -- it's about the great, big catering family that's out there. It's about the people who are facing such tough, tough times. Full marks to the catering industry -- they have reacted to market forces; they have given people value for money."

After cappuccino mousse, made by Garrett Byrne from Kilkenny's Campagne, this Cinderella took her leave around midnight, leaving one, big, happy family, which has endured some very challenging years with resilience, courage and ingenuity, to celebrate its night of nights.

ROLL CALL OF WINNERS

Best Restaurant: Chapter One, Dublin

Best Chef: Mickael Viljanen, Gregans Castle, Clare

Best Customer Service: Gregans Castle

Best Casual Dining: La Cucina, Limerick

Best Gastro Pub: Harry’s Bar, Donegal

Best Seafood Experience: O’Grady’s on the Pier, Galway

Best Ethnic restaurant: Rasam, Dublin

Best Wine Experience: Jacques at Greenacres, Wexford

Best Hotel Restaurant: Gregans Castle

Best Newcomer: The Fatted Calf, Westmeath

Best Practice in Environmental: Radisson Hotel, Dublin Airport

Best Restaurant Website: Seapoint Restaurant, Dublin

Best cocktail experience: Saba, Dublin

Best Restaurant Design: Ely Bar & Brasserie, Dublin

Best Coffee Experience: Fallon & Byrne, Dublin

Best Club Restaurant: Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club, Dublin

Best supplier: Keeling’s

Best Cookery School: The Tannery, Waterford

Best Innovation: O’Brien Chop House, Waterford

Best Food Producer: Silver Hill Foods, Monaghan

Most informative menu: Bodega, Waterford

Local Food Hero: Jack McCarthy, McCarthy’s Butchers, Cork

Menu Fit for a Queen: Saba, Dublin

For a list of county and regional winners, see www. irishrestaurantawards.com

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