AA ROSETTES
CRITERIA :
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Do you select restaurant s for review or do the venues approach you with a request for a rating?
Essentially neither. Hotels who wish to participate in the AA appointment scheme renew/sign
up with us each year and as part of this scheme their restaurants are automatically assessed and
AA Rosettes awarded to those who reach the required standards. For a lot of hotels who
participate in the AA appointment scheme, their primary goal is to be awarded one or more AA
Rosettes.
About AA Rosettes: AA Rosettes are awarded annually to hotels producing fine cuisine. The aim of
the Rosette scheme is to provide AA Members, its guidebook readers and the general public
reliable information about where to eat. Rosettes are awarded on a rising scale of 1 to 5. The AA
has been awarding Rosettes since 1955. There are currently 82 Rosette Award winning restaurants
in Ireland. Only four restaurants in Ireland current hold three AA Rosettes or higher. The Lady
Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate, currently holds 3 AA Rosette as do ‘The Dining Room’ at
Gregans Castle Hotel Ballyvaughan & ‘The House Restaurant@ at Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore.
Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud in The Merrion Hotel is Ireland’s highest awarded AA property with Four
The AA appointment scheme and AA Rosettes are internationally recognised and all participants
are featured in the AA’s annual restaurant guide and featured on the AA Ireland and AA UK
websites. Visitors from the majority of our main tourist markets (Great Britain, North America,
Mainland Europe, Australia and New Zealand) are familiar with the AA rating scheme and
understand that properties displaying the AA symbol have been assessed to a very high
standard.
·
What are the criteria you use to rate a restaurant, café, gastropub etc.?
Our Assessors rate a restaurant based on the following criteria:
The accuracy of cooking
The clarity of flavours
The seasonality of the menu
The provenance of the ingredients
The balance and suitability of the menu for the marketplace
Our assessments are based on the “food on the plate” not the “plate of food.” In other words,
Rosettes are awarded solely based on the quality of the food rather than the overall dining
experience (i.e. service, ambience, décor etc.)
·
How are the assessments conducted, for example are the restaurants notified in advance of your
assessors visit? If so will the restaurant be aware of the identity of the assessor when he or she
dines in the venue? Does your assessors visit one or more occasions before rating the restaurant?
All our assessments are unannounced and hotels and their restaurants will typically be visited
twice within the assessment year. However when a property/its restaurant is up for a higher
award they will be visited several times before a final grade is awarded.
When a higher award is being considered typically a second opinion will be sought from one or
more AA UK assessors who carryout assessment in Ireland several times a year. Between Ireland
and the UK we have a panel of 30 expert assessors to draw upon.
AA Ireland Assessors will equally travel to the UK and carryout inspections and meet with their
UK counterparts in order to stay abreast of emerging trends and generally sharpen their skills.
AA Rosette Academy workshops: In both Ireland and the UK we also conduct several AA Rosette
Academy workshops throughout the year. These interactive day courses are designed for Chefs,
Senior Food Service Staff, Food & Beverage Managers and General Managers and provide
attendees with the opportunity to increase their knowledge of the AA Rosette scheme and
improve their understanding of the criteria by which the AA assesses food quality. Topics
include ingredients, suppliers, flavour and dish construction, cooking techniques, menu design
and dish presentation all with the view to improving food quality to an AA Rosette Award
standard.
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How many awards do you give each year? What do the restaurants receive for being granted the
award?
We award between 80-100 AA Rosette Awards each year however this will vary somewhat year
on year depending on how many restaurants meet the required criteria.
Upon receipt of an AA Rosette award restaurants are provided with an AA Rosette plate and an
AA Rosette certificate. Rosettes plates and certificates are date specific and new ones are issued
annually to those who meet the required criteria.
They are also provided with Rosette logos for display on their website. Their award is also listed
in the AA Restaurant Guide and featured on the AA Ireland and AA UK websites.
CHARGES :
·
Who discharges the bill for a review meal purchased by one of your assessors? Our Assessors pay
all of their own bills, both for accommodation and for meals.
·
Are there any charges payable by the restaurant proprietor to you in respect of granting of an
award? Are there any charges payable for plaques, certificates and/or to feature on your website
or guide?
No. Once an establishment joins the AA accreditation scheme they will be assessed and given a
grade. There is no additional charge based on the grade achieved, hence a restaurant does not
pay more for an AA Rosette accreditation than they would do for a simple listing. A restaurant
does not have the option to pay a higher fee and get a higher award.
The fee does vary based on the categorisation of the Hotel, i.e. the rates are different for 3, 4
and 5 star Hotels.
·
What conditions apply to the display of your awards on a premises? For example if the premises
changes hands or the head chef leaves is there any obligation to hand back the award? Is there any
restriction on how long an award can be displayed in a premises? As mentioned above, awards
are date specific and have the year they were awarded marked on them. For example last year’s
Rosette plates are marked 2012/2013. Restaurants/hotels can display the plates for an
indefinite period however will receive a new plate and certificate each for year that they are
deemed to have met the required criteria.
In instances where the head chef leaves a hotel restaurant our Assessors will do a reassessment.
The Chef in question doesn’t take the Rosette award with him/her.
The awards are just open to AA members?
Yes, AA Hospitality Awards (AA Hotel of the Year, AA Guest Accommodation of the Year etc) are only
available to establishments that are part of the AA scheme. This is logical because they are the ones that we
physically inspect ourselves.
Does it cost to become a member of the Appointment Scheme – if so what are the costs involved? Or is this
included in AA membership? If so, how many hotels in Ireland are AA members?
Hotels & accommodation establishments pay to be part of the AA Accreditation scheme. Importantly
they are not paying for awards; they pay for the full AA consultancy service. This includes a detailed
overnight inspection from an AA Inspector which is followed by a debriefing session and a detailed
report on all aspects of the establishment’s service, food, public areas, rooms etc. Hotels are given a
comprehensive report under these headings generating both a ‘star rating’ and a percentage score. It is
extremely useful for them as an independent quality control audit and to keep them informed as to up
to date best practice in the industry. Our cuisine expertise in particular is highly regarded.
Establishments are also then listed on our websites, guidebooks etc.
But once an establishment is part of the scheme they are a full part of it. There is no additional charge
for AA Rosettes, for example. Once a Hotel is in the scheme their cuisine is assessed and if they merit it
Rosettes will be awarded.
The price for being part of the AA scheme varies depending on the star rating category.
You state 80-100 Rosette Awards given each year – is this the total number for Ireland?
Yes, that is for the Republic of Ireland.
When are the Rosettes awarded? Is it through an annual awards ceremony? If so, are there any costs on
members and/or winners attending?
AA Rosettes are awarded (or confirmed) following the inspection; they do not wait for an annual
ceremony. For higher level awards (2 or 3 Rosettes etc) we will often arrange for a secondary visit for
which we will fly over one of our senior inspectors from the UK to carry out a separate additional
unannounced visit prior to confirming the Award. Bear in mind that this is very much at the high end of
quality and can be very technical. There is no additional charge to a Hotel for this.
A Hotel can be awarded between 1 and 5 AA Rosettes but importantly this is not like the 5-star scale for
hotels, where 3-star means respectable mid-range. Rosettes are only awarded for excellence; hence
receiving a single Rosette means a superb restaurant displaying consistent food excellence. We don’t
like the comparison (naturally) but most industry experts would accept that 2 or 3 AA Rosettes would
be equivalent to a Michelin Star. 4 and 5 Rosette awards are extremely rare.
While a Rosette Award can be given following an inspection we do tend to announce them again at our
annual AA Hospitality Awards in September or October of each year. That awards ceremony is relatively
modest and typically we will invite hotels / chefs that have either had an outstanding achievement (for
example receiving a Rosette for the first time or reaching the very very high standard of 2 or 3 Rosettes)
as well as representatives of the Hotels/Gueshouses that are receiving awards that year.
Those are invited as guests of the AA – they are not charged for attendance. No-one at our awards
ceremony has bought a ticket. Just to state it again: once a Hotel, Guesthouse or B&B is part of the AA
scheme they are fully eligible to be awarded Rosettes and they are fully eligible to be selected for one of
our major awards. No establishment pays more than their normal subscription / consultancy charge in
order to receive a Rosette or in order to receive one of our Awards.
AA Awards and AA standards are very exacting and entirely independent. They cannot be paid for and
there are no additional costs. This is probably why they have been and continue to be the most
respected and prestigious awards in the industry.
*****
BIM Seafood Circle- NOW DISCONTINUED
The BIM Seafood Circle programme was discontinued in 2012 following a change in focus for the organisation.
BIM now assist seafood companies and retailers with an education based programme covering all aspects of
good practice from fish retailing, product knowledge, customer service and techniques for adding value.
*****
BORD BIA JUST ASK RESTAURANT AWARDS
CRITERIA:
Do you select restaurant s for review or do the venues approach you with a request for a rating?
Bord Bia invites restaurants to submit copies of their menus and sourcing statements for consideration and all
materials are reviewed to assess eligibility for the awards
What are the criteria you use to rate a restaurant, café, gastropub etc.?
There are two key criteria for the Just Ask award. Firstly, that the restaurant demonstrates support for local
food suppliers and secondly that the restaurant demonstrates a commitment to highlighting sourcing
information for the food ingredients listed on the menu for consumers
How are the assessments conducted, for example are the restaurants notified in advance of your assessors
visit? If so will the restaurant be aware of the identity of the assessor when he or she dines in the venue?
Does your assessors visit one or more occasions before rating the restaurant?
Restaurants are invited to submit copies of their menus and/or sourcing statements to Bord Bia. In
conjunction with Food Writer, Georgina Campbell, these documents are assessed and the establishment is
contacted should any additional information be required. In particular, evidence of country of origin/source
information for fresh meats is required, in addition to any other information identifying support of local/Irish
suppliers.
How many awards do you give each year? What do the restaurants receive for being granted the award?
A Just Ask Restaurant of the Month is announced on a monthly basis and one overall yearly winner is selected
at the end of the year. The overall winner receives a certificate. The monthly winner received publicity for
same including reference on the Bord Bia website, social media channels and monthly media relations
including distribution of a press release and photographs
CHARGES :
Who discharges the bill for a review meal purchased by one of your assessors?
N/A – a meal review does not form part of the criteria
Are there any charges payable by the restaurant proprietor to you in respect of granting of an award? Are
there any charges payable for plaques, certificates and/or to feature on your website or guide?
No
What conditions apply to the display of your awards on a premises? For example if the premises changes
hands or the head chef leaves is there any obligation to hand back the award? Is there any restriction on
how long an award can be displayed in a premises?
The awards are presented to the restaurants, as opposed to individuals. They are dated e.g. “Just Ask
restaurant of the month, March 2011” and are valid for the specific date in question against the menus
submitted at that time. The Just Ask annual award is valid for the 12 months in question. Confirmation of all
monthly winners from April 2009 are available on Bord Bia’s website.
www.bordbia.ie/justask
*****
FOOD & WINE AWARDS
CRITERIA :
·
Do you select restaurant s for review or do the venues approach you with a request for a rating?
The Process
Step 1: FOOD&WINE Magazine readers are encouraged to send in their nominations via the magazine, online
and via a direct marketing campaign that was launched in the March issue of the magazine, with a closing date
around 25 June.
Step 2: These nominations are collated and the nominations per category for each region are extracted by the
FOOD&WINE Magazine’s editorial team. The editorial team create a long- list from this. At this stage, in order
to be as inclusive as possible, the editorial team may add further names which they feel deserve inclusion in
the long list.
Step 3: The long-listed restaurants go forward to the National Culinary Panel attending the FOOD&WINE
Magazine Restaurant of the Year Awards Judging Day. In 2012 there were 27 people on this panel. Judges may
also ask for a nomination to be included at this stage.
Within this process, the National Culinary Panel selects one winner, one highly commended and one
commended (or a variation of these if they feel joint placings are a better indication of awards) for Best
Restaurant and Best Chef Awards for each region. The decision is a collegiate one which reflects both regional
knowledge as well as practical visits which have been made by judges over the year in their roles beyond the
ROTYA. The ballot is secret and done by ‘Eurovision’ voting to ensure clear winners.
The Panel will also deliberate over the 5 categories within the National Awards, but will not agree the overall
winners at this stage.
The judging panel discuss and deliberate over the top 20 short-listed Best Restaurants and top 20 short-listed
Best Chef nominations to go forward for the two final overall awards.
Step 4: The top 10 Best Restaurants and top 10 Best Chefs as agreed by the FOOD&WINE National Culinary
Panel are sent to the FOOD&WINE Magazine National Culinary Academy for the final electronic and secret
vote.
The FOOD&WINE Magazine National Culinary Academy
The FOOD&WINE Magazine National Culinary Academy consists of the panel attending the Judging Day as well
as previous members of the panel and certain members of the Hall of Fame, where appropriate (restaurateurs
are normally excluded). The full list of participants in the FOOD& WINE Magazine National Culinary Awards is
published in the September or October issue of FOOD&WINE Magazine.
·
What are the criteria you use to rate a restaurant, café, gastropub etc.?
Criteria
We have developed specific criteria to ensure that judges consider the following points:
We are measuring activity within the previous year only and winning a FOOD&WINE Magazine Award in
previous years should not debar an establishment winning the same or another award the following year.
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Exemplary standards of presentation and service including front of house, food knowledge, phone
manner and ease of payment. Remember, the definition of good service can vary from friendliness to
unobtrusive efficiency, depending upon the type of restaurant. Also, service systems are as important
as table-side etiquette
High culinary standards and excellent food quality
Innovations including building development & economically inclusive menus
If an innovative style is sought it should be original and not merely a pot pourri of modish clichés
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Sympathetic use of fresh, seasonal, ideally local and organic produce
If ethnic or classic dishes are presented, they should be faithful to the tradition
Ambience and atmosphere. The décor, lighting, table setting, background music (or lack of it) etc that combine
to enhance the dining out experience
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Hygiene. The establishment should exemplify the highest standards of hygiene including food safety
and bathroom cleanliness.
Value-for-money. Not an easy term to define, but it should be equally possible to obtain value for
money in a fine dining restaurant as in a simple bistro
In the Best Chef category we are seeking a chef who has the respect of his/her peers and who
consistently sets benchmark standards in his/her own style, be it contemporary or traditional, always
having regard to the market sector in which the restaurant operates
Corporate and Social Responsibility (CRM), i.e. engagement in the local community, wider non-profit food
issues, charitable and arts activity etc
·
How are the assessments conducted, for example are the restaurants notified in advance of your
assessors visit? If so will the restaurant be aware of the identity of the assessor when he or she dines in the
venue? Does your assessors visit one or more occasions before rating the restaurant?
The process used to reach decisions in all categories is a collegiate one. The views of the readers of
FOOD&WINE Magazine are sought along with the views of the wider public. The editorial team at FOOD&WINE
Magazine have their own input as a check and balance in the process. The final element is the judging panel
made up of a wide range of expertise and experience in the hospitality sector. So, each judge brings their own
knowledge. For example as restaurant critic for The Sunday Business Post I have a criteria I stick to when
reviewing restaurants: I book using somebody else's name and pay for my own meal, claiming the cost back
from the Sunday Business Post. I never accept invitations to review restaurants as it is not a true reflection of
their work. The idea that a restaurant should get several visits is a fallacy. Everybody thinks Marks & Spencer’s
should be right every time and from the opening day. Restaurants should not be an exception. If they are
giving an ‘apprentice’ service when they’ve just opened than they should be charging ‘apprentice’ prices.
All of the above principles are used when we review restaurants for F&W Magazine too.
Other judges who work for other publications may have different criteria but we all seem to agree on the
necessity for anonymity. Other experts (from the academic sector, government bodies etc) will obviously be
visiting as ordinary customers.
·
How many awards do you give each year? What do the restaurants receive for being granted the
award?
Approx 21, they get a plaque as a winner along with coverage in the magazine. Certificates are given to
runners up.
CHARGES :
·
Who discharges the bill for a review meal purchased by one of your assessors?
See explanation above. F&W covers all the cost of reviewing restaurants.
·
Are there any charges payable by the restaurant proprietor to you in respect of granting of an award?
No
Are there any charges payable for plaques, certificates and/or to feature on your website or guide?
No. Winners and runners ups who decide to attend the awards ceremony pay for their meal and wine.
·
What conditions apply to the display of your awards on a premises? For example if the premises
changes hands or the head chef leaves is there any obligation to hand back the award?
Is there any restriction on how long an award can be displayed in a premises?
The award is only for one year. The chef’s award is just that and stays with the chef. The restaurant award is
for the restaurant and stays with them.
*****
GEORGINA CAMPBELL’S IRELAND ‘THE GUIDES’
CRITERIA :
·
Do you select restaurant s for review or do the venues approach you with a request for a rating?
Both. We work from a research list which is gathered in various ways including recommendations from readers
(the public), inquiries from establishments and our own list which has been gathered from word of mouth etc.
·
What are the criteria you use to rate a restaurant, café, gastropub etc.?
We publish the criteria on our website but the main things we are looking for are informative menus; good
quality ingredients (local, seasonal, free-range, or at least Irish ingredients preferred: ‘a sense of place’); skilful
cooking (style appropriate to type of establishment; simplicity is preferred, certainly in all but very high end
destination restaurants); informed, efficient & friendly service; fair pricing appropriate to style of food &
surroundings; customer-awareness – ie thinking about the things that will help the customer to enjoy their
visit, including comfort - things like good lighting and acoustics - and catering for children well.
·
How are the assessments conducted, for example are the restaurants notified in advance of your
assessors visit?
No, they are not aware and we do not accept invitations. We would book, but we ask our assessors to use a
different name if likely to be known to establishment
If so will the restaurant be aware of the identity of the assessor when he or she dines in the venue? No, even if
known to them (as is always possible) they should not be aware of the reason for a visit.
Does your assessors visit one or more occasions before rating the restaurant? Initially usually one, but we
endeavour to re-assess on an annual basis. If an assessment is borderline the establishment may go back onto
the research list for reconsideration at a later date.
·
How many awards do you give each year? What do the restaurants receive for being granted the award?
It is important to note that our recommendations are not ‘awards’. I think you are using the word ‘awards’
where we would say ‘recommendations’.
Our annual Awards (approx 25 in a wide range of categories) are separate and given to carefully selected
establishments each autumn.
Our Recommendations cover 32 counties and a very wide range of categories including hotels, guesthouses,
countryhouses, B&Bs, farmhouses, restaurants, pubs, producers, speciality food shops etc
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Those who gain a Recommendation get a free basic listing on our website, and in any relevant book.
Those selected for an Award are invited to an Awards ceremony and presented with a framed
certificate, photographed, press releases sent out to media etc and given a light lunch – there is no
charge of any kind entailed.
CHARGES :
·
Who discharges the bill for a review meal purchased by one of your assessors?
At the time the assessor pays like any other customer, to be reimbursed by GCGuides
·
Are there any charges payable by the restaurant proprietor to you in respect of granting of an
award?
No
Are there any charges payable for plaques, certificates:
Recommended establishments have the right, but are in no way obliged, to promote their
recommendation by the purchase of a plaque and/or certificate
And/or to feature on your website or guide?
Basic listing on website and in printed guide is free of charge; Recommended establishments have the
right, but are in no way obliged, to upgrade to ‘premium website membership’ which allows them to have
images on their page etc
·
What conditions apply to the display of your awards on a premises? For example if the premises changes
hands or the head chef leaves is there any obligation to hand back the award? Is there any restriction on how
long an award can be displayed in a premises?
Plaques & certificates should be removed when an establishment changes hands; in practice this is very
difficult to enforce, but they are dated which is some safeguard, and will not be re-issued unless they have
received a new recommendation following a re-assessment. We have tried to insist that only the current year’s
plaques may be displayed outside a building, but it is impossible to enforce. As above, the fact that our plaques
are dated is a safeguard for the public.
How many recommendations does the guide(s) make for Eateries?
Approx 1000 at the moment, throughout all 32 counties and all categories, from top restaurants to
pubs and cafes.
2. What are the charges for purchasing a plaque and/or the charges for purchasing a certificate? Cost
depends on the size of establishment, they are priced in bands; Band 1 (small cafe/tea room) could purchase
plaque/certificate with premium web membership for €150+Vat at full price (at certain times we offer
reductions). We only offer merchandise as part of a promotional package to include upgrade to premium web
membership.
3. Can you purchase backdated plaques?
Replacement plaques can be issued, when available, if there has been damage or theft.
4. What are the costs involved for a restaurant to upgrade to premium website membership?
That is usually part of the purchase price for the plaque/certificate, but web upgrade alone is available to
establishments not requiring a plaque/certificate. Works within the same price bands, according to number of
seats or rooms, and the cost is proportionately less as no merchandise is issued.
5. If an establishment is reviewed and does not meet your standards, is it dropped from the guide or
website, or reviewed again at a later date?
It is dropped from the website (and future editions of any relevant printed guide) but may also be kept on the
research list for further consideration at a later date, depending on whether we feel it has the potential to
improve.
·
Can I confirm the Georgina Campbell’s Ireland The Guide is running since 1997?
Yes, we set up when Egon Ronay’s Guides closed down in 1997, to continue the work I had been doing with
them.
·
Of the 1000 recommendations last year, how many of these were eating establishments?(Rather than
food producers etc).
These are all eating establishments of one kind or another, spread across a wide range of categories such as
Restaurants, Hotel Restaurants and Bars, Country Houses that accept non-residents for meals, Pubs, Cafés,
Wine Bars, even farm shops would be included if they also do nice teas etc, etc. throughout the 32 counties.
·
What is the highest Band in the pricing structure? And what are the costs for this and what size is the
establishment?
The current max for Eat establishments is €375 for premium web listing for a calendar year, plus plaque; this is
for establishments over 65 seats, however it doesn't include the €50 discount we offer them at the beginning
of the year or if they renew.
*****
Good Eating Guide to Ireland – response to queries
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How many establishments are listed in the Guide each year?
It varies. [Approximately] 250 establishments – primarily restaurants, hotels, cafes, pubs. 32 county
guide.
Is the Guide an annual publication?
Once a year. Every participating restaurant gets up to 20 copies [to display in their premises and
distribute]. In addition to that we would be attending various food shows throughout the year and
have a stand at it and given out of them that we deem appropriate. Historically gone out through Easy
Food magazine, Image magazine and tourist offices. We review it on an annual basis as it depends on
response. Went out with Easy Food last year, and may do that again this year. We examine it each
year.
What are the criteria to appear in the Guide?
The start of point is that we send a Proof [to] everyone who appeared in last year’s guide out. Send a
proof and a letter asking if they wish to be in this year’s guide.
New customers: we would go back for the last five editions and go back to same people and sending
on copy of guide and application form and following up.
If there are new restaurants opening we approach them.
It’s important that we have leading restaurants in the guide.
There is an application form.
We don’t police the guide, but we don’t have to. Going to fairly tried and tested places. We don’t go
after fast food places. *They are+ not a good fit for our guide. We could damage ourselves. We don’t
have physical capacity to visit all these places. We use a common sense approach.
How many establishments receive awards each year?
[These are] awards to focus attention on the hospitality industry and the Guide. We launch the Guide
and have awards on the same time. Historically, we always have it in Restaurant Patrick Guilbauds on
a Monday. Tipperary Crystal give plates of Graham Knuttel [to winners]. We are very proud of them.
As a company we have no act or part in it [judging process]. Send out applications to all the
restaurants. Proviso being that they can’t vote for themselves, but can vote of others. One application
per restaurant. Invariably, you get a lot of the same restaurants winning the same awards.
We divide it up in the four provinces – best restaurant in each province. But it gives a good
georgraphic spread.
What is the judging process of the awards?
It’s one step *application process+. We have a few people who give us a help out. Past President of RAI
and one or two other people in the food and drink business and we have them double check. We
can’t know everything. Number of votes is quite small as only one vote per restaurant. It’s to focus
attention on industry.
To confirm, the awards are sponsored and there are no costs to the winning Establishments?
There are no costs to attend the awards. The awards are sponsored. We have a drinks company
sponsor, and the finger food comes from restaurant. We try and get Minister for Tourism if we can.
24 awards are given out, including Best restaurant, best ethnic, best manager, best value, best gastro,
best organic, best cocktail bar, best family friendly, best chef, best wine list etc.
CHARGES :
·
Who discharges the bill for a review meal purchased by one of your assessors?
n/a
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Are there any charges payable by the restaurant proprietor to you in respect of granting of an
award/listing/review? Are there any charges payable for plaques, certificates and/or to feature on your
website or guide? If so, what are the costs involved?
There is a charge to be in the guide and we make no apologies for that. I don’t know any printer who
prints for free.
*****
GOOD FOOD IRELAND:
CRITERIA :
·
Do you select restaurant s for review or do the venues approach you with a request for a rating?
·
What are the criteria you use to rate a restaurant, café, gastropub etc.?
·
How are the assessments conducted, for example are the restaurants notified in advance of your
assessors visit? If so will the restaurant be aware of the identity of the assessor when he or she
dines in the venue? Does your assessors visit one or more occasions before rating the restaurant?
·
How many awards do you give each year? What do the restaurants receive for being granted the
award?
Good Food Ireland is a unique standard (for domestic consumers and international holidaymakers) in the island
of Ireland for an Irish ingredient led experience. All providers - restaurants and cafes, pubs and bars, culinary
accommodation, food shops, cookery schools and food producers must meet the consumer promise for
authentic food experience and are approved under the brand criteria. Good Food Ireland is then promoted as
the number 1 resource for food experience domestically and internationally so as to drive business to local food
providers and grow local economies by linking our agri-food and tourism sectors - the only organisation of its
type in the island of Ireland, that is now in its 6th year and has pioneered the way for local food experience.
The Good Food Ireland awards are the only kind of their type in the island of Ireland. They highlight to the
consumer the Good Food Ireland philosophy of Irish ingredient led experience and showcase the winners as the
best of type. The winners are also held up as benchmarks for the industry at large to grow the awareness and
importance of local food experience and show them how it can be done.
To gain entry to Good Food Ireland all providers are independently inspected to ensure they meet the consumer
promise so Good Food Ireland is fully familiar with all its providers. Throughout the year inspectors visit
providers randomly and put forward a short list for each award category. This short list is then further
inspected. These are all mystery inspections and scored on a points basis again with the local food philosophy
at the core. Award winners are highly promoted domestically and internationally throughout the year. They
are the Good Food Ireland ambassadors or champions so to speak. We also highlight them on media and social
media campaigns and across digital content partnerships.
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CHARGES :
Who discharges the bill for a review meal purchased by one of your assessors?
Are there any charges payable by the restaurant proprietor to you in respect of granting of an award? Are
there any charges payable for plaques, certificates and/or to feature on your website or guide?
All bills for the awards mystery inspections are fully paid for by Good Food Ireland
.
What conditions apply to the display of your awards on a premises? For example if the premises
changes hands or the head chef leaves is there any obligation to hand back the award? Is there any restriction
on how long an award can
be displayed in a premises?
If the business changes ownership the premises loses its Good Food Ireland approval and as such its awards
too. It no longer is permitted by contract to use the brand outside its premises on menus or any promotional
material.
Are the awards exclusively for Good Food Ireland members or can they be won by non-members? Yes all
awards are open to members. Good Food Ireland is a brand standard and we are therefore not in a position to
select from businesses outside that consumer promise who may not meet the philosophy
How many approved providers are there in Good Food Ireland? Almost 600 businesses
What are the membership charges? The businesses becomes members of the brand but the fees charged are
marketing fees for services provided which are all different. Basic fee starts at 450euro
What do approved providers receive? Do they get a GFI plaque outside the door or is this reserved for award
winners? Domestic and International Marketing services including exclusive platforms and promotions
Can you explain the GFI Awards – how many are awarded, and what do winners receive? Number of awards
may vary – possibly up to 16, winners get a engraved crystal decanter from our corporate partners House of
Waterford Crystal, as well as an additional awards plaque and a number of additional complimentary exclusive
marketing opportunities for their business during the year
Are there any charges for Awards Plaques? No
Are there any charges for nominees attending the awards ceremony? Yes but just to cover costs
*****
Hospitality Ireland - The National Hospitality Awards
CRITERIA :
·
Do you select restaurants for review or do the venues approach you with a request for a rating?
The establishments enter themselves
·
What are the criteria you use to rate a restaurant, café, gastropub etc.?
Judging is across all criteria – the look, cleanliness and appeal of the establishment. The warmth of the
welcome and efficiency of service. The quality of the menu – how it is written, how good a job it does of preselling the meal. Sourcing and quality of ingredients. Presentation. Price point. How well does the
establishment succeed according to its own standards? How well trained and informed are staff? In what
respects does the establishment go further than competitors? What marks it out from the crowd?
·
How are the assessments conducted, for example are the restaurants notified in advance of your
assessors visit? If so will the restaurant be aware of the identity of the assessor when he or she dines in the
venue? Does your assessors visit one or more occasions before rating the restaurant?
The establishments are not notified in advance. Judges are anonymous but some are very well known and may
be recognized. Establishments are visited once and a short-list is drawn up. Places on the short-list are visited a
second time, usually by a smaller, core team of judges.
·
How many listings/reviews/awards do you give each year? What do the restaurants receive for being
granted the award/listing/review?
We give three awards in 23 categories. Winners receive a wall-mounted indoor and outdoor plaque.
In total is it 3 x 23 awards – i.e., 69 awards?
Yes, 3 awards per category, 69 in total. Broken down as:
Two Winners and one Overall Winner in each category.
CHARGES :
·
Who discharges the bill for a review meal purchased by one of your assessors?
Hospitality Ireland does
·
Are there any charges payable by the restaurant proprietor to you in respect of granting of an
award/listing/review?
There is no charge to enter the awards. The only payment and condition is that winners must attend the
awards ceremony in the Four Seasons. This is a day-long event, beginning with an industry conference in the
morning, with the awards handed out over lunch, followed by a reception. The cost for the entire day is €295
per person.
Are there any charges payable for plaques, certificates and/or to feature on your website or
guide? If so, what are the costs involved?
No. The only costs are as outlined above.
·
What conditions apply to the display of your awards on a premises? For example if the premises changes
hands or the head chef leaves is there any obligation to hand back the award? Is there any restriction on how
long an award/listing/review can be displayed in a premises?
There are currently no restrictions but award plaques are clearly dated.
A condition of entering the Awards, is that anyone who wins must attend the awards ceremony in the Four
Seasons?
Yes, if you win, you must attend, or send someone, to physically collect the award. This is a condition of entry,
and ensures that only those who have won a prize pay anything towards the awards. They do not know in
advance if they are an Overall Winner or a Winner, but they do know they have won something.
*****
Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards
The [Hotel & Catering Review] magazine {now in liquidation} is a trade publication which has been produced
by Jemma Publications for close to 40 years and is circulated to Irish hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and
catering businesses. Our Gold Medal Awards is a programme for our readers in the industry and we do not
produce a consumer guide or market the winners to consumers (Jemma Publications is a B2B publisher and we
don’t have any consumer publications). The awards cover hotels, guesthouses, spas and catering businesses,
as well as restaurants.
The 25th Annual Gold Medal Awards will launch in April and judging will take place over the summer months.
The winners of the awards will be announced in September.
CRITERIA :
· Do you select restaurants for review or do the venues approach you with a request for a rating?
Restaurants, hotels, catering businesses etc must enter the awards. Entry forms are available on our website
following the launch of the programme.
· What are the criteria you use to rate a restaurant, café, gastropub etc.?
Restaurants are judged on every aspect of their business – from the quality of the food and standard of
service, through to the quality and cleanliness of the facility. We have long and very detailed assessment forms
which must be completed by the assessor. The assessment process is rigorous and tailored to suit each
category. For instance the criteria by which a cafe is judged is very different to those of a fine dining
restaurant.
· How are the assessments conducted, for example, are the restaurants notified in advance of your assessors
visit? If so will the restaurant be aware of the identity of the assessor when he or she dines in the venue?
Does your assessors visit one or more occasions before rating the restaurant?
Hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and spas receive unannounced visits. The judges book in and conduct their
assessment under the guise of a regular guest. They only announce their presence on departure.
In cases where we cannot conduct undercover inspections – such as in prisons, hospitals or corporate offices –
the assessments are conducted in pre-arranged site visits. Our in house catering (corporate) and institutional
catering (healthcare, justice and educational) categories are assessed during pre-arranged site inspections, as
is the members clubs category where our judges carry out an inspection of the facilities and interview the
management team about the products and services they offer members.
Premises are inspected once, although where we feel a second visit is required we will return.
· How many awards do you give each year? What do the restaurants receive for being granted the award?
The Gold Medal Awards categories are as follows:
 Five Star Hotels
 Four Star Hotels
 Three Star Hotels
 Country Houses
 Townhouses
 Fine Dining Restaurants
 Bistros & Brasseries
 Casual Dining Restaurants
 Cafés & Tearooms
 Ethnic Restaurants
 In House Catering
 Institutional Catering
 Members Clubs
 Spas
 Wine Experience
 Customer Experience
The winners receive a framed certificate.
CHARGES:
· Who discharges the bill for a review meal purchased by one of your assessors?
The general manager/owner of hotel, guesthouse, spa and restaurant entrants are asked to sign and submit a
waiver form with their entry form agreeing to waive the cost of the judge's visit. The judge then presents this
waiver on departure following the completion of the visit and the restaurant/hotel agrees to deduct the
relevant charges from the bill. There are strict criteria regarding what is covered by entrants for the
assessment and any additional charges are paid for by the judge. Where a second visit is required, Hotel &
Catering Review covers the cost of the meal/stay.
In certain cases, such as in a café where the meal may be paid for at the counter during ordering, the judge
pays for the meal and then presents the form at the end of the visit to obtain a refund.
There is no cost involved in the catering categories.
· Are there any charges payable by the restaurant proprietor to you in respect of granting of an award? Are
there any charges payable for plaques, certificates and/or to feature on your website or guide?
The Gold Medal Awards are open to subscribers of Hotel & Catering Review and there are no charges for the
winners’ certificates or for featuring in post-Awards publications. We produce a report on the awards in Hotel
& Catering Review which is circulated to our readers in the trade. It is not distributed to consumers.
· What conditions apply to the display of your awards on a premises? For example if the premises changes
hands or the head chef leaves is there any obligation to hand back the award? Is there any restriction on
how long an award can be displayed in a premises?
The framed award may only be displayed within the winning premises. For instance, if one hotel in a hotel
group received an award, that award may only be displayed in that premises – it may not be duplicated and
displayed in other properties in the group. There are strict guidelines for use of the Gold Medal Awards
winner’s logo (again only on promotional material and websites for the winning property) and artwork may
not be copied without the prior permission of Hotel & Catering Review.
Each award contains the year it was presented and there is no restriction on how long the award can be
displayed within a premises. The award is presented to the business, not the head chef, so there is no
obligation to hand back the award if there is a change in kitchen personnel.
·
Are the awards presented at an awards ceremony and must winners attend? Is there a cost involved
for those in attendance and, if so, what are the costs?
A list of finalists were published a month prior to the awards ceremony each year, but the winners were not
informed before the awards presentation. While we appreciated it when the finalists celebrated with us on the
night, there was absolutely no obligation to attend and the awards were not conditional on attendance.
*Tickets+ were in the region of €115.
*****
Lucinda O’Sullivan’s Great Places to Stay and Eat
www.lucindaosullivan.com
Lucinda did not respond to our survey questions.
*****
·
MCKENNAS GUIDES
CRITERIA :
Do you select restaurant s for review or do the venues approach you with a request for a rating?
We select them, but occasionally a restaurateur will write and suggest that they are doing something
interesting and feel they are of a standard that would be acceptable to our guides.
·
What are the criteria you use to rate a restaurant, café, gastropub etc.?
That the whole venture is creative – creative thinking, creative cooking, creative concept, and backed up by
good service and good value.
·
How are the assessments conducted, for example are the restaurants notified in advance of your assessors
visit? If so will the restaurant be aware of the identity of the assessor when he or she dines in the venue?
Does your assessors visit one or more occasions before rating the restaurant?
The visits are anonymous, and no one is ever notified in advance. Because we use several editors the venues
are often visited more than once but sometimes, when someone is particularly good, a single visit will
establish that they are particularly creative.
·
How many awards do you give each year? What do the restaurants receive for being granted the award?
There are approximately 1000 establishments recommended in our guides. No one receives anything save for
the recognition of being in the Guide.
·
CHARGES :
Who discharges the bill for a review meal purchased by one of your assessors?
Our company, Estragon Press Ltd, foots the bills sent in by our editors.
·
Are there any charges payable by the restaurant proprietor to you in respect of granting of an award? Are
there any charges payable for plaques, certificates and/or to feature on your website or guide?
There is no payment to be included in the Guide and we do not accept advertising. Thereafter the restaurant
can choose to pay a nominal administration fee for being listed on our website. The plaques are handmade,
and there is also an option to purchase one of these. The plaque logo and award image are available free to
recommended restaurants.
·
What conditions apply to the display of your awards on a premises? For example if the premises changes
hands or the head chef leaves is there any obligation to hand back the award? Is there any restriction on
how long an award can be displayed in a premises?
This is a tricky area and can cause problems if there is a change of ownership and standards fall. But, at this
stage, people know that they need to look for the current year plaque, and they know that displaying that is
the best guarantee that the premises is run by the same people who were awarded the plaque. In reality,
problems arise very rarely. We are very particular about deciding who will be offered the plaque.
We believe the core of our work hinges on the fact that being recommended in the guide costs nothing and
the plaque image - which is so vital in helping the restaurant publicise their recommendation - is available to
use freely to those recommended.
Thereafter we also offer a beautiful hand-made plaque and of course we pass the cost of making, shipping and
distributing the plaque on to the restaurant. We believe our plaque is the most cost-effective plaque available
despite being the most expensive to produce. The precise cost of the plaque, or indeed framed review, is not a
consumer issue because neither are available to the public to purchase.
People love the plaques that we produce, partly because they genuinely bring in customers, because they
mean a lot to be awarded and because it is a beautiful hand-made object. From time to time, if they have
missed a year, or if the plaque has been stolen, people like to buy plaques for a previous year in which they
have been awarded a recommendation. We facilitate this, though it is carefully monitored.
The majority of places recommended don't purchase or display plaques. There are many places in the book
whom we have been recommending for over twenty years who have never bought a plaque.
We must stress that the majority of businesses don't purchase or display the plaque, and this has absolutely no
bearing on their review.
In over twenty years of experience this seems to have worked for us in allowing us to provide a useful service
to our readers. All reviews are based on real experiences by named reviewers. We pay the bills for all our
Editors' meals. It is a substantial outlay, but again we see it as essential in describing a proper experience.
*****
Michelin
CRITERIA :
·
Do you select restaurant s for review or do the venues approach you with a request for a
rating?
Both, we do our own research, hear from our readers and proprietors can write to us.
·
What are the criteria you use to rate a restaurant, café, gastropub etc.?
The quality of the food, the value for money primarily and all the normal qualities a customer would
look for; are the premises clean, staff pleasant etc.
·
How are the assessments conducted, for example are the restaurants notified in advance of
your assessors visit? If so will the restaurant be aware of the identity of the assessor when he or
she dines in the venue? Do your assessors visit one or more occasions before rating the restaurant?
There is no forewarning. We book (if necessary) we only announce a visit every eighteen months. We
carry out many of our visits anonymously.
·
How many awards do you give each year? What do the restaurants receive for being granted
the award?
The number varies and we have no quota! The restaurants don't receive anything from us for being
granted an award. Every establishment in the guide receives a sticker for their entry in the guide.
CHARGES :
·
Who discharges the bill for a review meal purchased by one of your assessors?
Our full-time team of Inspectors are employed by Michelin and pay for all their meals and overnight stays.
There is never a case when a bill is discharged.
·
Are there any charges payable by the restaurant proprietor to you in respect of granting of an award?
Are there any charges payable for plaques, certificates and/or to feature on your website or guide?
There are no charges and we do not issue plaques. Entry in the Michelin guide is free of charge.
·
What conditions apply to the display of your awards on a premises? For example if the premises
changes hands or the head chef leaves is there any obligation to hand back the award? Is there any
restriction on how long an award can be displayed in a premises?
Not applicable to us. If a chef changes or an establishment changes hands we automatically revisit.
*****
“RECOMMENDED BY TASTE OF IRELAND, WITH PAOLO TULLIO”
www.tasteofireland.com

What are the costs for membership of Taste of Ireland? Is the plaque, website listing and review,
and logo for website free as part of membership? Less than €10 a week. All included. *400 per
annum]

Are restaurant visits and reviews anonymous? Sometimes they are, but some restaurants are
members for some years, so they know us at this stage! Besides it’s not realistic that a bad restaurant
can suddenly turn it on just because a certain guest arrives. Sure, maybe the service can get better,
but the food and the chef really can’t suddenly become good if they are not.

Are all restaurants (and reviewed restaurants) featured on the website members of Taste of
Ireland? No, some aren’t members, the reviews section is just content, as are the wines etc

Is there a team of writers involved with Paulo Tullio reviewing each establishment? Yes. Joe
McNamee, food writer with the Examiner does Cork and Kerry, Valerie O’Connor, food blogger and
Bridgestone contributor does Limerick and the surrounding counties, Paolo does quite a bit of Dublin
and some in the West, but really he can end up anywhere. I [Gerard Carthy] do quite a few as well.

Is the review bill discharged by Taste of Ireland or by the restaurant? If it’s a first visit, always paid
for, some people comp things in later years, but it doesn’t mean you get a better review. Paolo always
pays on a point of principle, and if someone wants to comp a meal, we generally leave a tip of a
similar amount.

What are the Golden Paolo Awards and what do winners receive? How many awards are given?
Can non-members win? The Golden Paolo’s is just an article Paolo writes for the Indo at the end of
each year, reviewing the year picking out the best. Not all of them are members, and certainly
membership is not a condition in any way.
Again, I sometimes think this all gets blown out of proportion; the silly sneaking around anonymous
bit. It’s food. If a restaurant is bad, it really doesn’t make any difference if they know you are coming,
the menu will still be boring and the ingredients second rate. To reiterate, all we try to do is get good
writers to write about good restaurants.

Only members can avail of plaques for their walls, or is there an option to purchase but not avail of
membership and website listing?
Only members can use the plaque, logo etc.
Non-members can be listed on the site, and plaques cannot be bought separately, or for previous years, before
they were members.

When did Taste of Ireland launch? How many listings (members) were approved for your site last
year?
It launched in 2007. It originally had 100 best places and has expanded slowly. Each year there are probably 50
new places, but these aren’t all new restaurants, just places we missed or in parts of the country where we
haven’t had a strong presence. One or two a week is all you can reasonably add and keep up with changes to
the others.
We are currently launching online bookings from the site and Phoucher sales; that’s a restaurant voucher to
your phone via App or web.
Taste of Ireland is a listing of good places to eat. Each is reviewed by one of our writers and if we like
it we invite them to become members. Sometimes restaurants approach us, or if we find a new place
we like, we approach them. Generally places are reviewed at least once a year to keep them up to
date.
There is a membership fee which includes plaques logo's etc. as there is no other way to run it, but
you can't have a crappy restaurant and just buy a listing; we are picky and are only interested in listing
good places. We don’t sell plaques, logos and nor can restaurant buy plaques from previous years.
Listing bad ones would result in a sharp drop in readership if people couldn't trust what we say, and
the site would disappear pretty quickly.
We don't entertain fast food outlets, most chain style restaurants or take advertising from food
companies whose products doesn't tie in with our philosophy, for example frozen pizza or something.
On the issue of a restaurant changing hands, it hasn't happened that often, but we would remove
them from the site until we see what they are about. As for removing plaques, short of going around
the country with a screwdriver, which I don't see as practical, there's not much we can do. But like I
said it hasn't happened that often.
*****
Restaurants Association of Ireland – Irish Restaurant Awards
CRITERIA :
·
Do you select restaurant s for review or do the venues approach you with a request for a rating?
This year's event will recognize achievement and excellence in the Restaurant and Hospitality Industry
throughout the Island of Ireland in 21 categories. The awards celebrate all aspects of the Industry from Chefs
and Restaurants to Food Producers, Local Food Heroes and Cookery Schools.
Nominations for the awards are made by readers of the Sunday Independent LIFE Magazine and members of
the Restaurants Association of Ireland online at www.independent.ie/irishrestaurantawards. The awards
process runs from February 24th until the 10th of June 2013. It is a detailed and thorough process whereby
nominated Restaurants face rigorous scrutiny from the Consumer, Regional Judges, a Mystery Guest Visitor
and finally the National Awards Academy. County winners are announced at a number of Regional Events
throughout April.
·
What are the criteria you use to rate a restaurant, café, gastropub etc.?
Best Restaurant.
THIS CATEGORY RECOGNISES THE VERY BEST IN A DINING EXPERIENCE AS EVIDENCED BY ATTENTION TO
DETAIL, A WELL-STRUCTURED , BALANCED AND APPROPRIATE MENU, EXEMPLARY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND
ENJOYABLE AND SUITABLE ATMOSPHERE.
Best Casual Dining.
THIS CATEGORY RECOGNISES THE DINING EXPERIENCE WHICH BEST OFFERS OUTSTANDING VALUE, EXCELLENT
FOOD, APPROPRIATE SERVICE, GENUINE HOSPITALITY AND AN APPROPRIATE OVERALL DINING EXPERIENCE.
Best Gastro Pub
GOES TO THE GASTRO PUB WITH AN IMPRESSIVE FOOD ASPECT, GENUINE AND DEMONSTRABLE HOSPITALITY
AND AN OUTSTANDING, RELEVANT AND COMPLEMENTARY DRINKS OFFERING
Best Wine Experience
THIS GOES TO THE RESTAURANT OFFERING A BALANCED AND APPROPRIATE WINE LIST, AN INTERESTING
RANGE OF PRODUCERS AND WHICH STRIVES FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE SERVICE OF WINE.
Best Chef
THE CHEF WHO MOST IMPRESSES IN THEIR APPROACH, DESIGN AND EXECUTION OF DISHES AND WHO IS
CLEARLY PUSHING AT CULINARY BOUNDARIES IN IRELAND.
Best Hotel Restaurant
THIS CATEGORY WILL RECOGNISE A HOTEL RESTAURANT THAT DEMONSTRATES THE VERY BEST IN A DINING
EXPERIENCE AS EVIDENCED BY ATTENTION TO DETAIL, A WELL-STRUCTURED , BALANCED AND APPROPRIATE
MENU, EXEMPLARY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ENJOYABLE AND SUITABLE ATMOSPHERE.
Best Customer Service
THIS AWARD RECOGNISES THE ESTABLISHMENT WHICH DEMONSTRABLY GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND A
NORMAL LEVEL OF SERVICE AND DOES IT CONSISTENTLY AND IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER.
“Kids Size Me” Award.
KIDS SIZE ME IS AN INITIATIVE ON THE PROVISION OF CHILD SIZE PORTIONS OF ADULT MEALS IN
RESTAURANTS. THE AWARD AIMS TO RECOGNIZE THE RESTAURANT THAT ENSURES CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS
TO HEALTHIER FOOD OPTIONS WHEN DINING OUT BY MAKING CHILD SIZE PORTIONS OF ADULT MEALS
AVAILABLE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO ORDERING FROM THE STANDARD CHILDRENS MENU
What is the Selection Process:
The selection process to become a County winner in the main category involves 2 stages.
Stage 1
Firstly, a Chef / Restaurant / Hotel / Gastro Pub must be nominated online by a reader of the Sunday
Independent or a Member of The Restaurant Association of Ireland. The nomination period is open for 3
weeks from Feb 25th to March 15th. All of the nominations are then audited by our independent adjudicators
KPMG. One nomination form per email address.
In late March our Regional judging panels, made up of industry experts across the 5 regions meet to assess the
nominations. The results from our Judging panel which makes up 60% of the overall vote plus the results from
the reader's nominations which makes up 40% of the vote are combined and then reviewed by KPMG to give
an overall winner. The winner of each category is that chef / restaurant / hotel or gastro pub who has the
highest combined judges and readers vote. County Winners and the Dublin Shortlist then go on to compete for
the Regional and All Ireland title which will be announced in the Burlington Hotel on 10th June 2013.
Stage 2
There are 3 elements to this stage of the process:
Mystery Guest Visit – 55%
All County Winners receive a mystery guest visit. The Irish Restaurant awards are the only awards in the
Industry where each of the Restaurants receive a visit from an independent Mystery Guest visitor who assess
the dining experience in terms of food quality, menu, customer service, premises and over all experience.
National Awards Academy – 35%
Our National Awards Academy made up of judges from each of the regions meet at the end of May to cast
their votes.
Menu Judging – 10%
Each of the County winners must submit their food and wine menus for judging as part of the process.
All of these scores are again combined and then reviewed by KPMG who give us our Regional and All Ireland
winners. Only members of the Restaurants Association of Ireland nominate in the Industry Category. These
nominations will also be judged by our National Awards Academy and independently assessed by KPMG.
How are the assessments conducted, for example are the restaurants notified in advance of your assessors
visit?
The Irish Restaurant awards are the only awards in the Industry where each of the Restaurants receive a visit
from an independent Mystery Guest visitor who assess the dining experience in terms of food quality, menu,
customer service, premises and over all experience. It is mystery guest inspection so the restaurant doesn’t
know when and by whom. When the inspector goes to pay the bill they present voucher / identification .
If so will the restaurant be aware of the identity of the assessor when he or she dines in the venue?
No
Does your assessors visit one or more occasions before rating the restaurant?
Just Once
How many awards do you give each year?
8 awards in the main categories
Plus
12 Industry awards. These are once off national awards. Not given out on a county by county basis.
http://www.irishrestaurantawards.com/awards-categories.html#&panel1-2
What do the restaurants receive for being granted the award?
They receive a framed certificate and vast publicity throughout the year from the Association
CHARGES :
Who discharges the bill for a review meal purchased by one of your assessors?
The restaurant pays for a 3 course meal plus a bottle of house wine for 2 people
Are there any charges payable by the restaurant proprietor to you in respect of granting of an award?
Absolutely not. They receive a detailed report from the Association outline their score plus recommendations.
Are there any charges payable for plaques, certificates and/or to feature on your website or guide?
None
What conditions apply to the display of your awards on a premises?
None.
For example if the premises changes hands or the head chef leaves is there any obligation to hand back the
award?
No. But this we should look at. Trying to implement might be hard.
Is there any restriction on how long an award can be displayed in a premises?
None because it’s a dated award.
How many members are there in the RAI
Over 800
How many awards are there in each county?
There are 6 main awards in each County with a County winner in each category.
Best Restaurant, Best Chef, Best Gastro Pub, Best Casual Dining, Best Hotel Restaurant, Best Customer
Service.
County winners are announced at each Regional Awards Evening (4).
All County winners go forward to the All-Ireland Awards where first the Regional Winner is announced
followed by the All Ireland Winner.
In addition to the above main categories, at each Regional Awards Evening 4 awards are given on
regional basis only for the following:
Best Wine Experience, Best Kids Size Me, Engaging the The Gathering Award, Jusk Ask!
Are Eateries in the selection process to become a county winner visited by Judges?
All nominated eateries are accessed by the Regional Judging Panels to ascertain the County winners per
category. Following the announcement of the County Winners at the Regional Awards Evenings ALL County
Winners are visited by an Independent Mystery Judge.
With nomination forms and one nomination form per email address – are they audited per ‘name’ or per
‘host’ – i.e., can several different people on the one email address @besthotel.ie’ for example submit a
nomination form?
All nominations are audited for both host and IP addresses. Only one nomination per individual email address
at a host address will be accepted. Nominations from public hosts and public WiFi networks e.g. Gmail,
Hotmail etc are also audited to ensure that there is no manipulation of the process. A date and stamp is also
recorded against all nominations. All nominations are audited by KPMG and public nominations carry a 40%
weighting of the judging process.
Who makes up your Regional Judging Panels?
Food writers, journalists, academics, hospitality editors and industry experts.
Are the mystery guests part of the RAI or from the judging panel?
The RAI contracts and outsources an Independent Mystery Judge consultancy who are not otherwise
connected with the RAI or the National Awards Academy.
How many judges make up the National Awards Academy and are they exclusively made up of Regional
Judges?
The National Awards Academy consists of 20+ judges and these include, but are not exclusive to, Regional
Judges.
When the National Awards Academy meet to ‘cast their vote’, what are they basing this decision on?
The Mystery Guest report results, the public nomination weighting figure, own experience, Industry
awareness, public awareness. Factors considered include food courses, wine, staff appearance & attitude,
table set up, value for money, bathrooms and venue entrance & interiors.
You say the RAI awards are the only ones in the industry where restaurants receive a visit from an
independent mystery guest visitor. Other award providers are claiming they also visit anonymously – what
makes you different, or are you referring to a specific part of the industry?
The RAI contracts and outsources an Independent Mystery Judge consultancy who are not otherwise
connected with the RAI or the National Awards Academy. All Mystery Judges carry a credit card style
indentification and we also send the Eatery a copy of the judges report for own feedback. There is no cost to
the Eatery for this report.
Can non-RAI members win?
Yes. All Winners are listed on www.irishrestaurantwards.com which is available for public viewing. Many past
winners have not been members of the RAI.
Where are country winners presented with their certificates at the regional events? Is there an awards
ceremony? If so, is there a cost for attendance and what are the costs?
County winners are presented with their certificates at the Regional Awards Evenings. Regional Winners are
presented with their certificates at the All-Ireland Awards.
Is there a cost to attend the Regional and All-Ireland title that are announced in the Burlington Hotel?
Regionals, see costs below.. This includes drinks reception, canapés, Awards ceremony and entertainment.
All-Ireland, see costs below. This is a Black Tie Gala evening which includes Champagne drinks reception,
canapés, five course gala dinner with wine, Awards Ceremony and entertainment.
CONNAUGHT REGIONAL EVENT
Date: 9th April 2013
Venue: The House Hotel, Latin Quarter Galway
Ticket Price: €30 per ticket / 2 for €50 / 5 for €100
ULSTER REGIONAL EVENT
Date: 17th April 2013
Venue: The Merchant Hotel, 16 Skipper St, Belfast
Ticket Price: €30 per ticket / 2 for €50 / 5 for €100
MUNSTER REGIONAL EVENT
Date: 23rd April 2013
Venue: The Imperial Hotel, Cork
Ticket Price: €30 per ticket / 2 for €50 / 5 for €100
LEINSTER REGIONAL EVENT
Date: 30th April 2013
Venue: The Marker, Docklands, Dublin
Ticket Price: €30 per ticket / 2 for €50 / 5 for €100
ALL IRELAND EVENT
Date: 10th June 2013
Venue: The Burlington Hotel, Dublin
Time: 6.30pm
Dress Code: Black Tie
Ticket Price: €130 per ticket / pair of tickets for €250
Table of 8 for €1000 / Table of 10 for €1200
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Totally Dublin – responses to survey questions
 How many establishments are listed in the Dining Guide each year?
This is a monthly listing. It’s not full at the moment but we try and run twelve restaurants in each page. *There
are] 3-4 pages of Dublin restaurants.

What are the criteria to appear in the Guide?
Editorial and the guide not linked at all. The editorial is separate from the guide. We look for a lot of better
places around that fit with the guide. Otherwise, we do have people who have approached us who are in
the guide. We put text together with the restaurant. *This+ can change from month to month. It’s €1050
per year excluding VAT and we have various payment options.
Advertorial piece but once its set up its run by sales team. There is an overlap with reviews from time to time,
but it’s not scheduled. Editorial is pretty well protected in the magazine.
We are very conscious who advertises in the magazine in the first place. We discourage people who don’t fit in
with the rest of the magazine. It’s open to new business and new restaurants. It’s attractive for people starting
out.
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