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FSAI welcomes Acrylamide Rules

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has welcomed new EU Regulations that aim to reduce consumer exposure to potentially harmful acrylamide in food products. Acrylamide is a chemical substance that naturally forms when frying, roasting or baking certain carbohydrate-rich foodstuffs at temperatures above 120°C. Food products which have been found to contain acrylamide include; French fries, potato crisps, crackers, breads, biscuits, cookies, rusks, cereal bars, scones, cornets, wafers, crumpets, gingerbread, breakfast cereals (excluding porridge), coffee and coffee substitutes.

The main health concern relates to acrylamide’s carcinogenic and genotoxic (DNA-damaging) potential. In an assessment carried out by the European Food Safety Authority in 2015, it concluded that current acrylamide levels which all age groups in the population are exposed to in their diet, do pose a concern with respect to carcinogenic effects.

Crowley for Young Chef Final

Killian Crowley was named the winner of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 UK and Ireland competition, and will advance to the global finals round to take place in Milan June 2018.

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With his signature dish of turbot, kohlrabi and sea purslane, Killian finished ahead of nine other contenders. The local semi-finalists competing for a chance to participate in the Grand Finale were hand-selected by ALMA, the world's leading international educational and training center for Italian cuisine.

The UK and Ireland's regional competition took place at Aveqia. A distinguished jury of chefs, who each hold a Michelin star, including Angela Hartnett of Murano, Phil Howard of Elystan Street, Alyn Williams of The Westbury and Mickael Viljanen of The Greenhouse, Dublin, tasted and evaluated each of the semi-finalists' signature Golden Rules ": ingredients, skill, genius, beauty and message, based on their adherence to the competition.

Killian gained international experience cooking in Michelin star restaurants across Europe is now Chef de Partie at 1 Michelin star Aniar in Ireland, a terroir restaurant using local and wild produce.

Sheila wins Beaujolais

The winner of our 2017 Beaujolais Nouveau competition is Sheila Russell of Harvey's Point Hotel, Donegal. She will receive a case of Grorges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2017 from distributors Febvre and Company.

Thanks to all our entrants and congratulations to Sheila

Dalata enters coffee market

Dalata Hotel Group has launched its first ever own-brand Red Bean Roastery coffee shop at its flagship Clayton Hotel, Leopardstown, Dublin 18. Red Bean Roastery has launched with 14 Coffee Docks in Clayton and Maldron Hotels throughout Ireland & UK, and this is now the first standalone coffee shop with two more planned for rollout in Dublin in 2018 and more to follow.

The coffee shop is located adjacent to Clayton Hotel Leopardstown in Central Park, Sandyford’s premier business district, which boasts anchor tenants such as Vodafone, Salesforce, AIB and Bank of America. The park has a working population of 25,000 set to rise to 35,000 over the next ten years.

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In addition to the planned standalone Coffee Shops, Dalata Hotel Group is rolling out the Red Bean Roastery brand to 35 of its existing Clayton and Maldron Hotels located throughout Ireland and the UK in 2018, and will be included as a standard in hotels under construction.

Dublin hotels continue to thrive

New data released by travel research firm STR indicates that the occupancy rate for Dublin hotels hit 88.2% in October, with the average daily rate of rooms being €142.77.

The 88.2% occupancy rate represents a 1.2% increase on October of 2016, while the €142.77 average daily room rate represents an increase of 8.5%. Furthermore, the capital's revenue per room available went up 9.9% to €125.91 in October compared to the same month last year.

Meanwhile, the occupancy rate for Ireland as a whole was up 3.3% to 83% in October, with the average daily room rate for the country rising 7.8% to €129.66.