The Great Carvery of the Year 2014 shortlist has been finalised after public voting was closed, with establishments from West Cork up to the Giant's Causeway making the cut. A team of mystery shoppers are now visiting venues up and down the island to whittle this list down to the top three pub and hotel finalists from each province.
Speaking about the latest round in the competition, head judge Mark McCarthy of Unilever Food Solutions said, “The public has chosen some very strong venues this year, it’s going to be a real challenge for our mystery shopping team to narrow it down to a select group of finalists. I believe that a great carvery meal is about much more than just the quality of the food served. It’s about atmosphere, value and exceptional customer service and attention and that’s what the Great Carvery of the Year competition is all about, finding the best in class from a nationwide pool of immensely talented chefs and operators.”
Rugby ace Tommy Bowe, who is back again this year as competition ambassador said, “After seeing this year’s shortlist, it’s obvious that the public has once again chosen some of the country’s finest carveries. It will be a very tough decision for the mystery shoppers.” This year also sees the addition of a new category to find Ireland’s best one-day-only carvery. This category will search for the venue that serves the best carvery only one-day-a-week and will run alongside the established Great Carvery Public House of the Year and Great Carvery Hotel of the Year categories.
The finalists will be announced on August 11 where they will be invited to attend the grand final in Dublin in September. The overall winning venues will each receive PR to the value of €2,500 and marketing support valued at €2,000 for each venue. The winners’ prize also includes a specially-commissioned wall plaque to remind customers that they are about to sit down and enjoy the best carvery in Ireland. For more details, see www.greatcarvery.com.
Great Carvery Hotel of the Year 2014 Shortlist
Leinster:Radisson Blu Hotel, Dublin AirportStillorgan Park Hotel, StillorganBracken Court Hotel, BalbrigganDouble Tree by Hilton, Dublin 4Castle Arch Hotel, TrimWhites of Wexford, Wexford
Munster:Midleton Park Hotel, MidletonCarrigaline Court Hotel, CarrigalineCastle Hotel, MacroomParkway Hotel, DunmanwayGranville Hotel, WaterfordHeights Hotel, Killarney Connacht:Dalton Inn Hotel, ClaremorrisMcWilliam Park Hotel, ClaremorrisBush Hotel, Carrick-on-ShannonGalway Bay Hotel, SalthillImperial Hotel, GalwayFlannery’s Hotel, Renmore Ulster:Western Arms Hotel, MonaghanFour Seasons, MonaghanKellyhevlin Hotel, EnniskillenSilver Tassie Hotel, LetterkennyBailie Hotel, Bailieboro Great Carvery Pub of the Year 2014 Shortlist
Leinster:Molloy’s Pub, TallaghtThe 51, Dublin 4Arc Café Bar, Liffey ValleyAn Poitin Stil, RathcooleSlevin’s Pub, DunboyneDinn Ri, Carlow Munster:Bull McCabe’s, CorkThe Elm Tree, CorkThe Red Store, YoughalBobby Byrne’s Bar, LimerickUnicorn Bar and Restaurant, LimerickRussell’s Bar, Limerick Connacht:Mulroy’s Gastropub, CastlebarThe Merry Monk, BallinaThe Trappers Inn, GalwayHenry’s Bar and Restaurant, Sligo Ulster:Fiddlers, CarrickmacrossFox’s Bar and Restaurant, BailieboroThe Golf Inn, Newry Great Carvery One-Day-Only 2014 Shortlist:
Harvey’s Point Hotel, DonegalCeltic Ross Hotel, CorkThe Paddocks, Dublin 15Causeway Hotel, AntrimCastleview Mews/Clarion Hotel, CarrickfergusMartha’s Vineyard, Derry
