Canceling your registration will remove your access to the event. If you proceed, you will no longer be able to participate or access event-related materials.
The Hospitality & Tourism Expo will be the first of its kind to be held virtually in Ireland. This 1 day event will be relevant to the entire hospitality & tourism sectors, visitors including: restaurant owners, pub owners, hotel owners, café owners, front of house staff, back of house staff, contract caterers etc.
There will also be a dedicated stream for students and a focus on the education and upskilling of the hospitality and tourism sectors.
9.00
Mark McGowan is President of the Restaurants Association of Ireland currently in his second term. He developed a great passion for hospitality at a very early age being brought up around the family pub McGowan’s of Phibsborough in Dublin. He worked in the pub at the weekend and summer holidays and found every day was a learning day. He enjoyed building a rapport with customers, not realizing at the time that he was gaining skills that would help him to succeed throughout life. Now along with his family he owns and operates Scholars Townhouse Hotel. A boutique hotel in Drogheda with a multi award winning Gastro lounge and fine dining restaurant. With a new venture in the form of Peggy Moore’s Pub renovated and opened just two years ago, Mark has knowledge of all areas of hospitality from; hotel, fine dining, gastropub and traditional pub and a wealth of his own and family experience within the sector behind him.
Micheál Martin was born in Turners Cross, Cork. He attended University College Cork where he qualified with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
He became Taoiseach on 27 June 2020.
Previously, he has served as Lord Mayor of Cork in 1992-93, and on the Fianna Fáil front bench and in four cabinet posts:
9.30Sponsored by Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet
Role: HR Administration, Brook Foods
A graduate from Hotel and Catering Management in GMIT, Carmel spent 15 years in the hotel industry before moving to Contract catering. In this period, she held many roles and 4 years ago moved full time to her HR role with Brook Foods. Carmel is an essential part of the HR team. Her interpersonal skills and intuitive nature means that she understands and can read people really well. Supporting employees is at the forefront of everything she does – whether that’s helping an employee with the important aspects to make their work possible or just being a kind welcoming ear to listen at times. Carmel is always researching and looking at ways to support employees in upskilling and development and knows the challenges and risks Brook Foods faces when it comes to employee growth and retention.
“We have seen the patterns of peoples work preferences, the life cycle of an employee and skill levels change so much even in this short period of time.” “We have found the only way to bridge the gaps is to offer a comprehensive training environment and to create a positive workplace. COVID has brought new challenges to us, to keep our staff and to engage with them and particularly the ones on layoff. We are working on a programme in conjunction with Niamh O Malley in Skillnet to ease them back to the workplace with more skills than before so that we will continue to keep and motivate our best asset – our staff. “
Fiona Dunne has over 28 years’ experience in the hospitality sector. A Fáilte Ireland Cert Instructor from 2004 to 2009 and a Hospitality Instructor from 2012 to present. Fiona Dunne completed her training at GMIT in 1998.Fiona Dunne completed the Training Needs Identification & Design Level 6 in 2016 with CPL Institute and the Train the Trainer in 2004 by Fáilte Ireland.
Fiona Dunne has worked in many departments in the restaurant and hospitality industry ranging from junior staff to supervisory level then on to management. Fiona Dunne continues to deliver certified training to the industry across all levels including Front of House, Back of House and Management.
Fiona also works alongside the Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet in delivering tailored onsite training as well as delivering programmes specifically developed for jobseekers to enter the industry. Fiona has a wealth of knowledge within Education & Training for the hospitality & tourism sectors and is very knowledgeable of the trends within this area.
Paul has extensive experience leading successful teams both in the private and public sector. He is a qualified chartered secretary and certified professional project manager, leading Fáilte Ireland’s Project Management Office (PMO) to be named as top three PMO in Ireland by the Project Management Institute in 2018. In his role as Head of Tourism Careers in Fáilte Ireland, Paul chairs the Tourism & Hospitality Careers Oversight Group, whose purpose is to support sustainable employment in the sector.
Áine is the Head of Dalata Academy, leading the Learning & Development function in Dalata Hotel Group. Áine has a long career in hotel operations before transferring to the HR and training space within the hospitality industry. Áine has worked with Dalata Hotel Group Plc since 2014. Áine has previously worked with Jurys Doyle Hotel Group plc in a number of locations in both Operations and Human Resources as well as 5 years in the Group HR Team in Jurys Inn Group in HR Project management and Learning & Development management roles. Áine is a graduate of Hotel Management from Griffith College Dublin, Certificate in Human Resources from National College of Ireland and a Masters in Human Resources Development from CIPD.
Áine is passionate about personal development and the upskilling of the future leaders of our industry, is a member of the IHF Skillnet Steering Committee and regularly works with Failte Ireland, IHF and education to ensure excellent collaboration.
In Dalata, Áine leads the training agenda, focusing on skills training, personal development and career development of hospitality personal under the umbrella of Dalata Academy. With 15 structured Development Programmes, Dalata Online – online learning management system. During the pandemic, the team in Dalata has responded amazing to the leanring agenda and made the most of the quiet times in the hotels to upskill, educate and development themselves.
Professor Garavan is recipient of the HRD Scholar Award 2013, the Richard Swanson Research Excellent Award in 2015 and 2019 for best papers in Human Resource Development Quarterly, the Edward Holton Research Excellence Award in 2019 for best paper in Human Resource Development Review and the Monica M Lee Award for Best Paper in Human Resource Development International in 2018 and 2020. Professor Garavan has for over 30 years been at the forefront of HRD and HRM research. Throughout his distinguished career, Professor Garavan has engaged in multi-disciplinary research and studied in an array of different fields. He has accumulated over 15,000 Google Scholar citations and had graduated 38 PhD students many of whom are now leading academics in Irish and international universities.
Professor Garavan is originally from Carrickeneady, Newport, Mayo and he attended the CBS in Westport. He is a graduate of the Kemmy Business School, Ul where he completed a Bachelor’s degree and Masters in Business Studies Professor Garavan went onto to study law at NUI Galway, philosophy at Mary Immaculate College, and completed a Doctorate in Education at the University of Bristol.
Professor Caravan’s editorship of the European Journal of Training and Development and associate editorship of Personnel Review attests to his reputation as global leader in the field of human resource management and development. A facet underscored through his membership of the Editorial Board of Human Resource Management Journal, Human Resource Development Quarterly, Human Resource Development Review, Advances in Developing Human Resources, The International; Journal of Training and Development, Human Resource Development International. He is currently on his second term as a Board member of the Academy of Human Resource Development.
Cork University Business School, leadership expert, Professor Thomas Garavan, has been inducted into the Academy of Human Resource Development’s (HRD) Hall of Fame. The HRD Scholar Hall of Fame Award is presented to scholars in human resource development and related disciplines who have made enduring contributions to the Academy’s mission of Leading Human Resource Development through Research.
To- date, only 16 scholars have been inducted into the Hall of Fame by the AHRD Board.
Dave is the Executive Director of Workforce Agility and Innovation at Skillnet Ireland. He is responsible for national, industry and regional initiatives that advance business productivity, innovation, and workforce development. He oversees the performance and evaluation of enterprise initiatives funded by Skillnet Ireland, working closely with partners in industry, education and Government.
10.30Sponsored by Peninsula
Chris Paye is the General Manager of Ireland’s leading e-recruitment platform, Jobs.ie. Chris began his career in recruitment 13 years ago after graduating from UCD with an honour’s arts degree in Economics and Politics in 2007. He had literally completed his final exam in college on a Friday and started working with IrishJobs.ie the following Tuesday (Monday was a bank holiday!). Throughout his career he progressed quickly moving from Graduate Account Manager to Senior Account Manager and then on to Team Lead. He was appointed Sales Director of IrishJobs.ie in 2012. In 2017 he moved to Jobs.ie as General Manager to oversee the operations of the e-recruitment platform. Since Jobs.ie was born, it’s been the leader in recruitment in the hospitality sector and Chris has fast become an expert and a consultative partner in recruitment for many hospitality clients in Ireland.
Moira Grassick is Managing Director of Peninsula, who provide HR, employment law and health & safety support to over 7,000 businesses across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Moira joined the organisation in 2012 as an HR Consultant, and in that time, her role has progressed significantly into a senior director position within the Peninsula Group.
With full responsibility for the management and development of Peninsula's Irish operations, Moira presides over 3,000 client monthly service interactions. She also plays a pivotal role in meeting the Group's ambitious growth goals and building on Peninsula's outstanding reputation for service delivery to clients throughout the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Moira's career has always centred on employment law and HR, and she has a BA in HRM and a diploma in employment law. She is also a certified mediator.
Wayne Neilon is Group General Manager of Connacht Hospitality Group, a family owned group in Galway. He has worked in the Hospitality Industry for 30 years, beginning his career as a chef before transitioning to Management roles. He joined the Connacht Hospitality Group in February 2017 and has overseen the addition of 3 new businesses to the group since then. The group comprises of The Connacht Hotel, An Púcán, Forster Court Hotel & Hyde Bar, The Residence Hotel & 1520 Bar and Galway Bay Golf Resort, which was acquired in 2019. The Group plan to develop a 4* Resort style property on this site to complement existing Golf Course.
Prior to joining CHG, Wayne worked in several General Manager roles for Pillo hotels (acquired by Dalata Hotel Group in 2014) and Dalata Hotel Group. Wayne completed a Strategic Management & Executive Management program from 2009 – 2010 with Failte Ireland and Cornell University. Hotel & Tourism Representative on recently appointed Galway Tourism Recovery Task Force chaired by Failte Ireland and Galway City Council.
John Ryan is the Founder and CEO of Gigable. After serving 9 years as an Officer of the Irish Defence Forces, John had a strong appreciation for a values-based organisation.
John wanted to create a platform for work that provided opportunity for all, an open, fair, and transparent platform that connected businesses within the hospitality industry with an engaged Freelancer community open to shift work.
With the current climate, Gigable is providing a dynamic solution for restaurants to take control of their delivery operations by finding, managing, and providing a quick and easy solution for paying drivers.
Academically, John also has an honours BSc Finance degree and an MBA from Michael Smurfit Business School.
Simon McGarr is a graduate of UCD and GMIT. Prior to entering the legal profession he worked in the public sector. Simon concentrates on Civil and Commercial litigation matters. He has particular experience in the areas of IP and internet law and is regularly called on to comment in the media.
Ronnie is a partner in Mason Hayes & Currans Employment Law and Benefits team, advising a broad range of domestic and international clients on both contentious and non-contentious matters. Ronnie acts for numerous clients in the retail and hospitality sector and has a deep understanding of issues facing the sector. He represented Trinity City Hotel in the Sunday premium case in 2019. Ronnie assists clients in drafting bespoke employment contracts and HR policies and procedures. He also provides on-going support to HR managers in relation to the management of day to day disciplinary issues, the handling of employee-related complaints, internal reorganisations and rationalisations, and terminations (particularly at senior level). He also regularly advises on industrial relations issues and is an experienced litigator in the various employment law fora. Ronnie is recognised as a leading employment lawyer who provides strategic, pragmatic and proactive advice.
11.30
Domini Kemp is an award-winning chef, food writer and entrepreneur. She is a co-founder of ITSA, Hatch & Sons, Alchemy Juice Co and Joe's, as well as Feast catering & events. She is MD of the ITSA food group and runs the company with her sister, Peaches, since 1999. They oversee multiple restaurant, cafes and event catering operations. She is a Euro-toques chef, finalist of the E&Y entrepreneur of the year, Image Businesswoman of the year and was awarded her MA in Gastronomy and Food Studies in 2019. She also runs the PEP Entrepreneur Programme in Wheatfield Prison, which was recently turned into a 4-part documentary, "Prison Breaks" on Virgin Media.
Domini is author of five cookbooks and was the Irish Times food writer from 2008-2016. Her fifth cookbook, "The Ketogenic Kitchen", has been a best-seller in Ireland and the US. She has presented to health care professionals both in Ireland and Switzerland as a patient advocate on topics of food, cancer and the concept of food as medicine. She is currently completing Chartered Director Diploma in the IoD, a Diploma in Culinary Medicine and a Prof. Dip in Positive Health in the Royal College of Surgeons. She regularly contributes to TV and radio and consults on various restaurant and food projects.
Awards & Achievements:
JP McMahon is a chef, restaurateur and author. He is culinary director of the EatGalway Restaurant Group, which comprises of Michelin-starred Aniar Restaurant, award-winning Spanish restaurant Cava Bodega, and Tartare Café &Wine Bar (Bib Gourmand). He also runs the Aniar Boutique Cookery School. JP is committed to the educational and ethical aspects of food, to buying and supporting the best of local and free-range produce, and engaging directly with farmers and producers.JP is the founder and plays host to one of the biggest and most talked about international food events in Europe, Food on the Edge. The highly successful inaugural event took place in Galway in October 2015 followed by equally acclaimed 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The 2020 event fell victim to Covid, however the team published an ebook ‘Lessons from Lockdown: Cooking after Covid’ featuring many former speakers and voices from the industry and plans are afoot to return in 2021. The event features the best international chefs from across the globe. Director, founding and current chair of the Galway Food Festival, JP is an ambassador for Irish food.
He is also an ambassador for Spanish food in Ireland in particular promoting the wines of Rías Baixas (Galicia) and Jerez. JP is currently a commissioner for Euro-Toques Ireland. MEDIA: Published author and writer of 'Tapas, A Taste of Spain in Ireland' and ‘The Irish Cookbook’ (Phaidon 2020). He is a food writer and has a weekly column in the Irish Times on Saturday. He is a regular contributor to Radio One and Newstalk radio and has a monthly slot on RTE TV; he was twice the winning mentor for the RTE Series Taste of Success.
From Bishopstown in Co. Cork, Ross studied Dairy Science in University College Cork (UCC), but the idea of cooking for a living came to him only while working on a student visa in the United States. Moving to London to learn his trade, he started out at Odin’s, owned by Peter Langan, Richard Shepard and the actor Michael Caine. After that came a move to Switzerland to work at Le Chat Botté at the Beau Rivage Hotel in Geneva.
Lewis, then 25, returned to Ireland in 1990 and in 1992 took the chance, with Martin Corbett, of setting up Chapter One. Thanks to a relentless focus on customer care and a commitment to creating dishes reflecting the best of Irish food, it’s enjoyed a loyal following ever since, holding a Michelin star since 2007 and winning countless awards including Best Restaurant in Ireland (eight times, most recently in 2017), Best Chef of the Year (2017, Food & Wine Magazine) and, in 2018, the Mike Butt award for lifetime achievement, from the Restaurant Association of Ireland.
In 2019, Ross received an Alumni Achievement Award from his alma mater, UCC, honouring his life’s work to date in the food industry. Most recently, in February 2021, he received the inaugural Michelin Mentor Chef Award for Great Britain and Ireland. This award from the Michelin Guide recognises a particular chef’s contribution to nurturing talent within the industry. As the guide says: ‘Ross’ vast experience has allowed him to pass on his wealth of knowledge about cooking and Irish produce to younger chefs coming up through the ranks, acting not only as a mentor but also as a friend to a host of chefs.’
A commissioner for Eurotoques, Ross was head chef for the State Banquet during Queen Elizabeth II’s 2011 visit to Ireland. He is a passionate advocate of Irish food and producers, and in 2015 published Chapter One: An Irish Food Story (Gill Books), which is now in its second print run. He’s also a firm supporter of the now-annual Food on the Edge conference, which brings together chefs and others from the food and hospitality business all over the world, to discuss the future of food.
Lewis lives in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, with his family.
Darina Allen, a well-known chef and author of 19 cookbooks and presenter of 8 series of ‘Simply Delicious’ Co-founder of the famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in the midst of a 100-acre organic farm in East Cork in Ireland. Students come from all over the world to hone their culinary skills at this sustainable, farm-to-table project, est. in 1983. The family hotel, Ballymaloe House has been the recipient of numerous awards for its seasonal, local and home-grown food and hospitality.
Some of Darina’s awards include:
March 2020 – One Pot Feeds All won a 2020 World Gourmand Cookbook Award in the Cooking School/Education Section
September 2019 – Garden Café Food Truck awarded the Georgina Campbell Irish Food & Hospitality Awards 2020 – Street Food of the Year
May 2018 - Grow, Cook, Nourish won the 2018 Gourmand World Cookbook Award
May 2018 - Darina received an Honorary Fellowship of the Dublin Gastronomy Symposium (DIT) in recognition of a lifetime’s dedication and work promoting Irish gastronomy, food history and culture.
Guaranteed Irish Food Hero Award 2018
November 2014, ‘Outstanding Achievement in Business Award’ by the Cork Chamber of Commerce
February 2014, Darina won the ‘Best Professional Author & Chef’ category of the WORLD GOURMANDS for the UK for ’30 Years at Ballymaloe’
May 2013, Darina won The Guild of Food Writers (UK) top accolade, the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’, for her incalculable contribution to culinary education.
“Forgotten Skills” won the André Simon Food Book of the Year, 2010
She holds many positions in leading food organisations including:
Maureen Gahan joined Bord Bia in January 2001 as a Trade Marketing Specialist. She has held responsibility for managing Bord Bia's foodservice programme on the Ireland market since 2009. Her role includes developing relationships with Trade Buyers and identifying potential opportunities for Irish food and drink manufacturers. Prior to joining Bord Bia, Maureen worked with the Trade Development Institute in Dublin, a seafood importer in Paris and with Enterprise Ireland in their Stockholm office. Maureen holds a BSc in Management and is a graduate of the Dublin Institute of Technology.
12.30Sponsored by WorldPay
Anne O’Dwyer
Kroll, Managing Director, Ireland
Anne is a managing director in the Kroll (formerly Duff & Phelps) Dublin office and co-heads the Irish practice. In addition to her local role in Ireland she also chairs the EMEA Management Committee, sits on the global Business Leadership Team and is a board member of Kroll Charitable Foundation. Anne is a Chartered Accountant and a Committee Member of Restructuring & Insolvency Ireland (“RII”).
Having come from an auditing background Anne brings her extensive experience in providing accounting, advisory and restructuring services to a broad range of clients. Her sectoral expertise includes hospitality, education, real estate, retail, professional services and health. This knowledge and experience, together with key skills, including attention to detail, a methodical approach to assignments and astute analytical skills enable Anne to produce timely critical reports to offer optimal decision making capabilities for directors, lenders and other stakeholders of companies in distress. Anne has advised a number of companies, financial institutions and state agencies on strategic restructuring options.
As Visa’s Interim Ireland Country Manager and Head of Merchant Sales and Acquiring for the UK and Ireland, Dominic has a unique view of innovations and trends in the payments industry.
Over the course of 2020, he has played a key role in developing Visa’s long-term strategy and response to the COVID-19 crisis, such as increasing the contactless limit in the UK and Ireland and helping small businesses digitise and keep trading through these difficult times.
Prior to joining Visa in 2019, Dominic held various senior roles in the payments industry in the Asia-Pacific region, including Pacific Head of Ingenico Group, A-P Managing Director for Bambora, and senior executive roles heading up transaction banking products including Acquiring and other payments for Australia’s three largest retail banks.
Dominic has consulted to and held directorships of various organisations in the payments industry in Asia-Pacific and Europe, developing high level strategy for financial institutions and retailers, as well as acquisition and divestment options and optimisation strategies for large and small businesses.
Dominic holds a BSc and an MBA and has over 30 years’ experience in financial services organisations, including roles at General Manager level in ANZ, Commonwealth Bank and National Australia Bank.
Derek is a chartered accountant who has worked extensively in the Investment Management industry having worked with PwC, Goodbody Stockbrokers and EY. He has also worked extensively at a leadership level in emerging markets (Haiti and Uganda). Derek oversees the investment strategy, risk management framework and deal-structuring for KFD
O’Callaghan – Head of Partnerships Ireland – Worldpay
A veteran of over 20 years in the payments industry in Ireland having held positions within Sales, Relationship Management and Leadership. Wayne has extensive experience in working with the hospitality sector throughout his career to date. Wayne recently joined Worldpay to grow their partner sales channel in support Worldpay’s ambitious growth plans within the Irish Market
Jim Power is owner manager of Jim Power Economics Limited, an economic and financial consultancy, which he set up in 2009.
He is a board member of Love Irish Food and he was Chairman of Three Rock Capital Management, an investment company, from 2013 until it was purchased by Julius Baer in January 2020. He is a member of the Institute of Directors in Ireland.
He was previously Treasury Economist at AIB (1987-1991), Chief Economist at Bank of Ireland Group (1992-2000) and Chief Economist Friends First Group (2000 to 2018).
He is the author of the SIMI Quarterly Motor Industry Review. He is a frequent contributor to podcasts including The Stand and Win Happy. In February 2021 Jim and Chris Johns launched their own Podcast ‘The Other Hand’, which is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
He is a graduate of UCD and holds a BA and a Master of Economic Science Degree. He lectures part-time on the Full-Time MBA at Smurfit School of Business, UCD.
He is a native of Waterford.
jim@jimpowereconomics.ie
Website: Jim PowerEconomics.ie
2.00Sponsored by Just Eat
Fabrizio Orlando, Global Industry Relations Associate Director, Tripadvisor
Fabrizio joined Tripadvisor at the end of 2018 and since then leads the global Industry Relations team, overseeing the company’s institutional relationships, and global thought leadership projects and partnerships. Fabrizio works with national hospitality and tourism bodies, associations and non-governmental organisations to build Tripadvisor’s role as a trusted partner for stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry. Fabrizio has a Philosophy degree from Federico II and a Master in Philosophy and Politics obtained at La Sorbonne University, and before joining Tripadvisor worked as a strategic consultant for a global consulting and market research firm.
Johannes is a digital marketing enthusiast. He has been in the marketing game for around 10 years and during that time worked with fast-growing start-ups in the technology sector and also with bigger organizations. Currently, he runs his own digital marketing agency WINK, and keeps a blog https://gettinggrowth.com on the side. Johannes is also a featured guest writer for some of the well-known social media tools like HopperHQ, Social Bakers, and others.
Kate Taylor is a Tourism Strategist, Consultant, Trainer and keynote speaker, specialising exclusively in the tourism & hospitality sector. In senior hospitality Sales & Marketing roles for 17 years, Kate's direct experience includes a wide range of accommodation providers, activity providers and attractions, introducing strategic thinking, proactive action planning and intuitive digital engagement that converts.
Since setting up Taylored Training 12 years ago, Kate’s major clients include several National Tourism Authorities, such as Tourism Northern Ireland and Failte Ireland, advising them on Destination Strategy, Cluster Experience Development Programmes and Marketing Strategy. Contracts have involved designing & delivering comprehensive training & development programmes, assisting in the implementation of ambitious digital and online programmes, setting up and facilitating cluster initiatives, and mentoring individual tourism businesses to deliver on their business & personal goals.
Kate has worked with over 30 Tourism Destination/ Themed Clusters to achieve growth and brand clarity both online and offline. Through her training programmes and workshops, she has also worked directly with over 500 individual tourism businesses, the majority reporting substantial increases in profit, decreases in stress and a renewed focus.
Kate is a renowned Tourism Keynote Speaker and have delivered numerous Keynote talks and presentations at regional and national conferences, both in person and virtually.
Taylored Training has recently launched a series of Online Tourism Training Courses, her most comprehensive being the very practical “Focus First”…. with “SEO Essentials” proving the most popular over the last few months.
Areas of expertise –
Sebastian Hamilton is Ireland’s Head of Public Affairs for global fintech Revolut, for whom he created the monthly Revolut Report into consumer spending - using high-frequency spending data from the firm’s 1.2m Irish customers to deliver insights which have generated nationwide interest from media, stakeholders and industry.
Prior to joining Revolut, Sebastian enjoyed a distinguished 25-year writing and broadcasting career with some of the world’s biggest media businesses including News International, DMGT and the Telegraph Group. As a director of DMG Media Ireland and Group Editor of the award-winning Irish Mail titles, he led public policy campaigns on issues including protecting children online; supporting HPV vaccination; accountability in public office; and promoting marriage equality.
Sebastian was educated at Cambridge University, and more recently obtained a first-class Diploma in Marketing Management from Griffith College, Dublin. He is a director of suicide bereavement charity Hugg and also serves on the AI Skills Steering Group of the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
Amanda Roche Kelly is Managing Director of Just Eat in Ireland, which is now part of the leading global online food delivery marketplace, Just Eat Takeaway.com. Delivering an essential service to customers right across Ireland, Just Eat has remained committed to supporting the country’s struggling restaurant industry; helping existing Just Eat restaurant partners and new local and independent outlets continue trading during these difficult times.
Having joined the company in 2012 as Head of Sales, Amanda quickly progressed to her current role managing the Irish business across all functions, pushing forward new technologies to reach customers in new ways in order to help Just Eat restaurant partners deliver their much loved food to more people.
In Ireland, Just Eat has over 3,000 restaurant partners online where consumers can access their favourite local eateries, with a choice of over 40 different cuisines types. More than 80% of Just Eat customers now order either via the app or on mobile device, with the Just Eat app downloaded over 2.7 million times since it was launched in Ireland.
In her role as Managing Director, Amanda has driven investment in cost saving trade support packages and led the roll-out of an expanded delivery network in response to growing demand right across the country. With the enhanced scale and leading position of the combined group, Just Eat in Ireland will continue to drive growth within the industry in the areas of technology, marketing and delivery infrastructure, developing and improving the service it provides to restaurant partners and to Just Eat customers as Ireland’s leading food ordering and delivery platform.
Paul Hayes is one of Europes' leading technology communications strategists and the founder of Beachhut PR. Beachhut works with leading companies in the fin-tech, health-tech, urban mobility, delivery and food-tech space such as Manna Aero, Flipdish, Camille and Unify Ordering. He is a consigliere to many of Ireland's leading tech founders and investors. He hosts or leads a range of sector-shaping initiatives from Startup Wakes to Flounders in Europe and the US.
Never happier than when mentoring early stage startups he has developed and delivered programmes for the NDRC, Ryan Academy and Dogpatch to hundreds of startups based on his now legendary ‘10 Communication Rules for Startups’. He has also implemented innovative marketing strategies at international trade shows such as GDC and SxSW. He was a founder of Games Ireland and is known as one of the best connectors in the tech ecosystem.
Originally from Tipperary, Hayes has lately developed a passion for cycling and eating and to that end leads trips across the world with founders, funders and flounders.
3.00Sponsored by BrightHR
Mark is a Director of Safe Events, based in Dublin. He is a Risk Management and Safety professional, specialising predominantly in Crowds and Events and operating both in Ireland and internationally.
Since COVID changed things, he has been working with clients providing training around the theme of ‘Risk-Assessing to Reopen’, empowering normal businesses to confidently risk-assess their operations and reopen / continue to trade, Government guidelines permitting
As Mark sees it, COVID is a risk and risks can be managed. If we are to ‘live with COVID’ as our politicians are fond of saying, then we need to risk assess for COVID, manage that risk and get back to work.
He is a Fellow of the International Institute of Risk & Safety Management (IIRSM), the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM) and the Institute of Place Management (IPM). He is a Technical Member of the Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH) as well as a Graduate Member of the Marketing Institute of Ireland.
Current projects include
Mark sees ‘safety’ as an enabler to creativity and pushing boundaries.
Alan Price, CEO of BrightHR
A leading authority on employment law, and HR, Alan Price is CEO of BrightHR. BrightHR is an international HR and health & safety support and employment law advice service.
Alan is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD with 18 years’ experience in employee relations, a Chartered Manager and Fellow of the CMI, a certified practitioner and Fellow of the AHRI (Australian Human Resources Institute), and a member of the Canadian Human Resource Professional Association.
Having demonstrated a significant contribution to business and society, he is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
In 2003, Alan was appointed to her Majesty’s Court and Tribunal Service and was one of the youngest judicial appointments to the Employment Tribunal Service, which he continues to hold.
From 2015 to 2019, Alan served as a charity trustee and Non-Executive Director for the global HR professional body, the CIPD, which represents over 140,000 HR professionals worldwide.
As an industry leading thought leader Alan’s expertise is sought after regularly. His authoritative commentary on SME and people management issues has been featured in media outlets such as BBC News, BBC Five Live, Sky News and The Telegraph.
In 2019, Alan was named the Perk box HR Hero. The HR Hero Awards celebrate HR professionals that go above and beyond within their role.
As the Executive Vice-President of Government Relations with Restaurants Canada, Lauren has an excellent track record of successful public affairs leadership across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, and brings a wealth of experience in government relations, public affairs and strategic communications. She currently serves as Vice-Chair of the VentureKids Board of Directors.
Lauren holds an Executive MBA Certificate from McGill University, a Masters degree in Public Policy and Administration from Carleton University, and a Bachelor (Hons.) from McGill University in Political Science and Economics. And she fervently believes that Montreal bagels are superior to all others.
Maria Rice is Creative Director and founder of ADI Studio and has spent close to 20 years working in the commercial interior design industry. Maria’s main expertise lies in Hotel, Bar and Restaurant design, however, she does have a keen interest in heritage hotel properties with the likes of Lough Eske Castle, Mount Falcon Country House Estate and both Titanic Hotel Liverpool & Titanic Hotel Belfast under her belt. Her passion for creating unique experiences for guests and customers in each project has made ADI Studio a ‘go to’ for boutique and one-off commercial property owners. Although based in Dublin with the majority of their work in Ireland, ADI Studio has also worked on projects in the UK and Caribbean. As a previous Director | Principal with The Kaye Rice Partnership for several years, her commercial thinking in hospitality matched with an enthusiasm to successfully conceive, develop and implement a project is key to a successful outcome for clients.
Kate Nicholls is CEO of UKHospitality, the powerful voice representing the broad hospitality sector, having previously worked as CEO and Strategic Affairs Director of the ALMR.
In January 2020, Kate joined the Mayor of London’s London Food Board, advising the Mayor on food matters directly affecting London. Kate is also Chair of the Tourism Alliance and the Mayor of London’s Night Time Commission. Kate serves as a member of the Events Industry Board, Tourism Industry Council, Cultural Cities Enquiry, London & Partners Members Group, Best Bar None Board and is a trustee at Hospitality Action.
After gaining a degree in English and a post-graduate diploma in competition law, Kate worked as a researcher in the House of Commons and European Parliament before joining Whitbread as Government Relations Manager, starting her career in hospitality in 1993. Kate was Director at one of the largest independent public affairs companies, working with a number of hospitality, retail and leisure accounts before establishing her own strategic communications consultancy in 2000. She is a graduate of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and Kings College London.
4.00Sponsored by Diageo
Vaughan has set up several successful businesses within the drinks sector over a 20-year period and has a unique understanding of compelling strategies and brilliant brand positioning. He is Owner and Creative Director of 1751, known for its expertise in brand home experiences and advocacy driving programmes for leading spirits brands. He is an experienced public speaker and presenter with a real flair for personal engagement and game-changing ideas.
Vaughan is also the Founder of Europe’s first dedicated alcohol-free cocktail bar, The Virgin Mary Dublin, and Co-owner of TVM Global, the world’s only alcohol-free bar group. He is passionate about driving a new socialising paradigm within the global alcohol industry, and his innovative concept is poised to expand beyond Irish shores in the very near future.
Michael Martin… Pacino’s & The Pig Speakeasies Suffolk St Dublin 2
Adapting your business through Covid.
Brought up on a family farm in north Dublin with five siblings, Michael’s father was a Dublin publican who ran his father and mother’s family pub business until his untimely passing at the young age of 42. Having worked with his father and shared a passion for the hospitality industry Michael later found his way into the restaurant business in 2006 at the age of 26. Taking on an existing business in Pacino’s, a family friendly restaurant, he developed it through a refurbishment in 2007 and later building a licensed night-time trade throughout the recession years.
In 2011, Michael established The Blind Pig cocktail bar with award winning bar tender Paul Lambert. “Named after the police who turned a blind eye to the liquor rooms of the 1920’s prohibition era”. It was initially a pop up but was later given permanency and became “the secret bar near Grafton street in Dublin”. As the Irish cocktail culture grew over the last ten years, along with the popularity of social media so did The Blind Pig.
In 2017, The Little Pig Speakeasy was established, and like during America’s prohibition period where there were two types of secret venues where you could get a drink. “A Blind Pig”, which was an underground bar catering more to the lower classes serving moonshine, and then the “Speakeasy”, a luxurious hidden venue aimed at the upper classes. The Little Pig Speakeasy has established itself as a plusher first floor bar to its livelier basement brother.
Michael’s speaks today of his experiences, about the effect of Covid on his business, how they’ve adapted and what he hopes the future brings.
Drink Industry Ireland’s editor Pat Nolan has spent the last 35 years writing about the drinks industry in Ireland.
During this time he has worked as editor of Vintners World, Licensing World and Drinks Industry Ireland magazines.
When asked why he hasn't opened a pub himself yet, he points to those 35 years' invaluable insight given to him.
He knows how hard it is to run a hospitality outlet...
Lorraine Compton,
Compton Solicitors
Lorraine advises clients operating in the Retail, Hospitality and Liquor Licensing sectors. She is regarded as a leading practitioner in the area of Leisure and Licensing Law. Compton Solicitors act for supermarket chains, hotel groups, pubs, off licences, distilleries, breweries and petrol forecourts. They also act for many of Ireland’s leading hamper companies and obtain Liquor Licences for businesses who sell alcohol online both wholesale and retail. At Compton Solicitors our approach is simple – we get things done.
Having previously been the head of the Retail and Leisure Sector group at Matheson, one of Ireland’s leading professional law firms, Lorraine established Compton Solicitors as a focused boutique, full-service practice to provide a one stop shop to the Retail and Hospitality Industry (www.comptonsolicitors.ie) countrywide. She has a deep understanding of every process which affects a retail or hospitality business from dealing with suppliers to loyalty schemes, advertising, product liability, acquisition and fundraising for commercial property and defence of prosecution under the Health Acts, Intoxicating Liquor Acts, Planning Acts and Consumer Acts.
Lorraine has immersed herself fully into her client’s business to gain a better understanding of their systems and needs and has on occasions worked on clients’ shop floors to establish if particular advices will work in a given situation.
Contact: lorraine.compton@comptonsolicitors.ie
Some Recent Transactions of Compton Solicitors
Ross Bissett– Sales & Quality Manager + Head of Future & Digital Channels
Ross was appointed to his current role in January 2021 having joined the Diageo Ireland business from C&C Group.
Ross is Diageo’s Sales & Quality Manager + Head of Future & Digital Channels and will lead Diageo’s On Trade Food Team.
Ross is a recognised leader in the FMCG & Drinks industry in Ireland with an exceptional record of Business Development, Brand Building, Mentorship of Talent and Leading through change.
Starting his career in sales 18 years ago with Kompass Ireland, Ross progressed rapidly to Sales Director level operating in senior executive roles in ABInBev, Bulmers Ireland & C&C Gleeson. He has gained a reputation with both customers & teams he’s managed, building high levels of trust through his integrity, passion and focus and the desire to deliver results.
Cian O’Mahony is a Category Development Manager at Diageo, excelling in consumer and market insights.
Within his years in Diageo, Cian has worked across Sales, Activations, and Category – building up an expertise in alcohol trends, consumer habits, and trends. He has recently been working on understanding the impacts of Covid 19 on the Irish alcohol market, and what that means for customers in the on-trade and the restaurant channel.
5.00Sponsored by Gas Networks Ireland
Maurice J Bergin FIHI MSc. Green Hospitality Programme
Maurice Bergin is a Founder and Managing Director of the Green Hospitality Programme (GHP), which offers Irelands leading Tourism & Hospitality Environmental Sustainability Certification Programmes. He is the leading expert on environmental and resource efficiencies (Energy, Water, Waste) within the Irish Tourism & Hospitality Sector and has been delivering cost reduction and efficiency solutions for the last 20 years.
Maurice has worked with hundreds of Tourism SME’s who have saved tens of million euros over this period. GHP provides Best in Class tools, templates, advice and support with a firm focus on the key environmental issues that directly impact the tourism sector – Climate Change (Energy & Carbon Reduction), Pollution (Single Use Plastics), Waste (Food Waste Minimisation), Local and Responsible Procurement.
Maurice is a Graduate from the Shannon College of Hotel Management, holds an MSc in Hospitality Management from TUDublin and undertook post-Graduate studies at Cornell University.
He spent 25 in managerial roles in hotels in Ireland, UK and South Africa working with International Brands and Independent hotels and owned his own Guesthouse & Restaurant before starting his consulting business in early 2001 – specialising in food hygiene and environmental consulting.
The Covid-19 interruption has not slowed him down – he is using the time to re-imagine the GHP service offering which has already seen the certification programmes moving online and is currently developing online training services/system to enable all sizes businesses access best practice training.
Maurice believes that the single most important challenge facing Ireland is Climate Change and that Ireland’s failure to properly engage will damage the country’s global image worldwide, which will damage business – especially inbound tourism.
Michael Lennon is a fifth generation hotelier with nearly forty years experience working in the Industry. With his wife Joanne he owns and manages the Westport Woods Hotel.
He is a past President of the Irish Hotels Federation and a present director on the Board of ITIC. He gives priority to addressing the ongoing challenges that face the hospitality Industry particularly in the West of Ireland, focusing on ensuring that the right business environment exists to support the sustainable growth of Irish tourism.
A native of Co Carlow, Michael Lennon is a graduate of the College of Catering, Cathal Brugha Street. He has worked in hotel kitchens and restaurants in Mannheim, Germany, Geneva, Switzerland and Chicago USA. Returning to Ireland to manage his home hotel in Tullow Co Carlow, then working with the Great Southern Hotel Group before joining Brian McEniff Hotels in Donegal.
He has been a member of Maurice Bergin's Green Hospitality for many years, implementing cost savings in the area of energy control water and waste management. This has helped his hotel win many national awards in the areas of best practice energy and waste management. It also set in motion Michael's IHF Green promotion over a year ago which will be ready to help energise a sustainable recovery for the sector.
He has also represented the IHF upon the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications steering committee upon their Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy fulfilling its commitment in the Programme for Government to publish and start implementing a new National Waste Action Plan. It informs and gives direction to waste planning and management in Ireland over the coming years.
He has most recently worked with Oli Gleeson of Profitwatch upon an EPA/ Department of Agriculture funded project to educate and benchmark food businesses in how to reduce their food waste. This covers areas of correct menu planning, pricing, storage, portion control, presentation and most importantly the training development of the personnel whom deal with food service preparation.
He looks forward to a thought provoking debate and sharing some of has own learnings at the upcoming Hospitality and Tourism Expo 21.
As National Customer Acquisition Manager at Gas Networks Ireland, Fran McFadden is responsible for growing the number of natural gas customers nationally and for the company’s overall customer acquisition strategy, across the industrial, commercial, new housing and mature domestic sectors. A Donegal native, Fran has worked in Gas Networks Ireland for over twelve years. Prior to joining Gas Networks Ireland, Fran held sales management positions in the telecommunications sector, with Artesyn Technologies. Fran holds a BA in Electronic Engineering from University College Dublin.
Simon studied environmental economics at Manchester and has been involved in sustainability & climate strategy for the last 20 years, launching several new businesses during that time.
Following an early career managing restaurants in London, Simon spent seven years working with remote and offshore infrastructure in locations such as East Timor, the Congo and Curacao, before joining Good Business on 2001 to lead the climate team and conducting the first carbon footprints for businesses including Orange and Liberty Global. Collaborating with colleagues he founded The Sustainable Restaurant Association in 2010, which after launching with 30 pioneering restaurants has since grown to support a community of over 12,000 kitchens. In 2019 he launched Food Made Good to licence the SRA program to international partners and has opened offices in Hong Kong, Japan and Greece.
Simon’s latest venture is Net Zero Now, a sector based climate initiative with Net Zero restaurants as its first project.
As SME sales and Connections Manger at Gas Network Ireland, Evelyn Preston is responsible for growing the number of SME natural gas customers nationally and for the company’s overall customer acquisition strategy for the SME sector. Evelyn has worked in Gas Networks Ireland for over 2 years. Prior to joining Gas Networks Ireland, Evelyn has over 20 years’ experience working across several utilities including Telecoms and Water in both business development and project management roles. Evelyn holds a BA in Commerce and a Post Graduate Diploma in IT and System Analysis.
Gráinne O’Keefe is an Irish chef who has been working in Dublin kitchens for 12 years including restaurants such as Il Segreto, The Merrion, Pichet and Bastible. Gráinne is currently head chef of Clanbrassil House restaurant (a small neighbourhood restaurant with a focus on seasonal small plates, charcoal grill cooking and interesting wines which was featured in the New York Times ‘48 hours in Dublin’), as well as being the culinary director of BuJo burger joint which is an award winning burger joint in Sandymount that specialises in chargrilled grass fed Irish beef burgers with a big focus on sustainability.
Gráinne recently won the ‘Chef of the Year Award’ for 2020 for her and her teams creativeness and adaptability during covid, with BuJo being the first restaurant in Ireland to create a meal kit for guests.
Gráinne likes to keep her food simple with a big focus on ingredients and flavour which comes through on her menus.
6.00
Appointed Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) in 2009, Adrian has significantly increased RAI membership as well as established a National Restaurants Awards program, in the form of The Irish Restaurants Awards. With a keen interest in politics and current affairs, Adrian has played a dominant role in lobbying for issues that impact the Restaurant Sector and in particular the cost of doing business and being an employer in Ireland. Adrian has been involved in the development and implementation of apprenticeships for the hospitality sector as an original member of the Steering Group for the development of a National Commis Chef Apprenticeship Programme and is the Industry lead for the Chef de Partie and Sous Chef apprenticeships.
Through his work in the RAI, Adrian also founded the annual Foodie Destinations Award - a competition highlighting and recognising the excellent food produce, restaurants, talented chefs and artisans and foodie destinations that the island of Ireland has to offer.
At European level, Adrian represents Ireland at HOTREC, the hospitality industry lobby group in the EU. Adrian has chaired the Food Taskforce since 2012 and in October 2016 was elected to the Executive Committee of HOTREC and has been treasurer since 2019 and is Chairman of Hospitality Europe, - Restaurants, Bars and Nightlife Working Group.
10.00
Hi everyone! My name is Gustavo, I am currently working at LinkedIn as an Account Executive for the Marketing Solutions business line. I am also part of the Rock Your Profile Ambassador Program. A global program designed to educate, inspire and empower people, to build their professional profile and connect to opportunities using LinkedIn. I have a strong background is in the hospitality industry, particularly in the HR & Learning department. I had the pleasure of working with large luxury hotel companies in the past such as The Ritz-Carlton or Aman Resorts. I look forward to connecting with all of you!
Brief workshop outline:
You have a story. Whether you're just starting out in your career, taking it to the next level or simply pivoting to something knew. Your LinkedIn profile can help you bring your story to life. In this workshop, I'll help you explore how to build a profile that tells the story of your career journey. We will look at how to choose the best profile photo, create a custom headline, introduce yourself in your summary, show impact and results with rich media and work experience and finally how to incorporate skills endorsements and recommendations into your story. Everything will be linked to the hospitality sector. You'll walk away from this workshop feeling energized and empowered to build a LinkedIn profile that represents the incredible professional that is YOU. Are you ready? Sign-up and let's Rock Your Profile!
11.00
Dr. Paul Cummins – Managing Director SeaChange Ltd
Paul is Managing Director at SeaChange Ltd.; an Expert Safety Consultancy that designs and implements Innovative Solutions to increase Safety Culture, Safety Performance and Safety Results; while decreasing costly accidents, claims and insurance costs in organisations.
SeaChange solutions include digital products, lean risk management systems, EHS risk assessments & audits, interactive & visual tools, consultancy reports and training/certification applied to increase client performance in the areas of Safety Culture, Behaviour-Based Health & Safety, Risk Management, Safety Leadership Development and EHS Compliance with applicable legislation. SeaChange clients span multiple sectors including Pharma, Food & Drink Multinationals, SMEs, Retail, Hospitality, Sport & Leisure and Pub & Restaurants across Ireland and Europe.
Paul has a BA and MSc in psychology, and an MBA where his research focus was on ‘leading staff safety-behaviour change through lean engagement practices’. Paul’s MBA thesis was published as a book in 2011: “The Effectiveness of Health & Safety Communication Practices: A Qualitative Investigation of the Effectiveness of H&S Communication Practices through Engagement.”
In 2014 Paul completed his PhD in Organisational Leadership. Paul’s research led to key insights on understanding and positively impacting Safety Culture. Paul’s psychology and business qualifications have led to extensive experience working with a range of professionals in enhancing their safety performance through practical means.
12.00
Nicholas Ryan, originally from Limerick on the West coast of Ireland is well educated in the spirits industry, helping others to learn more about the distillation, maturation and tasting processes. Specialising in the new WSET Level 1 & 2 Award in Spirit, he is passionate about Irish Whiskey and traditional styles of Poitin. Nick runs The Irish Whiskey and Spirits Institute which is a WSET Approved Programme Provider offering a hands-on introduction to the world of spirits & liqueurs through WSET Level 1, 2, & 3 Award in Spirits. Nick helps businesses, employees and individuals to explore the main styles and types of spirits through sight, smell, and taste to develop an understanding of the key factors affecting flavours and aromas.
To date his courses have been a great success. Nick is known to be truly passionate about spirits and it is evident in his teaching approach. He is an expert in the field of whiskey and spirits.
1.00
From the age of 17, Raquel has worked in the hospitality industry following her move from her native Spain to Ireland. Since embarking on her career in hotel management she has had the privilege of working around the world and in all areas of the industry.
In 2012, Raquel was working as the sales & marketing manager at Hotel Doolin, Co. Clare in the west of Ireland. That year, the general manager decided that they would strive to become the 'greenest hotel' in Ireland. The challenge was put forth and Raquel, by chance, was nominated for the job. She rose to the occasion, becoming the hotel's newly appointed green manager and implemented an effective green programme which in 2 years saw the hotel reduce their waste production by 40%, their energy consumption by 30% and water use by 25%.
Raquel believes in small wins and going at your own pace, because 'going green' should not make people jump through hoops. Start small - win big and THEN look at possible investment projects to become even more sustainable.
"I try to make sustainability make sense to business owners. The road to 'going green' for a business can be quite daunting. I firmly believe businesses can be encouraged to take small steps that can generate big results. Society is changing and sustainability in the industry is now essential. The hospitality industry needs to align itself with the values of their customers. Greening your hotel or restaurant is easier than you think and it will give you more exposure, more clients and therefore more profit. "
2.00
TJ O Connor has been working in the hospitality industry for 33 years he originally trained as a chef at the Regional Technical College Tralee and graduated in 1987 and since then he has worked both in Ireland and internationally. He has been a Culinary Lecturer at the Institute of Technology Tralee since 2001 and became a Senior lecturer in 2018 and is now currently Head of Section in the Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Department at the Munster Technological University. He has also holds a Masters in Professional Hospitality and Tourism Management.
TJ recently on behalf of the Institute of Technology Tralee was the lead on the development of the new National Culinary Apprenticeships at Chef De Partie and Sous Chef, Levels 7 & 8 respectively.
T.J is a firm believer in the power of Continuous Professional Development and the opportunities that it can provide for individuals currently working in the hospitality industry.
Louise has worked as a chef for over 18 years and is currently operating her food truck Mexwest in Dingle, which incorporates Mexican style food with West Kerry produce. She has previously worked at Solas Tapas Bar and the Global village restaurant ,and also idas in Dingle. Louise has been a mentor at The Apprentice Chef programme for 3 years, a culinary programme that encourages TY students to invent dishes that are nutritious, innovative and seasonal. In 2015 Louise gained a B. A honours degree in culinary arts whilst studying at I.T Tralee. Louise has also lectured at the Dingle cookery school and completed a 3 week culinary internship with Michelin star chef Dani Barry. Being a Dingle native has propelled Louise into learning more about the native food culture and its importance on our menus today and tomorrow.
Eccles Hotel is situated in lush West Cork and chef Eddie, a keen forager and grower of his own produce, uses this to create incredible culinary dishes. After joining the team at Eccles, Eddie immediately installed a polytunnel to grow fresh produce to use in his kitchen. He finds the best and local suppliers to deliver high quality food daily. Growing his own and sourcing fresh and local produce, Eddie ensures that any dish that passes through his kitchen is of the highest quality.
With experience working in two Michelin starred restaurants, Eddie knows his way around a kitchen. He works hard to create dishes that will delight and wow guests of the hotel. Bringing a wealth of knowledge to Eccles, he is an innovative and inspiring chef.
Chef Eddie also does daily walks in his private garden. Guests can experience how Eddie picks and chooses his ingredients. Wander through the vibrant and beautiful flowers, vegetables and fruits. Smell the fresh herbs, taste the freshness of what's in season and see what goes into each dish on Eddie’s carefully crafted menus.
Eddie has created innovate and delicious menus, keeping to his passion for fresh, local and always seasonal. His menus contain something to suit all palettes. Whether it be the seasonal meats and veg or the local fish, Eddie’s kitchen will wow you with taste, smell and art on a plate.
3.00
Una is a Leadership Coach and Resilience Specialist. She helps businesses keep their best people, build team cohesiveness, boost resilience and positive wellness. She worked for over 22 years as a Leader in the Store Operations Team for the Dunnes Group where she helped teams consistently deliver high performance.
Una has personally experienced Burnout in her early career, and now supports businesses with boosting employee wellbeing and in particular on raising awareness on mental health, managing stress and building resilience. She delivers the Positive Wellness workshops for the Restaurant and Hospitality Skillnet.
She is a volunteer facilitator and online coach for AWARE. She is a former auditor for the Ibec Keepwell assessor. She is an ACC accredited Coach with the International Coaching Federation, a Marshall Goldsmith Leadership and Team Coach, and an Emotional Intelligence Coach.
Expertise
4.00
Craig Lynch is currently Sous Chef at the renowned Ballygarry House Hotel in Tralee Co. Kerry, where he oversees the running of the hotel’s two dining rooms.
Craig holds a BA in Culinary Arts from the Institute of Technology Tralee.
Craig started his career in 2005 at 16 years old in the Abbey Gate Hotel in Tralee, from there he moved to the famous Nicks Restaurant Killorglin, spending five years under the tutelage of Nick himself and many talented head chefs honing his craft that was heavily influenced by local produce. Craig worked through a few more restaurants gaining experience in more refined dining and experience in Rosette Restaurants before joining Ballygarry House in 2014 helping the hotel retain Rosette Restaurant status and working on an expansion project creating two state of the art kitchens.
Craig has firm beliefs in the retention of classic cooking techniques as the fundamental building blocks even in the modern era.
Craig has won gold at several culinary competitions over the last few years, from Chef of Ireland to leading the Kerry team of the County Cooking Championships, in 2019 he represented the National Apprenticeship programme to take part in the Irish Restaurant Awards as a panellist cooking for the gala dinner.
5.00
John Carolan is a Chartered Management Accountant, holds a Bachelor of Business Studies Degree and Diploma in Taxation.
John has over 20 years’ experience working in a number of diverse, indigenous and multinational organisations at senior management level and built up a wealth of knowledge in a number of different industries. John is the founder of Solve, a company who provide outsourced accounting services to SME’s in Ireland and the UK many of which operate in the hospitality sector. Solve have been a member of the Restaurant Association of Ireland for a number of years and work with hospitality businesses and their owners to get a clear financial picture of where their business is at and how it is performing.
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