Exciting times ahead for the Edge Restaurant. After consolidating the reputation of the restaurant having received an AA Rosette, 2017 has brought several nominations for the team behind the success of all things food here at Redcastle. Recently, the Hotel has been shortlisted in 5 categories from Best Head Chef and Best Restaurant to Best Digital Marketing for the Irish Restaurant Association Awards. We speak with Gordon Smyth, Executive Head Chef, to learn more about the direction that the Eglington renowned chef is sailing this culinary boat to.
Tell us about the concept of cuisine at the Redcastle Hotel
We offer a variety of food options to cater for all of our guests varying tastes using predominately local ingredients and local suppliers. I would describe our food as modern Irish using our own individual twist.
The launch of the Edge Restaurant’s newest menu has received great feedback so far from guests. But that’s not everything that Gordon Smyth has in mind for the food offering at the Hotel. The development of our 7 course tasting menu is a perfect example to elevate the concept of cuisine in the Hotel as well as the determination to achieve an AA Rosette for the Captain’s Bar, creating a new menu which will make any visit to the bar delicious.
What makes your menus personal to you?
All the menus we write are personal in a sense we are using our years of experience, extensive traveling, leaning different techniques and styles of cooking from working in some of the best kitchens over time. This has given me an opportunity to implement these ideas into our recent menus that are constantly evolving. When we write a menu we are usually never entirely happy initially so we tweak and perhaps change an element or two to improve the dish, this process is on-going.
What are the ingredients that you will be focusing on for the Redcastle Hotel’s menus?
We try to use local products and suppliers as best we can however if we feel we can get a better product further afield then we will always use the best available. Currently we use a local rapeseed oil only across the water and our local butcher William Doherty who we have built up a good relationship with over the years.
What do all these nominations mean to you and your team?
We are thoroughly delighted to be shortlisted for the 2017 Restaurant Association of Ireland Awards. The team have always worked incredibly hard to develop and create unique menus and signature dishes. We are passionate about maintaining the high standard of food and service that our Redcastle customers have come to expect.
The Redcastle Hotel and Gordon Smyth’s team will gather with the rest of nominees for a Regional Final on the 14th of March. For more info visit www.irishrestaurantawards.com