After a tumultuous year for the Irish hospitality industry, we're delighted that the Food&Wine Restaurant of the Year Awards, sponsored by Rémy Martin, are back for 2021 and will take place in The Shelbourne on Sunday, November 7 2021.
Now that Food&Wine Magazine is back and better than ever, we are delighted to announce that the premier event for Ireland's food and drinks industry will return this November. After taking an unprecedented break in 2020 due to global circumstances, this year's event offers a chance for reconnection and will recognise the resilience shown by Ireland's hospitality industry.
This year's streamlined event, which will take place in The Shelbourne's spectacular Great Room, will highlight the best chefs, restaurants, sommeliers, casual dining locations, and hotel restaurants from around the country. Some new categories this year include food truck of the year, innovator of the year, and more - to see the full list of awards, click here.
This year, the awards will celebrate the resilience and determination displayed by the Irish food and drinks sector in incredibly tough times. The judging panel, chaired by Food&Wine editor Gillian Nelis, have pooled their extensive knowledge and experience to come up with shortlists that recognise the breadth of talent in the hospitality industry across the island of Ireland.
The shortlists were released in the October edition of Food&Wine Magazine, which you can read here. From today, we will be releasing the shortlists on the site so make sure to check back every day this week to see the other nominees and in the meantime, read on to see the shortlists for Leinster.
Best restaurant
- Aimsir, Celbridge, Co Kildare
- Campagne, Kilkenny
- The Mill at Cliff at Lyons, Celbridge, Co Kildare
- Barrows Keep, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny
- Ristorante Rinuccini, Kilkenny
- Thyme, Athlone, Co Westmeath
- Square, Dundalk, Co Louth
- Chakra by Jaipur, Greystones, Co Wicklow
Best chef
- Jordan Bailey, Aimsir
- Garrett Byrne, Campagne
- John Kelly, The Lady Helen at Mount Juliet
- Ken Harker, Statham’s at The Pembroke
- Stephen McArdle, Barrows Keep
- John Coffey, Thyme
- Dinesh Chander, Chakra by Jaipur
- Conor Halpenny, Square
Best casual dining
- Statham’s at The Pembroke, Kilkenny
- Ripasso, Bray, Co Wicklow
- Cinnamon Garden, Ashbourne, Co Meath
- Pink Salt, Bray, Co Wicklow
- Kin Khao Thai, Athlone, Co Westmeath
- The Grain Store at Killruddery, Co Wicklow
- The Strand Bar, Cahore, Co Wexford
Best hotel restaurant
- The Lady Helen at Mount Juliet, Co Kilkenny
- Brabazon Restaurant at Tankardstown House, Co Meath
- The Morrison Room at Carton House, Co Kildare
- The Barton at The K Club, Co Kildare
- Aldridge Lodge, Duncannon, Co Wexford
- The Duck at Marlfield House, Gorey, Co Wexford
- The Restaurant at Ballyfin Demesne, Co Laois
Best sommelier
- Morgan VanderKamer, Barrows Keep
- Maria Pelonero, Ristorante Rinuccini
- Jean-Baptiste Renault, The Lady Helen at Mount Juliet
- Scott White, Aimsir
- Ian Brosnan, Ely Wine
- Jason McAuliffe, Green Acres
- Lisa O’Doherty, The K Club
- Bill Kelly, Kelly’s Resort
As always, tickets are in high demand for this event, with limited room capacity exacerbating this. Please note that in close partnership with the Shelbourne Hotel, the Food&Wine team is working hard to create a safe and convivial environment.
Tickets are priced at €150 per person, which includes a drinks reception, followed by a five-course meal prepared exclusively for the Food&Wine Restaurant of the Year Awards by The Shelbourne's head chef Garry Hughes. Each course will be paired with matching wines from O'Brien's Wines, creating a perfect dining experience.
You can keep up with the countdown to the event via the hashtag #ROTYA2021 on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. To register your interest for tickets, head to restaurantoftheyear.ie now.
Please note, all guests will be required to show proof of full Covid-19 vaccination status for entry.
