Survival Solutions

As the popular West Cork restaurant RICHY’S BAR & BISTRO celebrates a decade in business, Marilyn Bright seeks the secret of its success – how has Richy’s not just survived, but thrived in these challenging times?

Imagine a corner of a South Seas island landing in West Cork, bringing the scent of eastern spices and Mediterranean flavours to marry with the freshest of local produce - and you'd have a good sense of the Just Ask award-winning menu at Richy's Bar and Bistro in Clonakilty.

Chef proprietor Richy Virahsawmy grew up in South London, steeped in the Mauritian culture of his parents. “Mauritius is a real melting pot, with food influences from the Dutch, Indians, Portuguese and Chinese who have invaded and settled over the centuries. My mum was a good cook and it's natural for us to use spices and fresh food - we'd pick watercress in Richmond Park and buy fresh baked bread twice a day."

With cheffing experience that has ranged from the Department of Trade and Industry in London under Tony Blair to Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa, Richy celebrates the bar and bistro's tenth anniversary in Clonakilty this May. A week-long "Ten for €10” promotion kicked off the festivities, featuring ten dishes at the special price, and regular customers were rewarded later in the month with an ''eat as much as you can” buffet for €10.

Local provenance is a pervading theme throughout Richy's menus. The celebrated Clonakilty Black Pudding features in samosas served with yogurt & cumin dipping sauce and cucumber & chilli salad. A roulade of Shannonvale free-range chicken is stuffed with lightly spiced leeks, wrapped in Serrano ham and served in a in curry sauce, while organic farmed salmon comes with a tempura of courgettes and zesty salsa verde.

The marriage of exotic seasonings and local produce is the basis of Richy’s cookbook, West Cork Fusion, which showcases his “East meets West" approach to delicious food. "We're riddled with amazing suppliers down here, Richy enthuses. "We have local fish landed at Union Hall, smokers like Sally Barnes and Anthony Cresswell; world class cheeses from Veronica Steele and Bill Hogan, local milk and butter and chicken that comes from 200 metres down the road. How can you not be inspired? It's like being in the middle of Rungie market.”

When it comes to signature dishes, local seafood like Richy’s Beara scallops with Devoy Farm organic spinach and asparagus or the gently spiced tandoori monkfish are always popular, but the undisputed top spot goes to the Mauritian beef curry which has been on the menu for the whole ten years. "It's rich with tomatoes and spices but not hot,” Richy says. “It’s the one thing we can never take off the menu without causing an uproar. It's also the most popular takeaway in the deli.”

Like others in the hospitality sector, Richy has had to re-think the business in the light of harder times. The original bistro had been two buildings joined together to provide dining space for 120 covers, so he took the decision to hive off one side to operate as the “R Café” during the day. " When a downturn comes you can’t just sit and wallow, so we decided to follow the market to casual, low-priced food," Richy explains. The decision wasn't taken on a whim however, in fact the team took to the street to question people about what they wanted - good prices, highlights on local produce and open all day were clear priorities. In addition Richy and his team went to London for more market research, looking at operations like Jamie Oliver and The River Café. “We came back energised," he says, "and determined to utilise everything - to become more than just a restaurant."

That ambition has been fulfilled in spades, with the popular daytime café where prices are kept in the €7-10 range and fresh homebakes come from the bakery announced by a bell ringing as each fragrant batch comes out of the oven. In addition, a deli section provides house specialities for takeaway or full scale outside catering for casual at-homes, or fine dining for customers like Michael Flatley at his castle.

There are Tuesday cookery classes for adults, and special lessons for kids are scheduled over holiday and break times. In addition, Richy takes part in the Euro-Toques school workshops programme, introducing local schoolchildren to a variety of food and tastes to promote healthy eating.

The high season in West Cork kicks in around the last week of May, Richy says, and continues through to mid-September. The core brigade of about 22 is bumped up to 38 or so in summer, and he takes pride in the fact that many of the staff are there longterm - like pastry chef Brendan Halpin who joined when the bistro was just a year old.

"We have a great Chamber of Commerce here driving the town forward, a great beach, the railway model village and amazing people organising festivals and events to keep visitors coming. It's a great place to live."When summer hits you have to work hard", Richy concedes, but he never loses sight of keeping a good work / life balance.

"You have to be able to enjoy life too - I have three small children and I want to spend time with them. I don't want to be the guy washing up pots every night." Having squeezed in the time for an interview amid the tenth anniversary preparations, Richy is just off to film recipes for the town's iconic Clonakilty Black Pudding - watch for it on You-Tube. The busy life is his own happy blend of work / life balance and one that he visibly enjoys.