2021 Award Winners BEST PIVOT 2021

BEST PIVOT 2021

RESTAURANT: Dough Bros Galway

Brothers Ronan and Eugene Greaney are a pretty amazing duo, they’ve always been quality-led and The Dough Bros following in Galway is well deserved. They listen – including, famously, to the children at Scoil Ide in Salthill, who persuaded them to move over to more sustainable practices – and they act (they were soon using more biodegradable cutlery, napkins, pizza boxe and brown bags). But Covid-induced changes resulted in achievements that are the stuff of dreams, going from from being a dine-in restaurant to offering a takeaway service that is so good, they were recently crowned Best Takeaway Pizza in all of Europe by Top 50 Pizza. Their DIY kits, available for nationwide delivery, have also been hugely successful, so much so that they look like they're here to stay as a permanent part of their offering. A true Covid success story.
CHEF: Grainne Mullins Grá Chocolates Kilchreest, Co Galway
The 2019 winner of the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year title, pastry chef Gráinne Mullins, was working in an exciting new restaurant when Covid hit – and, with the closure of hospitality, so began her beautiful Grá Chocolates business. Following the Euro-Toques principals of sourcing locally and sustainably (“great taste comes from the finest ingredients”), Gráinne works in small batches and her hand-painted and polished bonbons take three days to create. Locally and ethically produced ingredients are also used for the fillings, and the range changes seasonally.

CHEF: Grainne Mullins Grá Chocolates Kilchreest, Co Galway

The 2019 winner of the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year title, pastry chef Gráinne Mullins, was working in an exciting new restaurant when Covid hit – and, with the closure of hospitality, so began her beautiful Grá Chocolates business. Following the Euro-Toques principals of sourcing locally and sustainably (“great taste comes from the finest ingredients”), Gráinne works in small batches and her hand-painted and polished bonbons take three days to create. Locally and ethically produced ingredients are also used for the fillings, and the range changes seasonally.

PERSON: Kevin Aherne Sage Restaurant Midleton Co Cork

Kevin Aherne has proved a master of reinvention at this ever-popular destination, and – although the pandemic has certainly accelerated things – his recent redevelopment towards a more informal style was in train before it struck, so he and his wife Réidin were exceptionally well positioned to cater safely for customers after the first lockdown. But what has never changed is the ethos behind Sage. While the restaurant has morphed from a fine dining venue with daytime café, to 'a proper neighbourhood restaurant' with a shop and takeaway, local produce remains at the heart of everything and the philosophy goes way beyond crediting producers and suppliers who are central to everything. And sage has become a successful producer itself, with an impressive range of homemade meals and other products now available from local retail outlets as well from Sage.

PRODUCER: Ballymakenny Farm Ballymakenny Co Louth

Maria Flynn, of Ballymakenny Farm has become something of a heroine in the hospitality industry for the makeover that she’s given to the humble spud. Her husband David is a potato farmer but, faced with sinking prices and the dissatisfaction of producing a mere commodity, Maria persuaded him to try heritage potatoes in 2015 – and, in no time at all, chefs were queuing at the door to get her purple Violettas. The pair progressed to produce other speciality vegetables, such as long stem broccoli and cauliflower, but it was mainly a chefs’ market so the arrival of Covid was disastrous. But, quick-thinking as ever, she came up with the brilliant idea of a drive-through Spudshack so they could sell safely to the public on the farm, and also via an online shop.