Carrickmacross
Co. Monaghan
Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)429 661 438
Our Chef, Ray McArdle
The Restaurant at Nuremore's Head Chef, Raymond McArdle, started his career as a Commis Chef for Paul Rankin.
Having garnered valuable experience in this role he was appointed Head Chef in 1993 at Michael Deane's restaurant in Belfast, a position which he held until 2000.
He then moved to the Restaurant at Nuremore where he has since obtained 3 AA Rosettes, the highest rating in the Bridgestone Guide, Food & Wine's Country House Hotel Restaurant of the Year Award 2004, Georgina Campbell's Chef of the Year 2005 and the Bushmills Ulster Restaurant of the Year.
Raymond McArdle feels there were a number of factors involved in becoming the only Ulster restaurant with 3 AA Rosettes.
McArdle instigated a programme of sending members of his team to top London restaurants such as Pied á Terre and Petrus, which resulted in his staff acquiring a modern approach to Irish ingredients. This led to the introduction of modern Irish cooking, producing interesting, consistent dishes.
McArdle feels that London is the capital of the food world and that staff would benefit from exposure to the nous of world-class kitchens, enabling them to learn from the best. His aim was to offer Irish-based customers a standard of cuisine that mirrored that available in London.
Another major factor in the AA award is the meticulous sourcing of quality local produce, when in season, mixed with the best internationally sourced produce when out of season indigenously.
Suppliers are now given a list of produce to grow or produce, when in season. Likewise, the restaurant’s wine list was changed to offer a more extensive, deeper selection to customers, which was allied with better quality glassware and increased wine knowledge by restaurant staff. A butler service incorporating silver trays and quality Irish linen has been instigated in the interim period since the award of 2 AA Rosettes.
All the above factors have been introduced by Raymond McArdle in his endeavour to make the Restaurant at Nuremore the best hotel dining room in Ireland, as he feels quality in this area is sadly lacking in the Irish market.
Having garnered valuable experience in this role he was appointed Head Chef in 1993 at Michael Deane's restaurant in Belfast, a position which he held until 2000.
He then moved to the Restaurant at Nuremore where he has since obtained 3 AA Rosettes, the highest rating in the Bridgestone Guide, Food & Wine's Country House Hotel Restaurant of the Year Award 2004, Georgina Campbell's Chef of the Year 2005 and the Bushmills Ulster Restaurant of the Year.
Raymond McArdle feels there were a number of factors involved in becoming the only Ulster restaurant with 3 AA Rosettes.
McArdle instigated a programme of sending members of his team to top London restaurants such as Pied á Terre and Petrus, which resulted in his staff acquiring a modern approach to Irish ingredients. This led to the introduction of modern Irish cooking, producing interesting, consistent dishes.
McArdle feels that London is the capital of the food world and that staff would benefit from exposure to the nous of world-class kitchens, enabling them to learn from the best. His aim was to offer Irish-based customers a standard of cuisine that mirrored that available in London.
Another major factor in the AA award is the meticulous sourcing of quality local produce, when in season, mixed with the best internationally sourced produce when out of season indigenously.
Suppliers are now given a list of produce to grow or produce, when in season. Likewise, the restaurant’s wine list was changed to offer a more extensive, deeper selection to customers, which was allied with better quality glassware and increased wine knowledge by restaurant staff. A butler service incorporating silver trays and quality Irish linen has been instigated in the interim period since the award of 2 AA Rosettes.
All the above factors have been introduced by Raymond McArdle in his endeavour to make the Restaurant at Nuremore the best hotel dining room in Ireland, as he feels quality in this area is sadly lacking in the Irish market.
