Macroom’s Castle Hotel named as top hotel for carvery

One of the men behind Ireland’s top hotel carvery has revealed their secret ingredient — a delicious blend of superb food, served by dedicated staff, all smothered with layers of customer service.

“There was a time when it used to be just about the bacon and cabbage but those days are long gone,” said the Castle Hotel’s Don Buckley.

“It’s about offering a great range of flavours, having a great team with a focus on attention to detail — from checking the quality of veg coming in the kitchen door in the morning to serving it at the tables during lunch — while all the time looking after your customers.

“With our head chef, Pat Ryan, we have a fantastic team of chefs, some of whom are with us 25 years. It’s a real team effort.”

That magic mix has helped Mr Buckley and his team at Dan Buckley’s Bar at the Castle Hotel in Macroom, Co Cork, scoop the title of Knorr Great Carvery Hotel of the Year — a title they first landed in 2015.

The Silken Thomas in Kildare was named Great Carvery Pub of the Year.

Its owner and general manager, Brian Flanagan, said the win is a great boost for morale.

The Castle Hotel was established by Mr Buckley’s late parents, Dan and Maureen, in 1951. They went on to build what has become one of the region’s top four-star hotels.

Today, the Castle Hotel is run by Mr Buckley and his wife, Margaret, and his brother, Gerard, and his wife, also called Margaret.

As well as the traditional succulent meat dishes served with crispy roast spuds, stacks of veg and lashings of rich gravy, yesterday’s menu also featured baked hake with lemon and herb crust, Italian stuffed roast pork, and Madras curry. Local produce on the menu included Kilmichael goat’s cheese in a roast red pepper quiche and a Macroom buffalo mozzarella and pesto salad.

The carvery is open from 12.30pm to 3pm, seven days a week, with prices ranging from €6 to just under €13.

The Knorr Great Carvery of the Year competition is one of the country’s most keenly contested culinary competitions.

Regional winners included Whitford House Hotel in Wexford, Kirby’s Brogue Inn in Tralee, The Market Yard, Limavady, Derry, Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel, Enniskillen, Fermanagh, The Trappers Inn, in Castlegar, Galway, and the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone.

Jim Reeves, customer director at Unilever Food Solutions, said they had a number of worthy entrants but the overall winning venues really stood out.

“The awards are a testament to the continuous hard work of each venue as they strive to provide great quality carvery offerings,” he said.

Mr Buckley said winning the national title has helped boost business but he said it also ensures that they continually maintain and up their standards.