Serving up Clare as a hot spot for foodies

Clare could establish itself as a major food tourism destination within six months, bringing much-needed employment and revenue to the area, if the relevant agencies work together, according to the head of the local branch of the Irish Hotel Federation.

Lahinch hotelier Michael Vaughan said he believed North Clare was in a particularly strong position to develop its culinary reputation after featuring strongly in The Bridgestone Guide’s Top 100 Places to Stay and its Top 100 Restaurants in Ireland.
Six Clare establishments featured in the Top 100 Places to Stay, five of which were in North Clare, while three out of the four Clare restaurants in the Top 100 Restaurants are in the north of the county.
“We have the potential to develop North Clare as a food tourism destination and there is evidence here that we have the quality to achieve this. When you look at the number of people that are in the Bord Bia Seafood Circle, for example, it is testament to the quality of what small businesses are doing,” Mr Vaughan told The Clare Champion.
Mr Vaughan’s own hotel, Vaughan Lodge, in Lahinch is one of those named in the country’s Top 100 Places to Stay.
“We have been in it the last few years but this kind of acknowledgement is very encouraging because most of us involved are fairly vocational and we put our hearts and souls into what we do. It would be seen as a validation of our efforts to maintain the quality,” he said.
Mr Vaughan believes that with some simple steps, Clare could be a major holiday destination for food lovers.
“I am proposing we establish a food trail in Clare with immediate urgency to capitalise on these kind of awards. It is a no-brainer. The modern tourist is really looking for experiential travel where they match up their passions in life with a trip to a foreign destination. Look at how pervasive cookery programmes are on the TV, it is almost an art form. That is something we have not recognised in terms of how we promote our county. There are artisan producers all over Clare producing a wide range of foods including seaweed products, ice cream and salads. We must not take them in isolation. We should make a map and people can pick one up and say I’d like to see that made or I would like to pop in there to eat,” he stated.
“We are trying to promote Clare as a food destination and Clare as a place for food innovation.
“We have some great chefs, John Sheedy in Lisdoonvarna, Mickael Viljanen in Gregans Castle, Aidan McGrath in the Wild Honey Inn, James Coffey here in Vaughan Lodge, Denis Vaughan in Liscannor, Frank Sheedy in Roadford House and James Cullinan in Cullinan’s in Doolin, they are all worthy chefs who would compete on any international stage.
“They are all in a fairly small geographical location in North Clare and they could hold their own in any city in any high-class restaurant. You don’t find this in any other area,” Mr Vaughan continued.
According to Mr Vaughan a map of food destinations and a smart phone application featuring the culinary highlights of the county could increase tourist numbers and their subsequent spend in Clare.
“People always want to try something new. We just haven’t put the proposition in front of them: come to Clare, there is a fantastic food trail of artisan producers and gourmet restaurants. We are as good as Kinsale in that respect but we don’t promote ourselves,” Mr Vaughan outlined.
The Lahinch hotelier also believes that Clare could become renowned as a good food destination by mid-summer if a willingness exists within the relevant bodies.
“I will be putting a lot of effort into this during the year. Bord Bia, Shannon Development, Teagasc, Good Food Ireland who promote this type of industry, they all have a part to play to coordinate this and promote it. “You don’t think of Clare as being a food county you think of West Cork as a food destination and yet we have all the attributes, just not the coordination. Critically we could produce and execute this in six months and I will be putting my energy into this.
“We have the infrastructure, we just need to coordinate it. It will be a job for us but not a big job I believe,” Mr Vaughan concluded.
Gregans Castle in Ballyvaughan is “the hottest destination in Ireland” according to John and Sally McKenna, authors of the Bridgestone 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland 2011 guide.
Describing Mickael Viljanen’s food as “simply awesome” the McKennas add that Gregans is part of a “pantheon of inspired Irish restaurants that have enjoyed period of utter transcendence”.
Three other Clare restaurants make it into the 100, Cherry Tree Restaurant in Killaloe, Roadford House, Doolin and Vaughan’s Anchor Inn, Liscannor.
Six Clare establishments qualified for the Bridgestone 100 Best Places to Stay in Ireland: Cullinan’s, Doolin; Gregans Castle, Ballyvaughan; Morrissey’s, Doonbeg; Moy House, Lahinch; Sheedy’s, Lisdoonvarna; and, Vaughan Lodge, Lahinch.
Gregans Castle is also in the top 10 places for romance and Gregans and Morrissey’s also make it into the top 10 places that children love.