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What’s on this St Patrick’s Weekend across our venues.

Findlater takes home best ‘Wedding Restaurant Venue Award’

Marqette takes home ‘Airport Hospitality Provider Award’

On Thursday 5^th December 2024, we attended The Aviation Industry Awards 2024, which were held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry. We were absolutely delighted to have been awarded the ‘Airport Hospitality Provider Award’ for our foodhall in Dublin Airport T1, Marqette.

2024 has been another bumper year for travellers coming through Marqette, and winning this award reflects the non-stop hard work from our team on-site. Thank you to all of our customers, the DAA and Dublin Airport for their support in Marqette, and thank you to the Aviation Industry Awards for a great evening.

Congratulations to all other business who received awards – it’s certainly left us departing 2024 with a smile.

The Wright Group’s latest venture helps make every day a good day for travellers

We are thrilled to announce the opening of ‘Fruitality’ Juice & Smoothie Bar in Dublin Airport Terminal 2 departures. Officially launched on Saturday 16th November by Michael Wright, CEO of the Wright Group, the bar will serve freshly made juices, smoothies, Acai bowls and healthy grab & go options, ideal for travellers who need a bit of goodness on the go.

The space, designed by Graham O’Donnell and Ann-Marie O’Neil from O Donnell O Neill Design aims to help travellers feel at their best when flying, with our ‘feel good’ Fruitality products. We take nature’s good bits to provide the best nourishment, with no added nonsense. Around the space you will find some ‘seeds-for-thought’ in our wellness cards, or a downloaded ‘Happy Little Playlist’, both designed to make you feel good inside.

Michael Wright stated we were “delighted to be given the opportunity to further expand our Dublin airport operations, bringing Fruitality’s great healthy smoothies & juices and healthy bits to T2 Dublin Airport.”

We look forward to helping new and returning passengers have a happy, healthy journey from Dublin Airport T2. See you soon!

fruitality.ie

Fruitality – Official launch
on Saturday 16^th November
by Michael Wright, CEO of the Wright Group

Wright’s Director Ronan Galligan snaps up ‘Chief People Officer’ at the 2024 Business Post Leadership Excellence Awards

On November 7^th, The Business Post Leadership Excellence Awards took place, in partnership with Grant Thornton. Recognising C-suite achievements across Irish Business, Ronan Galligan of The Wright Group was awarded the ‘Chief People Officer’ award. We are so proud of Ronan and this award is well deserved!

Ronan, who has been with The Wright Group for 9 years, said he was ‘honoured’ to be awarded – ‘There are so many challenges facing the hospitality industry at present and this award means so much in terms of recognising the importance of living and breathing our key values, which are contributing greatly to our successful growth: People, Personality, Places, Products and Promoting’.

Michael JF Wright, CEO of The Wright Group, extended his congratulations to Ronan,
calling him a ‘true advocate of employee growth and promoting from within’.

Congratulations Ronan!

Ronan Galligan
Chief People Officer – The Wright Group

A milestone night for awards
The Wright Group takes home two awards from the 2024 Fingal Chamber Business Awards

On Friday 15^th November, The 2024 Fingal Chamber Business Awards took place at The Crowne Plaza. We were delighted for our teams at Gilbert & Wright to be awarded the Best Bar/Pub, and at Hogs & Heifers Swords to take home the Best Restaurant. Both teams work incredibly hard to make sure the customers receive an amazing experience every time and seeing them get the recognition they deserve is the biggest win of all. They were recognised by the panel of judges for their talent, incredible service, business innovation and customer experience.

A big thank you also to all of our customers for your support, you are the reason that we do what we do, and congratulations to the other nominees and winners at the Business Awards.

We won!
Wrights Café Bar scoops ‘Best Late-Night Bar in Ireland’

On Wednesday 13^th November, the team from Wrights Café were awarded ‘Best Late-Night Bar’ at The Irish Pub Awards. This award is a testament to the team, the customers and friends, DJ’s artists and suppliers, who come together to make Wrights a legendary late-night experience.

Mikey Wright, Head of Operations, Bars and Cafés at The Wright Group congratulated the team, “We are absolutely delighted to Win Best Late-night bar in Ireland at The Irish Pub awards. This is a great award for the team and it shows hard work pays off!

Across the country, the late-night industry at the moment is very different to what it was pre Covid. We’ve got to work a lot harder to keep our late night bars busy! At Wrights Café bar we work hard to make sure atmosphere is special – our goal is to see customers dancing and having fun, while our great staff provide excellent customer service!”

A huge well done to the team!

Growing up in Troyes in France – a town traditionally known as the historical capital of Champagne and fine food – my path to a life in food was set from an early age. I would say that my first major influence would have been my mother, who is a great cook. My love for food came from having her home-cooked meals. She found out my interest in cooking when I first started baking at 8 years old, which was a yule log for Christmas! From then on, I always knew I would one day be a chef.

Over the past 30 years I have kept this passion for home-cooked foods, preferring cooking from scratch rather than using ready-made products and using the whole of the animal rather than just the main cuts of meat, to create flavour and a wholesome meal that brings me back home to the kitchen table with my mum. Today, I apply the same philosophy at home with the added bonus that we have a greenhouse and we can enjoy our own crops of tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, carrots, wild strawberries and fresh herbs.

When I was asked to write this article, I thought of a trip to France and a main course of sweet breads. They were braised whole then halved, coated in breadcrumbs and shallow fried. Then, they were topped with girolles in a creamy champagne sauce and served with fondant potatoes. Just delicious! Technically it was executed perfectly, with no short-cut flavour enhancers or pastes.

When I thought about the title a little more – Most Memorable Meal – I began to want to tell a different story of not only food, but life. A story that represents me, my values and the life of a chef in the world today. The day-in and day-out life of a modern chef is to provide memorable experiences for others (the number of pictures taken of dishes at The Kilkenny Cafe on a daily basis is testament to that!).

Personally, my most memorable meal takes place at home with my wife and daughter lzzy when we sit together. My wife and I were blessed with lzzy; she requires additional care which means as parents, like many other parents in the same situation, we cannot frequent restaurants as much as we used to. Indeed, it has been many years since we have had that indulgence!

From my childhood in France to evenings with lzzy,
I believe food doesn’t need to be technically complicated to be memorable.

It needs to be tasty of course, but I believe it needs to do more -it needs to feed the soul, to be given time to allow people and family be together. For me, that is the most memorable meal.

Fred Pallavione
Head Chef at The Kilkenny Café
The Shanagarry Design Centre, Co Cork

Fred Pallavione
Head Chef at The Kilkenny Café
The Shanagarry Design Centre, Co Cork

Kilkenny Café Launch – Nassau Street, Dublin

On 12^th September we were thrilled to host the official launch of Kilkenny Cafe, on Nassau Street. It was a wonderful event with incredible food laid on by our amazing culinary team, live jazz from Organ Freeman and a chance to see the renovated space and meet some of the local food producers we are now supporting through our retail range.

A Powerful Collaboration with Kilkenny Design

The Wright Group has partnered with Kilkenny Design to bring customers a fresh new take on this beloved staple in the heart of the city. We now offer an elevated dining experience while maintaining the charm and warmth that loyal customers have come to love. The newly refurbished Kilkenny Café features a stylishly finished interior design that showcases sustainably sourced materials, including unique dried grass wallpaper and that adds a natural, earthy touch to the space.

“We are delighted to partner with Wrights Hospitality Group to deliver an amazing food and cafe experience for our adored customers. Wrights Hospitality Group & Kilkenny Design share many core values especially when it comes to quality product, championing local suppliers and celebrating what it means to be Irish. Our teams are mutually dedicated to delivering the highest standard retail & food experience at our flagship on Nassau street in the heart of Dublin, welcoming busy workers, tourists and locals for the perfect relax, bite & browse pitstop”
Michelle O’Gorman – Retail Director

Fresh Take on Comfort Food | Locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, lovingly made.

At the heart of Kilkenny Café’s relaunch is an enhanced food offering that takes traditional homemade comfort food to new heights. Guests can indulge in freshly baked scones, a variety of sweet treats, the famous lunch carvery, and a selection of artisanal salads, sandwiches, and quiches. The menu is expertly crafted by a talented culinary team, ensuring that each dish delivers the comforting, homemade taste that Kilkenny Café is known for. Locally sourced, seasonal ingredients are used wherever possible for the freshest, best flavours

Supporting Local Irish Retail Producers | From our land to your table

Kilkenny Café is also proud to support local Irish food producers through its retail range, which includes delights such as Ollie’s Honey from Dublin and Andrea’s Kitchen jams and preserves from Shanagarry. Each of the Kilkenny Cafés (Dublin, Kilkenny City, Shanagarry and Cobh) offer a range of locally sourced products, unique to the area. Several of the regional items are also on offer exclusively in the Nassau Street café. These partnerships underscore a commitment to fostering strong relationships with local producers and offering a bridge between Kilkenny customers small scale regional Irish producers.