The All-Ireland final of the 2025 Irish Restaurants Awards, held last week in Dublin, honored the country’s top hospitality professionals — owners, chefs, managers, and staff — and celebrated the finest establishments in Irish food and drink. Dede at the Customs House in Baltimore, County Cork, was named the All-Ireland winner for “Best Restaurant” as well as the winner for Munster. Dede is the brainchild of Turkish-born chef Ahmet Dede who, along with his business partner Maria Archer, has operated the hugely successful restaurant since 2019. Dede, one of only five two-star Michelin restaurants in Ireland, offers a fusion of Turkish and Irish foods. This is the second consecutive year the restaurant has won the prestigious “Best Restaurant” award.
According to the Michelin Guide, which awarded two stars — one in 2021 and another in 2023 — “Chef Ahmet Dede’s warm, inviting restaurant in this West Cork coastal village is a masterful marriage between his Irish surroundings and his Turkish heritage. Superb local produce is the bedrock of the cooking, enhanced by skillful, judicious spicing which delivers multiple layers of authentic Turkish flavors while never overpowering the core ingredients – as with a refined take on street food 'îçli köfte.’”
Chef Neven Maguire honored with “Outstanding Achievement Award” in recognition of his contribution to Irish food and hospitality (nevenmaguire.com)
Other winners in the “Best Restaurant” category were Thyme Restaurant, Athlone (Leinster), Lignum, Loughrea (Connaught), and MacNean House & Restaurant, Blacklion (Ulster), operated by Chef Neven Maguire, who was also the recipient of the All-Ireland “Outstanding Achievement Award” that recognizes his contribution to Irish food and hospitality. Neven grew up in Blacklion on the site of the restaurant which was then run by his parents as the MacNean Bistro. He trained in in some of the world’s top restaurants before taking over as Head Chef/Owner in 2001. He opened his own cookery school adjacent to MacNean Restaurant in 2014 and has a weekly live cookery slot on RTE’s “Open House” afternoon show. He has presented numerous cooking shows, has written 19 cookbooks, and stars in popular Christmas specials, most recently one filmed at Cashel Palace Hotel (see his recipe below).
Elegant George V at Ashford Castle named “Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant” (ashfordcastle.com)
John Kelly of the Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate in Kilkenny was named the All-Ireland winner for “Best Restaurant” as well as the winner for Munster. In response to his win, Chef Kelly said, “This award reflects the creativity, passion, and teamwork that drives our kitchen every day.” Other establishments and individuals recognized as All-Ireland winners included George V at Ashford Castle, Connaught (“Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant”), Crudo, Dublin (“Best Casual Dining”), McSwiggans, Connaught (“Gastro Pub”), The Olde Post Inn, Ulster (“Best Contemporary Irish Cuisine”), Sean’s Bar, Leinster (“Pub of the Year”). For the complete list of winners, visit irishrestaurantawards.com
ASHFORD CASTLE SEED BREAD
Makes 1 loaf
At Ashford Castle, guests enjoy this nutty, aromatic, crusty brown bread from breakfast in the George V dining room right through to the dinner breadbasket. The recipe comes from Mrs. Beatrice Tollman, founder of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, the five-star luxury group that includes Ashford. You can pick up a loaf at Mrs. Tea’s Boutique and Bakery on the Ashford estate or buy the ingredients that are cleverly packaged in a bottle ready to take home and bake yourself. The bread is delicious toasted and spread with butter and jam for breakfast or with Ireland’s legendary smoked salmon.
1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup muesli
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 1/4 cups plain yogurt
1/3 cup sunflower oil
1/4 cup honey
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 9-inch loaf pan with no-stick baking spray.
2. In large bowl, combine the flours, muesli, baking soda, salt, seeds, and walnuts; stir to blend.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, and honey. Stir the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture; mix well. Transfer to the prepared pan.
4. Bake the bread for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before cutting into slices.
OAT, CRANBERRY, APRICOT & WALNUT COOKIES
Makes 30 to 40 Cookies
This recipe was part of RTE’s two-part holiday show “Neven’s Christmas at Cashel 2024.” The cookies were included as part of his Tipperary Cheeseboard, which showcased Cooleeney Farm and Cashel Irish Farmhouse Cheeses, a nod to the rich dairy heritage of the Golden Vale. Neven suggests they be made ahead and chilled overnight for best results.
1 1/4 cups Flahavan’s porridge oats
8 ounces salted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon Mixed Spice or pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 ounces dried cranberries
2 ounces dried apricots, chopped
2 ounces walnuts
1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the oats, butter, salt, sugar, flour, mixed spice and baking soda. Process for 30 seconds, or until the mix just comes together. Add the cranberries, apricots, and walnuts; process for about 10 seconds, until incorporated.
2. Turn out the mixture onto a clean work surface. Form into a ball; divide in half.
Working with one half at a time, shape into a 2-inch round log. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. With a serrated knife, cut each log into 1/4-1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch in between.
4. Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight tin.
Margaret Johnson’s “Recipes” page alternates with “Ireland Hopping: Adventures in Food, Drink, and Travel.” For further details on her work, or to order her cookbooks, visit irishcook.com.
