Big moves at Whitehorses Ardmore (new head chef) and Radisson Blu Hotel Cork (new GM)

Big moves at Whitehorses Ardmore (new head chef) and Radisson Blu Hotel (new GM).

Ardmore swimmers last Wednesday

Whitehorses Ardmore

John Dory is known, around the Venice area, as St Peter’s fish though further east in the Med a different fish has the honour. I think the saint would need a big chunk of his Peter’s Pence to get his teeth into the John Dory in Whitehorses in Ardmore. 

John Dory

The Fish of the Day clicks in at an eye-watering fifty euro but it is an mouthwatering triumph put together under newly installed Head Chef Dan Guerin (ex Cush). Accompanied by a selection of summer courgettes, saffron and mussel butter sauce, it is exquisite, good enough to please St Peter's palate if not his wallet.

Cliff House Hotel

Another excellent fish dish that I can recommend is the Pan fried fillet of hake, chorizo coco beans, shaved pickled fennel, prawn scampi, bisque. So enjoyable that we didn’t even notice the street outside darkening as the eclipse occurred (well, there’s always 2090!). It is not all fish by the way, beef and chicken also feature.

All mains are accompanied by a side of seasonal potatoes. New potatoes, we were told, and they were superb, the legendary “balls of flour”. The coast around here, and as far west as Ballycotton, is famous for its early potatoes, rightly so.

Main Street, Ardmore

Plenty of choice too for starters and our pick, again highly recommended, was the Ham Hock Terrine, with burnt apple, black pudding, and apple chutney with wine and mustard, plus sourdough. We shared that and also a dessert of Raspberry sherry trifle. Plenty of fruit but no sign of the sherry!

No shortage of eating places in Ardmore. Top of the list,  of course, is the Michelin starred restaurant in the Cliff House Hotel, spectacularly situated overlooking the village and the bay. Good spot for a classy lunch, particularly after doing the adjacent cliff walk. The Cliff can expect firm competition from the Main Street below, now that Guerin is installed!

Beachcombers

There’s a bakery/winebar/café combination called Soulmates and also a small café Shipmates. Fancy a 99 in a gluten free cone, sweets, waffles, milkshakes, hot muffins, tea and coffee? Then the colourful traditional Beachcombers over by the roundabout and close to the beach is the place for you. Enjoy your treat in the sun on one of the chairs outside.

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Radisson Blue Cork

Radisson Blu Hotel Appoints Robin Van Ieperen as GM. 

Marking a New Chapter for Tourism and Corporate Travel in Cork

Along with Dan Guerin’s move, there’s also a new man in charge at Little Island’s Radisson Blu Hotel, a good option if you’re visiting East Cork and West Waterford and you still have city options on your doorstep.

Radisson Blu Hotel Cork General Manager Robin Van Ieperen.

The Radisson have announced the appointment of Robin Van Ieperen as General Manager, signalling a significant new phase for the hotel as it continues its strategic repositioning and investment programme.

Originally from the Netherlands, Van Ieperen studied Hotel Management before beginning his career with Marriott International, where he trained extensively across Food & Beverage and Meetings & Events. He went on to hold senior leadership roles at the 465-key Sheraton Stockholm Hotel, serving as Director of Food & Beverage and subsequently as Director of Operations over a four-year period.

 In 2022, he relocated to the UK to take up the role of General Manager at the 300-key Delta Hotels by Marriott Bristol, where he has led the property for the past four years, delivering strong commercial performance and operational improvements.

Van Ieperen’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for Radisson Blu Hotel Cork, following a multi-million-euro investment programme totalling €1.7M since 2022, which has seen a comprehensive refurbishment and repositioning of the hotel’s conference, meetings, and wedding facilities.

At the centre of this transformation is the Great Island Ballroom, now one of the largest and most versatile conference and banqueting spaces in the Cork city and East Cork region, capable of hosting large-scale corporate events, gala dinners, and weddings.

Commenting on the appointment, Sean O’Driscoll, CEO of The iNUA Hotel Collection, said: “We are delighted to welcome Robin Van Ieperen to Radisson Blu Hotel Cork at an important time for the property. Robin’s international experience come at the right time as we build on our recent investment and position the hotel for .. growth.”

Robin Van Ieperen is ready for the challenge: “I am delighted to join Radisson Blu Hotel Cork at such an important moment in its journey. Cork is a dynamic and growing destination, and I look forward to working with the team to build on the hotel’s strengths, enhance the guest experience, and re-establish Radisson Blu Hotel Cork as a leading venue for business and events in Cork.”