Flynn's East Cork restaurants celebrate winning food awards

East Cork restaurant and hospitality group Flynn Cush Ltd, which is owned by tech billionaire and Ballycotton native Pearse Flynn, has won two awards in this year’s Georgina Campbell Irish Food and Hospitality Awards.

The title of best seafood chef of the year was shared between Frédéric Desormeaux, executive chef in the Ballycotton restaurants The Salty Dog and Sea Church, and Dan Guerin, who is head chef in Cush Midleton.

Both restaurants use sustainably sourced ingredients, fresh fish caught off the coast of Ireland, and high-quality cuts of meat — while keeping the menus up to date by incorporating seasonal fruit and vegetables.

Sea Church offers panoramic views of the Atlantic ocean, while hosting multiple gigs and events in the St Colman’s Church venue, which is adjacent to the restaurant.

The Salty Dog, which is nearby and faces out to Ballycotton Lighthouse, is open five days a week offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner service.

Meanwhile, Cush Midleton — which is located in the old Sage premises — maintains the high standards which previously saw it win numerous awards.

Running since the 1990s, the Georgina Campbell Irish Food and Hospitality Awards are one of Ireland’s most prestigious and longest running in the industry.

Winners are selected without prior knowledge.

Mr Desormeaux said he and his staff focused on fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, “none more important to me than fish”, when working in Sea Church and The Salty Dog.

“We love to provide diners with a sense of the place in which they are eating, and being so close to the sea gives us fantastic opportunities to work with local produce, which always makes their experience more enjoyable,” he said.

Oliver Falter, general manager of the Flynn Cush Hospitality Group, said the recognition of the group’s chefs was testament to the hard work they put in daily, and to what we had been trying to achieve across their restaurants.

“We’re thrilled to have some of the best chefs in Ireland and really excited to continue bringing the best food and hospitality to East Cork,” he said.