Wining and dining at Ashford Castle
Or... a grand estate looks towards a more sustainable future
Disclosure: I was a guest at Ashford Castle with thanks to Sherry Communications. We stayed for 2 nights with meals and organised experiences included. We paid for any incidentals which fell outside the scope of the organised itinerary. All opinions are my own.
Sitting stately on the northern shores of Lough Corib, Ashford Castle has a big reputation for hospitality and luxury, all delivered with what many consider to be a hefty price tag. In fact, a two night weekend stay won’t leave much change, if any, from €2,000. Different people will value different aspects of a hotel, and in my case, it’s all about the food and drink.
While Ashford Castle has operated as a hotel since 1939, the purchase of the estate by the South African Tollman family in 2013 resulted in significant investment into the castle itself, the grounds and the addition of the adjoining Lodge. Over the course of my stay at Ashford Castle, I got the opportunity to see how this investment and support was changing the face of wining and dining at the castle.
For reference, I had dined previously in the George V restaurant in 2022 when I stayed at The Lodge.
The Wine Cellars
With a history dating back to the 17th century, the cellars at Ashford Castle had previously been used for coal storage, a servants’ entrance and a general dumping ground for random items. The idea of turning this space into a formal wine cellar had been mooted in the past, but not acted upon until the Tollmans took over and gave the green light for the clean up.
Now the wine cellar is a beautiful setting, and feels as if it has always been part of the castle. Stone flagged floors and ceilings have had temperature controlled areas installed for wine storage, and the space hosts wine tastings, wine dinners and private events. And while the tunnels don’t extend under the river, it’s very easy to let your imagination run wild and think that you are under water.
Wine tastings, which are lead by one of the sommelier team, can be booked from 12.00 - 17.30 and last in the region of an hour. Prices range from €130 for a tasting of Bouchard Finlayson whites (also owned by the Tollmans) all the way to ‘Billy Big Balls’ territory at €1,500 for an ‘Iconic’ tasting (think Opus One or Penfold Grange) or €1,750 for a ‘Vault’ tasting ( Château Cheval Blanc or Unico Vega Sicilia).
Local man and Assistant Head Sommelier Nick Heneghan is our guide, sharing many nuggets of castle history from his long career, although he cagily refuses to be drawn on my questions about most expensive bottles drank or any salacious goings on in the cellar.
The Kitchen Garden
Ashford Castle sits on an estate of 350 acres covering woodlands and gardens, and a golf course. With all this wonderful land available, it’s certainly positive to hear staff talking enthusiastically about an ongoing move towards self-sufficiency and sustainability.
One of the first steps taken has been to establish a kitchen garden under the stewardship of Alex Lavarde, who joined the estate in 2022. Alex is a proponent of ‘no-dig’ and companion planting, and has already achieved much diversity with his initial two acre garden. He works closely with the chef team (more later on) to grow as much produce as is feasible, providing for all the estate’s kitchens throughout the year. This cooperation even extends to growing Carolina Reaper chilies in the polytunnel for a hot sauce, that will then be later used in the kitchen and cocktail bar.
As we walk the garden with Alex, he speaks passionately about what he has achieved, as well as looking to the future. There are plans to push back on the non-native laurel trees in an effort to both create more space and increase bio-diversity. I ask how he protects the garden from rampant rabbits, but the presence of Falconry Ireland onsite has an added prophylactic benefit.
Afternoon Tea
No fancy hotel worth its salt is complete without an afternoon tea offering. In the case of Ashford Castle, the sweet side of the house is overseen by the combined dream team of Paula Stakelum (Director of Chocolate and Patisserie) and Andrew Ryan (Executive Pasty Chef).
We take our seats for afternoon tea in the stunning Connaught Room, still dressed in our walking clothes from the morning. Afternoon tea costs €75 pp with a three glass Lanson champagne tasting add-on available for €45, and I do wonder how my MyProtein leggings compare to the some of the glamorous dresses around me. Feck it though, we’re booked for an archery course after tea, and I really have no appetite to change just for a few hours.
For this money, you will get 4 crustless half sandwiches on the softest white and brown breads, 3 different scones (cheese, plain and fruit), and of course, 4 delicious cakes, accompanied by teas, all served on beautiful patterned Wedgwood china.
We are joined for a short chat by Andrew Ryan, who is sporting the whitest set of whites I’ve ever seen on a chef. He gladly admits that he threw on a fresh set before coming out to say hello. Andrew started his career at Ashford, before spending time at Michelin-starred Loam and Grá Chocolates, then returning in 2023. It turns out he’s most excited about the imminent arrival of forced rhubarb from the kitchen garden, overseen by gardener Alex.
I still remain on the fence about afternoon tea in general but there’s no denying the excellence of this experience. The pistachio and rose choux bun is an absolute knockout, but I’m not as crazy about the 72% chocolate cremeaux which feels out of the kilter with the delicate flavours of the other Valentines-themed cakes.
As we leave, manager and local Ciara Heneghan (annoyingly no relation to sommelier Nick Heneghan above) explains that many guests will often take home some of the food, and therefore, guests can select one of the loose leaf teas to take home so that they can continue to enjoy the full experience later.
George V Dining Room
The George V main dining room is a very grand affair with its dark wood panelling, and royal blue curtains and chairs. It’s all crisp white linen, silver service and monogrammed china. On my previous visit, I couldn’t technically fault the cooking, but I found it all to be just a be a bit dull. For a five star, luxury hotel, this food felt a little stuck in time and wouldn’t have inspired me to return.
Since then, Dundalk native Liam Finnegan has joined as Executive Chef (formerly group executive head chef for Michael Caines’ Collection), while Charlie Watson (ex The Square in Mayfair and Eleven Madison Park) has taken up the role of Head Chef.
And while the menu still remains overall classical, I can see tendrils of something new starting to appear. A 5 course Table d’Hote menu has been introduced, vegetable-based dishes are incorporated equally into the menu, pickled and preserved items from the estate are used to illuminate dishes, and touches of grilling and charcoal are judiciously applied. It takes a masterful touch to balance the grand tradition of this dining room with modern tastes, but as we left, I felt that the George V was turning its course.
Speaking later to Liam, it’s immediately clear that he is very down to earth, especially given his success to date. He drops jokes (pastry chef Andrew’s chocolate balls come in for a bit of ribbing), but it’s also clear to see that he cares immensely about cheffing as a career and wants it to be better.
Over a few glasses of excellent wine, in the company of stalwart Restaurant Manager Robert Bowe, we discuss historic menus from Ashford Castle, free range meat, pickled blackberries, cooking techniques and an odd admiration for McDonald’s. The very breath of this diverse conversation illustrates the strong connections forged between Ashford Castle and its local suppliers as well as future plans for a livestock herd, preserving kitchen and distillery.
In conclusion
As we leave Ashford Castle on the Sunday morning, I find myself looking at the immaculate golf course, and the somewhat twee Cullen’s at the Cottage. It’s picture postcard perfect. And while a luxury hotel like Ashford Castle will always aim for sleek perfection, I’m glad to see increasing evidence of sustainability and a connection with the estate itself creeping into the dining experience.
The presence of a pickled blackberry on a plate might seem insignificant, but it represents an intention to forage more, to pickle and preserve, and to use ingredients grown on the estate. And for me, that form of intention helps contribute towards the justification of that hefty price tag.