Family fitness on my busy schedule

KEVIN DUNDON, RESTAURATEUR, HOTELIER AND TV CHEF

AFTER a globe trotting 2016, celebrity chef Kevin Dundon enjoyed his first ever Christmas with his family on their own at Dunbrody Country House on Sunday.

Looking forward to 2017, Kevin plans more time with his wife Catherine, children, Emily (16), Sophie (13) and Tom (9), and at his hotel in Arthurstown.

‘My New Year’s Resolution for 2017 is to spend more time with my family. This year I’ve been on the road a lot as a brand ambassador for food. I’ve clocked 16,000 kms since August. It’s been a really busy year. Dunbrody is doing really well too.

‘Everything has improved and the average spend and occupancy levels are up. The Local bar at the hotel is doing very well. People want a casual place to eat great food in, in a relaxed atmosphere. They still want fine dining but they don’t want to have to wear suits and ties.

‘I have to travel to the US in 2017 as I’m on two TV shows, on PBS which goes out to hundreds of millions of homes and on Create TV.

‘I’ll also be in my restaurant in Orlando, but I won’t have to be in America as much next year. I did a lot of work on the Dunbrody this year and plan to spend more time at the hotel next year.

‘We’re all getting bicycles for Christmas so it will be a case of the Dundons, fittest family. I want to be more focused in 2017 because I feel I have been doing too much and have diversfieid too much. I need to refocus on my family and Dunbrody house.

‘ Things are looking up and it’s fantastic with Fáilte Ireland has done with Ireland’s Ancient East after the success of the Wild Atlantic Way.

‘Quite a number of foreign media groups have visited us at the hotel this year and we will bear the fruits of that next year and the years after.

‘ There is a great appetite for Ireland in Honk Kong, which I visited recently. Although these are small numbers of people, they are the right people.’