A Young Hotelier Interview with Marguerite Howley, Hotel Owner and Chef at the Castlemurray House Hotel, St.Johns Point, Co.Donegal, Ireland. Marguerite shares her experience in the kitchen and the rewards of owning her own business. A 3 part interview – watch the first video above – the 2nd and 3rd continue below.

Video 1: Little did this Young Irish Lassie realize that her first summer job at the foot hills of the Slieve League Mountains in Castle Murray House Hotel would later be her calling and life choice! This hidden gem of relaxation is overlooking Mc Swynes Bay and is assured to rejuvenate your soul and invigorate your palette! The two renowned signature dishes “Prawn & Monkfish in Garlic” and warm chocolate cake ……hold a history as old as Mc Swynes Castle and have been key stones in their success! Marguerite’s assures us that if they were to be removed from these from the menu then she would immediately file for bankruptcy!

Her first reactions to Castle Murray were what a busy kitchen, a great buzz! Great food! Long hours but she loved the craic!

Good work experience was a necessity prior to Marguerite ascertaining a place at the Killybegs School of Tourism where her focus was on Gastronomy and Culinary Arts. No stranger to a palette knife or piping bag! Marguerite’s talents shone through as during her second training work placement in the Dunraven Arms Hotel they gave her the running of the pastry section! Those talents took her across the water to join Gordon Ramsay’s team at Aubergine in London and I think we can say this experience was in fact ‘Hell’s Kitchen’! One of the hardest but best experiences Marguerite has ever undergone in her life. The main lesson taken from ‘Hell’s Kitchen’….. consistency, consistency, consistency……but it must be a good product to start with! Holding one of the finest fish restaurant’s on the Irish Market where by all food is cooked to order Marguerite believes this is something she picked from Ramsay, that and her stroppy Head Chef’s Hat!  Personally she lives by the ethos of turning away tables and running the risk of offending people rather disappointing their palette! The best move Marguerite has ever made was becoming self employed and hasn’t looked back since! Learn more…..   
 

Video 2: Still capable of stepping into the kitchen and taking control of the hot plate when required, Marguerite has a more Front of House role now as the Hotel Proprietor. Her experience however has thought her one very important lesson! It is essential if you are going to own and run your own business to have that cheffing background or at minimal a course that gives you the knowledge and know how of what is of standard or below that! As we all know Chefs are generally renowned for their creative flairs and tempers, especially the French! However holding that kitchen understanding one is capable of calling their bluff! Marguerite considers herself very fortunate with the existing team in Castle Murray, her talented Head Chef of fourteen years and his team which is enhanced by two long standing relationships with French Culinary College’s who annually send students to Castle Murray to practice their French Dining Expertise with the Irish Touch!  Her most inspiring figure to date is in fact her Father who pushed her to challenge herself for the better!….Learn more

Video 3
One of the greatest rewards Marguerite experiences from being self employed is having flexi hours! However she is very vocal that the only reason she can take advantage of this perk is because of the hard work and dedication that she has invested in building a winning Castle Murray team. She says, “You can take advantage of the hours if you are self employed but not of the people who are covering for you.” Like the role of a Duty Manager, owning your own business means that you are always, always on CALL!! Further to becoming self employed truthfully Marguerite believes there is no turning back! Her advice to young hoteliers today considering a culinary career is to gain work experience in an establishment and find your forte! Does turning over 4,000 covers rock your world or are you more intrigued with the intricacies of fine dining? Your chosen work places there after should reflect this! Marguerite also recommends keeping your own recipe Book and her final words of advice were…. “You have to love it! Unsociable hours no matter what area you work in, so you have to love it!”…

Discuss Marguerite’s interview in the YoungHotelier.com TEA Lounge:
http://younghotelier.com/lounge/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a