Setting the pace

Banbridge-born Graham Burns, currently executive head chef at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Belfast, believes that when it comes to servicing the catering requirements of one of the city’s busiest venues, quick-thinking and versatility are indispensable qualities.

Graham Burns, who has worked at the popular Shaw’s Bridge hotel for the last 10 years, says that one of the venue’s strengths is an ability to cope with high demand in the conferencing and banqueting sector.

“The Ramada Plaza has a strong record for corporate events and awards ceremonies and it has done for the last 10 years,” he tells LCN. “Some of our customers have gone elsewhere and then come back to us because they see we have the knowledge and experience to put these big events together properly for them.”

The clear challenge within that, adds Michael, is not only to keep the entire operation functioning smoothly, it is also to maintain levels of satisfaction and interest among those clients who have been with the venue for years.

But the principles of customer service should come as second nature to a chef with Graham Burns’ experience.

After securing his catering qualifications in Newry in 1996, Graham went straight into employment as a commis chef at Kilkea Castle in Co. Kildare – the oldest continuously inhabited castle on the island of Ireland and now, a hotel and golf resort.

“I was there for a year and it was very hard work but a great experience,” recalls Graham, who sometimes found himself on-the-go from 5am until 11pm.

Back in Northern Ireland, he took his next job with head chef, Denis Orr at the Burrendale hotel in Newcastle and spent four years as a sous chef there before the urge to travel and work abroad finally overcame him and he spent the next four years in the Australian city of Sydney.

While he was down under, Graham looked after two restaurants in a chain of similar venues – one was a German eatery and the other offered international cuisine.

“It was a great experience, living the Aussie lifestyle,” says Graham. “I really enjoyed my time there, I was able to travel abroad to places like Tahiti… I was working in Australia during the Olympic Games in 2000 and I got the chance to cater for the International Olympic Committee…I worked hard and played hard, as the Australians say.”

Graham eventually returned to Northern Ireland and a head chef’s positon back at the Burrendale. But his time amid the hustle and bustle of Sydney had left him hungry for the big city lifestyle and after 18 months, he left his job in Newcastle and accepted an invitation from former Ramada GM, Kem Akkari to work as a sous chef at the Belfast venue. Within a year, he’d been promoted to the head chef’s role and he is still in charge in the Ramada’s busy kitchens today.

There are now three restaurants at the Ramada Plaza following recent refurbishment – The Spice Club, serving Indian cuisine; The Green Room, which offers a slightly more formal and very seasonal menu and The River Bar, which is bistro style.

“In the past, I’ve tried to do some Asian fusion, which we did a lot of out in Australia, but you don’t really get the same ingredients here and you have to work with what you’ve got,” remarks Graham. “At the moment, I think there is a leaning towards more old-style cooking but with a modern twist.

“Working here, you really have to be versatile if you are going to cope with the pace of what goes on. We can have three different events going on at once; at Christmas parties we will have 6000 people in total over the season and 700 people to cater for on Christmas Day alone. You have to be able to handle the mechanics and timing of an operation like that.”

Looking towards the future, Graham is already contemplating Christmas at the Ramda and the arrival in October of the Hotel Federation’s Hospitality Exchange showcase event.

“The challenge is always to keep on top of everything and to keep those customers happy that have been coming to us for years,” he adds.

And while Graham’s own sense of ambition doesn’t really run to working in his own place, he does feel that there is still something to be achieve:

“We have a number of hotels in the chain here and perhaps, down the line, group executive chef would be a title that I’d like to have under my wing,” he adds. “I really enjoy the everyday challenge of working here.”