Award-winning chef brings fresh ambition to food at Mayo's TF Royal Theatre Hotel
By Tom Gillespie
THE TF Royal Theatre Hotel in Castlebar is making a significant commitment to improving its food offering across all outlets, with the appointment of highly sought-after chef Chamila Mananwatta as consultant head chef.
Securing Chamila is a major coup for the hotel. The Sri Lankan native brings extensive international experience, an impressive record of culinary achievements and a passion for showcasing local produce.
His appointment reflects a clear ambition to make exceptional food a central part of the experience at the TF Royal Theatre Hotel.
From the Yew Tree Café and Green Room Restaurant to the carvery, conferences, celebrations and private dining, the hotel is placing renewed emphasis on quality, consistency and seasonal ingredients.
Having joined the team six weeks ago, Chamila has already introduced changes to the carvery and à la carte menus. His approach combines welcoming, familiar dishes with the attention to detail developed throughout his career in fine dining.
“Already I have made some significant changes,” he said. “I am using local and Irish suppliers and local and seasonal Irish produce.”
That commitment will shape the development of food across the hotel’s outlets, giving customers more reasons to visit for a casual lunch, a relaxed dinner, a family occasion, or a meal before a show.
Chamila is well known in Mayo for his work at Mulranny Park Hotel, where he was executive head chef and established the acclaimed Gourmet Greenway dining experience. Its signature 10-course banquets celebrated ingredients from 16 local suppliers along the route from Westport to Achill.
His achievements include being previously named Best Chef in Mayo at the Restaurants Association of Ireland Awards and becoming one of five national finalists in the Executive Chef category at the Irish Hospitality Industry Awards.
Chamila has achieved two AA Rosettes for culinary excellence. His work also attracted recognition from the John and Sally McKenna guides, including listings among their recommended places to eat and stay.
Further recognition included a place among the Bridgestone Guide’s top 50 restaurants in Ireland and top 10 in Connaught, alongside a top 10 finalist placing in the hotel fine dining category at the Irish Gold Medal Awards.
Chamila’s food has featured in Hot Press, including its restaurant recommendations.
Before coming to Ireland, Chamila worked in five-star Hilton and Sheraton hotels in Dubai. His experience there included delivering a six-course Chaîne des Rôtisseurs dinner at the Hilton Jumeirah. He has also worked in high-end dining in England and as head chef at a golf resort in Wexford.
Now living in Mulranny, he returned to Mayo, where his family remained, and leads a kitchen team of eight at the TF Royal Theatre Hotel.
He added: “The TF Royal Hotel and Theatre is an extremely high volume business, with conferences and the big shows. We also do a lot of family gatherings, birthdays and private parties.”
That variety makes his appointment particularly significant. The hotel’s investment in an experienced, in-demand chef signals how seriously it is taking the development of its food offering, with improvements intended to reach every part of the business.
For customers of the Yew Tree Café, Green Room Restaurant and the hotel’s wider dining and event facilities, the aim is a consistently enjoyable food experience built around quality ingredients, skilled cooking and warm hospitality.
Established in the early 1950s by Paddy and Mary Jennings, parents of current proprietor Pat Jennings, the Travellers Friend has evolved into one of the west of Ireland’s best-known hospitality and entertainment destinations.
Chamila’s appointment marks the next chapter in that story, with a renewed determination to make food an even stronger reason to visit the TF Royal Theatre Hotel.
To book a table, call (094) 9023111.
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