Glenroyal Hotel: 130 Samples, and a Trip to Maynooth

They Found Us Through ChatGPT

The Glenroyal Hotel came to us, not the other way around. They had asked ChatGPT for a high-quality supplier of premium porcelain and stoneware tableware, and Annamis came back as a recommendation. That is a first for us — and a sign of where an emerging supplier now gets found.

Annamis works directly with artisans in Vietnam, producing handcrafted porcelain and stoneware for restaurants. What sets us apart in a category dominated by volume hotelware is the way we work: bespoke, face-to-face, and prepared to put the whole range in front of a chef rather than a catalogue page.

The Glenroyal is a four-star hotel in Maynooth, Co. Kildare, about twenty-five minutes from Dublin. It runs three food and drink venues: The Enclosure Restaurant, the Arkle Bar and the Shoda Market Cafe. Paul Joy, who leads the business, is also planning the opening of a new hotel in the Dublin Docklands.

Over 130 Samples

Paul asked for more than 130 individual samples, covering all three venues. That is far beyond what we normally ship on spec, but our position has always been that a client should have everything they need in front of them before they decide. Given the volume, Paul agreed to purchase the sample set, and we sent it out.

They liked the finishes. Enough that they asked me to come to Ireland and go through the selection with them in person — a flight to Dublin, then the train out to Maynooth.

Three Days in Maynooth

I had three days and two nights with them, hosted throughout. Dinner in the evening, breakfast in the morning, and a great deal of hospitality in between. More importantly, it meant meeting the people who will actually use the pieces: Paul Joy, Executive Chef Bernard, and Chloe, who works alongside Paul.

We went through the shapes together and made the selection. Then Chef Bernard did what a chef does with new tableware — he plated on it.

What the Chef Did With Them

Seeing a chef plate on your pieces is the only test that matters. A shape either gives the food room or it does not. A glaze either flatters the plate or fights it.

Where It Stands

We are still waiting on the final order. But the selection is made, the pieces have been cooked on, and the people involved know each other now. We would be glad to see Annamis on the tables at the Glenroyal — and, in time, at the Docklands.

Thank you to Paul, Bernard and Chloe for the welcome.