HappyChef Daily · Today's restaurant news
Twelve Kitchens Shut In September And Malta's Busy Tourist Towns
- Ireland
- Malta
In Short
- Inspectors closed twelve Irish food businesses in September, mostly for pests and poor hygiene.
- The EU's top court says Dublin Airport's 32 million passenger cap must count when slots are shared out.
- A Kenmare chef cooks lobster and cheese ravioli live on American TV on Friday, with Tourism Ireland.
- Tourists added more than 90,000 people to Malta's population in August 2025.
- A man who demanded a free meal in St Paul's Bay was fined €2,000.
Food safety leads the day in Ireland. The monthly list of closure orders is out, and the reasons are the usual ones.
In Malta, new figures show how crowded the busiest dining towns get in summer. There is also a court case that any restaurant owner will recognise.
Pests And Dirty Kitchens Close Twelve Food Businesses
Environmental health officers served twelve closure orders in September, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland reported on Thursday. Most were cafés, restaurants and takeaways, plus a B&B and a shop.
They were spread over Dublin, Laois, Clare, Kerry, Wexford, Limerick, Cavan and the Portlaoise area. The reasons included cockroaches, dead rodents, poor hand washing and no food safety plan.
Other orders named missing use-by dates on food made on site and poor cooling and reheating of chicken. The FSAI chief said all of it could have been prevented.
Sources: Food Safety Authority of Ireland
A Ruling That Ties Airline Slots To A Passenger Ceiling
The Court of Justice of the EU said on Thursday that the Irish Aviation Authority must take the airport's 32 million passenger cap into account when it shares out take-off and landing slots.
The airport handled 36.4 million passengers in 2025. The 28 extra slots added for next summer are not affected, and the minister is expected to raise the cap to 40 million by April.
Sources: The Irish Times
A Kenmare Chef Cooks For American Breakfast TV
Mark Treacy, executive head chef at Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare, will cook live on NBC's TODAY show on Friday 16 October. The programme is broadcast from Kenmare with Tourism Ireland.
He will show Kenmare Bay lobster with carrot purée and bisque, and a Coolea cheese ravioli with onion broth. The aim is to put Irish produce in front of American viewers.
Sources: Hotel & Restaurant Times
A Meath Hotel Group Brings In A Rugby Captain As Adviser
The Johnstown Collection, which runs The Johnstown Estate in Enfield, Trim Castle Hotel and Mount Juliet Estate, has signed Johnny Sexton as an adviser to its senior team.
He will run leadership sessions on culture and teamwork. The group says it has invested or plans to invest over €39.5 million across its hotels, including €26 million at Johnstown.
Sources: Hotel & Restaurant Times
Tourists Add 90,000 People To Malta At The Summer Peak
New NSO figures for 2025 show tourists added 50,767 people to Malta on an average day, and 90,332 in August. The effective population peaked at 671,576.
St Julian's had the most tourists per resident, followed by Valletta, where the ratio rose sharply. St Paul's Bay had the biggest population in August, and Sliema the densest streets.
Sources: The Malta Independent
A Customer Demanding Free Food Gets A €2,000 Fine
A man argued with staff at a restaurant in St Paul's Bay on Wednesday and demanded a meal for free. The owner had fed him for free before, but staff said no without his approval.
The man swore at police and refused to give his ID. In court on Thursday he admitted the charges, including assaulting an employee, and got a suspended sentence and a €2,000 fine.
Sources: The Malta Independent
A Sliema Pavement Dispute Is Still Not Settled
A seafront restaurant in Sliema that was told on Tuesday to clear public land within 30 days has taken away its tables and chairs.
A platform on public land next to the pavement was still there on Thursday evening. Residents and the NGO Moviment Graffitti want the whole structure gone.
Sources: MaltaToday
What Does This Mean For Your Restaurant?
The Irish closure list is a good reminder to check your pest control, your hand basins and your cooling records this week. Almost every order on it comes back to those basics.
In Malta, the tourist figures show where the summer trade really is. If you run a place in St Julian's, Valletta or Sliema, plan your staffing around those peaks.
Sources
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