Meet Our Judges
We are delighted to present the esteemed judging panel for the inaugural year of the Gold Medal Catering Awards! Without the expertise and dedication of our judges, the Gold Medal Catering Awards would not be possible.
Our judges represent a diverse range of expertise within the catering and hospitality industry, and each judge has been carefully selected for their outstanding contributions within the industry and their excellent reputations.
Their expertise and unbiased judgement will ensure that each category is assessed with the utmost fairness and professionalism. You can trust that the results will represent the highest level of achievements within the catering industry.
Thanks to the commitment of our judging panel, we are confident that these inaugural awards will raise the bar for excellence within the catering industry. We really look forward to celebrating all the remarkable achievements and contributions that are being made within the industry.
Please note that some of our judges have requested to stay anonymous so this is not the full list of our panel.
Guy Thompson
With over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Guy Thompson currently holds the position of Hotel Director – Irish Hotels at FBD Hotels & Resorts. Originally hailing from the UK, Guy possesses a National Diploma, Higher National Diploma, and a Degree in Hotel Business Management. His career in management spans various roles across the UK, including Deputy General Manager at a 120-bedroom resort property for Principal Hotels and involvement in specific projects under the Operations Director’s purview.
John Carty
A native of Co. Roscommon, John is a lecturer and researcher in the Galway International Hotel School, Atlantic Technological University (ATU). A hotel and catering management graduate, John has worked with tourism, hospitality and event organisations abroad and in Ireland. He regularly conducts research and provides consultancy services to the tourism, hospitality, festival and event industries. John teaches marketing, public relations and management modules on a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in ATU, is a Fellow of the Irish Hospitality Institute and a principal investigator with STORY@ATU (the Sustainable Tourism and Visitor Experience Lab @ ATU).
Oliver Sheedy
Oliver managed his own Contract Catering Business in the Department of Education and Skills for 18 years and because of Covid his business has been closed since March 2020. He has a background in the Hotel and Catering Industry having worked in the Mater Misericordiae Hospital as Head of Catering for 16 Years and also worked in the Hotel Sector in Ireland and England. Oliver has a QQI level 6 qualified trainer with experience in Hospitality Skills Training He is also a qualified National Tour Guide and a holder of a Limousine License which allows him to work part time as a Driver Guide throughout Ireland.
Russell Hadley
Russell Hadley is a seasoned hotelier with over 25 years of experience in luxury hotel management. He currently serves as the General Manager of The Mayson in Dublin, where he has led operations since 2019. Under his leadership, the hotel has gained prestigious recognition, including being named one of National Geographic’s 48 Best New Hotels and Conde Nast Traveller’s “Coolest Hotel in Dublin” in 2020. In 2024, it was also included in Conde Nast’s list of 24 Best Hotels in Dublin.
Wayne Kenny
Wayne is a Chef with over 20 years experience throughout the hospitality industry, ranging from Michelin stared restaurants to airline catering. Currently Executive Chef of the Buckley Collection, a group of five restaurants and 3 bars in Dublin which received the position of 6th in the ‘Worlds Best Steakhouses’. Wayne is a big believer in ingredients led food and supporting our local growers and producers.
