Cork’s Market Lane Group of Restaurants has taken two of the top gongs at The Fáilte Ireland Employer Excellence Awards 2024, which were announced on Wednesday night.

ORSO restaurant took the Award for Best Employer Food & Drink in Ireland and Goldie restaurant took the Award for Best Employer in Ireland’s Ancient East for the 2nd year in a row.  The group also comprises Market Lane, Elbow Lane Smokehouse & Brewery and The Castle Café, Blackrock.

The Awards celebrate and spotlight Ireland’s exceptional employers in tourism and they play an important role in highlighting the hardworking individuals and organizations that are committed to great employee engagement.  Aspiring to and maintaining high business standards are key to Ireland’s tourism offering, and these awards help attract employees into the tourism industry and to provide them with fulfilling, life-long careers.

“We are honoured to have won at these Awards,” says Michelle Daniel, head office co-ordinator at the Market Lane Restaurant Group.  “Our team is everything,” she said.  “They are the very heart of everything we do.

“Empowering our colleagues with knowledge and skills, and trusting in their abilities are the essential ingredients in creating the warm, friendly, delicious experience that is at the core of the Market Lane Group’s dining ethos.” She adds.

“This recognition also helps us stand out as employers of choice in the increasingly competitive hospitality talent market.  It also comes at our peak recruitment period for the group, which is perfect timing! “

Since the group has engaged with the Failte Ireland Employer Excellence Programme it has achieved a higher retention rate and a significant reduction in the number of vacancies. “The volume and standard of job applications has also increased” adds Daniel “as well as the number of employee referrals.”

These results have engendered a stronger cultural stance within the company which has, in turn, strengthened the recruitment team’s conviction and assessment processes when choosing candidates who are the right fit for the company.

“We have also had a much greater engagement by staff members in our ambitious environmental policies, staff training programmes and advancement opportunities at all levels.  This adds to employee skill sets, which raises standards across the board. We are understandably delighted that we started on this journey with Failte Ireland” concludes Daniel.

The company was accredited a Great Place to Work in 2024 and 2025 and earlier in the year was listed in Ireland’s Best Workplaces 2025.