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In just one year on the Causeway Coast, the five-star Dunluce Lodge in Portrush has secured a high-profile industry honour after its Executive Head Chef, Stephen Holland, was named Chef of the Year at the Licensed & Catering News Awards 2026. The accolade highlights the lodge’s rapid rise and the growing attention on food rooted in Northern Ireland’s coastline and farms.
Top industry recognition
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Holland received the award in front of around 500 industry professionals at the LCN ceremony. The prize is independently judged by SpotCheck NI and recognises culinary leadership, creativity and technical skill across the hospitality sector.
The LCN Awards celebrate excellence across hotels, restaurants, pubs, cafés, caterers and tourism providers and are regarded as one of the most significant honours in Northern Ireland’s hospitality industry.
A year of swift acclaim
Opened 12 months ago, Dunluce Lodge is a 35-bedroom boutique property that sits on the Causeway Coastal Route. Its location includes a private walkway down to Whiterocks Beach, offering guests direct access to dramatic Atlantic scenery.
Such setting, paired with the lodge’s service and food offer, has helped position it quickly among Ireland’s distinguished small luxury hotels.
Dining and atmosphere
At The Restaurant at Dunluce Lodge, Holland and his team aim to deliver a menu that reflects the area’s seasonal bounty. Guests can expect cocktails by an open fire, fresh oysters served at the bar and sweeping views of the Atlantic from the dining room.
Menu highlights
- Co Down oysters with Burren balsamic horseradish vinegar and lemon
- Kilkeel crab and mussel salad with fennel and dulse pickle
- 400g bone-in sirloin of Lisdergan beef
Local sourcing and culinary approach
Holland emphasises seasonality, sustainability and close relationships with nearby farms, fishermen and artisan producers. The lodge presents those partnerships as a central part of its food story.
He described the coastline as an “incredible natural pantry.” He added: “Our aim is to give diners a true taste of this place and celebrate its rich bounty by working with exceptional local producers and allowing those ingredients to shine.”
Personal background and guest list
Originally from County Tyrone, Holland has been cooking since he was 13. His career has included catering for high-profile guests; the lodge notes that his past work lists the late Queen Elizabeth II among those he has served.
Responses from the kitchen and management
After the award, Holland said he was “incredibly honoured,” and stressed the recognition belonged to the “entire team.”
Dunluce Lodge General Manager Stephen Meldrum welcomed the outcome, calling the award “richly deserved and wonderful recognition of his [Holland’s] exceptional talent, creativity and leadership.”
Beyond the main restaurant, the property also offers all-day dining and handcrafted cocktails in The Bar, plus a more intimate option in The Vault for private meals, extending the lodge’s focus on both hospitality and regional foodcraft.
