A BALTIMORE pub has been shortlisted for six prestigious ‘Yes Chef’ Ireland awards for 2023.
The Algiers Inn is up for the casual dining restaurant, local restaurant, traditional gastropub, outdoor dining space, the social media award, and front of house team of the year.
The 130-year-old pub opened under new ownership during Covid-19. Ann and Bill Hillyard, from California, purchased the pub in February of 2020, just one month before the first Covid lockdown. The Algiers’ eclectic menu arose out of interest in culinary cultures and the food exploration of its well-travelled owners to counteract the vacuum of the Covid lockdowns.
Ann manages the kitchen while her husband, Bill, runs the front of house.
‘We didn’t set out to serve Californian fare, per se. In isolation, though, we cooked the things we knew and missed from our California home,’ said Ann.
‘Arriving here four years ago, we found a thriving culinary spirit reminiscent of California during famed chef Alice Waters’ heyday,’ Ann said. ‘Entrepreneurial farmers and fishermen deliver an amazing bounty of fresh local meats, cheeses, dairy, and vegetables right to our doorstep.’
Bill said it is the front of house team of the year nomination that makes him the proudest.
‘For many of our staff,’ he said, ‘this was their first ever job, and I am so pleased to see how they all have pulled together into such a professional, hardworking team,’ he said. The awards will be presented next month.
