A Letterkenny hotel worker has been named Irish Hotels Federation Donegal Branch ‘Employee of the Year’.
Gabriela Rodrigues is a Sous Chef at the Clanree Hotel.
(Pictured above: Denyse Campbell, IHF President; Paul Diver, IHF Donegal Branch Chair; Gabriela Rodrigues, IHF Donegal Branch Employee of the Year and Ciarán Ó hAnnracháin, Head of School of Tourism ATU. Photo Clive Wasson.)
The announcement was made at the IHF Donegal Dinner Dance held in Harvey’s Point, an annual celebration of Donegal’s tourism sector, and the people at the heart of it.
Congratulating Gabriela on the award, Branch Chairperson Paul Diver, said the judges highlighted her work ethic, passion for the culinary arts and positive attitude when selecting her as the winner.
Gabriela joined the Clanree Hotel team in 2017 as a Kitchen Porter, where her ability to adapt, learn, and grow saw her rapidly progress in the culinary department, reaching her current role of Sous Chef.
Colleagues say Gabriela’s calm demeanour under pressure, excellent communication skills, and eagerness to mentor others make her a source of inspiration for fellow team members.
At the event, IHF President Denyse Campbell spoke about the importance of recognising excellence, and ‘Shaping Brighter Futures’ for people in the sector by supporting future leaders and keeping teams motivated with opportunities for career progression and development.
On the night Noel Cunningham also received a special honour from the IHF Donegal Branch in recognition of his contribution to the local tourism industry.
IHF Donegal Branch extends its gratitude to the expert judging panel comprised of Ciarán Ó hAnnracháin (Atlantic Technological University) and Deirdre Fitzsimons (IHF Director of People Services) who had the difficult job of selecting a winner from the nominees.
The members of the IHF Donegal Branch now wish Gabriela Rodrigues the very best of luck as she goes on to represent them at the upcoming National IHF Employee of the Year Awards which will be held during the IHF’s Annual Conference in February 2024.
