The Metropole Hotel hosted its annual pancake race this morning.
Businesses from the VQ area of Cork City raced along MacCurtain Street while flipping pancakes to claim the winning title.
It was a stacked field as the host organisation sought to defend its title against stiff competition from neighbouring businesses including The Shelbourne Bar, Spar MacCurtain Street and Anume Medical Clinic, to name but a few.
The Shrove Tuesday tradition of traders racing down MacCurtain Street while simultaneously flipping pancakes dates back to 1826 when Thompson’s Bakery led the charge but the ritual was revived by The Metropole Hotel in 2018. It has since become an annual highlight – and a recipe for considerable hilarity for local businesses and their customers.
This year’s event drew a field of 15 entrants and had all the ingredients for a vintage contest but Azim Ali from The Address and Robert Bejanishvili of The Metropole Hotel ultimately flattened the competition to jointly claim the coveted title.
Sandra Murphy, Group Brand and Communications Manager at Trigon Hotels said: “Our little corner of Cork is full of character and characters, and the annual pancake race gives us an opportunity to really express that. The tradition began over 200 years ago and there’s a reason why this celebration of camaraderie among the VQ traders has endured, but make no mistake – on a day like today, the competition is real!”
Speaking about his win, Robert Bejanishvili said: “I’m really happy with the win and I’d say fair play to joint winner Azim. I’d like to come back next year to reclaim the title on my own but I’d like a longer distance to extend the fun.”
And Azim Ali jokingly added : “I’m going to start training now for next year. I’ll keep running, running away from people, running towards people. I woke up at 6am to prepare for today and I’d like to say the winning breakfast was a fry but I had a plate of pancakes.”
Alex Petit is Group Executive Chef of Trigon Hotels, which includes the Metropole Hotel and Cork International Hotel. He has created a delicious sweet and a savoury pancake recipe for people to try at home. He says: “Homemade pancakes shouldn’t be complicated. Here are some perfect recipes for when you’re feeling like crepe.”
