The Wild & Fired Cookery School, located in Derry~Londonderry, N.Ireland, has been awarded a prestigious accreditation for their exceptional teaching standards and facilities, from leading regulatory body, the Independent Cookery Schools Association (ICSA). This is a first for the industry as it also recognises their sustainability credentials and exceptional outdoor cookery experiences.
The Wild & Fired BBQ Cookery School, is based in the stunning surroundings of the Historic walled gardens of the ‘carbon positive’ Brook Hall Estate in County Derry. Offering a unique and immersive outdoor cooking experience that celebrates the art of barbecuing with a wild twist. Founded on the principles of sustainability, creativity, and connection to nature, the school specialises in teaching techniques that harness the raw power of open flame and smoke to produce mouthwatering dishes.
The BBQ School caters to all levels, from beginners eager to learn the basics of grilling to seasoned enthusiasts looking to refine their skills. Participants have the chance to master the art of cooking over various types of sustainable woods and charcoals, gaining insights into different smoking methods that imbue food with rich, complex flavours. The courses cover a wide range of cuisines, including prime cuts of meat, seafood, vegetables, and even wild game—showcasing the school’s commitment to sustainable sourcing and often featuring ingredients foraged from the surrounding estate.
The outdoor setting creates a relaxed atmosphere, encouraging attendees to connect with nature while learning essential skills. Under the guidance of owners Emily and Norman McCorkell and expert chefs and local foraging specialists, guests discover how to create impressive dishes, from perfectly grilled steaks to smoky seasonal vegetables. The school also emphasises environmentally friendly practices, including waste reduction and eco-conscious sourcing.
ICSA accredited cookery schools undergo rigorous assessments to ensure consistent delivery of excellence in cookery skills and training alongside equipment levels and facilities, as well as other criteria such as adhering to strict standards of environmental sustainability and continued support for local farmers, suppliers and seasonal produce.
Accreditation from a recognised industry body such as ICSA is also vital for aspiring chefs to be able to choose their cookery school to further their professional careers within the hospitality industry and other related culinary professions. Aspiring domestic chefs can also gain new transferrable skills to improve their culinary knowledge and applications in their home kitchens including knife skills, world food courses and nutritional understandings for both young and old.
James Day, Director of Operations at not-for-profit ICSA, said: “The quality of cookery classes at Wild and Fired BBQ Cookery School are second-to-none. The rural setting, natural surroundings on the banks of the estuary and the clear dedication and raw passion of both Emily and Norman are exceptional. The in-depth knowledge of the team, matched by the pureness and quality of ingredients and facilities are a breath of fresh air in themselves.
“During their rigorous 6-hour assessment, I was personally impressed by Norman’s knowledge of fire cooking, applying the principles of heat and smoke, underpinned by the utilisation of sustainable fuels, which was complimented by Emily’s cookery skills and enthusiasm for bringing out the best in quality, local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients. Including cooking mussels from the estuary and meats from within the Brook Hall Estate from 30 miles away from Brook Hall Estate. The lucky student guests received unrivalled hospitality, tuition, attention to details and an amazing BBQ banquet afterwards under their all-seasonal canopy.
NEW Green Award. Wild and Fired BBQ School is the first recipient of the new ‘Green Outdoor Experience Accreditation’ award created by ICSA to showcase the growing number of dedicated, inspirational and unique outdoor experience providers, which focus on delivering and teaching sustainability, seasonality and sourcing locally.
“Teaching standards are key to an ICSA-accredited cookery school. High levels of teaching provided by the Chef Tutors and their team are essential. As an organisation ICSA recognises sustainability across all our member schools. This new award champions those who go the extra mile in delivering the best of the outdoors, in an outdoor environment. There is no school more worthy of this award than Wild and Fired BBQ School. We are delighted to award the team our coveted ‘ICSA Green Outdoor Experience Accreditation Award’.
Emily McCorkell, joint creator and owner of Wild and Fired BBQ Cookery School, alongside her partner Norman commented, “Joining the ICSA is a natural extension of who we are and what we stand for. Our life experiences have shaped a way of living that celebrates quality, community, and good food — values we’re proud to share and uphold. We’re honoured to be recognised alongside such an inspiring network of talent and passion, and we look forward to building meaningful relationships grounded in the shared values and high standards of the ICSA.”

The flourishing local craft beer and whiskey distilling scene will be brought under one roof for a brand new food and drink festival, Sip and Savour at ICC Belfast on Saturday 16 August.
Celebrating the skills and unique stories of distilleries and breweries from across the region, Sip and Savour will provide the opportunity to sample some of the best beers and spirits the region has to offer. There will be opportunities to “meet the maker” and hear their colourful tales of trial, error and triumph in the pursuit of the perfect process and the ultimate blend.
The festival will also feature a tasty selection of top local food from Hospitality Belfast, as well as a programme of live musical entertainment.
The new event will see the exhibition space at ICC Belfast transformed with sipping and tasting stations and areas to sit and soak up the music and craic with friends and family. It promises to be a highlight of the summer’s weekends in the city.
The event is organised by ICC Belfast as one of the first in a series of new consumer events designed to provide new attractions at the venue for visitors and locals alike.
Charlie McCloskey, Director of Events and Customer Experience at ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall explained the origins of the event, saying,
“When hosting international delegates at our large conferences and conventions we’re really proud to promote the array of brilliant local craft beers and to share the historical origins of a growing number of local distillers. We wanted to find a way to showcase them all together, so we’ve created Sip and Savour as our own flagship event. We’ll be combing the finest local tipples with top class food and entertainment – perfect for a summer Saturday get-together.”
Peter McKevitt, Head of Entertainment at ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall said,
“I’m very pleased to reveal that our lineup will include McConnell’s Irish Whisky, Bullhouse Brew Co, Copeland Distillery and Hinch Distillery and something special from the experienced hands at Bushmills Irish Whiskey too. More will be revealed in the coming weeks. We want to keep the numbers manageable for the tasting experience, so we expect the tickets will be highly sought after.”
Tickets are now on sale from www.waterfront.co.uk with two sessions at 1pm and 5pm. Tickets are £42 plus booking fee and include tastings and food provided by ICC Belfast’s partner, Hospitality Belfast. The event is strictly for guests aged 18+ only and ID must be presented on entry.

Ballylisk Cheese of Armagh, a FoodNI member company, has won three major
awards for its creamy Triple Rose brand cheeses in the UK’s most prestigious
competition.
The family business in Portadown gained two golds and a bronze in the unique
British Virtual Cheese Awards for two creamy cheese, Triple Rose and Single Rose.
Triple Rose gained gold and Single Rose bronze in the White Mold Cheese
category. The second gold was for Triple Rose in Artisan Cheese – Made on the
Farm of Cow’s Milk.
The awards aim to create a sustainable, inclusive and transparent cheese awards
that support and celebrate British the diversity and quality of cheesemakers, from the
grassroots up. They seek “to nurture talent to help promote a sustainable and
thriving industry to consumers”. Another objective is to generate publicity, awareness
among consumers and a route to market for entrants.
​Using creamy milk from pedigree herds on Armagh farms, Ballylisk was also recently
the winner in the fiercely competitive Farmhouse Cheese category in the Artisan
Cheese Awards that attracted entries from across the British Isles. Ballylisk gained
several other medals for its quality cheese at the showcase. The company was
named a winner in the dairy category of Euro-Toques Ireland.
Euro-Toques celebrate Ireland’s culinary heritage and is a community of chefs and
cooks supporting small and artisan food producers and sourcing the best quality
ingredients available locally and in season.
The company, now one of Ireland’s leading cheese producers, recently secured
business with Marks and Spencer on the island of Ireland and expects to be listed by
the high-end retailer in Britain soon.

Tomato ketchup lovers in South America are now able to enjoy a unique version of
the popular condiment from Newtownards.
FoodNI member PEPPUP, the authentic Italian sauce producer in the Co Down
market town, has successfully launched its ketchup, a produce featuring roasted
tomatoes and peppers in South and Central America.
The Northern Ireland company, which has just celebrated being business for 10
years, now also produces an award-winning range of Italian pasta sauces.
Luca Montorio, PEPPUP managing director, a native of Turin, one the Italy’s food
hubs, continues: “We’ve won a very considerable order to supply our ketchup to the
following countries: Colombia, Barbados, Aruba, US Virgin Islands, Panama, Costa
Rica and Honduras.
“It’s really exciting business for us, probably our biggest single order ever! We’ve
already launched a successful media campaign in these important markets and
received some great feedback,” adds Luca, who formed the small business with wife
Liz, a marine biologist in 2015 in their Portaferry home. They subsequently moved
the company to premises near the centre of Newtownards.
PEPPUP gained the latest business through linkup with PriceSmart, Inc, a
successful San Diego, California-based operator of membership clubs in Central and
South America, and the Caribbean for over 30 years.
A ‘Go Succeed’ grant from Ards and North Down Council enabled the company to
launch social media campaigns across the new markets to promote the ketchup,
already a success in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It has also
supplied the ketchup to retailers in Britain.
“We appreciate greatly the encouragement and support provided by the council,”
adds Luca, also an experienced marine biologist and keen chef. He decided to set
up the company when he spotted a gap in the market here for locally-produced
Italian dishes such as gluten-free, reduced salt and no added sugar sauces.
In addition, the company has won a string of UK Great Taste Awards for its ketchup
and range of pasta sauces.

Clandeboye Estate yoghurts from Bangor, Co Down, are now available in Britain.
The yoghurts, produced on the historic estate’s dairy farm, have been listed by
Booth’s Country, one of England’s most successful family-owned supermarket
chains.
The new business represents an important stage in Clandeboye’s focus on
extending sales in Britain, a key market for the producer of creamy gourmet
yoghurts.
FoodNI member Clandeboye produces the yoghurts mainly from high-quality milk
from the estate’s pedigree Holstein/Jersey herd. A new creamery was completed in
2021 to enable the company to quadruple production for the planned expansion to
Britain. A major warehouse is currently being completed as part of this expansion.
Patrick Black, Clandeboye’s commercial manager, says: “We’re incredibly excited by
the listing of our products in Booths, a very significant order from a supermarket
chain in Britain.
“The renowned, family-owned food and drink retailer operates 28 stores, mostly in
smaller cities and towns, across Lancashire, Cheshire, Cumbria, and Yorkshire.
“This is a fantastic step forward for our brand, and we’re delighted to be bringing the
taste of Clandeboye to even more yoghurt lovers across Britain,” he adds.
Booths, a high-end retailer, was founded in Blackpool in 1847 “to sell the best goods
available, in attractive stores, with excellent assistants.” It aims to offer customers
high-quality food and drink, with a strong emphasis on fresh, local produce
The breakthrough retail deal also follows a listing of the yoghurts by Dunfermline
–based Cress Company, one of the leading food distributors in Britain.
Booths is listing Clandeboye’s award-winning Indulgent Greek Style yoghurts in its
main dairy section. These include the recently launched flavours of apple and
cinnamon crumble and raspberry and white chocolate.
Clandeboye, the only significant producer of yoghurt here, has widespread sales
across the region with all the main supermarkets, including Marks and Spencer, as
well as hundreds of convenience stores, delis and farm shops. It also has substantial
business in the Irish Republic.

Food retail, wholesale and foodservice company, Musgrave Northern Ireland, has today revealed a ten-figure annual contribution to Northern Ireland’s economy, as a result of being one of the region’s top employers and its investment in local produce.

Growing Good Business: An Economic and Social Impact Report, prepared by leading economists at Grant Thornton on behalf of Musgrave NI, sets out how critical the retail, wholesale and foodservice business is to Northern Ireland – supporting the employment of over 5,000 jobs, working with 250 local suppliers and investing significantly in local communities, as well as in sustainability and affordability initiatives.

Key annual economic contributions include:
£1.2 billion in total spending across the NI economy.
£329 million in Gross Value Added.
£121.5 million in wages, representing 3.7% of sector employment.
£240 million invested in local supply chain partnerships.

Musgrave, operating in Northern Ireland since 1983, works indirectly with over 3,000 farmers and features over 6,000 homegrown products across its retail stores and wholesale brands.

The impact of Musgrave’s total spend with Northern Irish suppliers, equated to a further £256m injection in indirect expenditure, as calculated by Grant Thornton.

In 2024, Musgrave NI reinforced its commitment to supporting local producers and delivering value to customers by launching a new brand, Good Food Locally Sourced. This initiative represented a £14 million investment in partnerships with local suppliers, alongside a £6 million investment in value-driven offerings to ensure greater affordability for shoppers and accessibility to quality, home-grown produce and locally sourced products.

It also made capital investments of £16m in new and refurbished stores and energy-saving upgrades, as well as its sector-leading £3.6m Sustainability Fund that it launched back in 2022. Across the SuperValu, Centra and Mace brands, Musgrave operates over 220 stores across Northern Ireland with ambitious plans to grow the network in 2025 and beyond.

Despite a challenging economic environment, marked by rising inflation, global uncertainty, post-Brexit Trade adjustments and cost-of-living pressures, Musgrave NI has continued to invest in long-term value for its customers, suppliers and communities under the Group’s overall mission of building sustainable communities.

Social impact highlights in 2024 include:

£6 million in value-focused initiatives to support affordability.
Over £260,000 raised for local charities.
Over 7,200 meals donated to people in need.
5,000 native trees planted as part of a long-term environmental commitment.

Trevor Magill, Musgrave NI Managing Director said: “At Musgrave NI, we’re focused on Growing Good Business and adding value to all those within our ecosystem, including unwavering support for our local suppliers, creating quality employment opportunities and delivering everyday value for our customers.

“Right across the board, we have deepened our investment in Northern Ireland over the past year through new store openings and refurbishments, environmental initiatives, local sourcing partnerships, and impactful charity contributions. To see this all accumulate into a figure of £1.2bn in economic output makes me incredibly proud of our team and the efforts that are made. We are very committed to continuing this journey and to remain a positive force in Northern Ireland’s economy, in support of the communities we’re part of.”

Andrew Webb, Chief Economist at Grant Thornton said: “Musgrave NI is a hugely important business to the Northern Ireland economy and this economic impact report proves that. To be responsible for injecting £1.2bn of spending into the economy in one year is an incredible feat and something that doesn’t happen without momentous effort. The company’s commitment to value and supporting local goes a long way to set a new standard, and places Musgrave NI as a leader and inspiration for businesses both within and outside of the retail industry.”

The report findings were released at the launch of Musgrave’s Love Local Campaign which took place in St. George’s Market in Belfast on Wednesday 4th June. The consumer focused campaign will go live later this month in stores as well as across digital platforms.

Musgrave NI forms part of the Musgrave Group, operating across both retail and wholesale sectors and is the parent company of well-established retail brands SuperValu, Centra and Mace. The Group has a proud 149-year legacy in food expertise and brand development.

In addition to its retail operations, Musgrave NI’s wholesale division encompasses Musgrave Marketplace, Drinks Inc., La Rousse Foods and recently acquired businesses Robb Wines, Parkview Provisions and AFT.