We’re open for business at Balmoral!

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Article written by Food NI CEO Michele Shirlow, featured in Farming Life

We’re open for business at Balmoral. And what a remarkable first day it proved to be. The show, now among the biggest and most important in the UK and Ireland, continues to gather strength.

Our Food NI Pavilion was exceptionally busy on the first day and looks certain to prove more popular than ever with visitors from Northern Ireland and from further afield. It’s certainly the biggest we’ve organised and will exceed all previous records when the show closes its doors on Saturday evening.  It’s a show we look forward to every year.

We’ve more than 100 local companies showing the broadest range of locally produced food and drink at the show, food that’s grown here and not flown here. The Food NI Pavilion, our biggest commitment, was exceptionally busy on the first day.

It is certainly the most significant platform for local food and drink and helps to increase awareness among the general public of the breadth of quality food and drink now readily available here from innovative producers. It’s also an important seed bed of talent and innovation for the dozens of industry buyers who scout the show for new products.

Thousands of visitors had an unprecedented opportunity to sample the best of our food and drink and to meet the people making the products. The craic, as they say, was mighty. There were thousands to be sampled…and purchased. I understand from our member companies in particular that business was brisk.

It’s a hard but rewarding four days for participating companies in the Food Pavilion. They put a lot into the event and richly deserve the rewards for their commitment and enthusiasm.

Most of the local retailers and other businesses are playing their part in showcasing the best of our food and drink to their contacts and the wider public. Creating awareness of the quality of our food and drink is among FoodNI’s most important roles. Balmoral came ‘hot on the heels’ of another successful presentation of local food at Garden Show Ireland in Antrim and ahead of the start of the annual round of agricultural shows and food festivals.

These are immensely important events for smaller companies in particular, because they provide selling occasions that generate cash for the winter months and funds they can invest in new marketing activities and additional products.

In addition to providing a showcase for local products, FoodNI also counts on the skills of local chefs to help demonstrate innovative ways to enjoy local food and drink.
Over many years, we’ve been able to count on them for our culinary demonstrations at Balmoral. They are working with us again this year on our new Tasting theatre….and we greatly appreciate their support. We also welcome the engagement this year of Jean-Christophe Novelli, among the biggest international names in the culinary work.

He’ll be on our kitchens on Saturday and will be creating original dishes from the best of local produce. It’s tremendously encouraging to have Jean-Christophe now part of the Northern Ireland food team…and to see him committed to working with local suppliers in creating his unique Mediterranean-style dishes and contributing to our burgeoning reputation as a global food and drink centre.

I hope you will take the opportunity to visit this wonderful show and sample the very best of local produce.

Northern Ireland Triumphant at Irish Restaurant Awards!

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Last night, the Restaurants Association of Ireland held its ninth All-Ireland Irish Restaurant Awards at The Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, Dublin and named the top restaurants in Ireland for 2017.

Over 900 restaurateurs and staff attended the sold out, black tie event which celebrated the hard work and achievements within the industry over the last 12 months.
Guests were treated to a lavish six course gala dinner prepared by a team of five chefs. The Awards Chef Team is hand-picked by the Restaurants Association each year and is made up of winning chefs from the previous year’s awards with each Chef representing a region of Ireland.

Taste of Ulster members came out on top at the awards with Danni Barry of Deanes EIPIC, Belfast taking home the 2017 All-Ireland Best Chef title.

Originally from Mayobridge, Co Down Danni Barry is Ireland’s only Michelin-starred female chef and won the prestigious All-Ireland Best Chef at last night’s awards. Fellow Taste of Ulster member, Ox Belfast’s Alain Kerloc’h picked up the accolade of All-Ireland Best Restaurant Manager. That wasn’t the only award for Alain and his team as Ox Cave was awarded the accolade of Best Wine Experience in Ireland.
Continuing the success in Belfast, The Muddler’s Club, picked up the All-Ireland award for Best Casual Dining.

The Walled City Brewery, a unique restaurant and brewhouse located in Ebrington Square, Derry-Londonderry was named Best Gastro Pub at the awards while the city’s Lost & Found was named Best Cafe respectively in Ireland.

Speaking at the awards, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland Adrian Cummins commented, “This is the ninth and most successful year of the Irish Restaurant Awards to date. These Awards are the accolades of the Irish restaurant industry – everybody wants to win one. From over 70,000 online nominations cast earlier this year to 2,500 guests attending our regional events, it is clear that the stature, calibre and reputation of the awards is expanding at a considerable rate and it is all in aid of recognising the talent within our sector. All winners and finalists here tonight are very deserving of their awards.”

The full list of regional and All-Ireland winners is as follows;

Best Restaurant – Sponsored by Dalcassian Wines & Spirits and Astoria Wines

  • All -Ireland – Chapter One, Dublin
  • Dublin – Chapter One, Dublin
  • Connaught – Kai Café & Restaurant, Galway
  • Leinster – Sha-Roe Bistro, Carlow
  • Munster – Wild Honey Inn, Clare
  • Ulster – MacNean House & Restaurant, Cavan

Best Chef – Sponsored by Pallas Foods

  • All -Ireland – Danni Barry of Deanes EIPIC, Antrim
  • Dublin – Ciaran Sweeney of Forest & Marcy, Dublin
  • Connaught – Shamzuri Hanifa of The Cottage Restaurant, Leitrim
  • Leinster – Gary O’Hanlon of VM Restaurant at Viewmount House, Longford
  • Munster – Keith Boyle of The Bay Tree Bistro, Waterford
  • Ulster – Danni Barry of Deanes EIPIC, Antrim 

Best Restaurant Manager – Tindal Wine Merchants

  • All -Ireland – Alain Kerloc’h of OX, Antrim
  • Dublin – John Healy of Suesey Street, Dublin

Pub of the Year – Sponsored by Bushmills

  • All -Ireland – Morrissey’s, Laois
  • Dublin – The Long Hall, Dublin
  • Connaught – John Morans Bar, Mayo
  • Leinster – Morrissey’s, Laois
  • Munster – Davy Macs, Waterford
  • Ulster – The Coach House & Olde Bar, Monaghan

Best Hotel Restaurant – Sponsored by Elavon

  • All -Ireland – The Dining Room at Gregans Castle Hotel, Clare
  • Dublin – The Saddle Room at The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin
  • Connaught – Wildes at the Lodge, Mayo
  • Leinster – Ballyfin Demesne, Laois
  • Munster – The Dining Room at Gregans Castle Hotel, Clare
  • Ulster – St Kyrans Country House Restaurant, Cavan

Best Newcomer – Sponsored by BWG Food Service

  • All -Ireland – Forest & Marcy, Dublin
  • Dublin – Forest & Marcy, Dublin
  • Connaught – Cian’s On Bridge Street, Mayo
  • Leinster – Three Old Bar & Restaurant, Louth
  • Munster – Holy Smoke, Cork
  • Ulster – Bull & Ram, Down 

Best Gastro Pub – Sponsored by Coca-Cola HBC

  • All -Ireland – Walled City Brewery, Derry
  • Dublin – The Exchequer, Dublin
  • Connaught – Keenans of Tarmonbarry Gastro Bar, Roscommon
  • Leinster – Mary Barry’s Bar, Wexford
  • Munster – Morrissey’s Bar and Restaurant, Clare
  • Ulster – Walled City Brewery, Derry

Best Customer Service – Sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzuro

  • All -Ireland – The Maigue Restaurant at Dunraven Arms Hotel, Limerick
  • Dublin – Chapter One, Dublin
  • Connaught – Library Restaurant at Belleek Castle, Mayo
  • Leinster – LENNONS @ VISUAL, Carlow
  • Munster – The Maigue Restaurant at Dunraven Arms Hotel, Limerick
  • Ulster – MacNean House & Restaurant, Cavan 

Best Casual Dining – Sponsored by S. Pellegrino

  • All -Ireland – The Muddlers Club, Antrim
  • Dublin – Etto, Dublin
  • Connaught – Bar One, Mayo
  • Leinster – Wild and Native, Wexford
  • Munster – Momo Restaurant, Waterford
  • Ulster – The Muddlers Club, Antrim 

Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by CLASSICdrinks

  • All -Ireland – OX Cave, Antrim
  • Dublin – Etto, Dublin
  • Connaught – Sheridans Cheesemongers – Wine Bar, Galway
  • Leinster – Greenacres, Wexford
  • Munster – L’Atitude51 Wine Café, Cork
  • Ulster – OX Cave, Antrim

Best Kids Size Me – Sponsored by Heinz Ireland

  • All -Ireland – Café Rua, Mayo
  • Dublin – Farmhill, Dublin 

Best World Cuisine – Sponsored by Dubliner Cheese

  • All -Ireland – Wa Café, Galway
  • Dublin – 777, Dublin 

Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by CLASSICdrinks

  • All -Ireland – OX Cave, Antrim
  • Dublin – Etto, Dublin
  • Connaught – Sheridans Cheesemongers – Wine Bar, Galway
  • Leinster – Greenacres, Wexford
  • Munster – L’Atitude51 Wine Café, Cork
  • Ulster – OX Cave, Antrim 

Best World Cuisine – Sponsored by Dubliner Cheese

  • All -Ireland – Wa Café, Galway
  • Dublin – 777, Dublin 

Best Café – Sponsored by Illy Caffe

  • All -Ireland – Lost & Found, Derry
  • Dublin – Meet Me in the Morning, Dublin 

Local Food Hero – Sponsored by Rewarding Times

  • All -Ireland – Michael Kelly of GROW HQ, Waterford
  • Dublin – Brid & Colm Carter of Honest2Goodness, Dublin 

Best Emerging Irish Cuisine – Sponsored by Odaois

  • All -Ireland – Forest & Marcy, Dublin
  • Dublin – Forest & Marcy, Dublin 

Best Digital Marketing – Sponsored by Open Table

  • All -Ireland – Two Boys Brew, Dublin

Best Cookery School – Sponsored by Avonmore

  • All -Ireland – Riot Rye Bakehouse & Bread School, Tipperary

Best Private Dining & Club Restaurant – Sponsored by Laurent Perrier

  • All -Ireland – Pullman Restaurant at Glenlo Abbey Hotel, Galway 

Best Seafood Experience – Sponsored by Restaurants Association of Ireland

  • All -Ireland – Fish Shop Queen St, Dublin 

Best Cocktail Experience– Sponsored by Ketel One Vodka

  • All -Ireland – Candlelight Bar at Siam Thai Dundrum, Dublin

High Five! NI foods shortlisted in Delicious Produce Awards

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Five Northern Irish food products from four local producers have reached the finals of the delicious. Produce Awards 2017. Delicious is among the UK’s biggest consumer food and drink magazines.

The competition is organised by delicious food magazine to celebrate the quality and innovation of UK food and the links between farming and food production.

The Northern Ireland Finalists are:

Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt, a farm-based dairy business from Bangor, county Down. Clandeboye is Northern Ireland’s only yoghurt producer. It qualified for the final stages for the quality of its Greek-style handcrafted yoghurt.

Krazi Baker of Dromore, county Down, a specialist in traditional Northern Irish griddle-baked breads such as potato cakes and soda farls. It was shortlisted for two artisan products – Guanciale Potato Bread using Guanciale from Hannan Meats in Moira, county Antrim. The second product was a Cinnamon Soda Farl with Whiskey Soaked Sultanas.

Mash Direct of Comber, county Down, a farm-based market leader in vegetable and convenience dishes. It was chosen for its Crispy Vegetable Bakes, a gluten-free, vegetarian product.

Cavanagh Free Range Eggs, a Newtownbutler, county Fermanagh farm renowned for its uniquely flavoured free range eggs.

MashDirectMorrisons

The regional judges were Sam Butler, food journalist and member of the Guildof Food Writers; Director of Folktown Community Interest Company Sophie Rasmussen, who helped to set up the new Folktown Market in Belfast; and chef, broadcaster and food writer Paula McIntyre, who is also Northern Ireland Director of Slow Food UK and coordinator of the Slow Food Chef Alliance in Northern Ireland.

The regional finalists will be judged at the national final in July by some of the top names in the food industry. The winning products and producers will be announced online and in the magazine’s October 2017 issue, and then featured throughout the year.

Balmoral Show 2017

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Date/Time
Date(s) – 10/05/2017 – 13/05/2017 balmoralshow2017
All Day

Location
Balmoral Park
Maze Long Kesh
Lisburn
BT27 5RE
United Kingdom

Ireland’s largest agricultural-food event, the Balmoral Show, is back from 10 – 13 May at Balmoral Park and Eikon. Due to the resounding success in recent years this year’s event has been extended to four days.  The show will be bigger and better than ever before with fantastic arena and livestock attractions including fun for all the family, and not forgetting the Food NI Pavilion with the ‘Tesco Cookery Theatre‘ and ‘Taste the Greatness Kitchen‘ featuring a high-profile special guest.

Tesco Cookery Theatre
This year’s Tesco Cookery Theatre will feature guest sessions with local food and drink producers to feature RubyBlue Spirits, Armagh Cider Company and Irwin’s Bakery.

Taste the Greatness Kitchen
Thompson’s Family Teas, Jawbox Gin, Long Meadow Cider and Broighter Gold are just some of the great local produce that will be used in the Taste the Greatness kitchen by Paula McIntyre, one of Northern Ireland’s leading chefs.

Multi-Michelin-starred and 5 out of 5 AA Rosette award-winning chef Jean-Christophe Novelli will be making a special appearance at this year’s show on Saturday 13 May and will be hosting a Breakfast and Lunch cookery session in the Taste the Greatness Kitchen as well as a late afternoon session in the Tesco Cookery Theatre.

Food is an extraordinarily important piece of the Balmoral Show event, and for the discerning foodie it is a not to be missed showcase of the best of the best of local produce and talents.

For more information on the local producers exhibiting at the show, featured chef demonstrations and taste sessions, download the Food NI – Balmoral Show Booklet.

Show Opening Times
Wednesday: 09:30 – 18:00
Thursday: 09:30 – 20:00
Friday: 09:30 18:00
Saturday: 09:30 – 18:00

Don’t miss your chance to experience Northern Ireland’s leading agricultural-food event this year.  Get your tickets now at www.balmoralshow.co.uk

Tasting the greatness of our food and drink at Balmoral

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Article written by Food NI CEO Michele Shirlow, featured in Farm Week

Visitors to our Food Pavilion at the RUAS in Balmoral Park this year will have an opportunity to Taste the Greatness of food and drink now being produced by hundreds of large and small companies.

We’ll have around 100 companies within the pavilion, now among the most successful features of what is the biggest show of its kind in Ireland and among the most significant in the British Isles. There’s really no better way to sample the best of our produce and talk to the people behind our food and drink. 

Our vast Food Pavilion showcases the industry’s contribution to the local economy – over £5 million annually – and the interdependence between food and drink processing and the farming community here.

We want consumers to gain a greater understanding of the range of quality food and drink we now have here, to support producers by purchasing more of their products and by appreciating the talents and dedication of our farmers. They provide superb ingredients for processors to create world class food and drink.

The need for closer collaboration and co-operation between the two sectors has never been greater than it is today because of the threats, challenges and opportunities of Brexit.

We’ve all got to stand together to ensure that our agri-food industry is now undermined by Brexit and any subsequent trade agreements.

This is why our new Taste the Greatness strategy for what is our most important, dynamic and increasingly successful manufacturing industry has been shaped around measures to promote collaboration and on “preserving family farming, celebrating our world class ingredients and causing an explosion of authentic local producers”.  The strategy is all about “putting greatness on plates and in glasses, as we express ourselves confidently and passionately through our food and drink”.

Another important feature of our presentation at Balmoral Show is the cookery programme that involves most of the leading chefs in Northern Ireland. This year, I am delighted to report, Jean Christophe-Novelli, the world renowned chef and restaurateur is showcasing his culinary knowledge and skills on Saturday.

It’s tremendously encouraging for Food NI to have such an international celebrity with our local chefs who have been great supporters of the local industry for so many years.
Our food pavilion is an essential part of our plan to “invite and inspire the Northern Ireland consumer, the industry, out of state of visitors and industry buyers to taste the greatness here. It’s also our intention to reach out to more consumers in Great Britain, easily our most important marketplace, to encourage them also to taste the greatness being produced here.

Our overall commitment continues to be “to discover and champion Norther Ireland produce and to increase international standout” for the industry here by 2020. Our strategy will involve harnessing the latest digital technology to help in creating “a strong Northern Ireland food and drink industry – one that encourages tomorrow’s pioneering start-ups to take root and grow beyond our borders.’

MacIvors Cider collect three gold medals in London at brewing industry oscars

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IRISH craft cider maker MacIvors Cider has collected three gold medals at London’s Guildhall at the prestigious 2017 International Brewing and Cider Awards.

The event, which is dubbed the ‘Oscars of the Brewing Industry’ was attended by brewers and cider makers from Europe, Australasia, the Far East and North and South America.

After three days of judging in Burton-upon-Trent three gold medals were awarded to the popular Co Armagh cider producers for their Traditional Dry Cider, Medium Cider as well as the Plum and Ginger Cider which was launched last year.

Fifth generation apple grower Greg MacNeice, of Mac Ivors Cider Co, said: “After winning overall Champion Cider at the last event two years ago, we were keen to benchmark our ciders again in an international arena. These awards attract a diverse range of high quality ciders and are judged by professional cider makers who command huge respect so we are delighted to win three Gold medals at this year’s competition.

“The event in London’s Guildhall was phenomenal where so many varieties of beers and ciders were on display. We are particularly pleased to win a Gold medal for our Plum & Ginger Cider which was just recently launched, alongside two gold medals for our more traditional ciders – Medium and Traditional Dry.

“One key criteria this year for judges was the product’s commercial worth – a criteria praised by the judges including Oliver Wesselhoh of Kreativ Brewery in Hamburg. He concluded that the winning products are the ones, that, once tasted, you would order again, or recommend to a friend.  It’s a different approach to many other competitions.”

The 45 judges assessed more than 1,100 beers and ciders – an uplift of 15 per cent on the last competition, held in 2015.

All medal winners collected their medals at the awards luncheon where the 10 overall Championship winners – nine beers and one cider – were also unveiled.

The International Brewing and Cider Awards are unique in requiring that all judges are currently working as brewers or cider makers and so select the winners through a consensus approach.

Chairman of judges Bill Taylor said: “The list of medal winners reflects both the quality and diversity of beers and ciders entered into the competition.”