Following a week-long celebration of Lisburn & Castlereagh’s local eateries and producers, Treat Week has been declared a success by festival organisers and event participants alike.

Highlighted by 59 eateries, restaurants, cafes and gastropubs spanning from Moira to Dundonald cooking up a storm for Treat Week’s seven days of local food celebration, the event saw hundreds of diners flock to eating establishments across the Council area enjoying the best of what Lisburn & Castlereagh has to offer Northern Ireland’s thriving food culture.

Treat Week’s seven days of celebration culminated at Lisburn Square on Saturday 5th November, where guests enjoyed the Kitchen Sessions and Meet the Producers Fair. Other highlights of Treat Week included themed gourmet evenings, pop up suppers and brunches, in addition to special offers and signature dishes served up throughout the week.

Councillor Uel Mackin, Chairman of the Council’s Development Committee, speaking about the event, said: “I am delighted with the success of Treat Week which was attended by hundreds of residents and visitors to the area in the Year of Food and Drink. It was the ideal opportunity to showcase the excellent quality eating establishments in the Council area that range from cafes to gourmet restaurants. I hope that each local business will gain loyal customers following this showcase event.”

Chef demos, masterclasses and village food trails offered opportunities for exploration and discovery and highlighted the fantastic local ingredients and forward-thinking restaurants that push our culinary boundaries right on our doorstep. One of the legacies of Treat Week 2016 is the Moira Food Trail, which continues beyond the week and for which a new date of Saturday 26th November has been set.

Tourism NI has awarded Taste & Tour NI a five-star grading for the ‘Belfast Food Tour’, one of a range of tours offered by the company.

As part of the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink legacy, the Belfast Food Tour experience is the first food tour to be graded and has been awarded a five-star visitor attraction rating, signifying that the attraction is operating to an outstanding level.

The five-star accreditation was awarded under the Tourism NI quality grading scheme designed to provide visitors with quality information on Northern Ireland’s tourist attractions.
To achieve a star-rating, experiences are subject to an unannounced mystery assessment from a Tourism NI Quality Grading Advisor and are assessed in up to six categories.

Congratulating the staff on their achievement, John McGrillen, Chief Executive Tourism Northern Ireland said: “As the Year of Food and Drink enters its final two months, it’s great to see our industry taking the lead on exciting initiatives such as this, that will help build a legacy for culinary tourism.

“Food and drink experiences have become increasingly important to tourism as they offer destinations an opportunity to differentiate and celebrate indigenous foods. Within the four-hour walking Belfast Food Tour, visitors have over twenty opportunities to experience and sample our local produce, and are involved in talks and demonstrations from local artisans and producers, encouraging sales and repeat usage.”
A popular tour with international and national visitors the four-hour walking tour has attracted over 2,000 visitors this year.

Caroline Wilson, founder of Belfast Food Tour commented “We are all completely delighted to have received the five star ‘outstanding’ rating for ’Taste and Tour’. Whilst the tour has been in existence for almost three years, it was thanks to the Year of Food and Drink that I had the confidence to leave my 15-year legal career to work on the Belfast Food Tour full time. This confidence grew and with my new business partner, Phil Ervine, and we have launched Taste and Tour NI which incorporates the Belfast Food Tour and a number of other tours including our newly launched Whiskey Walk.

“As the first Tourism NI quality assessed five-star food tour in Northern Ireland, it really shows us that we are not only getting things right, but we are up there with the best attractions in Northern Ireland. We have worked really hard this year to ensure that we deliver our tours with the visitor journey at its heart and that work has been recognised by this ‘outstanding’ grading.

“Whilst we started with only a few locals, customers are now coming from all over the world as well as a lot of local businesses looking for a new experience, it’s wonderful to witness the interest in Northern Ireland produce continue to grow. “

For further information of Tourism NI’s quality grading scheme please visit www.tourismni.com
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It has been an unstoppable year so far for Comber’s family-run farm, Mash Direct. The company already has over 120 accolades to their name and last night were named Best Food Company in the UK ahead of some of the biggest companies in the UK and Ireland at the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards in London.

The awards recognise outstanding performance and innovation in manufacturing businesses throughout the UK and Mash Direct picked up not only the overall prize but also the award for Chilled and Fresh Produce Manufacturing Company of the Year. They beat huge competition for the awards including Coca-Cola, Moy Park, Weetabix and Kelloggs.

The judging panel, including some of the biggest names in the business, awarded Mash Direct for excellence in innovation as well as their family ethos and values that set the company apart. The company is now the biggest brand in the Chilled Side Dish category of the supermarket in the UK and Ireland and increased sales in GB by over 38% last year.

Director Jack Hamilton received the two awards at the glitzy Hilton Park Lane hotel last night in Mayfair, London. “Even to be named among big companies such as Coca Cola means a huge amount to the team but to take the big prize back to the farm in Comber is unbelievable.”

“Having only started out twelve years ago as a small farm diversification supplying to local stores in Killyleagh and Killinchy we are astonished to have won Company of the Year. It means so much more to win this top prize during the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink to highlight the ground-breaking innovation that makes the food from these parts so special”.

Northern Ireland’s Mash Direct, a specialist in quick-serve convenience meals, has been named Overall Food Manufacturing Company of 2016 in the prestigious Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards.

The family-owned and managed company, based on a farm at Comber, county Down, also won the Chilled and Fresh Produce Company of the Year Award at a gala ceremony at the Hilton Hotel, London.

And there was a third major award for Northern Ireland. Moy Park of Craigavon, county Armagh, a previous winner of the overall award, also won award for Training Programme of the Year. Moy Park, now owned by JBS of Brazil, is Northern Ireland’s biggest food processor.

Both Mash Direct and Moy Park are Food NI member companies.

The awards, hosted by celebrity Carol Smillie and organised by Food Manufacture magazine, have been running annually for 16 years and are regarded as the most important in the UK food manufacturing industry.

They recognise and reward outstanding performance and innovation in manufacturing businesses of all sizes and across all sectors from beverages and bakery to dairy and chilled. These awards are guaranteed industry-wide recognition; positive customer attention and a huge team celebration for the business.

Mash Direct, established by husband and wife team Martin and Tracy Hamilton in 2004, is now among Northern Ireland’s most successful, innovative food and widely respected businesses. It has an impressive track record in new product development and supplies most of the leading supermarkets in the UK and Ireland. In addition, the company has significant export business in the US, Europe and the Middle East.

The company is the market leader in the production of a highly innovative and rapidly developing portfolio of delicious quick-serve potato, vegetable and cabbage products.

An emphasis on provenance and traceability means that the family farm produces the majority of the raw materials with the rest being meticulously sourced throughout the UK and Ireland to produce a range free from artificial additives, preservatives or colourings.

Mash Direct has also won recognition in other major competitions such as the US Great Taste Awards and the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards.

Food Manufacture magazine is the market leading brand and recognised voice for the UK food manufacturing industry. With a leading monthly magazine, daily news website and a host of key industry events; Food Manufacture delivers the latest industry news and information to 1000’s of senior decision makers from UK food manufacturing companies.

Lisburn & Castlereagh’s highly-anticipated Treat Week launched on Saturday 29th October with a special Halloween Fest at Inns Market, Newtownbreda with just over 800 local foodies and residents visiting the market to enjoy chef demos, treats from local eateries and producers, and family fun throughout the day. Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s newly-launched Treat Week celebrates local restaurants, cafes and gastropubs with 59 eateries cooking up a culinary storm until 5th November across the council area spanning Moira to Dundonald.

Lisburn & Castlereagh features an eclectic choice of eating and drinking experiences with its restauranteurs and café owners tapping into changing lifestyle trends. This is reflected in the emergence of specialist cafes such as Goodness Rocks in Newtownbreda and themed diners and family restaurants from Sugar Ray’s in Dundonald to Del Toro in Lisburn.

Visiting Inns Market on Saturday for Treat Week’s launch event, Mayor Brian Bloomfield, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, commented on the enthusiastic turn-out. “The enthusiastic attendance at today’s event is a reflection of the growing food culture in our council area. Lisburn & Castlereagh is lucky to host a wide variety of outstanding and unique eateries, restaurants, and bars spanning the Council Area which cater for all tastes and every occasion”.
Local Councillor John Gallen, who is also Vice-Chair of the council’s Development Committee , added “Treat Week will highlight the diversity and supreme quality of food and drink that is both produced and served across the Council area, and we encourage all residents to support their local eateries – and we would hope to encourage some of those living in the neighbouring towns and villages to come explore what we have to offer.”

In the last 12 months alone, the move towards more casual dining is evident and the prevalence of provenance reflected in the menus of recently launched and refurbished establishments by leading chefs such as Derek Patterson, Stevie Higginson and Danny Millar. With the Michelin trained Chef Chris McGowan choosing Moira as his location of choice following his move back to Northern Ireland, Lisburn & Castlereagh is making its mark in the province’s food scene. Just last week, Hillsborough’s Parson’s Nose and The Plough and Annahilt’s The Pheasant, each retained their position in the leading Michelin’s Eating Out in Pubs Guide for 2017.

“Northern Ireland’s food landscape has undergone a total transformation in recent years, with world class chefs emerging across the province,” said Joanne McErlain, Treat Week organiser. “The Year of Food and Drink has given us the impetus and confidence to shout about the provincial restaurant and café offerings, rather than hide in the shadows of the eating out scene in Belfast, Dublin or beyond. What has really come to the fore is our chefs’ inherent passion for provenance of the food they serve and they have been true ambassadors for our burgeoning food culture. We look forward to welcoming visitors to Lisburn & Castlereagh during Treat Week to continue to build awareness of the diversity and quality of eateries in our locality.”

Encouraging local people to make the most of Treat Week, Jim McCauley, Service Delivery Manager, Translink said, “We are delighted to come on-board as the official travel partner for Treat Week, and would encourage as many people as possible to make the most of this fantastic initiative. Whether you’re a regular restaurant goer or visiting for the first time, why not hop on-board the bus or train and let us get you there. Translink is always delighted to support local events and provide travel solutions so that passengers can sit back, relax and enjoy the wonderful array of Northern Ireland’s food and drink on offer!”

Throughout the duration of Treat Week, guests can also look forward to experiencing gourmet evenings, and pop up suppers and brunches, in addition to special offers and signature dishes featured throughout the week. Chef demos, masterclasses and village food trails will offer opportunities for exploration and discovery and highlight the fantastic local ingredients and forward-thinking restaurants that push our culinary boundaries right on our doorstep.

Treat Week’s seven days of celebration will culminate at Lisburn Square on Saturday 5th November from 11pm- 3pm with Kitchen Sessions and Meet the Producers Fair. Other events to look out for include special chef demos for all ages led by Chef Stephen Jeffers of the recently opened Forestside Cookery School as well as a culinary journey exploring locally produced food served in cafes and restaurants during the Moira Food Trail, on Saturday 5th November.

For more information or to explore the full line-up of Treat Week events held across Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council visit www.visitlisburncastlereagh.com or follow Treat Week on facebook.com/TreatWeek Twitter @TreatWeek and Instagram @TreatWeek2016.

How do Portstewart lobster, Bushmills whiskey steaks and Causeway Martinis sound? In celebration of the Year of Food and Drink Northern Ireland, the very first Causeway Coast and Glens Restaurant Week will run from 12-20 November 2016.

There will be themed nights and taster menus, featuring fresh, local and seasonal ingredients, complemented by fine wines, artisan ales and of course, the world’s oldest licensed whiskey from Bushmills.

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Alderman Maura Hickey said: “Anyone who has visited recently will have noticed our burgeoning food scene with new restaurants, food trails and markets popping up throughout the area. From Ballykelly to Bushmills, from Cushendall to Cloughmills, and from Portstewart to Portballintrae, this new event is for both locals and visitors to enjoy and it offers a very different short break experience away from the traditional holiday season.”

Kerrie McGonigle, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Destination Manager added: “The tourism team has linked up with food trade partners and the Causeway Coast and Glens Food Network to create a nine-day culinary event that will showcase local produce and the expanding, vibrant restaurant scene in the stunning surroundings of coastal spots such as Portrush, Ballycastle and Ballintoy, and the market towns of Coleraine and Limavady.”

Chefs are planning and prepping menus to provide memorable, dining experiences. Featuring on the bill of fare will be many of the award winning food producers from the area, including Broughgammon Farm (goat) and Ballinteer Farm (quail), who have partnered with the restaurants to serve up some unique tastes.

As well as offering modern twists on Irish food heritage, restaurants will be offering French, Spanish, Australian and Turkish themed nights to transport the diner to other worlds. There are even menus to let you eat like a king from Game of Thrones!

Not sure where to start? Why not embark on a food tour, a wine and cheese appreciation evening or a gin pairing night! Accommodation offers and a full programme of Restaurant Week events can be found on www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com

For further information contact Ballycastle Visitor Information Centre 028 2076 2024