James Devine, Sous Chef at Deanes EIPIC in Belfast, has scooped the title of National Chef of the Year 2017 at The Restaurant Show in London last night.

In the tense final heat the Deanes chef beat off stiff competition from ten finalists representing restaurants including Restaurant Gordon Ramsey and Petrus to win the UK’s most prestigious culinary competition. The brief focused on core culinary skills which were judged by a forty strong panel, chaired by renowned London Chef Clare Smyth. His winning menu featured Tees Valley Rib of Beef and a soft centred chocolate and coffee tart.

As the winner, James Devine is now part of the National Chef of the Year ‘Hall of Fame’, which represents culinary excellence and offers the chance to meet and work with some of the most exciting industry names.

Speaking after the announcement James Devine said “I’m honoured, I never expected to win or to come this far. Each dish was something I’d happily eat or serve up. Right now I feel humbled and very excited at the same time.”

Vice President of the Craft Guild of Chefs, who organised the competition, commented “Congratulations to James, he thoroughly deserved to take this title and this will be a career defining and life changing moment for him.”
Clare Smyth added “Although it was a tough decision we had a clear winner in the end and some really stand out dishes that could be served up in any restaurant.”

James works in the Michelin Starred Deanes EIPIC restaurant in Belfast in Deanes flagship premises in Howard Street in the city centre.

An initiative aimed at encouraging school children to grow, cook and eat local produce was launched this week at Parliament Buildings by a leading producer and food campaigner.

The Sow, Grow, Munch schools’ initiative, which has been created by Jilly Dougan, was officially launched on Monday at a Stormont event hosted by Jo-Anne Dobson MLA. Supported by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) and Tourism NI, the guide will form part of the legacy of 2016’s Year of Food and Drink and will give young people the opportunity to learn about growing whilst developing learning embedded in the Northern Ireland curriculum.

The launch was attended by a plethora of food lovers, industry professionals, MLAs from across the political spectrum and deputy First Minister Mr Martin McGuinness.

Jilly, who is also known for creating productive herb gardens for hotels and restaurants, said her ‘how to’ guide to vegetable and fruit gardening came about as a response to a disparity between schools in gardening capabilities.
“I have been in and out of lots of schools and some have really fantastic food growing initiatives. However, some have nothing in place or they have a garden which is overgrown and unloved with really keen teachers who don’t know where to start. I saw a need for a simple guide, which was specific to our climate and the school year. The guide isn’t just about growing though, it’s about localJo-Anne Dobson MLA, who hosted the event said, “Sow, Grow, Munch is inspiring a generation of young people to think smarter when it comes to what they eat. This is a fantastic initiative, both online and offline, to engage our young people, increasing their knowledge and leading to healthier and happier lives. It gives me the greatest of pleasure to host Jilly and Sow, Grow, Munch at Stormont and to support her in seeking the continued backing of Government to promote a new, fresh and locally grown concept.”
food and how to cook simple food from scratch.”

Growing food in schools has many benefits; children learn where their food comes from, and how it is produced. It encourages healthy and seasonal eating, is great exercise, encourages team work and can double up as an outdoor classroom.

These benefits have led to the guide being incorporated into a much larger project in collaboration with Tourism NI and CCEA as a legacy of Year of Food and Drink 2016.

Director of Education at CCEA, Mr Richard Hanna said, “CCEA is pleased to support this legacy piece of the Year of Food and Drink 2016 and to partner with Tourism NI on this project which will see us develop an online education resource to promote healthy eating and growing.
“It will give young people the opportunity to not only learn how to grow produce but to support and further develop important learning areas already embedded in the Northern Ireland curriculum such as literacy, numeracy, science, entrepreneurship, employability, cooking, hygiene and the environment”.
Carolyn Boyd of Tourism NI said, “Tourism Northern Ireland are proud to partner with both Jilly and CCEA to ensure that The Year of Food and Drink 2016 has a legacy beyond the year and far into the future.”

Sow, Grow, Munch is free to download on both the Eco-Schools NI and Education for Sustainable Development websites.
Jilly added, “It was important to me that the book was free to schools and educators as I know resources are always limited. I am completely indebted to my sponsors who believed in the project enough to pay for the design and print of Sow, Grow, Munch. It shows great collaboration within our local food supply chain that the sponsors were Irwin’s Bakery, Forest Feast, Food NI, NI Stakeholder Potato Promotion Group, Yellow Door Deli, Ulster Farmers Union and Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council’s Food Heartland – a combination of private companies and public sector bodies and organisations.
“I am so pleased that CCEA and Tourism NI have taken up the reins and have such exciting plans for the concept, and how it will be used to augment and enhance the curriculum.”

It has been an unstoppable year so far for Comber’s family-run farm, Mash Direct, but can they keep up their success when faced up against global giant, Cadburys on Friday?

Mash Direct’s Carrot and Parsnip Fries are nominated for The Grocer’s New Product Award this week, which could mean a record-breaking third consecutive win for the company. The only thing that stands in their way is chocolate conglomerate Cadburys who have won the award for the last two years. If this wasn’t enough for the Co. Down farm, they also have the household favourite, Heinz to contend with.

So far, Mash Direct have over 120 accolades to their name and are hoping that their chips won’t be down this Friday at the prestigious awards ceremony in Mayfair, London. Jack Hamilton, Marketing Director said, “This has been a great week for Northern Irish food, what with the two Michelin stars awarded in Belfast. We are honoured to have won the Grocer Award three times in a row, now we are hoping that the judges prefer chips to chocolate to complete the wins this week.”

This award celebrates and rewards outstanding innovation in the food industry and if Mash Direct win this Friday they will not only be the only Northern Irish company to do so, but will be the only British company to gain such an accreditation. Let’s just hope that there will be at least one person left at the farm in Co. Down to bring in the harvest!

Grocer New Product Awards:
— 2016: To be decided on Friday…
— 2015: Mash Direct Vegetable Burgers with Cabbage
— 2014: Mash Direct Potato, Cheese & Onion Croquettes

It is National Kale Day, and with kale now recognised as one of the leading food trends in the food and fitness sector, the popularity of kale has surged in Northern Ireland.

One of the Province’s leading suppliers of fresh fruit and vegetables, the North Down Group, has seen growth of 25% in sales of kale year-on-year, and the company now has three local farmers who are supplying over 6,000 kilos of kale per year.

Peter Robinson, Procurement Manager for the Foodservice Division at the North Down Group explains: “Five years ago there was virtually no demand from our customers for kale but over the past two years, kale has become a key ingredient on many of our customers’ menus.

“We’ve been working with our local growers to increase their acreage, dedicated to kale, and we’re now supplying locally-grown kale to over 100 customers Province-wide.”

A new kale grower to the North Down Group is Comber-based Windwhistle Farm, where four acres of kale are about to be harvested. Owned by the Dunlop family and farmed by son in law James Booth, Windwhistle Farm is growing three types of kale – Green, Red and Cavo Nero otherwise referred to as Black Kale.

Kale is just one of the many vegetables that the North Down Group sources locally. With between 30 and 40 local farmers, supplying a wide range of fruit and vegetables, the North Down Group is supplying Northern Ireland’s top restaurants and cafes with fresh produce for over 25 years. Customers include Ox, the Muddler’s Club, James Street South, Slim’s Kitchen, the Waterfront Hall and Mount Charles Catering.

Other fruits and vegetables growing in popularity include purple cauliflower, Romanesco, heritage carrots and pomegranates, and ahead of the busy winter season, the North Down Group is anticipating an increase in demand for seasonal specials such as pumpkins, cranberries and Brussels sprouts.

Earlier in the year, the North Down Group was named as Foodservice Supplier of the Year at a major food awards in London, organised by the UK fresh produce trade association – FPC. The company is one of NI’s most recognised suppliers for fresh produce and fine foods and employs 112 people.

Hastings serves up winter warmers this October for the NI Year of Food and Drink 2016

Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink continues into October, and Hastings Hotels is supporting the initiative with a series of mouth-watering recipes across all six of its hotels.

October is Harvest Month, a celebration of the fruits of the land and the talented farmers across Northern Ireland.
To mark Harvest Month, Hastings Hotels will be serving up a special Slow Cooked Irish Beef and Spiced Pumpkin Hotpot throughout October.

Hazel Magill, Executive Head Chef at Slieve Donard Resort and Spa, said:-
“Northern Ireland has a rich agricultural heritage, and we at Hastings have always supported this with our use of the finest quality local ingredients, something that is particularly appropriate with this month’s Harvest theme,” commented Hazel.

She continued: “Our slow cooked beef and spiced pumpkin hotpot is the ultimate comfort food, made with the finest local beef, seasonal pumpkin with a hint of spice, and accompanied by buttery cabbage and a horseradish mash.
“The whole meal is available served with Thompson’s Hastings Blend Tea or Bewley’s Estate Blend Coffee for just £10, and as the days get colder and shorter it is certain to warm you up.”
For those who wish to treat themselves, Hastings Hotels are also celebrating seasonal local fruit with a special desert for the themed month, a delicious apple and blackberry crumble.
“Anyone wishing to upgrade their meal to include our mouth-watering apple and blackberry crumble can do so for an additional £5.
“It’s made with local fruit, served in a pastry tartlet shell with a rich vanilla custard, and anyone with a sweet tooth will find this autumnal dish hard to resist,” Hazel concluded.

The tasty beef hotpot meal and tempting crumble will be available throughout all the restaurants in the Hastings Group during October, Harvest month, in celebration of Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink 2016.

Five food companies are set to compete in the Henderson Foodservice Flavour of the North final in Belfast on 11 October.

Each of the companies was selected by a highly respectable team of judges following a deliberation day held at Loughry College, Cookstown where twelve companies exhibited their wares, eager to impress the panel and win a place in the grand final.

Judging the competition were some of the most respected names in Northern Ireland’s Food and Drink industry including Chef Danny Millar, hotelier Howard Hastings, retailer Gail Boyd, restaurateur and chef Tony Neill, Chairman of the Mount Charles Group Trevor Annon and Damien Barrett, Managing Director of Henderson Foodservice. Taking advantage of the judges’ experience, competitors were given first-hand advice and guidance from the panel’s wealth of knowledge of the food and drink industry.

While taste was of paramount importance, judges were also looking for excellence in innovation, examining growth potential and critiquing the uniqueness of the product.

The five shortlisted companies are:
• Corndale Farm – Limavady Chorizo
• Lough Neagh Eels
• Pop Notch Popcorn
• Donnybrewer Butter
• Cavanagh Eggs
Wishing the companies well, Damien Barrett, Managing Director at Henderson Foodservice, said: “Each of these five products captured the attention of our judges who were blown away by the incredible taste and standards of all the entries to the Flavour of the North competition. To pick just five to go forward to the final was an enormously difficult task and each of those shortlisted should feel incredibly proud of their success.”

“We launched the Flavour of the North Competition to help us communicate our support for local produce. We believe strongly that Northern Ireland food and drink is among the best in the world and it deserves to be championed in restaurants, hotels and stores throughout the country.”

On top of being awarded the ‘Flavour of the North’ title, the overall winner will walk away with a comprehensive prize package comprising significant media exposure, a product listing with Henderson Foodservice, giving them direct access to 4,500 customers across Ireland, features in monthly promotional brochures, marketing and commercial support plus the opportunity to have the product featured on the menus of members of the judging panel where appropriate.

The initiative has also received significant backing from Food NI who welcomed the scheme as part of the much celebrated Year of Food and Drink 2016. Michele Shirlow, Head of Food NI said:
“ Northern Ireland has one of the most celebrated food and drink industries in these parts, but in order to for us to continue to grow, we need to continue to support local food producers in bringing new and exciting products to the market.
“That’s why we have been so pleased to support Henderson Foodservice’s Flavour of the North competition and I want to congratulate each of the five shortlisted companies and wish them luck ahead of the grand final next month.”

The overall Flavour of the North winner will be announced at a special ceremony taking place at St. George’s Market on October 11.

You can keep up to date with all of the action from the 2016 awards using #flavourofthenorth on twitter.