Bright ideas from Northern Ireland’s youngest entrepreneurs as they showcase their business products at the County Showcase event held in the Titanic Building, Belfast.

Entrepreneurs of the future joined for the final showcase of the Junior Entrepreneur Programme (JEP) today hosted by Mash Direct and rugby star Rory Best in the Titanic Building, Belfast.

Comber-based, family run company Mash Direct launched the exciting new programme two years ago to uncover County Down’s businessmen and women of the future. The Junior Entrepreneur Programme (JEP) encourages innovation, creativity and business vision amongst ten and eleven year olds with Mash Direct spearheading the search for local entrepreneurs of the future, right across the county.

JEP is proving to be hugely successful, signing up more than 10,500 primary school children in 400 schools. Mash Direct are the sponsor for County Down, providing financial support for the programme and on-going background support for the teachers involved. There were 16 P7 classes participating this year from County Down.

Speaking at the event Mash Direct, Managing Director, Martin Hamilton said: “To see the creativity and enthusiasm for business from these young students is very exciting. Through JEP they have created businesses that are viable, profitable and most of all, they had fun whilst developing new skills and discovering hidden talents. The Junior Entrepreneurship Programme is vital to support the Northern Ireland economy, we want to focus and encourage a new generation of young people to follow their dreams.”

Entrepreneurship skills are one way to bridge the skills gap and create strong business in Northern Ireland for years to come. This was recognized by the support from Ards and North Down Borough Council, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. It has been found that pupils who participate in entrepreneurship programmes demonstrate increased initiative and self-confidence. JEP participants develop skills in presentation, drawing, technology, research, numeracy as well as problem solving, collaboration and brand and consumer awareness.
In it’s second year supported by Mash Direct, the ‘Junior Entrepreneur Programme’ has taken place over 10 weeks during the Spring term in 2016 with local business leaders taking on the role of the familiar businessmen and women of the hit TV Show Dragon’s Den, supporting schools and their participants as they develop their ideas.

On the day of the County Showcase, participants are given the opportunity to display their work and view the other school’s efforts. With exciting ideas including, positivity pots, printed tea towels, soft bunnies, memory stones and homemade gingerbread men.

The showcase finished with Tracy Hamilton hosting a Q & A with guest speaker and rugby star Rory Best as well as the presentation of certificates to the school children by Mash Direct.

For more information on ‘Junior Entrepreneur Programme’ (JEP) visit www.juniorentrepreneur.ie and www.mashdirect.com or email christine@mashdirect.com.

Feature for News Letter by Sam Butler

A plan by award winning chef/restaurateur Michael Deane to open a gourmet restaurant outside Northern Ireland could bring important business to local food and drink companies and boost the region’s culinary standing.

Among the most creative and respected local chefs and a hugely successful restaurateur in Belfast, he now has his sights set on opening a gourmet restaurant in Dubai, the business and tourism capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Michael has already appointed an agent there and will be visiting the city, among the world’s most dynamic commercial centres in the oil rich Middle East, within the next few months. They’ll be scouting suitable locations for a new restaurant. It could be in one of Dubai’s luxury hotels.
Committed to locally sourced ingredients and a role model for many chefs, Michael has helped to revolutionise the eating out scene in Belfast over the past 15 years. He has held a Michelin Star for 12 years, the longest ever in Ireland and last year gained this coveted recognition for his acclaimed EIPIC restaurant in Belfast. His restaurants have also won impressive plaudits from many of the world’s most influential food writers.
“Setting up a restaurant abroad has been on my mind for several years. London isn’t really an option because I worked there for 10 years including five years at the Dorchester Hotel and had no real interest in setting up there. I’ve been looking at other possible locations beyond the British Isles and came down in favour of Dubai because it’s such a vibrant and rapidly developing business and tourism centre. I was also aware of the business there of a number of our food business including smaller enterprises.

“I believe the time is now right for us to take Northern Ireland’s culinary skills, knowledge and local ingredients to an international marketplace such as Dubai. I am convinced that Northern Ireland must raise its game in terms of the international awareness and the overall profile of our gourmet food and drink.

“If we want to establish Northern Ireland as a good food destination for tourists we’ve got to get beyond the Ulster Fry, soda breads and stout and turn the spotlight on the creativity of our chefs and the innovative gourmet dishes being produced using the fantastic ingredients that are readily available here.

“What I’d like to see as a legacy initiative from Year of Food and Drink is a co-ordinated and coherent campaign, a roadshow, involving local chefs in promoting the breadth and quality of our food in targeted centres abroad. This would do wonders for our gastronomic reputation, would boost tourism and could also support the inward investment drive,” he adds.

His thinking about such a roadshow and the decision to push ahead with a restaurant in Dubai has been influenced by his successful stint recently as guest chef at the plush St Regis Hotel in Bangkok, one of Asia’s most respected hotels.

Owner of seven highly rated restaurants in Belfast, Michael cooked meals for leading business people and food writers over a week-long stint at the critically acclaimed VIU restaurant on the 12th floor of hotel in Bangkok.

He was invited to showcase the best of Northern Ireland food and drink by the hotel’s management. The five-star St Regis Hotel regularly holds promotions featuring food from around the world for its guests and invited VIP diners.

“I asked diners at the hotel what they knew about Northern Irish food. Those that had heard of Northern Ireland before came up with Guinness and shellfish. We’ve got to get beyond this and to show the world the breadth, quality, outstanding taste, wholesomeness and provenance of all our food and drink and the tremendous talents of our chefs.

“I am convinced that there are opportunities in hotels worldwide to highlight the quality of our food and drink and to establish Northern Ireland as a genuine global centre of gastronomic excellence.”

The gourmet menus featured quality ingredients from Northern Ireland suppliers including Glenarm Organic Salmon, Co. Antrim, Omagh’s Abercorn Estate Venison, Hannan Meats, Moira, Lough Neagh Eels, Abernethy Butter from Dromora and Young Buck Cheese, Newtownards. The restaurant was packed every evening, and the dishes he supervised were acclaimed by diners for their delicious flavours and innovation.

“It was good, hearty Northern Irish food creatively cooked to ensure rich flavours for discerning diners. I was delighted to have this opportunity to showcase how the superb ingredients readily available in Northern Ireland can be harnessed to produce outstandingly tasty and original dishes. This is the message we need to be promoting professionally in the global marketplace,” he adds.

In two week’s time, for the first time, Custom House Square will play host to a myriad of Irish craft brewers, cider makers and distilleries. Coming to the city on the 21st April, this three day event will have Custom House Square transformed into a festival offering attendees Belfast’s widest range of Irish craft beer, cider and whiskey as well as the city’s favourite artisan food stalls and live music.

With over 25 producers and over 150 different craft beverages on offer – from brand new craft brewers to the god fathers of the industry – this festival will showcase the best the island has to offer in the world of local produce and give attendees the opportunity to meet the masters of their crafts! Each brewery, cider maker and distiller will have their own bar within the temporary structure in Custom House Square in Belfast city centre offering all of their favourite products as well as some exciting festival specials!

Seamus O’Hara, co-founder of the festival and owner of Carlow Brewing Company notes, “We have hosted a sister festival to this in Dublin for the past five years. Each year, we have watched the industry grow from strength to strength. With such a large contingency or breweries in Northern Ireland, it made sense this year to create a festival in Belfast! We are really excited about this opportunity and cannot wait to open the doors on the 21st April!”

The festival is now sold out from an exhibitor perspective. The full house includes both Breweries and cider makers: Armagh Cider, Bushmills, Clearsky Brewing Co, Falling Apple Cider, Farmageddon Brewing Co-Op, Galway Bay Brewery, Hercules Brewery, Hilden Brewery, Jack Cody, Kinnegar Brewing, Knockout Brewing, Lacada, Longmeadow Cider, Mac Armagh’s Cider, Mac Ivors Cider, Mourne Mountain, Nightcap Beer, North Bound Brewery, O’Hara’s, Reel Deel Brewery, Stationworks,Tempted Cider, Toby’s Handcrafted Cider, Trouble Brewing, White Water Brewery and Wicklow Wolf.

The festival will also be offering an array of local artisan food and live resident DJ’s. Some of the city’s favourite food producers will be cooking up a storm including Broughgammon, Jolly Pies, Mike’s Fancy Cheese and Wolf and Devour.

Food NI has secured a further boost for local food producers as part of the NI Year of Food and Drink by offering stalls to eligible producers at a dedicated food pavilion at the BBC Good Food Show in Belfast later this year.

Food NI will be supporting local food and drink by providing stands at a Year of Food and Drink Village at the Show which will take place in the north for the first time between 14th and 16th October. The event is set to attract over 12,000 visitors from across Ireland to the newly developed Waterfront venue. Food NI will host the dedicated area for local producers which will allow businesses to showcase our quality food and drink producers and celebrate the Year of Food and Drink overall. The leading membership organisation for the food and drink sector, Food NI has applied to the Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme for support for the initiative and is passing the benefits on to local companies.

this highly prestigious event, 78 per cent of whom are in the ABC1 socioeconomic bracket, this is a wonderful opportunity for our local producers – from the smallest to the largest – to promote their top quality products.

“Based on figures from other hugely successful BBC Good Food Show events in cities across the UK last year, we expect an average spend from the mainly female visitor of £103, which leaves plenty of opportunity for sales and, just as importantly, exposure.”

To be eligible for a stand in Food NI’s Year of Food and Drink Village applicants must be a Northern Ireland food or drink company with products made in NI, using NI ingredients where possible and sourcing, using and promoting Northern Ireland produce. Companies should also be enhancing the reputation of Northern Ireland as a quality food and drink destination.

Companies with less than £500k turnover can qualify for a 2×2 stand in the Food Village whilst those with a turnover over £500k and up to £5 million can qualify for a 3×3 stand.

The Show will be a major focal point of Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink celebrations and will bring the best of Northern Ireland food and drink to life, from demonstration theatres featuring talented local chefs to this dedicated Food Village which will play host to regional producers. The Show will present a fantastic opportunity for larger brands as well to raise brand awareness and retail to an engaged foodie audience.

To enquire about your eligibility for a Food NI-supported stand please contact darina@nigoodfood.com or Lindsay@nigoodfood.com. Alternatively, you can call Food NI on 028 90249449.

Larger companies should contact the show organisers, River Street Events, direct. Email Cat Banks at Catriona.Banks@riverstreetevents.co.uk or call 020 3405 4282.

Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council is delighted to announce that the inaugural Food Heartland Awards 2016 are open for entries.

2016 Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink is a golden opportunity to showcase and champion the outstanding food & drink created and produced in the Borough. It is also a unique opportunity to celebrate and champion the great people driving the local agri-food sector forward.

The Food Heartland Awards will take place on Wednesday 25th May at Craigavon Civic & Conference Centre. The awards give local businesses and individuals in the agri-food sector a platform to recognise their hard work, passion and commitment to business excellence.

The award categories for the Food Heartland Awards 2016 are:

• Best New Start Award
• Best Growth Business Award
• Best Export Business Award
• Best Marketing Initiative Award
• Innovation Award
• Sustainability Award
• Rising Star Award (for anyone under the age of 25)
• Best Dish Using Local Ingredients
• Best Use of a PGI Product
• Best Licensed Eating Establishment
• Best Non-Licensed Eating Establishment
• Best Independent Retail Food Business

Please note that ENTRY IS FREE and you can enter as many categories as you wish. The deadline for entries is 5.00pm on Friday 15th April.

Further information on the Food Heartland Awards can be found at www.foodheartland.com

By Michaela Clarke- Oysters Restaurant

Oysters new Spring menu has a new exciting dish in the form of Haven Smokehouse Turf-Smoked Donegal Salmon served with a Pea, Vanilla & Mint Puree, Confit Potato and Crispy Capers!

Head Chef, Niall Gorham, has had a long standing love for Turf-Smoked Salmon from The Haven Smokehouse, and has now brought a piece of Irish heritage to the plates at Oysters.

Hailing from Derry, Declan McConnelllogue has set up The Haven Smokehouse alongside his partner Sue Cruse from Sri Lanka, in the picturesque Co. Donegal village of Carrigart.

Derry is a thread linking Oysters and The Haven Smokehouse, both owners originating from the Maiden City and now collaborating to bring organic turf-smoked salmon, via the most traditional of smoking methods to the palates of Northern Irish diners, a fine example showcasing the best of our local produce with two Derry natives at the heart of the process.

Declan and Sue pride themselves on keeping their smokehouse as authentic and traditional as possible and with Oysters’ love affair of local produce and Northern Irish heritage, this makes for the perfect pairing, the end product being a fabulous melody of true Irish flavours stimulating the tastebuds.

Declan McConnelllogue – The Haven Smokehouse
An explosion of flavours and smoked nuances immediately transport the diner to the Irish countryside of old and the heritage of years gone-by, of farmers cutting turf and the smell of turf-filled fires permeating homes across the land.

The beautiful, fresh, organic salmon is carefully hand selected from a bio-suisse approved organic farm in Fanad Head, and Declan explains how; “within hours of swimming in the wild Atlantic waters, it is on the filleting table.”

The journey of the salmon fillet begins a short distance from the smokehouse, only a stone throw from the pristine waters edge.

After the salmon is caught and brought to the smokehouse, Declan, the Master Smoker, carefully threads a needle under the collar of each side of salmon with twine and then hangs same from hooks, allowing the oil that comes to the surface, to drip off the tail, in sparkling droplets. The delicacy is then left to dry in the fresh Atlantic breeze.

The next step sees the introduction of turf to the process – “It’s time to light the turf fire, gentle smoke envelopes our salmon sides for two to three days as it slowly starts to cure,” explains Declan.
Declan, proprietor of The Haven Smokehouse, details the unique smoking effect used, “Contrary to popular understanding, at The Haven Smokehouse we do not use salt to cure our salmon – we use smoke! Salt is used to create a pellicle on the flesh to let smoke stick to it. Given time, smoke will slowly displace the moisture in the salmon, therefore curing and creating a low salt product – call us rebels!”
The turf is local to the Smokehouse as well, with some of the peat bogs, generated over thousands of years, located in the surrounding hills.

The entire process takes place in the most traditional of smokehouses, designed and established by Declan and Sue, shunning the modern commercialised smoking processes in favour of an authentic dry-stone walled cottage smoking methods, thereby keeping Irish heritage truly alive in the form of turf-smoked salmon, every single element coming from the surrounding landscape and carried out through Irish traditions passed down through generations. “After many late nights and many mistakes, I realised it was a taste of my memories, of a time when simplicity was understanding and knowledge was watching the salmon, with the old soul,” Declan – The Haven Smoke House.
A man, with an absolute passion for heritage and the simplicity of process, Declan is on the threshold of perfecting his recipe for sour dough bread which he hopes to make in his own clay oven currently in process of being fashioned by his own hands. Keep an eye out for another wonderful, exciting product being exported across the region of Ireland / Northern Ireland and Europe.

If this has tantalised your tastebuds and you yearn to savour veritable organic turf-smoked salmon at its optimum, visit Oysters and be enthralled by the delicacies of this superb product, steeped in the heritage of these two Derry natives.