Launch of Year of Food and Drink 2016 in London!

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Our Year of Food and Drink 2016 was launched in some style last week by Tourism Ireland in London. This important introduction of what will be a very exciting and enjoyable year-long programme of colourful events to chefs, food writers, travel journalists and bloggers in Britain was hosted by Tourism Ireland. It featured award-winning chef Theo Randall, owner of Theo Randall at the InterContinental London Park Lane and former head chef at The River Café and was a tremendous boost for Year of Food and Drink.

Randall and local chefs Niall McKenna of James Street South, Derek Creagh of Harry’s Shack, Will Brown of The Old Schoolhouse Inn cooked up a superb meal using Northern Ireland produce.

They were very ably supported by KraziBaker Mark Douglas of Dromore, who has been reviving interest in griddle baking of traditional favourites such as potato farls, soda bread and potato apple at markets around Northern Ireland, and James Huey of Walled City Brewery in Derry, one of the 26 craft breweries now operating here and producing an impressive range of beers, ales and stouts.

Reaching out to engage key influencers in Britain, the Republic of Ireland and further afield will be a crucially important element of our commitment to Year of Food and Drink. Guests heard all about our world-class ingredients, talented chefs, wonderful restaurants and great cookery schools

We are already working, for example, on scheme to engage with leading chefs especially in London and to encourage exchanges with their counterparts here.

Our aim will be to introduce leading chefs there to the variety and quality of produce now available from Northern Ireland suppliers. I know that some of the most eminent chefs in Britain already use food from here.

They include Abernethy Butter fans Heston Blumenthal, Marcus Wareing and Andy McFadden. The BBC’s James Martin has also used our beef and Glastry Farms whiskey ice cream. And Mark Hix, among the most successful chef/restaurateurs in London is a long time customer for superb Himalayan salt-aged beef from Peter Hannan in Moira. Interestingly, Hix flew to Northern Ireland recently to cook a beef banquet for his Glenarm shorthorn suppliers.

A number of top chefs in Britain have already expressed a keen interest in working with us during Year of Food and Drink.

The benefits from such exposure in Britain, still our most important market for food and drink, will be substantial for local producers, hospitality providers and the wider community. I see no reason why it shouldn’t result in a significant increase in sales of our food and drink in Britain in both retail and catering sectors. It would be marvellous to see more Northern Ireland food and drink listed on the menus of more restaurants in Britain. While Hix, for example, already lists Glenarm Mighty Marbled Steak on his menus, we want to see more products featured.

Why? It means more high profile business for our producers and also encourages diners to think of Northern Ireland as a destination for holidays or short breaks. More product sales and increased tourism boosts our economy, especially the farming community, and increases employment opportunities. Food and drink is a key consideration when people consider a break.

We want them to experience our food and drink and to look for the products in their supermarkets, delis and restaurants when they return home.

We are inviting people across Great Britain to come here and enjoy 366 days of culinary celebration – where they will discover the best of local produce and have the chance to experience the spectacular scenery and wonderful coastline and friendly people that makes Northern Ireland and our food and drink so special.
 

Tracy Hamilton Scoops Top Accolade at Women in Business Awards

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Tracy Hamilton, (Director) Mash Direct the award winning vegetable accompaniments farming enterprise won the top accolade at the fifth annual Women in Business Awards held last Thursday at the Culloden Estate and Spa.

Nearly 400 businesswomen attended the glittering awards ceremony which saw Tracy pick up the Award for Outstanding Businesswoman of the Year in recognition of her business acumen, entrepreneurial vision and inspirational work ethic. Tracy was the only non-entry category and selected solely on judges’ discretion,

Tracy said; “Winning this award came as a hugely unexpected but very welcome surprise.

“I cannot emphasise enough the importance of an organisation such as Women in Business for inspiring and empowering women to strive for better. They host a diverse range of events throughout the year meaning that there’s always something for everyone no matter what type or level of business. I also find them incredibly useful as a marketing platform – certainly Mash Direct can attribute a percentage of our business growth in Northern Ireland directly to my membership of Women in Business.

“I am both delighted and honoured to accept this Award.”

Tracy and her husband Martin Hamilton a fifth generation farmer diversified their wholesale farming business in 2004 to add value to their vegetable produce for convenience. Along with Martin, Tracy’s enthusiasm has been pivotal to the company evolving from a cottage style business, to a simple yet innovative idea to create the true taste and texture of homemade cooking. Her drive and determination and has seen Mash Direct grow into a sophisticated world class farming enterprise with a turnover of £14 million employing over 180 staff.

With an unerring attention to detail, she has been in the field, sometime literally, as the company has scooped award after award in recent years and also feature on the winner’ list in the Guild of Fine Food Great Taste Awards, winning 16 accolades to date.

Tracy is also a Visiting Professor at Ulster University, a board member of Northern Ireland Food and Drink and sits on the board of Food NI. Amongst her many interests, Tracy is involved in the gardening world and manages the Historic Demesne on the shores of Strangford Lough where she lives with her husband Martin and two sons – Lance and Jack. She sits on the Committees of the Northern Ireland Heritage Gardens and the Irish Tree Society. She is also a very active volunteer on the Mencap Special Events Committee and has been organising high profile events for them since 1986.

Chief executive Roseann Kelly said; “The Women in Business Awards are a prestigious event in the local business and social calendar when we acknowledge and celebrate the determination, success and contributions of women from the business community across Northern Ireland.

“The Culloden was awash with inspirational women this evening from Madam Justice McBride to each of our very worthy finalists – such fantastic role models not just for females in business but for the business community as a whole.

“Indeed everyone in the room tonight should be proud of the role they play and contribution they make, no matter how big or small, to Northern Ireland’s economy. These awards are all about shining a light on their achievements and encouraging the next generation of female business women to be just as inspired and successful.”

Asda Commits to Year of Food & Drink with launch of Supplier Development Academy

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Trading doors open to local agri-food sector as part of celebratory event 

Asda Northern Ireland is the first major supermarket here to announce its support and commitment to Year of Food & Drink 2016 with the launch of a bespoke training and development programme for its suppliers.

The year-long food-focused event provides the perfect backdrop for Asda’s Supplier Development Academy (SDA)which will reinforce its already strong relationship with NI’s agri-food sector and help to build on the £300 million of products it annually sources from local food and drink companies.

The Academy, which is backed by Invest NI and Scotland Food & Drink, will be open to a number of Asda’s key suppliers.  Running over a four month period it has the potential to boost each participant’s trading potential by up to 30%, promote innovation, develop key skills and streamline bureaucracy and administration.

In addition to the SDA, the supermarket is rolling out a programme of activity which will offer both its local supply base and its customers the chance to embrace the many opportunities which Year of Food presents to those who are hungry to enhance NI’s reputation for food excellence.

To reflect the focus on food quality and product innovation, Asda will also open its doors to potential new suppliers by hosting a series of ‘Meet the Buyer’ events in regional towns throughout NI. These will offer smaller, artisan food producers the chance to ‘pitch’ their wares to the buying team and discover what it takes to supply a large multiple retailer.

Customers will also be able to benefit from Asda’s support for Year of Food with a number of local food-focused events scheduled for each of its 16 stores. These include ‘Great Taste of Northern Ireland’ promotions, a year-long local food sampling programme, a major presence at The Balmoral Show, a schools engagement programme, and sponsorship of the hugely successful  Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend.

Michael McCallion, Asda’s Head of Local Sourcing for Northern Ireland and Scotland said:

“We’ve always been totally upfront about our commitment to NI’s food sector and Year of Food provides the ideal platform to raise the bar – from both a supplier and a consumer perspective.  We’re proud to be taking a lead and relish the chance to further boost the reputation of food, farming and retail in NI.”

BBC Taste North with Trish Deseine

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Well done BBC on the exceptional Taste North initiative last week, the highlight of which was Trish Deseine’s splendid Doorstep Cooking television show.

This focus on local food and drink will have helped immensely to increase awareness of the taste, quality, wholesomeness and safety of the very wide variety of products readily available here.

I am sure that Trish’s series for BBC Northern Ireland and Home – Recipes from Ireland, her superb cookbook will encourage more people across the province to look closely at what local produce offers for meals and snacks.

It’s a book that honours the plain cooking of her Co. Antrim childhood on a beef farm, and the plentiful benefits of the Irish larder.

This beautifully illustrated book is recognition, too, of the great progress of our cuisine in recent years by producers and, of course, by the many talented chefs in restaurants across Northern Ireland.

A native of Ballyclare, Trish is a widely respected food writer with a string of cookbooks and television shows that have gained international acclaim especially in France, her home for 30 years.

What we are all working towards in the local food industry is to establish Northern Ireland as global culinary centre of excellence using our outstandingly wholesome, nutritious and tasty food and drink. Year of Food and Drink 2016 will enable us to lift this important campaign to a new level.

Trish is among a developing cluster of leading food writers who recognise what’s happening in food and drink here and are contributing to its success through award winning cookbooks, television and radio shows and reviews in international newspapers and high-end magazines.

Others championing local food include Portadown native James McIntosh, probably the best known name in European food in China and author of cookbooks which have been acclaimed in the annual Gourmand awards, BBC chef Paula MacIntyre from Limavady, author of the exceptional Down to Earth cookbook, Noel McMeel’s Irish Pantry is a delight and Londonderry’s Emmet McCourt, author of the award winning Feast or Famine, who recently carried the banner for local food and drink to the very heart of Chicago.

All four have been assisting smaller companies in bringing their products to market and in creating greater awareness among consumers of the provenance and versatility of our food and drink.

The support for our food and drink from highly regarded UK writers like MasterChef judge Charles Campion, Diana Henry and Xanthe Clay, two of the Daily Telegraph’s most influential writers, is also immensely encouraging. They are regular visitors to Northern Ireland and will be especially welcome during Year of Food and Drink. Tourism NI, Tourism Ireland and Invest NI are also funding visits by international food and drink writers to local food companies and restaurants for meetings with producers and chefs. The outcome of these visits is extensive coverage of our food and culinary culture in influential newspapers and specialist magazines abroad.

My colleagues in Farm Week also deserve great credit for the platform provided weekly for artisan and smaller producers. The newspaper is playing a tremendously important role in helping artisan and smaller enterprises to raise their profile among its readers.

Our role in Food NI is to harness the support of our friends, here and abroad, to promote Northern Ireland as a centre of outstandingly tasty and wholesome food and drink and a destination offering quality and original menus created by highly innovative chefs. It’s about our telling our story at home to those who haven’t heard it before and abroad to those who are key influencers and trend setters.

There are benefits from this imaginative campaign for everyone in Northern Ireland in the shape of greater sales here and abroad of our food and drink, which could mean more employment opportunities, as well as a significant increase in tourism revenue.

This is what Year of Food and Drink is all about. And this is why it’s worthy of the support of everyone here.

 

 

 

Chefs and producers from NI showcase delicious Northern Ireland produce at London’s Good Housekeeping Institute

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Award-winning chef Theo Randall joined well-known Northern Ireland chefs and producers at the Good Housekeeping Institute in London yesterday, for the launch of Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink 2016. The event, organised by Tourism Ireland, was attended by top GB food and travel journalists and bloggers.

Theo Randall, proprietor of Theo Randall at the InterContinental London Park Lane and former head chef at The River Café, cooked up some of his signature dishes in the test kitchen at the Good Housekeeping Institute – using delicious Northern Ireland produce for the guests to sample. He was ably assisted by Niall McKenna of James Street South, Derek Creagh of Harry’s Shack, Will Brown of The Old Schoolhouse Inn, James Huey of Walled City Brewery, as well as the Krazi Baker, Mark Douglas.

Guests heard all about our world-class ingredients, talented chefs, wonderful restaurants and cookery schools – as well as Northern Ireland’s upcoming Year of Food and Drink. In 2016, Tourism Ireland will be taking every opportunity to highlight and celebrate our wonderful food scene, promoting Northern Ireland food in GB and elsewhere around the world – and giving more tourists an appetite to visit Northern Ireland.

Caption 18 November 2015: REPRO FREE: Award-winning chef Theo Randall joined well-known Northern Ireland chefs and producers at the Good Housekeeping Institute in London, for the launch of Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink 2016. The event, organised by Tourism Ireland, was attended by top GB food and travel journalists and bloggers. Pictured here (l-r) Niall McKenna, James Street South, Belfast; Kathryn Thomson, Tourism NI; David Boyce, Tourism Ireland and Theo Randall, InterContinental London Park Lane. Further media information: Elaine Moore / Clair Balmer, Tourism Ireland Tel: 07766 52771
Pictured here (l-r) Niall McKenna, James Street South, Belfast; Kathryn Thomson, Tourism NI; David Boyce, Tourism Ireland and Theo Randall, InterContinental London Park Lane.

Vanessa Markey, Tourism Ireland’s Head of Great Britain, said: “Next year, Tourism Ireland will place a major focus on highlighting Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink. We are inviting people across Great Britain to come and enjoy 366 days of culinary celebration – where they will discover the best of local produce and have the chance to experience the spectacular scenery and wonderful coastline which makes Northern Ireland so special. With so many great events planned for 2016, our message is that there has never been a better time to enjoy a true taste of Northern Ireland.”

Vanessa Markey continued: “The latest NISRA figures confirm that visitors from Great Britain to Northern Ireland increased by +5% in the first half of 2015. Tourism Ireland is determined to ensure that growth continues and our busy autumn campaign is now in full swing.”