Local chef to ‘cook up a storm’ in the Windy City

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Tourism Ireland invites chef Emmett McCourt to highlight Northern Ireland food at iBAM! Chicago festival

Tourism Ireland has invited Londonderry/local chef and world award winning author, Emmett McCourt to showcase Northern Ireland’s superb culinary offering at the upcoming iBAM! Chicago 2015 (Irish books and music festival). At the festival, Emmett will champion our local food and drink, holding cookery demonstrations and enticing visitors to the festival to come and sample a taste of Northern Ireland for themselves.

Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s head of North America, said: “We are delighted that Emmett will join us at iBAM Chicago, shining a spotlight on Northern Ireland and its growing reputation as an interesting culinary destination. 2016 has been designated Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink, when we will celebrate all that is good about our superb produce and world-class food scene. Northern Ireland is increasingly synonymous with culinary excellence and Tourism Ireland will take every opportunity to highlight and celebrate our wonderful culinary offering in 2016, promoting Northern Ireland in the US, and elsewhere around the world, to people who love great food.”

Emmett McCourt, who lectures at the North West Regional College, said: “I am absolutely delighted and honoured to be attending iBAM Chicago as food ambassador for Tourism Ireland and representing Northern Ireland. This is an amazing opportunity to profile and grow the appeal of Northern Ireland as a world-class food destination and to share our food story with an American audience. I am very proud to have been given this opportunity to showcase the best of what we have to offer, which will help bring attention to Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink 2016”.

The United States is an important market for tourism to Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland’s extensive autumn campaign is now in full swing to continue to grow American visitor numbers, taking advantage of late booking trends as there is still plenty of business to play for. As well as highlighting Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink 2016, Tourism Ireland is also promoting the Causeway Coastal Route, new visitor experiences like The Gobbins Coastal Path and the refurbished Mount Stewart, as well as iconic attractions such as Titanic Belfast.

Unveiling of Year of Food and Drink Activities!

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Tourism Northern Ireland chairman Terence Brannigan last week unveiled some of the activities being planned to celebrate the superb food and drink being produced here by companies of all sizes and across every sector. Northern Ireland’s first-ever Year of Food and Drink is going be an immensely exciting programme of activities both here and further afield.

While the tourism and food industries, among our most dynamic and innovative, will be in the lead, Year of Food and Drink will seek to engage the entire community in supporting what will be an extensive and, I believe, hugely important programme that will offer tangible benefits to the local economy in terms of wealth creation and employment and also create greater awareness of all that Northern Ireland has to offer.

I am especially keen to see the tremendous contribution being made by our major food businesses. We have genuinely world-class food and drink businesses which are hugely successful in international markets. It’s worth bearing in mind that food and drink from Northern Ireland is now enjoyed in around 80 countries including highly competitive and demanding markets such as China, the US, India and most parts of Europe. I heard recently that shortbread biscuits from a Northern Ireland bakery are now even on the supermarket shelves in Fiji!

What Year of Food and Drink will do is to increase awareness of our quality products and brands among consumers here, visitors and tourists and support initiatives such as Invest Northern Ireland to accelerate the growth in exports abroad.

We want consumers here in particular to find it a great deal easier to spot local products from major processors and smaller enterprises on the shelves and chillers in stores across Northern Ireland. And we want to see visitors taking back home great memories of tremendous food and drink, which could also encourage them to look for our products in the stores wherever they live.

We want consumers to take pride in the products and professionalism of our food and drink. And we’d welcome the support from industry leaders in particular for our endeavours to showcase the diverse range of premium quality and highly innovative food and drink. They have tremendous marketing muscle; contacts and experience that we need to ensure the success of the Year of Food and Drink.

As I mentioned earlier, Invest NI will be taking the lead in measures to help companies to develop sales abroad. Opportunities will be provided to companies, both large and small, to take part in business missions to key markets and to display their products at major food shows.

Another benefit for the bigger companies from the greater understanding of the contribution of our £5 billion food industry could be in the shape of recruitment. Many of our companies are currently finding it difficult to hire the talented employees they require to growth their business. I am confident that the high profile activities likely to surround Year of Food and Drink will raise the level of awareness of the career opportunities in the local food and drink industry.

Our bigger companies offer substantial opportunities to develop worthwhile and rewarding careers in areas such as strategic marketing and sales, new product development and food engineering. Year of Food and Drink will help the industry get the message to young people, their families, schools and colleges about the excellent and exciting career prospects for talented young people keen to develop relevant skills, knowledge and experience that employer’s value.

So, the legacies from Year of Food and Drink could be immensely important for our companies, especially the bigger employers, and the wider economy in terms of greater prosperity and employment for a significant increase in sales here and abroad.

James Street South scoops all Ireland accolade

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Award-winning Belfast restaurant James Street South is celebrating after being crowned the Best Restaurant in Ireland at the 2016 Georgina Campbell Awards this week, just a week after scooping two coveted top ten places in another all-Ireland award.

The Georgina Campbell Awards, Ireland’s longest established industry accolade, seek out the very best in food and hospitality experiences across Ireland. Paying tribute to Niall McKenna and head chef David Gillmore, Georgina Campbell said James Street South was working within Belfast to develop the city as a “food tourism” destination

“Many fans would, and do, travel great distances for the pleasure of a meal at Niall and Joanne McKenna’s famous Belfast restaurant, and a meal here is always sure to be a memorable occasion. This restaurant is in a city with a real buzz, where the food story is developing in exciting ways, and the vision, leadership and solid achievements of this restaurant and its associated endeavours merits the highest recognition.”

The awards comes as two other restaurants in the group, The Bar & Grill and Cathedral Quarter-based Hadski’s, are hailed as two of the ten best restaurants in the province of Ulster by the prestigious FOOD&WINE Magazine Restaurant of the Year Awards 2015.

Speaking about the latest clutch of awards, Niall McKenna, who was named a Tourism hero by industry chiefs here, said they provided a fantastic platform not just for James Street South, but for restaurants and tourism venues across Northern Ireland.

“This is recognition of the hard work of David Gillmore and the team at James Street South, and recognition throughout Ireland and bringing tourists from the Republic to Northern Ireland and enjoy the hospitality that we have to offer here.

“To be recognised by such prestigious and well-respected titles as Georgina Campbell’s independent hospitality guides and FOOD&WINE magazine, is an enormous honour and we are rightly proud that we continue to be flag-bearers for the hugely exciting reputation of Belfast as a world class food and hospitality provider.”

Pitch @ Place Applications

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The Guild of Fine Food has been approached by The Duke of York’s Special Advisor to find out if any of our Guild members would be interested in applying for Pitch@Palace.

Pitch@Palace showcases the UK’s most promising entrepreneurs through events convened by HRH The Duke of York, KG. As Pitch@Palace has evolved, so too has the event format, resulting in the current model where the UK’s most promising Food and Drink Entrepreneurs are invited to attend and have the opportunity to showcase their products to the guests (circa 500) made up of the UK’s top CEOs, Angels, Investors, Mentors and key Business Mentors.

Applications can be made using this link. Deadline for this application is Friday 2nd October 2015.

Donnelly’s Bakery & Coffee Shop is voted the Most Loved Bakery in Northern Ireland!

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The results are in, and we are delighted to announce that Donnelly’s Bakery & Coffee Shop is officially the Most Loved Bakery in Northern Ireland. Customers have praised Donnelly’s in Ballycastle, Co. Antrim for the high quality of cakes and bakes, and for the fantastic range available – alongside the excellent service and welcome they receive from the hardworking friendly staff!

As part of this year’s Craft Bakers’ Week (28th September – 3rd October), bakeries across the country have been encouraging customers to vote for them as the Most Loved Bakery in Northern Ireland. Craft Bakers’ Week is a national celebration showcasing the skills that bakers use every day.

Eugene Donnelly, Director of Donnelly’s Bakery & Coffee Shop  said “It feels fantastic to be voted as the Most Loved Bakery in Northern Ireland.  Bakeries are an important part of any community, and it is great to see that we are so ‘loved’ by our customers from  Ballycastle and  all over County Antrim .We would like to thank all those who voted for us for their continued support both towards us and the art of craft baking”.

Hannah Marriage, chair of Craft Bakers’ Week 2015, explained why Craft Bakers’ Week is so important: “Bakeries have been a feature on our high street for generations and have become an incredibly important part of communities all over the country. Some bakeries are over one hundred years old, and have passed recipes down through the generations, including many delicious regional specialities. Craft Bakers’ Week is a great opportunity to celebrate your local craft bakery, so make sure to visit them and remind yourself what’s on offer.”

Craft Bakers’ Week 2015 is also helping to support the work of Make-A-Wish® UK. Last year bakers helped raise £20,000. Local participating bakeries are raising money in different ways including selling cakes and biscuits with the Make-A-Wish® UK logo as well as holding events and tastings.

Lynn Taylor, Community Fundraising Manager at Make-A-Wish UK says, “we’re delighted to have the ongoing support of Craft Bakers’ Week for 2015. Last year the campaign raised over £20,000, and with all of the wonderful events which are planned for this year we’re sure we’ll beat that. The money raised will help us to enrich the lives of children and young people fighting life-threatening conditions, whether it’s a collection tin or a big event every bit will help.”

Visit www.craftbakersweek.co.uk for more information

 

For further information about Craft Bakers’ Week (28th September – 3rd October 2015)

Unique Country Market at Belfast International Airport

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A unique Country Market has been established at Belfast International Airport (BIA) to help promote Northern Ireland artisan producers. It is the first country market to be established in the Departures zone in an airport anywhere in the world,

Over 15 local artisans are taking part in the market, giving passengers travelling airside the opportunity to purchase from a wide range of high quality, locally made products from cheese, to chocolate, to ceramics. Belfast International Airport is among the busiest in the UK and Ireland.

The market is being run in conjunction with Ulster Artisans, an umbrella organisation committed to helping consumers everywhere to recognise the quality and originality of local artisan foods and drink and to include them when shopping.

Graham Keddie, BIA managing director, says the airport’s initiative reflects its commitment to supporting local businesses. “The unique country market is certainly adding a local flavour to the airport at a key travelling period. Around 15,000 people pass through departures every day..

‘It gives us a chance to show our customers, both from Northern Ireland and abroad, the excellence of the food available here. Belfast International Airport made a promise to help support and promote local businesses and that is exactly what the market gives us the chance to do. It comes at a time when Northern Ireland is preparing to celebrate the originality and innovation of local products in the first-ever Year of Food and Drink.

“The range of items available, include food, pottery, specialist butters and oils, chutneys, and ceramics, and the best of it is, they are all locally produced. What’s also unique is that the producers will be on hand to talk to the travellers.”

The market is located airside in departures and will operate from Thursday to Sunday over the coming weekends. They hope to show Belfast International Airport’s customers just how much Northern Irish artisans have to offer.

There are plans to extend the stalls at the market and to expand the range of products on show.

The initial group of participating companies includes:

Abernethy Butter, Dromara (Hand churned butter)

Baked in Belfast (Pottery / ceramics and unusual marmalade, chutney and jam)

Broighter Gold, Limavady, county Derry (Rapeseed oil)

Eleanor Craigs Fudge, Carrickfergus, county Antrim (Home-made futter fudge)

Harnetts Oils, Craigavon, county Armagh (Rapeseed oils, dressings soaps)

Hughes Craft Distillery, Lisburn, county Down (Fruit liqueurs and vodka)

Neary Nogs, Newry, county Down (Chocolate and fudge)

Passion Preserved, Lisburn, county Antrim (chutneys, relishes and pickles)