Moira’s multi-award-winning food innovator Peter Hannan, managing director of Hannan Meats, is in the running for the UK’s top award for his re-working of a classic Italian pork dish that food experts in Britain loved.

FoodNI director Peter, already winner of two Supreme Champion awards in the influential UK Great Taste Awards, now one of the world’s biggest food challenges, could collect a third with his version of porchetta, a boneless stuffed pork cut from a whole roast pig that’s most closely association with Rome and is considered a dish for celebrations.

Peter’s porchetta is one of three local foods listed by Great Taste judges for the Supreme Champion Award and a Northern Ireland Regional Fork 2024 as the best local products. Interestingly, his first Supreme Champion award in 2012 was for guanchiale, another Italian dish that’s salt-cured pork cheek especially popular in Umbria region.

Awarding the porchetta the coveted three stars for being “totally exquisite”, Great Taste judges described it as “gorgeous – from the crunchy, deep satisfying crackling to the succulent sweet meat”. “It is exceptionally moist and easy to carve.

“The presentation is impressive, from the well-crackled exterior to the beautifully rolled interior, full of herbs. This is a stunning looking dish. The crackling looks good and crisp. The seasoning is strong, yet perfectly chosen. There are chilli, pepper, citrus and aniseed flavours in good balance…. and we love this.”

The UK and Ireland’s most decorated meat producer, especially in terms of Great Taste Awards, Blas na hEireann and World Steak Challenge, Peter has a passion for quality and dedication to innovation in tastes for public and his network of customers in high-end hotels and five-star restaurants in the UK, Ireland and other parts of Europe. His products are readily available to shoppers through the Meat Merchant, the deli he owns in Moira.

Dedicated to premium quality beef, pork and lamb with outstanding taste, Peter runs one of Europe’s most decorated and successful meat processing businesses.

Two Food Northern Ireland companies are shortlisted for the finals of the prestigious Meat Manufacturing Industry Awards 2024 in Birmingham.

The member companies are: ABP Linden, Dungannon and Finnebrogue, Downpatrick.

ABP Linden is listed in two categories – Best Beefburger for M&S Fully Loaded Steakburger and the Meat Manufacturer of the Year. Finnebrogue is in the running for the award for Best Bacon Product with a Naked Sausage with Sugar Pit Steak.

Each year the Meat Management Industry Awards recognise the best manufacturers and producers, suppliers, retailers, individuals and organisations in the UK meat sector, and are voted for by the readers of Meat Management magazine and meatmanagement.com, plus various product categories judged by experts.

The 2024 Awards Dinner and Ceremony takes place on Thursday 19th September 2024 at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel.

Publisher of Meat Management magazine, which organises the awards, Graham Yandell says: “It is always fantastic to bring the industry together for these prestigious awards, and this year is no exception. We are looking forward to welcoming both familiar and new faces to the ceremony this year, which promises to be a sell-out event.

“Our finalists are, as ever, well deserved, and it will be a pleasure to announce who has won at the ceremony next month. Of course, the winners are not pre-informed and will only find out if they have won on the night.

“The worthy winner of the prestigious Meat Management Excellence Award will once again be announced outright on the night, and we eagerly await the big reveal!”

Tim McCarthy describes himself as “Chief Alchemist’, the culinary wizard behind some of Europe’s spiciest sauces and ketchup. The Belfast-based sauce creator certainly fits the definition as an expert in “the process of taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary, sometimes in a way that cannot be explained”.

Founder of Blackfire Foods in 2014, Tim, a graphic artist by profession, successfully turned a passion for hot and spicy sauces into a thriving small business that’s now in line for the coveted Supreme Champion in the annual Great Taste Awards organised annually by the influential UK Guild of Fine Foods in London. He’s also heard last week about a shortlisting in Blas na hEireann, the Irish National Food Awards, the finals of which are held in Dingle, Co Kerry in October. The company is a Food NI member.

Tim’s unique Ghost Chilli and Black Lime Ketchup gained three gold stars in the now global UK Great Taste Awards which positions Blackfire to win the overall Supreme Champion or a Northern Ireland Golden Fork as the best regional food.

If Tim’s successful, Blackfire will join a select group of three local companies to win the overall award following Moira enterprises Hannan Meats, which has won the top award twice with pork and beef, and McCartney’s Butchers and Deli, a winner with roast beef. He’s up against Peter Hannan’s delicious new take on porchetta; and Applejames in Armagh, a newcomer to the awards with a unique iced cider for the final stages in the awards.

“It’s tremendously exciting to have reached the final stages of a competition that respected throughout the world of food and drink,” says Tim. “It’s a marvellous boost for my small enterprise in its first decade of business. I’ve experienced highs and lows over the years as we worked to establish the company and grow sales,” he adds.

“The Great Taste Awards are recognised globally as a mark of excellence and Blas na hEireann as the best on the island of Ireland,” he continues.

“I am looking forward to the final judging session next month in London at which the Supreme Champion and Northern Ireland Regional Fork will both be presented. The exposure associated with reaching the final stage will be immensely beneficial as we push to accelerate the growth in sales,” he adds. “There are certain delis which will only stock produce from producers with Great Taste Awards, it’s the gold standard of food production here, in Britain and further afield,” he says

Blackfire secured the three stars in the awards which attracted almost 14,000 food and drink from 3,500 companies from 115 countries from across the globe. Northern Ireland entrants collected a total of 164 awards. Blackfire and six others achieved the highest three-stars.

Tim has created a range of spicy sauces, several of which have gained national recognition before the Great Taste success in July. As a result, Blackfire has a reputation for quality and outstanding flavours, which have led to orders from hot sauce lovers in France, Germany and Poland.

Blackfire’s fiery sauces and ketchup are infused with chilli oils and dry spice mixes. They are also proving popular in his native Belfast. They are gluten-free and suitable for vegans.

Each product is crafted by Tim to his own recipes that he’s developed over the past two decades and especially in the years following the establishment of the business. They reflect his love of hot and spicy foods.

“Northern Ireland would have been seen as a culinary conservative country up until recently. The advent of the internet, cheaper global travel and the influx of other cultures into Northern Ireland have all helped us to expand our taste buds and have higher expectations when it comes to food on our plates.

“Fantastic chefs, creative restaurants, delis and International awards for our food sectors have also been the catalyst for rapid change in areas such as the consumption of peppers.

“People across the world have been eating chilli peppers for at least 6,000 years…and for very good reason. Not only do they make bland food more interesting but they are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants and also help to de-toxify and burn body fat,” adds Tim.

The company is keen to build on the growing interest in the spicy sauces and to expand business already established in key nations such as France, Germany and Poland.

To help realise this ambition and accelerate growth in Europe, Blackfire has recently signed up to several online retail portals which are providing a global shop window for the products.

The products are the outcome of his original search for hot sauces here. “I could never really get a hot sauce here that I liked,” he explains. “I thought to myself that I could start making it myself,” he explains.

Award-winning baker Mark Douglas, better known as the Krazibaker, is now showing home cooks how to create great tasting Neapolitan pizzas on sourdough bases.

Based in Dromore, Mark, a FoodNI member, has just launched pizza classes in response to requests from consumers who know the talented baker from buying traditional Northern Irish  soda and treacle farls, potato cakes griddle breads and sourdough loaves from his stand at popular outdoor food markets such as Newtownards and Carrickfergus.

“I’ve just launched the pizza classes which concentrate on how to create genuine sourdough bases following requests from shoppers at my stalls keen to make what has become a popular convenience meal or snack,” explains Mark, a professional baker for over 30 years and a winner of UK Great Taste Awards and World Bread Awards for his griddle breads and a unique potato apple snack.

“Pizzas are now among the most popular, convenient and value for money meals especially with younger families,” adds Mark. “Sourdough pizzas are really quite easy to produce.”

Students at Mark’s classes learn how to handcraft dough balls that have been fermented for 24 hours in advance. “They see what’s involved in making a sourdough base and the time required. In addition, we make sourdough balls from my 10 years old culture for fermenting that students take home for use later.”

The process demonstrates the difference in preparation time and taste of the finished sourdough base.

“The class also helps student recognise just how important it is to know how to use their oven most effectively in terms of bottom heat on the baking stone and how quickly this can dissipate with constant pizza baking,” he continues.

“Students will also learn about the best ingredients used to top their pizzas. I encourage them to buy local. There are now a number of local companies producing quality toppings such as pizza sauce, cheese, ham and herbs.”

– The acclaimed celebration of Belfast’s food and drink venues is in its fifth year –

– The concept is expected to increase footfall and help consumers discover NI’s food heritage –

6 August 2024: Belfast Restaurant Week, led by Belfast City’s three Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) – Belfast One, Destination CQ, and Linen Quarter BID, has announced it will return for 2024 from the 7th to the 13th October. Food establishments across the city are being encouraged to register to participate in the acclaimed event, now in its fifth year. Whilst in previous years, the event’s format has focused on value, this year the celebration has evolved to allow hospitality venues to host creative experiences from food pairings to tasting menus to demonstrations and masterclasses.

In 2023 Belfast Restaurant Week had remarkable success with 49 restaurants taking part, leading to an estimated £190K additional spend across the city centre. As Damian Corr, Manager at Destination CQ BID, explains, this year’s fresh concept hopes to address the challenges faced by the hospitality industry by unlocking more opportunity for venues to get involved.

He said, “Belfast Restaurant Week is a highlight of our food and drink calendar, with thousands of foodies supporting the celebration year-on-year and taking a greater bite out of what they know to be the local food scene. The event is a celebration that is all about exploring and discovering Belfast’s rich culinary scene. This year, we’ve enhanced the programme to ensure participating venues can include unique and experience-driven events. Our hospitality industry has shown incredible resilience over the past few years – signalling the quality of our offering and highlighting how important the culinary experience is to Belfast as a destination. We look forward to collaborating with hospitality businesses once again this year to ensure this event continues to be a success.”

Over the coming months offers and experiences available will be listed on the Belfast Restaurant Week website.

Stephen Haller, Director and Owner of Home Restaurant Belfast said, “Moving beyond solely an offer-led experience to include unique events and experiences gives businesses the chance to really connect with our customers in new and exciting ways. Last year, the set menu we introduced for Restaurant Week was such a hit that we decided to keep it going even after the event had finished, and we’re eager to see what innovations we can bring this time around.

“The restaurant industry can be challenging, with rising costs and staffing shortages, so anything that brings a buzz and gets people excited to dine out is something we wholeheartedly support. We’re looking forward to contributing to a vibrant atmosphere in Belfast and making this year’s Restaurant Week the best one yet. We can’t wait to see everyone come out and enjoy what we’ve got planned!”

Last month Belfast’s three city BIDs appointed Michael Stewart as the city centre’s first Night Czar. A crucial element of the role is to support hospitality businesses to enhance the night-time economy.

Damien continues, “Belfast is an exceptional performer when it comes to food and drink. It’s home to some of the world’s best talent and Northern Ireland food produce is acclaimed for its quality. Restaurant Week is a platform that makes sense – it showcases the flair and creativity of our establishments and offers consumers a compelling reason to get out and enjoy the food scene. I commend the BIDs for their continued efforts in creating a landmark event that brings the industry together whilst also opening up opportunity to drive footfall.”

For more information on Belfast Restaurant Week and upcoming offers visit belfastrestaurantweek.org. Hospitality businesses interested in participating should contact Lesley@theeventor.com

This August bank holiday weekend (24-26 August), Hillsborough Castle’s stunning 100-acre gardens will come alive with the smells, sounds and sights of local artisanal delights, gardening advice, live music, storytelling and family fun in a 3-day Summer Fair.

Previously known as the popular Hillsborough Honey Fair, the Summer Fair sees Hillsborough Castle & Gardens work closely with Food NI to invite around 30 celebrated local producers to conjure the taste of Northern Ireland for visitors. The likes of Long Meadow Cider, The Curly Pigs, Shortcross Gin, Burren Balsamics, Fluffy Meringue, Indie Fude and Irish Black Butter will present their fantastic fare alongside hot food and treats from the kitchens of Glaze & Roll, Linen Hill Street Kitchen, Crumb & Beyond and Lick Gelato.

Bring a piece of the castle garden home

In addition to sampling locally grown fare, visitors can get up close and personal with Hillsborough Castle’s award-wining gardening team – learning secret tips and tricks at a Gardener’s Clinic and they’ll even have the chance to take home a cutting from the royal residence’s garden. For green-fingered little ones, there will be a kid’s potting table to entice them to the magical world of gardening.

Visitors can also pick up their own wildflower seeds to sow in their gardens from social enterprise Good to Grow, plus tips on tools and labelling from Hillsborough’s own garden volunteers, and compost and soil advice from Natural World Products, while Esker Farm Daffodils will also be on hand to help with bulbs for next spring.

Claire Woods, Head Gardener at Hillsborough Castle & Gardens said: “It is a privilege to share the gardens of Hillsborough Castle with our visitors throughout the year, and so it is fitting to give those attending the Summer Fair the opportunity to bring a little piece of the garden home with them to plant in their own gardens. We also look forward to chatting with our fellow green fingered friends during our Gardeners’ Clinic, where our gardening team and I will help with any head scratching problems and late-summer conundrums their plants, flowerbeds, hedges and borders may be bringing them at this time of year.”

‘Bee’ Inspired

The Summer Fair will continue to celebrate the importance of bees and biodiversity. The Native Irish Honey Bee Society’s stall will return this year and the Bee Inspired tent will offer honey made from the hives on-site. Gwen Earnshaw, Hillsborough’s Beekeeper will be on hand with advice on beekeeping and creating a bee friendly garden, joined by beekeepers and some of their hives from Killinchy Bee Keeping Association, Michael Young Honey and more.

The Peter Rabbit™ Adventure

Visitors can also enjoy The Peter Rabbit™ Adventure, which runs throughout the summer months (until 1^st September 2024) in the gardens, where children, parents and grandparents alike can enjoy an interactive trail along the meandering waterways and within the forests, combining Beatrix Potter’s love for nature and wildlife with the mischievous tales of her fictional characters from Peter Rabbit to Mrs Tiggy-Winkle. Peter Rabbit himself will be at the event throughout the weekend to meet visitors, while The Stable Yard Café will offer their speciality Peter Rabbit themed Afternoon Tea for both adults and children.

Stuart Campbell, Public Engagement Manager at Hillsborough Castle commented: “Our whole team has put together a fantastic event that will draw foodies, gardeners and music lovers to Hillsborough Castle for the final bank holiday weekend of the summer.

“We are excited to be working with Food NI to showcase the best artisanal producers and makers in Northern Ireland. The whole experience will be complemented with live music, fantastic gardening tips and displays from our own team and other local businesses and social enterprises, storytelling at our stretch tent and the opportunity to enjoy The Peter Rabbit™ Adventure throughout the acres of gardens.

“There will be something for everyone throughout the bank holiday weekend, and should visitors wish to explore the Castle, they can book in for a tour to learn even more about our heritage and history.”