Get excited for your opportunity to come up with something both delicious and creative! Create an eel recipe that you think will dazzle our star judge and be in with a chance to win both the prestige of having the best dish and, more importantly a Kilo of fresh local eel as part of the Balmoral Show celebrations!

Paula McIntyre, a celebrated NI food broadcaster/chef and writer who is no stranger to stunning eel creations, will be the judge of your handiwork and will announce who has taken the mantle of eel chef extraordinaire after her cooking demonstration on Wednesday the 13th in the Food NI Pavilion

The closing date is strictly the 9th of may

Send your recipe here: paulamcintyre@hotmail.co.uk and GOOD LUCK!!!

It sometimes takes an outsider’s perspective to realize just how special a place truly is.

Both Jenny Holland and David Laxer, Piece’s co-founders, are the perfect outsiders. One a New Yorker and former journalist and speechwriter, returning to the city of her childhood. The other, a Canadian living in Tel Aviv with a slight obssesion regarding the Irish ever since he saw Michael Collins (the movie). Together, they want to tell a story of a contemporary Northern Ireland, one with its eyes on the future yet also steeped in its own recent history.

Piece aims to package the 9 original counties of Ulster, its people, produce and practices into a household global name. Nothing goes down better than food and drink, yet they are not intending on creating your typical food magazine. Food is the excuse as it were, but the real reason behind Piece is to craft an engaging narrative of N.I as they see it – with all its quirks and quarks. Its people, its landscapes, its movers and shakers, its hipsters and its farmers, its rockers and its rebels, its growers and consumers.

Holland and Laxer have recently launched a Kickstarter campaign in Belfast to kickstart their project. They’ve teamed with talented local chef, Brian Donnelly, who brings extensive hands-on knowledge of the entire culinary landscape of N.I. The proceeds of the crowdfunding campaign will go to starting an online magazine and an online shop that will sell select made-in-NI products from food and drink to design and fashion.

“The concept behind Piece stems from a desire to help a post-conflict society move forward, away from a troubled past,” says co-founder and publisher David Laxer. “Coming from a place with it’s own troubled history, seeing how Northern Ireland has reinvented itself is really inspiring, but still today when people think Ireland they think Dublin. And for those who think Northern Ireland, they think balaclavas and thick accents. N.I has the making of the next organic heaven while Belfast has the making of the next Berlin. It’s rock n’ roll. It’s super exciting.”

“The quality of Northern Irish products is extremely high and getting better every year,” says Brian Donnelly, Piece director of product development. “I’ve worked with some of the best chefs in London and Dublin, and they are always looking for the highest quality products. They are starting to look to what we grow, raise and make here in NI.”

“We want to give our talented local makers and producers a voice on the world stage and an outlet for them to bring their products to market,” says Jenny Holland, co-founder and editor-in-chief. “We know that Americans will absolutely love what we are cooking up here.”

“We believe we have a global audience for this story and we know that the local makers and producers need a channel to communicate with the world,” adds Laxer.

The time to invest in Northern Ireland is now.

The small scale food and artisanal producers are some of the most dynamic and interesting businesses at the moment. Add to that the great cultural amenities and hospitality NI has to offer. They see huge opportunity. It’s an under explored place with great upside and provides great entertainment value for a global audience.

The Ulster Regional Final of the Irish Restaurant Awards, in association with The Irish Times, took place in The Titanic Belfast last night and named the top restaurants in the nine counties 2015.

Over 500 restaurant owners and staff celebrated their hard work and achievements at the Awards, which saw many well-known restaurateurs of Ulster, turn out to see if they had won one of the prestigious awards.

Speaking at the awards last night, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland Adrian Cummins said; “The Irish Restaurant Awards celebrate their seventh year this year and have become the Island’s biggest food awards. The credibility that these awards have is reflected in the amount of nominations they received this year- over 30,000 votes were cast across nine categories, showing that these are the awards that everyone wants to win.

“The Irish restaurant scene is internationally recognised for its high calibre of restaurateurs and chefs. These awards celebrate the people that make the restaurant sector the dynamic and exciting industry it is. They are the people who provide 72,000 jobs to our economy and generate revenue in excess of €2 billion. We’re recognising the talent, hard work and commitment that everyone here gives to the food industry. Tonight, everyone is a winner.”

All County winners now compete for the Regional and All Ireland Title which will be announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards in the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel, Dublin on Monday 25th May, 2015.

Best Restaurant – Sponsored by Dalcassian & Wakefield Wines

 Antrim- OX
 Armagh- The Moody Bar
 Cavan- MacNean House and Restaurant
 Derry- Browns Restaurant & Champagne Lounge
 Down- The Boat House Restaurant
 Fermanagh- Watermill Lodge Restaurant
 Tyrone- Black Cat Restaurant

Best Chef – Sponsored by La Rousse Foods

 Antrim- Danni Barry of Deanes EIPIC
 Armagh- Sean Farnan of The Moody Boar
 Derry- Eddie Attwell of Ardtara Country House
 Down- Mark Doran of Restaurant 23 at Balmoral Hotel
 Fermanagh- Noel McMeel of The Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort
 Tyrone- James Devine of Black Cat Restaurant

Best Gastro Pub – Sponsored by Bunzl McLaughlin

 Antrim- The Morning Star
 Armagh- Digby’s Bar & Restaurant
 Derry- Mary’s Bar
 Donegal- The Village Tavern
 Down- The Poacher’s Pocket
 Fermanagh- Café Merlot
 Tyrone- The Brewer’s House

Best Casual Dining – Sponsored by Total Produce

 Antrim- Graze
 Armagh- Uluru
 Cavan- Ashcourt at Crover House Hotel
 Down- Art Bar Funkel
 Fermanagh- Franco’s Restaurant
 Tyrone- Deli On The Green

Best Hotel Restaurant

 Antrim- The Bushmills Inn Restaurant
 Armagh- Newforge House
 Derry- Ardtara Country House
 Down- Restaurant 23 at Balmoral Hotel
 Fermanagh- The Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort
 Tyrone- The Kitchen Restaurant at Tullylagan Country House Hotel

Best Customer Service- Sponsored by TheTaste.ie

 Antrim- Upstairs at Joe’s
 Armagh- The Portmor Bar & Restaurant
 Derry- Church Street Restaurant
 Down- Rayanne House Restaurant
 Fermanagh- Dollakis
 Tyrone- The Brewers House

Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by Classic Drinks & Massottina

 Antrim- OX
 Armagh- Uluru
 Derry- Browns Restaurant & Champagne Lounge
 Down- The Oak Restaurant at Slieve Donard
 Fermanagh- Café Merlot
 Tyrone- Black Cat Restaurant

Best Kids Size Me in Ulster – Sponsored by Heinz & Kids Size Me

 The Governor Rocks, Ulster

Best Restaurant Manager in Ulster– Supported by Tindal Wine and Emiliana Vineyards

 Saul McConnell of Deanes Deli & Bistro, Ulster

Best Newcomer – Sponsored by Elavon

 Antrim – Deanes EIPIC
 Armagh – 4 Vicars
 Derry – Harry’s Shack
 Down – The Poacher’s Pocket

Best Emerging Irish Cuisine in Ulster – Sponsored by Odaios Foods

 Ardtara Country House, Ulster

Belfast Metropolitan College  Curriculum Manager Harry Robinson and Caoimhe Mannion, Tesco’s Marketing Manager in Northern Ireland, tuck into a plate of local produce to launch the new Tesco-backed competition open to students on Belfast Metropolitan College’s professional chef programmes.

With them are top chefs Stephen Toman (OX Belfast) and Danni Barry (Deanes Eipic) who will judge the entries.

The overall winner of the culinary contest will be named Tesco Homegrown Student Chef of the Year, enjoy a meal for four at the OX or Eipic restaurants in Belfast, collect a winner’s trophy and, along with other finalists, be treated to a masterclass with Danni and Stephen.

To enter the competition cookery students have to create a meal, featuring a starter and main course, which highlights Northern Ireland produce to the maximum.