Moy Park, the leading European poultry processor and Northern Ireland’s biggest company, has won recognition for its new products in the prestigious Meat and Poultry Awards.
Moy Park, Northern Ireland’s only £1 billion business took the Product Developer of the Year Award for its achievements in the creation of innovative poultry products. Moy Park, based at Craigavon in county Armagh, is now part of Marfrig of Brazil and exports poultry products worldwide. It employs over 6,000 people.
And there was an award too for Karro Food Group, Northern Ireland’s biggest pork processor, which has an operation at Cookstown in county Tyrone.
Andrew Irwin, plant manager of Karro’s Cookstown factory, was named Plant Manager of the Year in the awards, organised by Meat Trades Journal, the industry’s main trade journal.
Head judge Ed Bedington, editor of Meat Trades Journal, says: “The processing industry is a tough sector, and the companies within it face challenges on many fronts, from commercial pressures through to regulatory barriers.
“We’ve had some brilliant entries from a wide range of companies into this competition, and it’s always a great challenge for judges to select our finalists and, ultimately our winners.”
Northern Ireland Food Companies Shortlisted for Best in The World Cookbook Award
The great taste of home has been recognised in an amazing THREE categories at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. The categories are Best Digital Website in the World; Best Digital Food Institution in the World and Best Culinary Travel in the World. The nominations are for Food NI; a not for profit organisation which works to showcase Northern Ireland food and drink through a website, printed guides, Facebook, Twitter and events.
The Gourmand Awards celebrate global cookbook and wine book publishing and feature many world renowned food writers each year. This is the first year there has been a Northern Ireland section.
Each country will have category winners and then the Best Overall will be announced at a prizegiving ceremony in the Chinese wine region of Yantai in June.
Chairman of Food NI, John Best said “This is a great achievement for Northern Ireland’s food and drink to be now recognised globally and to be shortlisted in these awards is as good as it gets. We couldn’t do what we do without our members.
Our producers grow, rear and make the most fantastic ingredients for our chefs to cook with. And work tirelessly to spread the word that Our Food is So Good. They are constantly updating our website, Facebook and Twitter and of course, they talk to journalists and food writers every day. It’s wonderful to have that effort recognised”.
Abernethy Butter Only NI Company in Defra’s 50 Food Stars
Fifty of the UK’s most promising food and drink entrepreneurs are to be recognised as Food Stars for their contribution to the country’s growing economy.
The 50 Food Stars, carefully selected from hundreds of award-winning businesses, range from fiery Scotch bonnet pepper sauce makers in Scotland to chocolatiers using Indian spices in London.
Abernethy Butter, based in Dromara, Co. Down is the ONLY Northern Ireland company to make the list. Their range of hand-churned butters is on the shelves at Harrods and Fortnum and Masons. They are also used by Heston Blumenthal in his Fat Duck restaurant.
Leading figures in retail and food—including Justin King, former CEO of Sainsbury’s, and Dame Fiona Kendrick, CEO of Nestle UK and Ireland—will launch the Food Stars scheme on Thursday 26th February to help the winners grow their businesses and get more of their produce on supermarket shelves and dinner tables in the UK and across the world.
The first initiative of its kind, Food Stars is part of a wider government drive to inspire entrepreneurial activity across the UK as part of a long-term economic plan.
Following Thursday’s launch, where 50 of the Food Stars will attend master classes on topics from exporting through to social media, they will receive a package of continued support from the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and Cranfield University over the next year. This includes a tailored information service and access to a range of events and development opportunities in agriculture and food, the environment, management and leadership.
Find out more about the Food Stars and join in the conversation on social media with #50FoodStars.
Ulster University Business School
Below is a picture of University of Ulster Year One BSc Hons International Hospitality Management students with their course director, Ms Nikki McQuillan.
As they are studying the ‘Introduction to Events’ module, in order to gain more experience within the events sector, they volunteered to assist at the ‘Focus on Food’ conference in St Georges Market on 17th February 2015.
The students said that they had a great time and found the event very beneficial not only from the practical point of view but also the information they gained from listening to the keynote speakers.
Cancer Focus NI Cookbook Rustles Up Top Gourmand Book Award
Cancer Focus NI’s new Well Being Cookbook for cancer patients has come top in the Northern Ireland heat of the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook awards.
The unique cookbook has also been shortlisted for the Best Health Book in the World and Best Charity Book in the World categories.
The Gourmand Awards celebrate global cookbook and wine book publishing and feature many world renowned food writers each year. This is the first year there has been a Northern Ireland section.
The Well Being Cookbook was written by former TV chef Jeanne Rankin and Cancer Focus NI staff members Deirdre Conlon and Niamh McDaid. It is packed with need-to-know tips to help cancer patients during treatment, with their recovery and to help them stay well in the future, and is also great for anyone who just wants to stay healthy.
Edouard Cointreau, from the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, said: “Thank you for this wonderful book, and for the hope you bring to many people. Members of the jury consider it as a reference book for the future.”
Deirdre Conlon, Care Services Manager, Cancer Focus NI, said: “We are delighted to have won the Northern Ireland section of this competition and we’re very excited that our book is going forward for the Gourmand world cookbook awards. We never expected it to be this successful.
“Our aim was to write a book that would encourage cancer patients to try out simple recipes with tasty ingredients when they are feeling unwell. There are recipes for those who find it hard to swallow, spicy food for those who have lost their palate due to their cancer treatment, and energy boosting recipes.
“The most important thing is to keep up your strength, which may mean changing your diet. The information and recipes in our book help in a practical way to eat well and keep up energy levels.”
The cookbook contains useful tips on nutrition, food labelling, food safety and store cupboard basics. Jeanne, who is a yoga specialist, has also created a special section on breathing and relaxation techniques to help calm the mind, create an inner peacefulness and de-stress the body.
Recipes include old favourites such as hearty vegetable soup and salmon and leek tart along with quinoa salad, vegetable frittata, blueberry pancakes and chai tea.
The Gourmand Best in the World awards take place in June in Yantai, China. For more details visit www.cookbookfair.com.
For your copy of the Well Being Cookbook, costing £9.95, go to the online shop at www.cancerfocusni.org, email care@cancerfocusni.org or call 028 9066 3281.
Culloden Estate and Spa Upcoming offers
MOTHER’S DAY
Make your Mother’s Day
Sunday 15th March
Show your Mum you care and treat her to lunch this Mother’ Day
The Mitre Restaurant
Four course gourmet lunch with a gift for Mum
£50 adults £20 children
Cultra Inn
Buffet lunch with children’s cinema
£30 adults £20 children
Stuart Suite
Gourmet buffet lunch with a glass of Prosecco on arrival
With face painting and old sweet shop for the children
£40 adults £15 children
Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea
9th March to 15th March
£28 per person
Spoil your Mother this Mother’s Day with a delightful Afternoon Tea
The perfect way to spend an afternoon.
£28.00 per person
To make a reservation call 028 9042 1066
*****
ST PATRICK’S
Cocktails in the Crozier Lounge
Served within the Crozier Lounge on the 17th March
The Crozier Lounge, the newest addition to the Culloden Estate and Spa and it is the perfect location to relax in luxurious surrounding this St Patrick’s Day.
Shamrock Shake Up
Celtic Sea Breeze
Emerald Crush
Cocktails £10.00 each
Cultra
Located in the beautifully landscaped grounds of the Culloden Estate and Spa the Cultra Inn is one of County Down’s finest bars and restaurants.
This St Patrick’s Day enjoy the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere as you sit by the log fire, take in the stunning views and enjoy a Pint of Guinness and Irish Stew.
£8.00 per person
(Stew only £5.00 per person)
To make a reservation call 028 9042 1066
*****
EASTER SUNDAY
Sunday 5th April
Easter Sunday is a perfect opportunity to get together for a delicious lunch with family and friends
The Mitre Restaurant
Four course gourmet lunch
£50 adults £20 children
Cultra Inn
Buffet lunch with children’s cinema and Easter egg hunt
£30 adults £20 children
Easter Afternoon Tea
30th March to 5th April
£28 per person
Treat the family to our special Easter afternoon tea including freshly baked hot cross buns and simnel cake
To make a reservation call 028 9042 1066
*****
FATHER’S DAY
Sunday 21st June
Treat your food-loving father to the ultimate BBQ in the grounds of the Cultra Inn
Hog Roast barbeque with a pint for Dad on arrival
£35 adults £15 children
To make a reservation call 028 9042 1066
****
TALL SHIP’S
Sunday 5th July
Enjoy the view of the Tall Ships as they depart Belfast
Afternoon Tea on the Cumberland Terrace
£28 adults £14 children
To make a reservation call 028 9042 1066
Tall Ships
The Culloden Estate and Spa is the perfect place to enjoy the Tall Ships as they come from across the globe to anchor in Belfast. Watch as the flotilla of ships depart Belfast for the start of the Tall Ship Race 2015
Enjoy Champagne Afternoon Tea within your Suite as the ship sail past your window
Presidential Suite £1,540 per room
State Suites – £690 per room
Champagne Afternoon Tea – £38 per person
To make a reservation call 028 9042 1066
Tall Ships
From 2nd to 5th July
The Culloden Estate and Spa is the perfect place to enjoy the Tall Ships as they come from across the globe to anchor in Belfast
Make the most of this glorious occasion and watch as the flotilla of ships depart Belfast for the start of the Tall Ship Race 2015, this is the perfect time for you to entertain your clients
Room Hire from £395.00
Lunch menus from £30 per person
Afternoon Tea from £28 per person
To make a reservation call 028 9042 1066