Since winning the Taste of Northern Ireland Award at the Northern Ireland Tourism Awards, the Dundrum Inn has had its status as a foodie hot spot confirmed. This award has highlighted an establishment which has created a customer friendly eating experience, using local suppliers and ingredients which reflect the high quality of the local food industry.

Now they are set to further profile the amazing products which can be found in their local area with “A Taste of County Down Evening” on Thursday 22nd November.

Head Chef Paul Cunningham has prepared a special six course menu designed to show off the best produce which can be found around the Dundrum area, from Dundrum Mussels to Murlough View free range eggs.

Since taking up his position over a year ago, Paul has devoted his time to adequately using suppliers in the County Down area. Every season he creates a new menu so that his customers can sample seasonal produce at its best, served up in a creative and innovative way.

Paul has lived and worked in Dundrum all of his life and he is fully committed to getting the best from his suppliers and creating dishes which will challenge and inspire his customers.

Paul Cunningham, Head Chef, the Dundrum Inn said;

“Consistency in standards is of the uppermost importance and that is why we always source what we can locally. Our fish come from Kilkeel harbour, the herbs are grown in my own back garden and the beef is 100% Northern Irish, 28 day matured. This taster evening is going to help our customers find out a bit more about what goes into making the local produce so good.”

Local suppliers will be speaking at the evening and a wine tasting from James Nicholson Wines will take place. Entertainment will be provided by a talented musician from the local area.

The evening will cost £40 per person, including wine, and you can reserve your spot by getting in touch on 028 4375 1211. Tables will be available to book for 7pm, 7.30pm and 8pm. Bookings must be made by Monday 19th November.

For further information please contact:
Amanda Ferguson
Owner, Dundrum Inn
Landline: 028 43 751 211            Mobile: 07767 443 039

Food company, Moy Park has secured a contract with Tesco to launch nine Moy Park branded products in Northern Ireland stores from October.

The range of products, which uses only locally sourced poultry, comprises a selection of fresh breaded, corn fed and ready to cook products, including a Moy Park Chicken & Bacon Mushroom casserole and Moy Park Stuffed Chicken Thighs.

Paul Burch, Moy Park Accounts Director Ireland said:

“We are delighted to take on this new business with Tesco. Not only is this a seal of approval for the quality and taste of our products but also further strengthens our partnership with Tesco.

“The Moy Park brand has been trusted by Northern Ireland consumers since 1943. We are always looking at ways to innovate and grow in line with consumer trends and across Northern Ireland there is a strong preference for locally sourced produce. We also recognise that consumers are demanding healthy food that is quick to cook, which is why we have developed both fresh and convenience products under the Moy Park brand. These chicken products reflect our on-going focus on new product development and will provide consumers with a variety of new tasty options for the whole family.”

Sandra Weir, Fresh Food Buying Manager, Tesco NI, said:

“This is an important development for Tesco here as chicken is a key item on most weekly shopping lists. Our recent research has shown that, next to price, buying local is a priority for shoppers. Through our Taste Northern Ireland campaign, we are encouraging our customers to get to know the people and places behind their favourite local food and drink products. We are really delighted to be able to add Moy Park to the list of trusted local names customers will now see in their Tesco store.”

The new Moy Park branded product range will be stocked in Tesco stores across Northern Ireland from October 2012.

For more information and to view Moy Park’s full range of products please visit www.moypark.com
For more information on Tesco Taste NI visit www.tasteni.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“This has to be one of the best views from a restaurant anywhere in the world,” global star says of the view from Bureau By The Lough in Whiteabbey.

Whiteabbey bar-restaurant Bureau By The Lough, which has just won no less than 3 coveted categories (Best Regional Pub, Best Food Pub and Most Innovative Pub) in the regional Pubs of Ulster Awards, is set for record wine sales with the addition of a new ‘star’ product to its shelves – and a visit by major Hollywood ‘star’ Sam Neill to launch it!

‘Two Paddocks’ is the acclaimed wine range produced by the Omagh-born star of box office hits such as Jurassic Park and The Piano as well as expected 2013 blockbuster Mariah Mundi & The Midas Box, at his artisan winery in New Zealand’s Central Otago region.

Bureau By The Lough is the first bar-restaurant in Ireland to list the wine and its sister business, The Light House Wine Store, one of the first off-licences to retail it. And in a major coup for the Whiteabbey businesses, Sam Neill flew in (18th October) to launch the wines personally at a special tasting lunch atBureau By The Lough.  Among the wines sampled was his Two Paddocks Pinot Noir 2010, also an award-winner this week, when it picked up outstanding gold medal at the International Wine and Spirit Competition!

Addressing the ‘full house’ of wine enthusiasts and film buffs alike, Sam Neill said that he was delighted to launch his own wines on ‘home turf’ and, in a statement guaranteed to put Bureau By The Lough and Whiteabbey on the world map, said that “The view from Bureau By The Lough’s restaurant window has to be among the best in the world!”

Owner Damien Curran said: “It’s a proud milestone for Sam Neill to come back to launch his wines into his ‘home’ market and we are equally proud to be selected as the very first stop in his whirlwind Ireland tour. Essentially he has poured the very first drop of his own wine on ‘home’ soil here with us atBureau By The Lough in Whiteabbey, and to hear him say how much he has enjoyed his visit and that he rates our view as among the best in the world is quite an endorsement!”

“As a business, listing Two Paddocks is about tapping directly in to what our customers want. As an independent off-licence, it’s difficult to compete with the multiples’ promotional tactics. So, alongside trying to break down the myth that supermarkets are always cheaper, our strategy is to capitalise on our independence to source diverse, interesting, quality-led wines at great prices.  Sam Neill’s award-winning wines fit that profile exactly.  Customers have been hugely excited about their arrival and we expect them to drive sales in both our restaurant and off-licence.”

Balloo House in Killinchy, County Down has scooped another national accolade, this time in the prestigious 2012 Observer Food Monthly (OFM) Awards for its Sunday lunch offering.

Now in their ninth year, the Observer Food Monthly Awards celebrate the best in UK food and produce.  Balloo House was singled out as providing the best Sunday Lunch in Northern Ireland in the awards which are voted for by over 16,000 people alongside an expert panel of judges that includes restaurant critic Jay Rayner, Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett and popular food writer Nigel Slater.

Ronan Sweeney, Managing Director of Balloo Inns, says: “We are delighted to have been recognised in the Observer Food Monthly Awards, which are so highly respected by food lovers across the UK.   Dining out for Sunday lunch is increasingly popular and is a very firm tradition for busy families across Northern Ireland.  We are honoured to be recognised for the quality of our food on such an important family occasion.”

Chef Danny Millar added: “The OFM Awards are not only highly coveted at the industry level but most importantly are voted for by the public and I’m delighted we represented Northern Ireland as the regional runner-up for the readers’ choices of roast dinners.  It’s a credit to the entire Balloo House team, recognising not only the quality of our food and locally sourced ingredients but also our warm family welcome.”

Observer Food Monthly Editor Allan Jenkins said: “With a higher number of voters than ever before and expert judges from most parts of the UK, the OFM awards have never felt so representative or relevant.”

Sir Terence Conran picked up a Lifetime achievement at the Awards and Raymond Blanc was recognised for an Outstanding Contribution accolade. The award for best cookbook went to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for his River Cottage Veg Every Day book.
In recent years, Balloo House has put the small town of Killinchy in County Down firmly on the culinary map of the UK collecting a number of national and international awards.  The restaurant that has been included in the Good Food Guide UK, the Michelin Guide, the Bridgestone 100 Best Restaurants In Ireland and Georgina Campbell’s ‘Best of the Best’ in Ireland Guide.    Chef Danny Millar has also won the coveted ‘Best Chef in Ireland’ title at the prestigious Restaurant Association of Ireland Awards and was Northern Ireland winner of ‘Great British Menu’ for two consecutive years.

Balloo Inns has also achieved success with its award-winning Parson’s Nose dining pub in Hillsborough and recently acquired Lisbarnett House, a popular local pub situated in the picturesque village of Lisbane, also in County Down.

James Richardson, chef/proprieter of Old Barn Steakhouse and Event Catering, has been awarded Ulster Tatler Chef of the Year 2012, at a glittering ceremony at City Hall Belfast on 13th September. 450 people from all industries were in attendance at what has become one of the most prominent events in the Northern Ireland social calendar. James Richardson is an award winning chef who is also a native of Markethill, and holds many culinary competition medals and awards, including accolades from the World Culinary Olympics, and he is also a past winner of Seafood Chef of the Year. This year he took home two medals from Panel of Chefs, cooking with the Irish team. Throughout his career, James has cooked with some of the world’s most well known chefs including Ainsley Harriot, Paul Rankin, Rick Stein, and Nevin Maguire

Judging took place at the restaurant at the end of August, with James serving a special tasting menu to the judges, who included newspaper editors and well known figures from the hospitality trade. The menu and service were described as “flawless” on the day, with more than one of the judges saying that the food was the some of the best that they had ever tasted.

The full menu served was:

Amuse Bouche        

Braised chicken rillette ( a preparation of meat which is similar to a coarse pate), caramelised onion puree, pearl onions, broad beans

Starter   

Pan-seared scallops, roast cauliflower puree, Granny Smith apple, Ras el-Hanout caramel (a popular blend of spices commonly used across North Africa)

Main                        

Steak and mushroom pie, fillet of Dexter beef, wild mushroom pie, truffle honey, Chantenay carrots, wild mushroom puree

Pre-dessert  

Lemon meringue ice-cream in a cone

 

Dessert                    

Chocolate mousse with a bitter orange brulee centre

Bread                        

Guinness, apple, and cheese soda

Opened in May 2010, Old Barn Steakhouse has gone from strength to strength, establishing a solid customer base with patrons travelling from all over Northern and Southern Ireland. The restaurant has been recently completely refurbished, and has been given a modern feel, while still maintaining its’ old world charm.  Excellent customer service is what Old Barn Steakhouse prides itself on, and James is assisted in achieving this goal by a team of experienced staff, led by General Manager, Peter Slevin.

The business is continually expanding, with the recent addition of Old Barn Event and Wedding Catering, specialising in events and wedding of all sizes, from smaller gatherings at Old Barn Steakhouse, to large marquee weddings at country estates such as Larchfield Estate, Gosford Castle, and Narrow Water Castle, to gourmet dinners in client’s own homes. No event is too big, nor too small for Old Barn Event Catering. A range of complementary services are also available, including vintage ice-cream bicycles, candy carts, and chocolate fountains. Pictures and details of all services available are available on the companies’ website, www.oldbarnsteakhouse.com.

Glastry Farm Ice Cream, an artisan producer of premium ice cream and sorbets, has won Ireland’s most prestigious awards for innovation.

The award winning company, formed by Will Taylor on the family farm at Glastry on the picturesque and lush pastures of the Ards Peninsula in County Down, has been named as the winner of the coveted Speciality Food Category in the all-Ireland JFC Innovation Awards for Rural Business.

The aim of the awards is to motivate individuals to take an innovative approach to new business and help them turn a novel business idea into a commercial reality.

Glastry Farm Ice Cream gained the award for its outstanding commitment to the development and sale of its extensive range of ice cream and sorbets made from Red Tractor quality accredited milk from the farm’s Holstein herd. The ice cream and sorbets have the important Safe and Local Supplier Accreditation required by top retailers.

Mr Taylor says: “Winning this important award is a marvellous endorsement of  our strategic focus on highly innovative products, processes and customer services.

“The award will be of immense support to us as we continue our marketing campaign to increase awareness of the quality of our unique products particularly in the Republic of Ireland indeed further afield. Publicity resulting from the award will enhance our marketing campaign in the Republic.

“Our focus is now on expanding business to Britain and the Republic. We’re currently extremely busy dealing with higher levels of both orders and inquiries. In addition, we’ve received approaches from interested retailers in Britain.”

The company now offers around 20 flavours of ice cream and sorbets. Among its most innovative and successful is Kilbeggan Ice Cream from whiskey distilled by the Cooley company near Carlingford Lough in the Republic of Ireland.

Glastry Farm, which has won a string of UK Great Taste Awards, has strengthened its luxury ice cream portfolio for the summer season by adding Coconut, Cappuccino Milano and Raspberry and Lavender.

Formed in 2007 as a farm diversification project, Glastry Farm Ice Cream recently announced plans for an eight-fold increase in output through the development of a new processing plant, again on the family farm.

Glastry Farm is also developing a frozen yoghurt dessert in association with another Northern Ireland artisan dairy business, Clandeboye Estate, based near Bangor in County Down.

The award will enable the company to benefit from expert mentoring and other support over the next six months in areas such as strategic marketing. Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Teagsac with marketing and strategic direction. The advertising element of the prize will enable the company to raise the awareness for its products in the market place.