Nine Slow Food Awards for Northern Ireland
Nine food businesses in Northern Ireland have won important recognition in the Slow Food Awards.
Created seven years ago, the awards are thoroughly democratic – with no prior shortlisting, the winners are simply chosen by whoever gets the most votes.
These awards are so powerful in highlighting good, clean and fair food businesses, that like last year, thousands voted over the summer. Each nation has its own winners, with the highest number of votes in each category also being the overall UK winner.
In addition to the public vote, each nation director chose their Person of the Year, their stories are below, with one of those of winners being crowned Slow Food in the UK Person of Year as well. The Slow Food Northern Ireland director is celebrity chef Paula McIntyre.
Slow Food Northern Ireland Winners 2020
Best Butcher: Hannan Meats, Craigavon
Best Baker: Ursa Minor, Ballycastle
Best Greengrocer: Slemish Market Garden, Ballymena
Best Fishmonger: Ewings, Belfast
Best Deli or Grocer: Indie Fude, Comber
Best Cheesemonger: Indie Fude, Comber
Best Market: St George’s Market, Belfast
Best Restaurant/Food Eatery: Native Seafood and Scran, Coleraine
Champion Slow Food Product: Mike’s Fancy Cheese Young Buck
Person of the Year: Jilly Dougan, who works to promote growing and sustainability throughout Northern Ireland, championing seasonality and food with a sense of place – something never more important than in the current pandemic.
The winners each get a certificate and the right to call themselves establishment/product of the year for each nation.
