Irish food sector 'facing a crisis' as more restaurants close, food awards told
Wayne Dunle and Virginia O’Gara from ‘My Goodness’ foods. O'Gara has been working on the Cork Urban Soil Project, which today received an award. Picture. John Allen
A Cork community composting project is among the winners announced this afternoon at the Irish Food Writers’ Guild Awards, which was told more action needs to be done to safeguard Ireland's food industry.
In an address to guests at the ceremony, Caroline Hennessy, chair of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild (IFWG), said Ireland’s restaurant sector is facing a crisis that will impact other food businesses.
“If we don’t address the crisis facing Ireland’s restaurant sector we will not only see the closure of many more local businesses this year, but the potential demise of our wider vibrant food industry,” Hennessy said.
“Every time a restaurant or café closes, an essential revenue stream for our small producers is severed. We exist within an ecosystem, and the convergence of high energy costs, labour expenses, and other challenges affects everyone involved.
"Jobs and livelihoods hang in the balance and it is our responsibility to take action. By supporting these producers, we are also supporting the local economy and communities that rely on them.”
The Cork Urban Soil Project, the brainchild of Virginia O’Gara of My Goodness, was presented with the Community Food Award at the ceremony for its work testing urban food soil creation methods using would-be waste products like food scraps.
They aim to use food scraps as a resource, converting them into compost and using this in local food growing and tree-planting initiatives.
Elsewhere, Tipperary-based Peter and Mary Ward of independent shop and cafe Country Choice in Nenagh were presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award "for their long-held belief in, and support for, local indigenous Irish food".
"Peter and Mary Ward have been passionate champions of local food since they opened Country Choice in 1982, selling the best and most natural ingredients they can source," the awards said.
Valentia Island Vermouth will bring the Irish Drink Award back to Co Kerry for their spirit, which the awards say "has been making a splash as the first ever Irish vermouth created by the innovative wife-and-wife team Anna and Orla Snook O'Carroll."
The Irish Food Awards went to Roll It All Butter Pastry, Carlingford Oysters and Regan Organic Chicken.
Conor Spacey was presented with a Notable Contribution to Irish Food Award, while the Environmental Award went to Rare Ruminare.
The IFWG Food Awards were established in 1993 to celebrate indigenous Irish food products of the highest quality as well as to recognise some of the people working in the food scene.
The 2023 winners included West Kerry Brewery, Aran Islands Goats Cheese, Velvet Cloud and Down Syndrome Cork Field of Dreams.
