Good Food Ireland awards celebrate glorious food
The Kilkenny estate took the top award of the night — the Supreme Award — as well as Restaurant of the Year and the Outstanding Place to Stay award at the prestigious annual event in Dublin.
The ceremony was attended by more than 350 guests from the agri-food and tourism industry.
Other winners last night included: Inch House Traditional Black Pudding for Producer of the Year; URRU Culinary Store in Bandon, Co Cork, for Local Food Shop of the Year; The Oarsman won the Food Lover’s Choice award — this award was voted on by the public; Newforge House, Co Armagh won Culinary Haven of the Year; and Toscana Restaurant in Dublin won the newly introduced Grow It Yourself award.
Speaking at the ceremony, Taoiseach Enda Kenny highlighted the importance of the food and tourism industries to Ireland’s economic recovery.
@GoodFoodIreland Kathryn Thomas opens #GFIawards to a full house. Everybody enjoying the @SkeaghanoreDuck celebration plate.
— Good Food Ireland® (@GoodFoodIreland) November 19, 2013
“Whether it is in restaurants, cafés, bars, shops, markets or accommodation, customers and visitors can have a truly memorable food experience because of the wonderful produce and talent we have in this country.
“These awards help to make Ireland synonymous with good food and this reputation is vital to supporting our €9bn of food and drink exports and the 160,000 jobs in the agri-food industry.”
Founder of Good Food Ireland, Margaret Jeffares, said the awards were aimed at showing tourists that Irish cuisine can compete with any other country.
“We are a committed group that want to change Ireland’s food reputation by giving the visitor one trusted guarantee for the very best food experience that builds a culinary picture of our country... the award winners have succeeded in delivering this Good Food Ireland experience to supreme levels of excellence,” Ms Jeffares said.
Earlier in the day, Tourism Minister Leo Varadkar launched the Good Food Ireland prepaid MasterCard. The multifunctional gift card offers one-on-one connections with more than 600 of the very best food places, culinary experts, and artisan food producers.
“Good Food Ireland and its members have made a significant contribution to Ireland’s growing reputation as a great destination for food. Its members are committed to using local produce wherever possible, and providing a top-class service to visitors. This brings clear benefits to tourists, but it’s also vital for the tourism industry and for sustaining and creating jobs,” said Mr Varadkar.
The humble Waterford blaa has risen to the ranks of champagne after being given new legal protection against imitators.
A ruling by the EU means the floury bread roll — which can be soft or crusty — can be called by its famous name only if made in the south-eastern county.
Other delicacies already given protected geographical status against imposters by Brussels include Parma ham, Feta cheese, and Cornish pasties.
More recently, Lough Neagh eels from Northern Ireland were inducted into the exclusive club.
The Waterford blaa reportedly dates back to the arrival in Ireland of French Huguenots escaping religious persecution during the 1690s. The unusual name is said to have derived from the term “blaad”, which the Huguenot bakers used to call leftover dough.
Another theory suggests it comes from the French word “blanc”, meaning white.
Local legend has it that up to a third of the Waterford population eat a blaa every day. Free from preservatives, the bun is best eaten by lunchtime — while it is still fresh.
Its short shelf-life has been blamed for its lack of popularity outside Waterford.
WINNER: Mount Juliet, Co Kilkenny
WINNER: Lady Helen Restaurant, Mount Juliet, Co Kilkenny
WINNER: Country Choice, Nenagh, Co Tipperary
WINNER: Newforge House, Co Armagh
WINNER: Sage Restaurant, Midleton, Co Cork
WINNER: URRU Culinary Store, Bandon, Co Cork
WINNER: Toscana Restaurant, Dublin
WINNER: Aniar Restaurant, Galway
WINNER: Ananda Restaurant, Dublin
WINNER: Mount Juliet, Co Kilkenny
WINNER: North — Glastry Farm Ice Cream; South — Milleens Cheese, Co Cork; East — Wild About, Co Wexford; West — Inch House Traditional Black Pudding, Co Tipperary
WINNER: Harte’s Bar and Grill, Kildare
WINNER: Kalbo’s, Skibbereen, Co Cork
WINNER: Fishy Fishy Cafe, Kinsale. Highly Commended: QC’s Seafood Restaurant, Bar and Townhouse
WINNER: An Port Mór, Westport, Co Mayo
WINNER: The Oarsman, Co Leitrim
WINNER: Rory O’Connell, Ballymaloe Cookery School, for his exemplary contribution to assisting with the Good Food Ireland Food Summit in partnership with the Web Summit.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
