Irish Examiner and Echo food writers nominated for numerous awards

Last year, Michelle Darmody won the Writing on Sustainability in Irish Food Award for her book Seed to Supper. Picture: Nina Val, @nvksocial

The Irish Examiner has been nominated in multiple categories in the 2026 Irish Food Writing Awards. 

Now in their sixth year, the awards were founded to recognise and celebrate excellence in writing, photography and content production on Irish food.

Founded by author, journalist and broadcaster, Suzanne Campbell the annual awards attract a prestigious international judging panel that includes cookbook author Diana Henry, restaurant critics Tom Parker Bowles and Tim Hayward, and wine writer Fiona Beckett. 

To enter, nominees must be based on the island of Ireland, or living overseas but writing about Irish food and drink.

Weekend magazine, which was honoured as Food and Drink Magazine of the year in 2025, is once again nominated in this category. 

Weekend writer Leslie Williams is nominated in two categories, both as Restaurant Critic and also as Wine Writer for his weekly drinks column. 

Michelle Darmody’s Weekend baking column, How to Bake... sees her shortlisted for the Cookery Writer award. 

Caroline Hennessy is nominated for her feature writing on Irish Food Producers in a category that sees her in contention with Kate Ryan for her contributions to The Echo. 

Kate is also nominated for her Writing on Sustainability in Food and Drink in The Echo.

Last year, in addition to Weekend’s overall award, Caroline Hennessy was recognised for her Writing on Irish Food Producers category, Aishling Moore received the Writing on Seafood Award for her Seafood Made Simple column and cookery columnist Michelle Darmody won the Writing on Sustainability in Irish Food Award for her book Seed to Supper.

The awards will take place on October 22 in The O’Reilly Hall in UCD.