NI Year of Food and Drink Awards Shortlist Announced
The shortlist for the NI Year of Food and Drink Awards has been announced. The judging panel, made up of highly respected food writers, critics and hospitality experts, were overwhelmed with the level of entries for the inaugural year of the awards, celebrating the achievements of the Year of Food and Drink in 2016.
Charles Campion, Georgina Campbell, Joris Minne and Professor Una-McMahon Beattie met recently at Hillsborough Castle to deliberate the entries. The shortlist is below and winners will be announced at the awards evening on Thursday 02 February 2017 at the Culloden Estate & Spa, during a black tie evening and five course banquet.
Best Food Story
• Food Heartland Forums, Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council
• Wild About Food, Mid & East Antrim Borough Council
• Launch of Belfast Met's Linen Lounge, Yard & Scullery Restaurants, of Belfast Met's Linen Lounge, Yard & Scullery Restaurants
• The Walled Garden at Helensbay
• Slemish Market Supper Club
• The story of the Lough Neagh Eel, Lough Neagh Fishermens co-operative society
Best NI Food Event of Festival
• Speciality Food Fair, Moira
• Comber Earlies Food Festival, Ards & North Down Borough Council
• Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend 2016, Ulster Farmers' Union
• Tesco Taste Festival 2016, Tesco Northern Ireland
• Legenderry Food Festival, Derry City & Strabane District Council
• Armagh Festival of Food & Cider, Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council
Best NI Local Market
• Naturally North Coast & Glens
• Campus Food Markets, QUB
• St. George's Market, Belfast, Belfast City Council
• Inns Market, Newtownbreda
• Causeway Speciality Market Coleraine, Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council
• Comber Farmers' Market, Comber Regeneration Community Partnership
Food Innovation
• Himalayan Salt Ages Beef, Hannan Meats
• The Kitchen, Henderson Group
• Food Heartland Initiative, Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council
• Smoked Lough Neagh Eel, Lough Neagh Fishermens co-operative society
• Local Quail Production, Ballinteer Farm Quail
• Crispy Vegetable Bakes, Mash Direct
Growing for the Future
• Journey to Market Programme, Causeway Glens & Coast Borough Council
• Food Heartland Initiative, Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council
• Foodovation Centre, NWRC
Roots to Market
• Food Heartland Initiative, Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council
• Getting the branding right to market our product, Cavanagh Free Range Eggs Ltd
• Causeway Coast & Glens Food Network, Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council
• NI Export Drive, Indie Fude
Best NI Tours and Trails
• Ballycastle Food Tour, North Coast Walking Tours
• Belfast Food Tour, Taste & Tour NI Ltd.
• Tayto Tours, Tayto NI Ltd.
• Cycle Sperrins, Far and Wild
• Woodland and Whiskey Tour, Ards and North Down Borough Council
• 'Catch and Sea' in collaboration with The Causeway Lass and Babushka, The Harbour Portrush, Causeway Coast Foodie Tours
Best Marketing Achievement
• Launching the SPAR enjoy local meat range, Henderson Wholesale
• Fermanagh Restaurant Week, Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism
• Launch of Belfast Met's Linen Lounge, Yard & Scullery Restaurants, of Belfast Met's Linen Lounge, Yard & Scullery Restaurants
• Developing a Multi-Million Pound Meat Supply Business with Lidl Across Europe, Eurostock Food Group
• Tayto Taste of Home, Tayto NI Ltd.
• Eel-Eat, Lough Neagh Partnership
Tickets (£75 + VAT) and tables of 10 (£750 + VAT) can be purchased by contacting Jackie O'Neill at the Belfast Telegraph on 028 9026 4127 or via j.oneill@belfasttelegraph.co.uk.