Italian flavours for Northern Irish pesto championships

Two Italian born businessmen are bidding to represent Northern Ireland at the World Pesto Championships in Genoa, Italy next year.

The businessmen are:

Luca Montorio, a native of Turin but now resident at Portaferry, county Down, is owner/managing director of award-winning Peppup ketchup and pasta sauces for retail and food service: and

Gaetana Bonoro, who comes from Puglia and now runs La Dolce Via, a producer of pasta and products such as lasagne, is now resident in Portstewart, county Antrim.

They are among 10 contenders for the Northern Ireland regional heat of the World Pesto Championships to be held in Italy next April.

Among other bidders are top chefs such as Andy Provan, head chef at the Meat Locker in Belfast, Gerard Sands, head chef at the Millbrook Lodge Hotel in Ballynahinch, county Down, and Declan O'Donoghue, who runs Erne Larder Preserves in Enniskillen, county Fermanagh. The line-up also includes two culinary students from colleges in Belfast and Bangor.

Northern Ireland has been represented in Genoa over the past few years. This year's regional heat will take place in the Drawing Office function room at the recently opened Titanic Hotel Belfast, where many of the designs for the world's most famous ocean liners, including the ill-fated RMS Titanic, were designed.

The final of the World Championship of Pesto will be held in Genoa in April, 2018, where the winner of the Northern Ireland heat will participate against other finalists to be crowned the world champion.

Supported by Food NI, it will feature a select number of food and drink producers showcasing their produce and offering samples on the day.