The winners of the Good Food Ireland® Awards in association with FBD Insurance were revealed last night at a high-profile awards ceremony at The K Club in County Kildare attended by some 300 guests including Irish and international chefs, buyers, food and drink writers, media and industry leaders.
Attendees enjoyed a five-course gala dinner designed by The K Club’s Executive Chef Gary O’Hanlon inspired by our island’s landscape and seascape showcasing the freshest of ingredients from Irish suppliers including: Thornhill Duck; Garryhinch Mushroom; Killowen Farm Natural Yoghurt and Natural Cream Cheese; John Stone Fillet of Beef; Janet’s Country Fayre Chutney; Wilde Irish Chocolates; and The K Club’s honey from their own hives. All complemented by a Meet the Maker Drinks Showcase including the likes of: The Dew Drop Brewhouse, Kildare; Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur and Rebel City Gin, Cork, The Old Roots Irish Wine, Wexford; and a Cailleach Punch combining Roe & Co Apple Brandy, with Sencha Green Tea.
The Awards celebrate businesses at every layer of Ireland’s food and drink industry. From primary producers, manufacturers, and chefs, to shops, hotels, tourism experiences, and restaurants, those businesses who made the shortlist and went onto become winners are regarded by the judges as embodying all that makes Ireland’s food and drink offering so standout.
The core emphasis of these unique, all island, cross-sector Awards is the consumer experience of local, fresh, seasonal, Irish ingredients. Good Food Ireland® highlights tourism-hospitality and retail businesses that prioritise Irish produce and encourages others. In turn it also gives standout recognition to Irish farmers, food and drink producers and fishermen, creating commercial opportunity, sustainably strengthening local economies and communities.
And so to the winners…
One of the Dublin food scene’s most colourful characters, the second-generation fishmonger Peter Caviston of Caviston's Seafood Restaurant & Food Emporium in Glasthule was presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. As one of Ireland’s leading experts on fish and seafood cuisine, Peter became a strong advocate of Good Food Ireland® in 2006, supporting its mission to assist local producers and elevate Irish food culture, making it a point to highlight the rich history and regional diversity of Irish ingredients. Peter brought a wealth of knowledge and passion for Irish seafood to the forefront of the local food scene. His commitment to sourcing sustainable, high-quality ingredients helped champion the exceptional food produced across Ireland, from the sea to the land, and encouraged both locals and visitors to explore Ireland’s diverse food culture. His work continues to deepen the appreciation for Irish food both locally and internationally.
Meanwhile, the Master Smoker behind Ummera Smoked Products in Cork, Anthony Creswell, was recognised for his Outstanding Contribution to Food Production; a particularly poignant moment of the ceremony following his retirement from the 50-year-old family business which ceased trading exactly one month ago to the day on 11th October 2024. The award honoured Anthony for his family’s significant contribution to the Irish food scene and for his unwavering commitment to traditional smoking methods, sustainability and local sourcing. His dedication to excellence and quality craftsmanship, along with his innovative approach to flavour, has elevated Irish Smoked Salmon to international acclaim, not only celebrated for its exceptional taste but also highlighting Ireland’s culinary heritage. By championing Good Food Ireland® through his sustainable practices and support for local farmers and fishermen, Anthony has helped promote Irish food culture both at home and abroad, and is a key figure in the Ireland’s gastronomic landscape.
Another family affair, this time the O’Neill Family of Mountain View, Kilkenny took home Food Innovator of the Year for their third-generation, multi-faceted family business.
What was originally a family farm, Mountain View started its journey of innovation over 25 years ago when it evolved from a farm to a golf course, and then to a restaurant and wedding venue, glamping and vibrant food and craft market. The Mountain View we know today began to thrive during COVID times. In 2018 the O’Neill family opened the doors to their first wedding and first diners at the restaurant, but not long after, in 2020 it shut due to the lockdown regulations. With no income, they had to innovate once again. In a time where the only things to do were to shop and spend time outdoors they opened a food and craft market. Despite its growth, the O’Neill family have stayed true to their family values, ensuring that every guest experiences the warmth and spirit of a family-run business. The market has fostered a supportive community for small businesses, providing them with a cost-effective platform to reach a broad audience. The Award is testament to the O’Neill family resilience, innovation and commitment to rural Ireland, showing that with creativity and determination, small businesses can thrive even in the toughest times.
The Good Food Ireland® Overall Producer of The Year was awarded to third generation artisan butchers Kelly's of Newport, Co. Mayo, whilst there were two Sustainability Award winners; Brook Hall Estate & Gardens, Derry for strong sustainable practices in farming, with a measurable carbon neutral landscape, leading the way in using agriculture as a method of capturing and storing carbon while remaining a productive landscape, and GROW HQ, Waterford for their continuous development and implementation of sustainable practices, leading the way for the tourism and hospitality sector.
Castle Leslie Estate, in Co. Monaghan took the overall Supreme Award of The Year.
Award winners were selected through mystery inspections and assessments of those businesses approved by Good Food Ireland® and shortlisted by an independent panel of Irish and international leaders including Founder and Managing Director of Good Food Ireland® Margaret Jeffares, former Good Food Ireland® Operations Director Susan Kerr, journalist John Wilson, hospitality consultant Tom O’Connell, lecturer in the School of Hospitality Management & Tourism at TU Dublin Dr Detta Melia, Executive Chairman and Owner of Odyssey International Kevin Shannon, and previous chef and hotelier Maurice Keller.
Members of the public also cast their votes online for their favourite places across the island of Ireland in the Food Lovers Choice Awards which was opened up to all businesses for the first time in the history of the awards. The winners for each region were: Fitzgerald's Woodlands House Hotel & Spa, Limerick (Wild Atlantic Way); Corrigan's Butchers Drumcondra (Dublin); The Glenroyal Hotel, Kildare (Ireland’s Ancient East); Kilronan Castle Estate, Roscommon (Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands); and Culloden Estate & Spa, Down (Northern Ireland).
Margaret Jeffares, Founder and Managing Director of Good Food Ireland® said: "To say that deciding on the winners from our magnificent shortlist of businesses from across the island of Ireland has been tough this year would be a huge understatement. We’ve seen a notable rise in confidence in the tourism and hospitality industry to prioritise Irish ingredients due to customers being far more vocal about wanting to see Irish produce on the menu. Awareness around sustainability has increased across the board and utilising local food and drink is a fundamental way to assist sustainable goals as well as helping hotels and restaurants provide their clientele with true taste of their region. All these factors combined have given Irish farmers, fishermen and food and drink producers a renewed sense of purpose and desire to innovate.
“So many of our winners this year are second or third generation family-run businesses who make up the very foundation of what’s so special about Ireland’s food and drink. It is important to utilise our island’s own businesses and resources wherever possible, as well as keeping every layer of our food and drink industry exciting and dynamic in order to bring the next generation to the table. We’d like to congratulate every single one of this year’s worthy winners and thank them for their incredible service in promoting Ireland’s wonderful food and drink scene.”
FBD Insurance is the official partner of this year’s awards which are also proudly sponsored by: Tourism Ireland, Bord Bia, AIB, National Dairy Council, BIM, Roe & Co, Wine Consultants Ireland, and Waterford, along with The K Club, Co. Kildare as Host Partner.
General Manager of The K Club Paul Heery said: “Over the years we’ve found that there is no better way to provide our guests with a unique sense of place than through the use of local, seasonal produce across our menus. From the Full Irish breakfasts and artisan coffees right through to cosy late night suppers, there’s no drinking or eating opportunity that cannot be elevated by incorporating the wonderful ingredients procured from our bountiful island. It’s therefore always a true honour to host an event that recognises these local producers and suppliers who put so much passion and skill into what they do – allowing us in turn to create memorable experiences and showcase our country at its finest to both domestic and international visitors.”
See the full list of worthy winners below. For further details about the 2024 awards and Good Food Ireland® visit goodfoodireland.ie
Good Food Ireland®
@goodfoodireland
