Press Releases
30th September 2008
Good Food Ireland driving Food Tourism
honours members at Awards Ceremony
The Good Food Ireland Awards Dinner took place in the Shelbourne Hotel Dublin on Monday night 29th September and provided a showcase of the best of local and artisan food produce. Good Food Ireland is a unique not-for-profit all island network of members who are diligently working to drive Ireland forward as a food tourism destination. Over 300 key representatives from the food and tourism sectors including chefs, restrauteurs, hoteliers, farmers, fishermen and food producers from the four corners of Ireland attended. Guest of Honour Martin Cullen, T.D., Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism and Good Food Ireland Chairman, Redmond O’ Donoghue presented the awards.
“The key objectives of these awards were to honour those members who epitomise the philosophy of Good Food Ireland and to raise standards within the food and hospitality industry,” says Margaret Jeffares, Managing Director, Good Food Ireland. Awards like the Good Food Ireland Environmental Energy Efficiency Award won by The Park Hotel, Kenmare, Most Innovative Use of IT Award won by James Whelan Butchers, Best Sustainable Local Fish won by Fishy Fishy Café, Kinsale, International Dietary Award won by Itsa4, Dublin Next Generation Award won by Tim McCarthy of Jack McCarthy Butchers, Kanturk and Top Overall Member Award won by Ballymaloe House and Ballymaloe Cookery School highlight the commitment of the members to raise standards, promote local produce to consumers and drive Ireland forward as a worthy Food Tourism destination. Members were independently assessed by an expert judging panel and the public also sent nominations over the Good Food Ireland website.
Good Food Ireland promotes the link between the food producer and the hospitality sector so as to steer the 9 million visitors to this country to places that are committed to using local food. Cuisine and food produce satisfies new traveller demands for hands-on, interactive experiences. Good Food Ireland promotes the people behind the food from the chef to the cheese maker and highlights the cultural relationship between a country, its people and its food.
For further information please contact:
Margaret Jeffares - mjeffares@goodfoodireland.ie
Melina Magourty – mmagourty@goodfoodireland.ie
Telephone: +353 53 9158693
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