Representatives from all food and tourism sectors including the IFA President Mr Padraig Walshe and Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland Mr Paul O’Toole attended the event. 

The Good Food Ireland members showcased the philosophy and ethos of Good Food Ireland to prioritise the core indigenous ingredients of Irish cuisine and to promote local and artisan food producers. Restaurateurs and hoteliers shared tables with food producers and offered signature dishes and produce to guests to taste. The extensive array of quality Irish food was breathtaking and mouth-watering for all who attended.  

Guest speaker economist and author David McWilliams delivered a speech on “The Benefit of Good Food Ireland to the Economy” and stressed that by Good Food Ireland demanding set criteria for membership based on Irish local produce that there would be a knock on economic benefit for producers and the agricultural and tourism sectors could only benefit in the future. He Congratulated Margaret Jeffares for her vision and for pulling the industry together.

Also in attendance were two sheep from Jim Walker’s farm in Co Wexford. They were there to continually emphasise the core roots of Good Food Ireland and to drive home the message of our philosophy that members source and serve quality Irish produce as the sheep, other animals and produce are the foundation stone to achieving that. Irish local and artisan food is bedrock on which our cuisine culture will be built.