Slow Food Awards for Food NI members
The Awards …
The Slow Food Awards, created in London five years ago, celebrate the movement’s focus on good, clean and fair food. They were launched across the UK earlier in the year.
Slow Food also celebrates Northern Ireland’s unique culinary heritage with indigenous breads, fish from loughs, world class produce and progressive artisans contributing to the agri-food sector in the province.
Slow Food NI, led by celebrity chef Paula McIntyre, aims “to work closely with farming and community groups to raise awareness of the global movement.”
There are currently four Chef Alliance members in Northern Ireland, and it hopes to increase that number. The Ark of Taste currently has two foods – Ulster Corned Beef and Dulse sea veg – representing Northern Ireland.
Slow Food also works with food producers taking their products to achieve PGI and PDO status. Northern Ireland has three PGI foods – Lough Neagh Eel, Bramley Apples and Comber Early Potatoes – and one PDO – Lough Neagh Pollan.
Food NI Winners …
The Food NI winners in the Slow Food Northern Ireland awards are:
Best Butcher: Hannan Meats, Moira;
Best Deli: Indie Fude, Comber;
Champion Slow Food Producer: Abernethy Butter, Dromara; and
Slow Food Person of the Year: Charlie Cole of Broughgammon Farm
The outstanding contribution of Food NI member companies to the growth of the Slow Food movement in the UK is recognised in the organisation’s awards.
Other winners in Northern Ireland include Ewing’s Seafoods, Belfast, the Best Fishmonger, Bara Bakehouse, Comber, the best bakery, and French Rooms, Bushmills, the best restaurant.
