The 25th year of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild Food Awards just took place and here are the winners -

The winners were from all over the Island of Ireland.

Now in their 25th year, the Irish Food Writers’ Guild Food Awards celebrate indigenous food producers and organisations, north and south of the border, who help to maintain Ireland’s outstanding reputation in food and drink. This year, three producers from Northern Ireland and five from counties including Cork, Louth and Dublin have been selected for an award, demonstrating the all-island approach that, as a nation, we take to food production, supply and quality standards.

The winners of the 25th Irish Food Writers’ Guild Food Awards are:

Cheesemakers Dan Hegarty for Teampall Gael Cheese (Co. Cork) and Mike Thomson for Young Buck Cheese (Co. Down)
Andrew and Leonie Workman for Dunany Organic Spelt Berries (Co. Louth)
Barry Walsh and Kate Watson of Killahora Orchards for Rare Apple Ice Wine (Co. Cork)
Colin Harmon of 3fe Coffee (Co. Dublin)
Charlie Cole of Broughgammon Farm (Co. Antrim)
Caitriona Twomey of Cork Penny Dinners, which won a Community Food Award

Peter Hannan from Co. Down was presented with a lifetime achievement award on the night.

The Awards were hosted at Glovers Alley restaurant in Dublin where chairperson of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild, Kristin Jensen, said:

“With the food industry gearing up for the impact of Brexit and with the threat of UK tariffs a real possibility, it is incumbent on us all, government, industry and consumers, to protect and support our abundance of incredible food producers, who have played a significant role in helping position Ireland as a food tourism destination.”

The IFWG Food Awards are unique, as no one can enter themselves or their product into the awards and no company knows it has been nominated or shortlisted for an award.

Congratulations to all of the winners!