Cork-based food writer and regular Echo contributor is shortlisted for two awards

FOOD writer and regular contributor to The Echo and EchoLive.ie, Kate Ryan has been shortlisted for two awards.

The Irish Food Writing Awards are the initiative of journalist and food author Suzanne Campbell. They were established to recognise and celebrate the high quality of food and drink writing throughout the country, across print, broadcast and online.

Kate, who lives in West Cork, and runs Flavour.ie, has been shortlisted in two categories, for articles which appeared in The Echo and on EchoLive.ie.

She was shortlisted in the categories ‘Cooking Writing Award’ and ‘Writing on Irish Food Producers Award’.

Many of our readers will recognise Kate from some of her recent features contributions to The Echo — she is currently writing a year-long monthly series, called, A Year of Flavour — which tells readers what to sow, grow and cook, every month.

The awards take place in Dublin today, Wednesday November 10  — the same week Kate celebrated her graduation day, at UCC. Last Sunday, Kate and her fellow students graduated from the Postgraduate Diploma in Irish Food Culture.

Kate said: “I feel very proud to have achieved this qualification — often in challenging circumstances, and 23 years after I last attended university, it goes to show that learning really is lifelong.”

Features Editor John Dolan said: “Kate has become an invaluable contributor to The Echo on the themes of cooking and food, which we know our readers love to read about. These nominations are richly deserved, and we wish her every success in the awards.”

International chefs and food writers fly in to Dublin this week for the inaugural Irish Food Writing Awards. Chef and broadcaster Mark Hix, the Guardian's wine critic Fiona Beckett, US food author Adrian Miller and several more international writers are visiting Dublin to take their seats at the Irish Food Writing Awards which are taking place in Fallon and Byrne, followed by the Merrion Hotel, Wednesday 10th November.

The international guests are part of a twenty seven strong judging panel which include some of the world's top names in food and drink such as Rene Redzepi from Noma restaurant in Copenhagen, broadcaster Jay Rayner and The Telegraph's restaurant critic Tom Parker Bowles. 

The judges reviewed over 200 entries to the Irish Awards which were established this year to reward excellence in Irish food and drinks writing, podcasts, online content and photography. 

Journalists from The Echo, Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Business Post, The Examiner, The Farmers Journal, Image Magazine and Food and Wine magazine have all entered the awards in categories ranging from "Restaurant Writing", "Writing on Irish Food Producers" and awards for writing on wine, spirits and beer.

The winners will be announced tomorrow evening, Wednesday 10th November with regular updates on twitter with the hashtag #IFWA21. An award will also be given for Outstanding Contribution to Irish Food & Drink Writing, and the Irish Cookbook of the Year has been chosen by Jay Rayner and Annie Gray from the BBC's Kitchen Cabinet programme.

The awards, established by Suzanne Campbell with Paul O’Connor, are sponsored by The National Dairy Council, James Whelan Butchers, Aldi Ireland, Whelehans Wines, Pestle + Mortar Sauces, Bord Bia, Brú Brewery, Drummond House Farm, Safco Fine Foods, Invest Northern Ireland, Powerscourt Distillery, Gather & Gather, Hussey’s Fruit and Vegetables, The Irish Curry Awards, Ardkeen Quality Food Store and Fallon & Byrne. Also kindly supported by Tourism Ireland and hotel partner The Merrion Hotel.

See http://www.irishfoodwritingawards.ie