Cork wins big at Good Food Ireland Awards 2023

CORK’S food businesses came away with the most silverware at a recent prestigious awards ceremony in the K Club in County Kildare, honouring Ireland’s agri-food and tourism sector.

Winners of the Good Food Ireland Awards 2023 were announced on Monday, April 17, and an impressive five awards went to individuals or businesses from Cork, the most of any county in Ireland.

A very special Lifetime Achievement Award was also given to the Cork-based former chef, manager and hotel owner, Declan Ryan, who earned Ireland’s first Michelin star in 1974 alongside his wife Patsy at Arbutus Lodge. Mr Ryan was presented with the accolade in recognition of his remarkable lifelong achievement across the tourism hospitality and food production sectors.

Other Cork winners included Ballymaloe House Hotel, which won Culinary Haven of the Year; Ballymaloe Cookery School Organic Farm and Gardens, which claimed the Excellence in Food Tourism award; The Lifeboat Inn, which won the Food Lovers Choice award in the Wild Atlantic Way category; and Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur, which claimed the title of Producer of the Year in the drinks category.

Award winners were selected through mystery inspections and assessments of those businesses approved by Good Food Ireland and shortlisted by an independent panel of Irish and international leaders, including founder and managing director of Good Food Ireland, Margaret Jeffares, journalists John Wilson and Amii McKeever, IFAC consultant Stephanie Walsh and executive chairman and owner of Odyssey International, Kevin Shannon.

Members of the public also cast their votes online for their favourite places across the island of Ireland in the Food Lovers Choice Awards.

Returning for the first time since pre-covid, the awards were opened by guest of honour, Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and are proudly sponsored by Kerrygold, Irish Farmers Association, Bord Bia, Tourism Ireland and the National Dairy Council.

The event was attended by some 300 guests including business owners, Irish and international chefs, buyers, food and drink writers, and media and industry leaders.