Four Cork businesses recognised at Irish food awards

FOUR businesses in the Rebel County came out tops in the Georgina Campbell Irish Food and Hospitality Awards 2023 - more than any other county.

Darina Allen and Rory O’Connell, took home the ‘Movers and Shakers’ Award for Ballymaloe Cookery School, Organic Farm and Gardens in Shanagarry.

Casey’s of Baltimore Hotel, Baltimore was awarded the Georgina Campbell 3-Star Hotel Of The Year 2023.

Dunmore House Hotel, Clonakilty was the successful winner of the ‘Memorable Experience’ Award and Blindgate House, Kinsale bagged the ‘Small Stay’ Award.

Celebrating 25 years in their current incarnation, the independent Georgina Campbell Awards represent the four corners of Ireland and are the country’s longest-running food and hospitality awards.

They recognise and honour the standard-bearers in food and hospitality with particular focus, this year, on genuine hospitality, consistency, innovation and good value.

Speaking at the awards held recently at the new Bord Bia Global Hub in Dublin, food writer and author Georgina Campbell recognised the difficulties hotelliers and hospitality providers have faced due to the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

“As always, we have been seeking out genuine hospitality and those striving to give the best possible guest experience, ahead of convenience to the host business. Each year a theme emerges in the awards, reflecting the weight of nominations proposed by the assessment team”.

Ms Campbell said: “This year suggests a swing away from cities towards rural destinations and smaller towns, possibly reflecting post-pandemic preferences and a levelling up of standards. And words like unshowy, consistent, genuinely hospitable, customer-focused, and kind are typical of our nominations.”