‘Au revoir’ says Stephane Delourme as he hangs up his Rick Stein apron

After 25 years of working for Rick Stein and Jill Stein, Stephane Delourme is embarking on his own culinary journey bringing the popular seafood chef’s cooking closer to people.

Stephane worked as the Head Chef and Group Chef at Rick’s flagship Padstow restaurant, The Seafood Restaurant and has left to start up ‘Stephane Delourme’s Gastronomic Adventure’.

Irish food and drink networks – collaborate to compete!

Irish food and drink networks are being created all over the country giving businesses the opportunity to collaborate to compete.

I was one of the consultants appointed to implement County Wicklow’s food and beverage strategy.

This was an absolutely phenomenal project to work on and with the abundance of food and drink producers it was an absolute pleasure delivering this project.

Tyrone gin distillery to host a fun night for lockdown couples

IT’S not quite the romantic occasion we all might have been planning on this year but one distillery has come up with a fabulous way to lift everyone’s spirits this Valentine’s Day.

The Woodlab Distillery, based in Moy, is inviting couples to join an online virtual ‘tour and tasting’ event to celebrate Valentine’s and to give couples something to look forward to. Enjoy!

Mary Berry, The Hairy Bikers, Michel Roux Jnr and Symphonia Gin

The place to be this weekend is Birmingham’s NEC where Symphonia Gin will be well placed among 450 exhibitors for the BBC Good Food Show Winter.

The event will see chefs, cooks and bakers including Tom Kerridge, Mary Berry, The Hairy Bikers, Michel Roux Jnr and James Martin cooking up a storm. Check out the ticket giveaway on Symphonia Gin’s Facebook Page

Taste Armagh at the 2019 Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre

ARMAGH’s land, which is famous for its PGI protected Armagh Bramley Apple, will feature firmly on the food map yet again as the Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre returns on October 26 for its sixth year.

The popular harvest fayre, takes place during the ‘Taste The Island’ 12 week long collaboration with Tourism Northern Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. There will be food and drink stalls, crafts, fun and games for all of the family and much more.

Thousands prepare for the fantastic Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre 2018

The Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre is a popular country village fayre which attracts thousands of people every year to celebrate the PGI protected Armagh Bramley Apple. This is a fantastic FREE fun day out for all of the family.

Go along to Richhill on Saturday, October 27 where there will be over 30 artisan food and drink producers, a tugo’war, a tasting theatre, hot and cold drinks and food, a scarecrow competition and much more. The event runs from 9am to 5pm. See you there!

Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre encourages young people to enter catering industry

The Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre is an annual celebration of the Armagh Bramley Apple and this year it will welcome award winning chefs who will use their tasting theatre to encourage young people to enter the catering industry.

The Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre, which will take place on Saturday, October 27, has launched with the announcement that it will use its prime position in The Food Heartland to encourage young people to embark on a career in the kitchen. Here’s the full story;

Popular fayre returns with apples, scarecrows and Jenny Bristow

We all love Hallowe’en and what has been making it extra special over the last few years is the much anticipated Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre which celebrates the end of the harvest.

The Apple Harvest Fayre is back for a fourth year with a celebration of County Armagh’s home grown produce which will include food demonstrations with Jenny Bristow. With food and drink stalls, live cooking demonstrations and lots of entertainment, Richhill will be the place to be on October 28.

Apple picking in County Armagh – a county bursting with crates of the crop

Journalist Eleanor McGillie travels to Armagh’s famous orchards to learn the art of apple picking under the watchful eye of a fifth generation apple grower.

Greg MacNeice, of Mac Ivors Cider Co, takes Eleanor under his wing for the day to teach her the art of his craft. This feature was published in Saturday, October 7’s Belfast Telegraph. We hope you enjoy the read as it was such a fantastic experience to get onto this land which is cared for and nurtured by the MacNeice family.

Mac Ivors Cider Co celebrates winning Fine Farm Food Award

One of Ireland’s leading Irish craft cider producers has won a National Trust Fine Farm Food Award for its Traditional Dry Cider and Medium Cider.

The award was announced on BBC’s Countryfile Live event at Blenheim Palace. The awards celebrate the very best produce from the Trust’s 1,500 tenant farmers and estates. Producers participating look after more than 500,000 acres of grazed pasture, orchards and arable farmland across the UK. Have a read here;

Meet the oyster farmer who is taking the taste of our shores back in-land

Oyster farmer Patrice Bonnargent is working hard in Killough, Co Down, to bring the best oysters to the UPU Plough Festival which takes place from August 24-26 where you could win £1,000 in a competition.

We speak to Patrice about oyster farming ahead of the festival which is taking place at The Plough Inn to raise money for next year’s Hillsborough International Oyster Festival which had to be cancelled this year due to a change in funding arrangements and rising costs.

Mac Ivors Cider Co’s great tasting ciders now in Marks & Spencer stores

Huge congratulations to Mac Ivors Cider Co on the announcement that their great tasting ciders are now available in Marks & Spencer stores in Northern Ireland.

Traditional Dry Cider, Medium Cider and Plum and Ginger Cider are available so people can enjoy a food and drink adventure. Marks & Spencer’s mission is to become the best craft beer retailer on the high street while offer local beers from smaller breweries with the convenience of buying them from a local M&S store.

Submissions, submissions and more submissions as awards season is upon us!

There are so many people in Northern Ireland doing fantastic things and our hats go off to anyone who owns their own business – it’s hard work and we know it only too well.

Now is your chance to celebrate your achievements by entering awards because behind every good business there are great people. Entering awards presents many opportunities and we have seen this at first hand with our clients. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

The Dirty Onion reveals Boilermaker twist by pairing whiskey with Mac Ivors Cider

IF you love the food and drink tours going on around Belfast you’ll love popping into The Dirty Onion to sample the new Boilermaker menu.

The latest twist of its Boilermaker menu combines the taste of Armagh’s famous orchards to a centuries old concept which originated in America. Tim has paired a Teeling small batch Whiskey with Mac Ivors Cider Co’s Traditional Dry cider. The menu is going down a treat with tourists and locals.

Mac Ivors Cider scoops three gold medals in International Brewing and Cider Awards

Mac Ivors Cider Co has picked up three gold medals at the 2017 International Brewing and Cider Awards for Traditional Dry, Medium and Plum and Ginger cider – awards judged by professional cider makers.

Mac Ivors Cider Co along with three other Irish cider producers and brewers who got Gold, Silver and Bronze, will collect their medals at an awards luncheon to be held at London’s Guildhall on April 26, when the 10 overall Championship winners – nine beers and one cider – will be unveiled.