Last year we were so excited to return to in person events and of course the highlight of the awards is always the announcement of Supreme Champion. In 2022 this honour went to Arán Bakery in Kilkenny, it is always exciting to make that announcement but for those present in Dingle on the day we got to see the announcement made twice! Once by Artie as part of the ceremony and a second time as the winner Bart rang his wife live on stage and told her the news!

Nicole and Bart’s bakery story started on honeymoon in Ireland as they looked for somewhere to start their business and now run the bakery & café in the heart of Kilkenny with a team of people passionate about food whose previous lives include skydive instructor, welder, sound engineer, DJ, law and politics, designer and interior designer! That is a team that we want to know more about behind the scenes.

At Blas the awards are based on blind tasting, our judges review solely on the food they are tasting, they don’t know who has made it or where it is coming from. This blind element is a key part of our judging to allow a level playing field for all. However, once the judging is done we love nothing more than learning all about the producers and we will be sharing this in our Meet the Maker Series, starting with our 2022 Supreme Champion Arán Bakery

When & why did you start your business?
Nicole and I started Arán in 2019. We always wanted to open our own restaurant or a cafe. After living in Denmark for 6 years, we decided that it was time.  So on our honeymoon, we visited Ireland. We drove all around Dublin and Kilkenny. Nicole liked it and because I was raised here we decided to open a cafe with a small bakery in Kilkenny.

Who is your food inspiration?
Bart: I was raised over here so its Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal, Anthony Bourdain, even Jamie Oliver. When I was growing up, I learned how to cook from TV. And of course, mom is a huge food inspiration. Mom is very important.

What do you love about your job?
What’s not to love, you know. We love our job because we have the drive and passion for it… the smell of the fresh bread in the morning…. Working with local food suppliers and being in a position to support that community.

What is your typical day?
Checking where am I needed most determines what my day looks like.

We have 4 different types of day….

I can be in the Bakery
I can be in the Restaurant
I can be doing Brunch
I can be in the Office. 

Depending on the type of day I have, if it’s the bakery I wake up very early or work late at night or even work through the whole night. If it’s an office and delivery day then I drive around, pay bills and take care of administration. If it’s a restaurant day, then we prep for the restaurant and evening service. 

Some days maybe I am a plumber! Yesterday my dad and I were fixing everything.

What was your best day since you started your business?
Definitely winning Blas na hÉireann Supreme Champion. That was definitely one of the best days ever, in my life, not just in business. It was massive.

Where do your ingredients come from?
We source locally as much as we can. They come from all over Ireland. We try to be as responsible as we can be while running a business and all that that entails, and also aiming to have as many local suppliers as we can.

Tell us about the people you work with?
The people we work with are great! They are taken from every aspect of life. We work with Sharon who used to be a skydive instructor. We work with Matty-now he’s a baker who use to be a welder. Andy, a baker now, who used to be a sound engineer. Callum has a law and politics degree from Australia. We had Chloe, who used to be a designer. Miheal is a DJ and makes music. We have many people on our team who are with us for their passion for food – Dauma, Micheal, me, Nicole. Although I used to be an interior designer. Tracey has been in food since forever. Sigita and Natalia have always been in the restaurant business. Sarah is a business student. So it’s a fun bunch of people to work with. It really is.

What 3 words would you use to describe yourself/your business?
It’s not 3 words, but – ‘One team, one dream.’

What do you think is the key to success?
I don’t think we are successful yet. I think we are going to be successful. We are popular, we are on the right track, but I believe success takes time. The fact that we won the Supreme Champion of the Blas na hÉireann Awards is helping us to achieve that goal. Success in bread and the bakery is passion and hard work. It’s the drive, determination, hard work, persistence that are the key to success, and I think we are on the way to success.

Has there been one single moment which has changed how you look at your business?
Yes – the winning of Supreme Champion of the Blas na hÉireann Awards. It was amazing.

Watch highlights of the 2022 awards

There are a very busy few weeks coming up as we prepare for initial judging with locations in Dublin & Cork. We have entries which have come in from all across Ireland and as always we are encouraging food producers to share deliveries for initial judging where you can.

The most important thing for us is that your sample arrives on time, at its very best and ready to be tasted.

• It does not have to be delivered by the producer.
• It can arrive by post, by courier or indeed in a shared delivery with another producer from your locality (In fact this is encouraged!)

If you have a delivery to Blas na hÉireann initial judging and would be interested in getting in touch with another producer from your area let us know…

We can either share your details on this post and on our socials or if you prefer we can simply keep a note and connect you with other producers in the background you may be delivering.

Every year, we are delighted to see more and more producers work together and share the load! (and maybe even build some new relationships with local colleagues in the food business).

If you would like to share delivery email us to admin@irishfoodawards.com,

Be sure to include either your producer name or entry number (from that we will know where you are travelling from) and it’s important to let us know if…

1. You are travelling and happy to bring another producers delivery
2. You are looking to connect with someone who may be travelling

In the meantime some important details for delivery….

Check your dates and locations for delivery

The most important things to remember when prepping for delivery is the following; 

• Your entry number must be included on each sample, clearly.  
• Please note products can be delivered in their own packaging or plain packaging, we will unpack and prepare for blind tasting 
• 3 samples of each product entered are required (In the case where your product is over 1 kilo in weight, please deliver 2 samples only) 
• Best Before date must be included with all deliveries 
• All chilled products should arrive at the correct temperature for storage and will be checked on delivery 
• All products should be delivered with maximum shelf life (although remember these samples will be tasted on the same day) 
• Any products which do not adhere to the delivery terms or which are not delivered on time may be disqualified from the competition.  
  
  Also, don’t forget that You Chill, We Deliver offer a courier service from Dublin to Cork for Chill, Frozen and Ambient. You can find more details on this here
  

Indie Füde, Independent Food Co. in Belfast has been named as Blas na hÉireann Producers’ Champion for 2022 with business partners Laura Bradley and Johnny McDowell noted for their dedication to the best of everything Irish and independent.

The Producers’ Champion is selected annually by Blas na hÉireann producers, based on a survey that goes out to the entire Blas network — a network that covers every county in Ireland with producers from across the food industry.

Nominees for Producers’ Champion are put forward by producers early in the year, asked to nominate those they believe are representing and supporting their produce and the produce of other Irish food makers and growers in an effective and helpful way.

The 2022 Champion, Indie Füde started out as an online business in 2014 created by Johnny McDowell, an accountant with a passion for sourcing and selling the finest Irish food and ingredients. Johnny connected with former food blogger and now business partner Laura Bradley on social media, inviting her to test some of his finest products at a new pop-up shop he had established. After becoming a regular customer and with her valuable expertise, Johnny invited Laura to work for him and they haven’t looked back since.

The incredible selection of local produce proved so popular that Indie Füde moved to a larger, high street location in 2018. Indie Füde Comber is in the heart of the community and is packed full of over 700 independent artisan Irish products with the team there hosting regular tastings and meet the maker events.

Following their huge success in Comber, Johnny and Laura opened “The Cheese Edition” on the Ormeau Road in Belfast in December 2020 where the focus is mainly on the very best of Irish cheese and where every member of the team is also a member of the Academy of Cheese, meaning all customers have the experience of benefitting from in-depth knowledge about cheese and cheese makers as they shop (with the added bonus of coffee and treats too!)

“Indie Füde wouldn’t exist without the incredible producers we stock in both our shops and online store,” says Laura Bradley, “so it’s a wonderful thing to be voted Producers’ Champion by the very people who brought this business to life, and we are so happy and proud that what we do at Indie Füde is valued and recognised by the producers we work with every day.”

“It’s fantastic to be named as Blas na hÉireann Producers’ Champion for 2022,” adds Johnny McDowell. “We love being at the centre of the community in both Comber and on the Ormeau Road with the opportunity that brings to showcase some of the exceptional Irish produce available on the island. We’re honoured to be part of the Irish food scene and it’s a pleasure to have our efforts acknowledged in this way. Working with our amazing team who are just as passionate about Irish food as we are is a joy, as is working with the wonderful extended community of artisan producers from all over Ireland.”

“Johnny and Laura at Indie Füde are so deserving of this award,” says Artie Clifford, Chairman of Blas na hÉireann. “We saw a big trend in nominations this year towards independent retailers, which was an interesting shift in emphasis. Producers themselves know the value that having stock on shelves can do for their product and having independent retailers investing in and believing in them — that commitment is priceless. I think consumers have reconnected with their local independent retailers over the past two years too, and value the knowledge and appreciate the time they get when they shop local. This is a really positive sign and with people like Johnny and Laura leading the charge in expertise and commitment to Irish producers, everyone is a winner.”

Joining past Producers’ Champions like Simon Coveney TD, Neven Maguire, John & Sally McKenna, Shane McArdle, Kai’s Jess Murphy, Darina Allen, Rory O’Connell and Rachel Allen and last year’s winner, Brian McDermott, Johnny and Laura at Indie Füde are keeping very good company indeed.

Final call for entries to Blas na hÉireann 2022 – closing date is 20^th May and costs €80 per entry (ex VAT).https://www.irishfoodawards.com

In recent weeks The Phoenix Cinema in Dingle has been on the news quite a bit, the independent family owned cinema is reaching the end of one chapter and a community group in Dingle has been formed with the hope of beginning a new one. Their goal is to purchase the cinema from the Sullivan family and to keep it going both as a cinema but also as a venue, community space and home for arts and culture in Dingle.

If you haven’t yet seen or heard any of the news then this interview with Ray D’Arcy and two of the committee members Tor Cotton and Aoife Granville is well worth a listen: Listen here

Since the coverage we have received a couple of lovely calls and messages from producers who have happy memories of collecting their awards in Dingle and wanted to know how they could support.

We have been directing them to the committee site https://www.phoenixdingle.ie/ where there is lots more information as well as a link to donate.

It also got us looking back at videos from the awards presentations and watching this back makes us even more excited to be welcoming everyone back in person to Dingle this year. You can find the videos here
Blas na hÉireann 2018 – awards highlights
Blas na hÉireann 2019 – awards highlights

If you want to know a little about what the cinema means to all of us at Blas personally you can read more here

There are a few key details to check:

1. Check your delivery date and location. We have different dates & locations planned by category, these are crucial. Please check these on your delivery label and you can also find them here
   
2. Keep deliveries simple and we are asking producers to be especially mindful of deliveries and to use courier or postal delivery where possible & practical. In the case of large single deliveries from one producer, we will work with you to confirm an agreed delivery date and time.
   
3. Please note products should be delivered as they are presented in their packaging to the customer. 
   Our team will unpack and prepare for blind tasting.
   Please be sure to include your entry number on each sample
   
4. 3 samples of each product entered are required  
   (In the case where your product is over 1 kilo in weight, please deliver 2 samples only)
   Remember, include your entry number on each sample please
   
5. Best Before date must be included with all deliveries and all entries should be delivered with maximum possible shelflife.
   
6. All chilled products should arrive at the correct temperature for storage and will be checked on delivery.
   You can find some helpful info on chilled delivery options here
   
7. Any products which do not adhere to the delivery terms or which are not delivered on time will be disqualified from the competition.

If you have questions just ask us
If you have different delivery dates or locations, we will make every effort to consolidate if we can, just ask us
If you are unsure about anything in the above, just ask us

Fallon – 087 9029329
Artie – 087 2026420
info@irishfoodawards.com