The winners have been announced for the 2023 Good Food Ireland Awards, which took place on Monday 17 April.

This was the first awards ceremony organised by the Irish food and hospitality network in the past 10 years.

Good Food Ireland members focus on menu provenance to show their support for quality Irish ingredients.

The Good Food Ireland symbol is widely recognised and aims to help connect consumers to their members - primary producers and hospitality businesses - which adhere to high provenance standards and are subject to annual inspections.

Cross-sector approach

The Good Food Ireland Awards take a cross-sector approach; equally celebrating excellence in food production, farming and gastronomy among its member businesses.

The awards were judged by a panel, which included Good Food Ireland founder and managing director Margaret Jeffares and Irish Country Living's own Amii McKeever, among other esteemed names in the food, drink, tourism and agricultural industries.

This year, Co Cork came away with a slew of awards.

Ballymaloe House Hotel was named culinary haven of the year and also won the excellence in food tourism award.

Five Farms Irish Cream, which sources its dairy ingredients from just five farms located around Co Cork, took the drinks producer of the year award, while The Lifeboat Inn in Courtmacsherry won the only publicly-voted award - the food lovers choice award - for the Wild Atlantic Way region.

Food production

On the food production side of things, The Apple Farm (operated by Cornelius Traas in Cahir, Co Tipperary) won the overall producer of the year award, while Co Kilkenny's Bawnlusk Dairy Farm (operated by Eamon Sheehan) was recognised in the outstanding contribution to food production award.

Sponsored by Kerrygold, the Irish Farmers Association, Tourism Ireland, Bord Bia, IFAC, the National Dairy Council, Irish Hereford Prime, Waterford, Ballymaloe Foods, Irishcentral, The Firm Hospitality Recruitment, Roe & Co, The K Club, FBD Insurance and Pure Cork, the awards ceremony and luncheon took place at The K Club in Co Kildare.

Guest of honour was Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney TD, who said that the agri-food and tourism sectors are the most important drivers to the Irish economy.

Margaret Jeffares echoed this sentiment and commented on the connectivity of the two sectors.

Passion

"Each of those wonderful businesses who made the shortlist are a committed collection of passionate and driven people who genuinely capture the essence of Ireland's food and drink.

"All the judges would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to today’s winners who we feel really do go above and beyond to inspire travellers, international consumers and locals to seek out real authenticity and Irish provenance."

General manager of The K Club Paul Heery stated it was a pleasure to host the awards ceremony.

"Such hard work and passion goes into the production and provision of food and drink across our shores - to see that care and commitment properly recognised and the support businesses give to one another is a very special thing," he said.

Below is the full list of 2023 Good Food Ireland Awards winners. For more information, visit goodfoodireland.ie.

Hotel of the Year (Sponsored by Irish Hereford Prime)

  • The Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney, Co Kerry.

    • Culinary Haven of the Year (Sponsored by Waterford)

  • Ballymaloe House Hotel, Shanagarry, Co Cork.

    • Culinary Haven of the Year Special Award

  • Killeavy Castle Estate, Newry, Co Armagh.

    • Restaurant of the Year (sponsored by Waterford)

  • Woodruff Restaurant, Dublin.

    • Café of the Year (sponsored by Ballymaloe Foods)

  • Farmhouse Café & Bakery, Dublin.

    • Pub of the Year (sponsored by IrishCentral)

  • Mikey Ryan's Bar & Kitchen, Cashel, Co Tipperary.

    • Shop of the Year (sponsored by IrishCentral)

  • Firecastle, Kildare, Co Kildare.

    • Food Truck of the Year (sponsored by The Firm Hospitality Recruitment)

  • Seabiscuit at the Strand Cahore, Ballygarrett, Co Wexford.

    • Sustainability Awards (sponsored by Kerrygold)

  • Tourism hospitality winner: Brooklodge & Macreddin Village, Co Wicklow.
  • Food production winner: O'Shea Farms, Ardclone, Co Kilkenny.

    • Producer awards

    Meat Producer of the Year (sponsored by IFAC)

  • Market House, Ennistymon, Co Clare.

    • Fruit & Vegetable Producer of the Year (sponsored by IFAC)

  • The Apple Farm, Cahir, Co Tipperary.

    • Fish & Seafood Producer of the Year (sponsored by Roe & Co)

  • Realt na Mara Shellfish, Killorglin, Co Kerry.

    • Drinks Producer of the Year (sponsored by The K Club)

  • Five Farms Irish Cream, Cork.

    • Dairy Producer of the Year (sponsored by The K Club)

  • Killowen Farm, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.

    • Jams & Savoury Producer of the Year (sponsored by Roe & Co)

  • Wild Irish Foragers & Preservers, Shinrone, Co Offaly.

    • Bakery & Chocolate Producer of the Year (sponsored by Roe & Co)

  • Jinny's Bakery & Tea Rooms, Drumshambo, Co Leitrim.

    • Producer of the Year (sponsored by the Irish Farmers Association)

  • The Apple Farm, Cahir, Co Tipperary.

    • Excellence in Food Tourism Award (sponsored by Tourism Ireland)

  • Ballymaloe Cookery School Organic Farm & Gardens, Shanagarry, Co Cork.

    • Food Lovers Choice Award (sponsored by FBD Insurance)

  • Wild Atlantic Way winner: The Lifeboat Inn, Courtmacsherry, Co Cork.
  • Ireland's Ancient East winner: Brogan's Butchers, Athboy, Co Meath.
  • Ireland's Hidden Heartlands winner: Wilde Irish Chocolates, Tuamgraney, Co Clare.
  • Dublin winner: Keogh's Farm Crisps, Dublin.
  • Northern Ireland winner: Bushmills Inn, Bushmills, Co Antrim.

    • Outstanding Contribution to Food Production (sponsored by the National Dairy Council)

  • Eamon Sheehan, Bawnlusk Dairy Farm, Co Kilkenny.

    • Outstanding Contribution to Irish Food and Drink Internationally (sponsored by Bord Bia)

  • Chef Anna Haugh, Myrtle Restaurant, London, UK.

    • Lifetime Achievement Award (sponsored by Pure Cork)

  • Chef Declan Ryan, Arbutus Breads (formerly Arbutus Lodge and Cashel Palace Hotel), Cork.

    • Supreme Award of the Year (sponsored by Kerrygold)

  • The Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney, Co Kerry.

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