Food Awards

 

 

Water – The Island Nation Award to represent produce from our seas, lakes and rivers with a focus on sustainable sea and river fish, shellfish, salts, seaweeds and sea vegetables. 

 

This year, for the WATER category, the Euro-Toques Ireland Food Council has selected to award producers who harness the power and purity of the ocean to create exceptional seasonings that elevate Irish food. From salt harvested from the wild Atlantic to nutrient-rich seaweeds gathered along our shores, these producers embody the essence of Ireland’s maritime landscape. These producers draw from the richness of Ireland’s coastal waters while respecting the delicate balance of marine ecosystems. Their practices are rooted in environmental stewardship, reflecting a commitment to biodiversity, regenerative harvesting, and the preservation of traditional knowledge. The products they create not only enhance the taste and nutritional value of Irish food, but also tell a story of place, heritage, and a future-focused approach to our natural resources. 

The nominees in the water category are:

Dingle Sea Salt   Dúlra Seaweed  Salt of Kinsale  The Sea Gardener

 

Land – To honour our heritage – the forests, nature, the wild and above all, our soil with a focus on the growing of varietal herbs, edible flowers, vegetables, fruits and grains in a sustainable way; caring for bees to produce honey; foraging for mushrooms, edible fruit, herbs and vegetables; culling wild game sustainably.  

 

This year, for the LAND category, the Euro-Toques Ireland Food Council has selected to award salad leaf growers.

This category honours the quiet stewards of the soil—organic salad leaf growers whose hands shape the landscape with care and intention. Rooted in their communities and grounded in a belief that small is powerful, these micro-producers grow local and sell local, creating a rhythm of food that moves from field to fork within miles. Their produce is vibrant, fresh, and alive with the story of where and how it was grown. The Council seeks to honour growers who embrace a holistic approach to agriculture—those actively working to restore soil fertility, increase biodiversity, reduce and sequester emissions, and improve nutrient cycling in the soil, water quality, and animal welfare. These producers are not only cultivating exceptional ingredients but also regenerating the land and building resilient food systems for the future.

The nominees in the Land category are:

Coole Farm  Glasraí Farm  Glasswater Farm  The Bullaun Ark

 

 

Farm – To honour the best and more sustainable way to rear animals with a focus on: rear breed and native animal production; small farmers; sustainable production of meat, poultry, eggs, and game.

 

This year, for the FARM category, the Euro-Toques Ireland Food Council has selected to award producers of free-range eggs.

This category celebrates the free-range egg producers whose flocks roam freely across Ireland’s green pastures. These producers embrace a natural rhythm – hens foraging outdoors on a varied, organic diet of grasses, grubs, and insects, resulting in eggs that are not only rich in flavour, but also higher in essential vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. These producers are known by name at the local market, by the baker down the road, and by the chef who knows exactly which farm his eggs come from. They stock honesty boxes at their gates, building trust the old-fashioned way with consistency, transparency, and quality. Their hens, in turn, give back to the land, regenerating soil, enriching microbial life, and playing an essential role in the farm’s natural ecosystem.

The nominees in the Farm category are:

Fiorbhia Farm  Moy Hill Farm  Pheasants Hill Farm   Tinnock Farm

 

Dairy – To honour Ireland’s rich and flavoursome dairy bounty with a focus on the sustainable approach to the production of milk, butter, cream, yoghurt, cheese and ice cream. 

 

Given the richness of Ireland’s dairy bounty, the Euro-Toques Ireland Food Council has chosen to honour both Irish butter and soft cheese producers in the DAIRY category.

Butter making is a deeply rooted tradition in Ireland – an age-old craft passed down through generations. From the simple yet essential act of separating cream from milk to the slow and deliberate rhythm of churning, these producers transform fresh, local dairy into golden butter, rich in flavour, texture, and heritage. More than just a staple, butter is a culinary jewel. Each batch tells a story of place: of pasture-fed cows, traditional methods, and a deep respect for the land and animals that make it all possible. These artisans honour long-standing craftsmanship while embracing the highest standards of quality and sustainability. Butter not only enhances the taste of every dish, it also provides a canvas for other local flavours, infused with ingredients such as seaweed, herbs, or garlic, it becomes a celebration of Ireland’s biodiversity. The Council recognises these producers not only for the excellence of their craft, but for their role in preserving a vital part of Ireland’s dairy heritage.

The nominees in the Dairy – Butter category are:

Knockdrinna Butter  Irish Gourmet Butter  Salt Rock Dairy  Toonsbridge Cultured Butter

This Food Council wishes to celebrate Ireland’s exceptional soft cheese producers – craftspeople who transform rich, raw milk into delicate, flavourful cheeses that reflect both their landscape and their values. Their animals, cows, goats, and sheep, graze on lush, diverse pastures, a natural bounty that forms the foundation of their cheese-making. These mixed meadows are a cheesemaker’s dream, producing milk full of character and complexity.

Euro-Toques honours those who uphold this craft with integrity – who preserve the authenticity and heritage of Irish cheese-making while also looking to the future. These producers are essential to the diversity and vitality of Ireland’s dairy landscape, offering flavours that tell the story of place, passion, and provenance.

The nominees in the Dairy – Soft Cheese category are;

• Ballylisk, The Triple Rose, (single herd triple cream cheese) Armagh
• Hollywood Farmhouse Cheese, Pócan raw milk goats cheese, Wicklow
• Leitrim Hill Creamery, Cnoc Laoitroma, Leitrim
• Durrus Cheese, Durrus óg, Cork

 

Artisan Produce – To honour a product which requires a traditional and handmade process. An award that might highlight the Second Generation of producers with a focus on: the production of a product like oils, vinegars, flours, beer, cider, juices, spirits, jams, chutneys, pickles, smoked meat and fish. 

 

This year, for the ARTISAN PRODUCE category, the Food Council has selected to award producers of Irish preserved ingredients.  This category honours the producers who capture the essence of Ireland’s natural bounty, preserving ingredients gathered from hedgerows, meadows, woodlands, and cultivated gardens. Whether foraged or farmed, these ingredients are transformed through time-honoured methods into products that reflect the richness of the Irish landscape. Euro-Toques seeks to highlight Irish producers who pour their genuine passion into creating unique syrups, cordials, jellies, chutneys and pickled vegetables. Each jar, bottle, or preserve tells a story of place, season, and the people who protect Ireland’s culinary heritage.

The nominees in the Artisan produce – Irish preserved ingredients are:

• Bia Cultures – fermented Irish vegetables, Monaghan
• Richmond Cordial Company – elderflower cordial, Longford
• Wild Irish Foragers – syrups from their hedgerows, woodlands, meadows, Offaly
• Wild About – Sparkling Nettle Drink, Wexford

 

Traditional Craft/ Skill – To honour the people behind the product who protect and preserve our culinary skills, technique and craft, whilst inspiring the future, with a focus on: a person/people who has an unique skill that needs to be championed and/or protected. A person perhaps who is actively passing this skill down to the next generation through their work. It can be a butcher, a baker, a fishmonger or fish smoker, a cheesemaker, a grower or a grocer, a producer or a forager.

This year, for the TRADITIONAL CRAFT/SKILL category, the Food Council has selected to award independent bakeries who are breathing new life into time-honoured baking practices while championing local ingredients. These bakeries are offering a variety of freshly baked breads, pastries, and cakes and are characterised by their focus on quality ingredients, traditional techniques and a commitment to local sourcing.

Real bread in its purest form is simply flour, water and fermentation. Each baker brings their own personality, ethos and approach to flavour. They use a mix of Irish grown flours in their breads and pastries, source other ingredients from as local as they can as well as preserving fruits and making syrups for the winter months. Euro-Toques recognises and applauds not only the artistry and endurance of these bakers, but also the communities they nourish through their loaves, their labour, and the shared warmth that comes from honest, skillful baking.

The nominees in the Traditional/Craft Skill category are;

• Hugo’s, Lahinch, Clare
• Plúr Bakery, Carlow
• Seagull Bakery, Tramore, Waterford
• Una Bakery, Dublin
• Ursa Minor Bakehouse, Ballycastle, Antrim
• Wildflower Bakery, Innishannon, Cork