If you are an artisan producer and would like become a member of Euro-Toques, you should:
- Submit a company profile including information on your product and your methods of production
- Abide by the Euro-Toques Code of Honour regarding culinary traditions and the best principles of food production
- Show that your food is produced as conscientiously as possible with respect for the environment and for animal welfare.
The criteria agreed by the Food Council to determine a producer’s membership are:
- Sourcing of ingredients
- Production methods, integrity
- Taste and quality
1. Sourcing of ingredients
We encourage producers to source high-quality ingredients grown and /or reared in Ireland, as close to their kitchen/place of work as possible. Producers must bestow a sense of place through the making of their products. For example, if you are making strawberry or blackcurrant jam, strawberries or blackcurrants must be cultivated and grown in Ireland. Should that not be possible, then seventy (70%) of the product must be from Ireland.
This means that the produce must be either:
- entirely sourced and produced in Ireland OR
- the large majority of the product, or the majority of the ingredients used to make the product must be sourced and/or produced in Ireland.
If a producer is importing some of the ingredients, the same standards apply as if they were sourcing in Ireland. We encourage producers to buy sustainable, free range, chemical free and/or organic produce.
Where a product or part thereof uses ingredients that are imported but where the same ingredients can be sourced in Ireland, there must be a valid and appropriate rationale to explain it. (Example: making meads using imported honey).
Euro-Toques Ireland reserves the right to ask for proof of ingredient purchase in order to determine the origin of the key ingredients.
2. Production methods, integrity
We encourage traditional, artisanal, sustainable and ethical production methods.
Hand-methods or artisanal techniques are preferable, though we recognise that tools and machinery are necessary in particular crafts.
‘Artisan’ means the producer is working in a certain way to transform a product. If the product is not available locally then it can be sourced from elsewhere, but the production method must be artisan – made in a traditional or non-mechanized way using high-quality ingredients.
We encourage local growing and farming in order to protect Irish skills and traditions.
All businesses must have a sustainable approach to their operations and strive to reduce food waste and their environmental impact, for example through the use of no single use plastics and energy saving techniques.
The integrity of the production methods is a fundamental aspect for consideration.
3. Flavour and quality
In order for a producer to be considered for membership, criteria 1 and 2 above must be met.
The taste and flavour of a product are subjective. We look for products that taste good and are to everybody’s liking, however, because of its subjective nature, taste alone cannot be the underlying principle.
Application procedure:
Online applications are the most efficient way for us to deal with new membership applications. However, if you would prefer to apply by post or email, please email a request for an application form to office@euro-toques.ie
- Upon receipt of an application, the office will respond with confirmation of receipt committing to process the application and organise a visit within a two-month window.
- The office will notify the members of the Food Council within a week from receipt.
- A Council Member will be appointed to visit/taste the producer.
- The visit must be carried out within TWO MONTHS of the application. If the producer in question is in a remote location, the Food Council reserves the right to delegate the visit to a chef member, who may not be a member of the Food Council, but will act on their behalf.
- Once the visit is completed, the producer will be advised of the result of visit/tasting and whether the application has been approved or not.