Second Menu of Moyle Awards a Great Success

10 September 2008

The second Menu of Moyle Competition winners have been announced at a celebratory event in the Marine Hotel, Ballycastle. Renowned celebrity chef Jenny Bristow, who has been an enthusiastic Menu of Moyle supporter since its inception, handed out the three specially commissioned crystal awards to representatives of the victorious eating establishments before an invited audience of over 100 guests on Monday afternoon.

The competition, which celebrates creative use of local produce in the eating establishments of Moyle, reached its long awaited finale when the first of three Menu of Moyle awards was given to Ballycastle’s Cellar Restaurant. Proprietor Chris McAuley and head chef Fionnuala Mitchel were visibly delighted to accept their award in the Restaurant Category which recognised their creative interpretation and promotion of the Menu of Moyle concept. With high praise having been received from the secret judging panel, the Cellar Restaurant’s winning menu which ran over the summer months, included an array of locally produced seafood and meat dishes that captured the essence of Moyle and the local produce available.

Winner of the Pubs & Inns category for the second year running was the Fullerton Arms Guest Inn, Ballintoy. Proprietor Anne Taggart, who was again on hand to receive the award from Jenny, explained that their Menu of Moyle - which this year included dishes such as ‘Fruit of Ballintoy Harbour’ and ‘Grilled Larrybahn Lamb Chops’ - has remained extremely popular over the two years they have competed in the competition.

Donnelly’s Bakery & Coffee Shop were rewarded for the efforts of cook Mary Butler and her team in the Brasseries & Coffee Shops category. A surprised Mary was on hand to collect the award on behalf of Donnelly’s, whose home-cooked style Menu of Moyle with traditional fayre such as ‘Irish Stew’ and ‘Roast of the Day’, pleased the judges who also commented on how pleasant and friendly staff had been during their secret visit. Mary who had a quite a busy afternoon at the awards event, had been entertaining guests and providing free samples from the home bakery side of the business, just before the awards announcements were made, at the Producer’s Showcase.

As part of the Producer’s Showcase, number of local businesses displayed their produce at the event and the guests enjoyed samples from Bonamargy Chocolates, the Bushmills Distillery, Donnelly’s Bakery, Glenballyeamon Eggs, Glens of Antrim Spring Water, McKay Butchers, Tulla Crafts and Rathlin Island Lobster & Crab.

Due to a large entry in the 2008 Menu of Moyle and the close nature of competition – particularly in the Restaurant category - an additional prize was introduced this year to recognise the efforts of the Manor House of Rathlin Island. Ksenia McFaul received the new ‘Highly Commended’ award on behalf of the Manor House, whose menu including ‘Fresh Landed Rathlin Lobster’ and ‘Prime North Antrim Sirloin of Beef’ had impressed the judges and made their decision all the more difficult to make.

Each award winner received a personalised bottle of 12 Year Old Bushmills Original Whiskey, presented courtesy of Bushmills Distillery and the remaining Menu of Moyle competitors were presented with a framed certificate by Jenny Bristow in recognition of their efforts. Certificates were given to the Anzac Bistro, the Bushmills Inn Hotel, the Distiller’s Arms, the Marine Hotel, Quay 26, Sixteen-O-Eight, the Smuggler’s Inn, the Tower Restaurant (Glens Hotel), Upstairs @ Joes, Hunter’s Bar & Grill, the Nook at the Giant’s Causeway, Arthur’s Tea & Coffee Warehouse, Barnish Coffee House, Drumnakeel Herb Garden, the Pantry Coffee Shop and Thyme & Co.

Before presenting her second set of Menu of Moyle awards, Jenny Bristow who also announced last year’s accolades, spoke about how passionate she is about the initiative and recognised the efforts that everyone had made to reach this point of the Competition. Jenny was introduced by compere Nigel Flynn after the event-goers listened to addresses from Moyle District Council’s Vice-Chairperson, Cllr Cara McShane who opened the Awards by welcoming the large audience and special guests to the Marine Hotel for the event and Cllr. Helen Harding of Moyle Local Strategy Partnership.

Cllr Harding, Chairperson of Moyle Local Strategy Partnership, who through the European Union’s Peace II Programme fund the Cultural Tourism Programme (which manages the Menu of Moyle initiative), stated that the Local Strategy Partnership regarded the Menu of Moyle initiative as one of their more successful projects and that it had been a pleasure to watch its progression over the last two years.

Also speaking at the event, Moyle District Council’s Cultural Tourism Officer Deirdre McNeill said, “I’ve been very lucky to have had the opportunity to see the Menu of Moyle initiative progress from an idea through to becoming the successful, well-received, local food initiative it is today”. She continued: “The very fact that twenty establishments entered the competition this year – six more than last year – proves that more and more we are recognising the importance of using local produce as much as possible in our businesses, and in our day-to-day lives”.

As the event drew to a close, Deirdre explained to the audience that Menu of Moyle, as part of the Cultural Tourism Programme had been funded over the past two years by the Peace II Extension fund through Moyle Local Strategy Partnership. Thanking them for this support she also addressed the fact that the Cultural Tourism Programme is due to close at the end of September, adding that ongoing efforts are being made to see Moyle’s local produce and food promoted in the future, so the work of Menu of Moyle can be built upon.

Dick and Sabine Glasgow were on hand to set the mood with their haunting traditional music as guests arrived for lunch prior to the awards. Floral displays by Flower’s at Anne’s and Sandra McAuley added to the overall ambience of the event.

In addition to the competition for local eateries, the Menu of Moyle project has promoted local produce through the production of the Moyle Local Produce Directory, the website http://www.menuofmoyle.com/ and various other promotional activities. For further information about Menu of Moyle, or to receive a copy of the Moyle Local Produce Directory, please contact Deirdre McNeill, Moyle Cultural Tourism Officer on: (028) 2076 2225, email: dmcneill@moyle-council.org, or log onto http://www.menuofmoyle.com/.

Menu of Moyle is managed by Moyle District Council’s Cultural Tourism Programme, which is funded by the European Union through the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation, managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by Moyle Local Strategy Partnership.

ENDS