Waterford is 2019 Foodie Destination
Waterford has been announced as the winner of Foodie Destinations 2019, an initiative run the Restaurants Association of Ireland, sponsored by FBD Insurance. Waterford was announced as the winner of the competition at a ceremony in Mount Juliet, in Kilkenny, where the 2019 Finalists had gathered to hear the winners of Foodie Destinations 2019. Votes from the public were combined with a score from a judging visit to decide the overall winner. Taste Causeway came in second place, and The Food Coast Donegal came in third place.
Speaking about the entry from Waterford, the judges said that they were blown away by how much effort the community had put in to making Waterford a real foodie experience. They said there was a great sense of community evident on their visit, with both big and small local companies getting involved. There was great local awareness, as well as pride and passion, for food and food tourism in the area. They enjoyed seeing chefs and producers working so closely together to provide the best experience possible for visitors to the area.
Donegal Town were also announced as the winning Foodie Town 2019. The Foodie Town Award is given to towns or villages where tourism is a primary component of the local culture and economy. The judges said there was a great variety of dining experiences, in addition to the hospitality and knowledgeability of the locals, and they also thought it was a clever idea to use the platform of the Wild Atlantic Way to help them stand out as a place to visit.a
CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Adrian Cummins said “I’d like to offer a massive congratulations to Waterford. It’s clear that a huge amount of time and effort has gone into making it a foodie destination worth visiting and it is clear that it is a very co-ordinated effort run by people who are passionate about food in Waterford. I’d also like to congratulate the other finalists: it’s not easy to get this far, and all of the applications were very impressive. Each and every finalist should be very proud of getting so far.”
Patrick Carey, Business Development Manager in FBD Insurance said: “FBD Insurance are once again proud to sponsor the Foodie Destinations Award in 2019. The spirit of the Irish agri-food business is thriving and we are delighted to be associated with an event that nurtures, supports and champions the stellar work and high quality food that is produced from local, Irish communities and businesses. Like many of the businesses and groups involved in the Foodie Destination awards, our commitment is to the local communities and businesses that we work alongside as a partner in their business success.
"Yet again this year, the competition and quality of the entrants has been extremely strong. The passion and pride of each entrant shines through and represents what it truly means to be a Foodie Destination and importantly – proudly Irish. I would like to congratulate Waterford as the winner of Foodie Destination 2019, Donegal as Foodie Town of the year and all the finalists on their outstanding efforts in this competition and continued contribution to the Irish agri-food business.”