Bord Bia is hosting 54 chefs and ten journalists from eight countries on a three-day trip to Ireland from today, 13 May, until Wednesday 15 May.
The aim of the trip is to showcase Irish food and drink, with a special emphasis on grass-fed beef and lamb.
Chefs’ Irish Beef Club
Attending chefs are members of the Chefs’ Irish Beef Club (CIBC), an exclusive forum of leading and Michelin-starred chefs who publicly endorse Irish beef.
Today, the chefs will meet Irish beef farmers producing Origin Green-verified beef, with visits to farms in Waterford, Westmeath, Kilkenny and Louth.
As they hear from farmers themselves and see production close up, the trip aims to deepen the chefs’ understanding of the farming and breeding practices that contribute to the quality and sustainability of Irish beef and lamb.
The visiting chefs will enjoy a range of Origin Green-verified produce.
These include farmhouse cheeses, meats, seafood, spirits, and craft beer.
This section of the tour will include visits to John Stone Beef, the Carlingford Oyster Company, Slane Castle Distillery and the Good Fish Company.
On Tuesday, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, will inaugurate eight new chefs into the CIBC.
Founded by Bord Bia in 2004, the CIBC currently has over 90 member chefs.
The chefs are from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates.
‘A Stellar Global Reputation’
Speaking about the visit, the chief executive of Bord Bia, Jim O’Toole, said, “Irish beef has carved out a stellar global reputation, recently cementing its status with the granting of protected status from the European Commission for Irish Grass-Fed Beef – PGI.
“The establishment of the Chefs’ Irish Beef Club 20 years ago has greatly assisted Bord Bia in building a premium image for Irish beef in key export markets, thanks to the chefs’ ongoing preference and advocacy for Irish beef.
“We are pleased to host many of the club members this week, while also welcoming new members to this exclusive network.”
