AND THE WINNERS ARE IN! SKILLS COMP WINNERS CROWNED AT PACKED FOOD&BEV LIVE!

The great and the good of the Irish foodservice industry made their way to Citywest Event Centre on 11th February for one of the biggest industry gatherings of the year FOOD & BEV LIVE 2014 (sponsored by Bunzl McLaughlin. In a hall brimming with the buzz of networking and new business there was also the excitement of a selection of national Irish skills competitions to behold, with the anxious finalists at last getting their chance at the much sought after titles.

The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) hosted the finals of the Irish Barista Championship with the winner Pete Williams from 3Fe cafe going on to compete in the World Barista Championships taking place at the SCAE World of Coffee in Rimini, Italy in June 2014. This years Avonmore Irish Latte Art Championship was also staged heralding its 2014 winner in the form of Elvis Seivijus Matiejunas from Bewleys.

Open to all bartenders working in Ireland, the National Cocktail competition was staged by the Bartenders Association of Ireland (BAI) (sponsored by Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd).  The winner Eddie Rudzinskas was crowned National Cocktail Champion 2014 and will represent Ireland at the World Cocktail Competition in Capetown, South Africa 29th Sept - 4th Oct 2014.
On the chefs side, renowned chef Derry Clarke resided over the very first “Sodexo Challenge @ F&B Live”.  For the event, Sodexo Ireland commissioned Derry Clarke, to set a culinary challenge for selected members of the company’s 500-strong chef team called the Sodexo Chefs Challenge. The challenge gold medal winner was David Fountain.

The Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance was also delivering good news on the day. IFSA are delighted to presentLouise Cromwell with a Bursary Prize for:  “Best Placement Award on the Higher Certificate in Health and Nutrition for Culinary Arts 2013”

IFSA is proud to support this unique programme which integrates culinary arts education and performance (cuisine) with health and nutrition and the Board and members of the association wish Louise every success in her future career.

Said Sean Martin, Chief Executive of IFSA, “We’re absolutely thrilled with the turnout today. There was a sense of optimism among the exhibitors and visitors. IFSA staged Food & Bev Live with a view to help stimulate our market and we have achieved that here today. We are also delighted to host so many National Skills Finals - Good luck to all our winners".

Amongst the many brands packing the exhibition hall were:

3M Purifciation, Absolutely Fabulous Foods, AR Systems, ARC International, Artis, Asber, Avonmore, Ballymaloe, Bewleys, Bord Gais, Brady Catering, Bunzl Irish Merchants, Bunzl McLaughlin, Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality, BWG Foods, Calor Gas, Canore, CBE, CEM, Charles Taylor Trading, Churchill, CMAI- Catering Management Association of Ireland, Coffee Perfection, Corcoran Food Equipment LTD, Cup Print, Delpac, Display Specialists, Donkeymedia, Ecolab, Edward Dillion, ENOWINES, Everywear, Exhibit, Expelliere Xpelgum, Fagor Industrial, Food for Thought, GH Enterprises, GoJo, Goodness Grains, Gram, Honest2Gooness, Hotel & Restaurant times, Hugh Jordan & Co., IHI, Just Eat, Lumea, Marco Beverage Systems, Matthew Algie, McDonnells Queen Street, MG Catering Equipment, Monin, Mood Master, Mrs Doyles Tea Company, Multivac, NCCO International Ltd., NewellCo., Nisbets, Noel Recruitment, North South Retail, Norton Group, Pigsback.com, Proflame - Cato Manufacturing, RAI, Rational U.K. Ltd., Rosie & Jim Gourmet Chicken Products, SCA Hygiene Products Ireland Ltd, Solaris Botanicals, Spring Soft Systems, Steelite International plc., Stream Hygiene, Superleague Ireland, The Hospitality Trust, The Nest Box Egg Company, Trinity Purchasing, Ulster Bank, Valera, Wireless Solutions, Wrap Film Systems, Write the Record.
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Organised by the Industry for the Industry and sponsored by Bunzl McLaughlin, FOOD & BEV LIVE 2014 is set-up to celebrate excellence, showcasing over 60 of the country’s top suppliers. The event will once again be a hotbed of industry promotion, networking and dialogue, attracting an attendance of over 1500 Chefs, Baristas, Bartenders, Food & Beverage Managers, Hotel Managers, Restaurant Managers, Coffee Bar & Café Owners and more.