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The 'oscar' of food awards

Cashel Blue from Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers was awarded the ‘Oscar’ of the food and drink world recently when it won the Great Taste Golden Fork 2024 for Ireland
Celebrating the Golden Fork award: Sergio, Sarah and Leila Furno, from Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers accompanied by Marian O’Higgins from Bord Bia, which sponsored the award. Photo: Guild of Fine Food, Richard Faulks.

The winners of the Great Taste Golden Forks 2024 were announced at a glittering awards ceremony in London’s Battersea Arts Centre where the very best of the food and drink world celebrated at the grand finale of the Guild of Fine Food’s Great Taste awards scheme.

Irish contenders

The Golden Fork from Ireland was hotly contested with Cashel Blue, Truly Dark from Bon Chocolatiers and Burren Smoked Eel from Burren Smokehouse all making it through to the final round. But it was the cow’s milk blue cheese that rose to the top. The judges said of the cheese: “It was just gorgeous, with a wonderful buttercup yellow flavour. It was soft, and creamy with just the right level of salt, it melted on the tongue and would be the highlight of any cheeseboard”.

A 3-star winner – Olly’s Honey.
Photo: Guild of Fine Food.

New Golden Fork awards

There were 16 Great Taste Golden Forks presented at this year’s awards, with two new trophies for Sustainability and Better Business joining the line up. The additional awards this year recognise the substantial efforts of many companies to ensure they also look after their communities, teams, environment and supply chain. The 16 Golden Fork winners were the standout products from nearly 14,000 to enter this year’s Great Taste awards.

John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food said: “It is important to understand that Great Taste is merely the process that identifies 1-, 2- and 3-star winners and, in doing so, encourages makers to improve. Now at its climax, in announcing the Golden Forks we are celebrating the very best producers; those who take care to ensure their products hit the markers of trusted raw ingredients, simple production methods, and food and drink that has personality, but ultimately, that tastes great.

“We’re particularly chuffed to be doing our thing for international trade and relations by welcoming entries from 115 countries this year and, in addition, bestowing two new awards, one to a company that demonstrates inspiring business acumen, and the other to an organisation showing genuine commitment to sustainability. These winners must at the same time, be making outstanding food and drink.”

Shining stars at the Great Taste Awards

There was great success for Irish food and drink producers at this year’s Great Taste awards with 496 products made in Ireland receiving awards including: 351 x 1-star; 125 x 2-stars; and 20 x 3-stars, which is the highest accolade available at this level. In addition, 82 awards (6 x 3-star, 14 x 2-star and 62 x 1-star) were given to products entered by Irish companies but made outside of Ireland.

J. & L. Grubb Ltd. Cashel Blue
Photo: Guild of Fine Food.

Here are a selection of winners from Ireland:

3-star winners

  • Thick Cut Sharing Steak from James Whelan Butchers.
  • Burren Smoked Eel from the Burren Smokehouse.
  • Achill Island Smoked Sea Salt from Achill Island Sea Salt.
  • Heather Honey from Olly’s Farm.
  • SuperValu Crème Fraiche from Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland.
  • Louët-Feisser Oysters from Carlingford Oyster Company.

2-star winners

  • Fish Pie from Kish Fish.
  • Connacht Gold Pure Irish Butter from Aurivo Co-op.
  • Donegal Rapeseed Oil Classic from Donegal Rapeseed Oil Co.
  • Horgan's Irish Silverside Spiced Beef from Horgan's Delicatessen Supplies Ltd.
  • Irish Angus Rib Eye Steak from Liffey Meats.

1-star winner

  • Blarney Bees Smoked Honey from Ballinora Bees Irish Honey.
  • Aldi Specially Selected Irish Wagyu Beef Fillet Steak from ABP Cahir.
  • Blanco Niño Chilli & Lime Tortilla Chips from Blanco Niño.
  • A Mighty Mushroom Soup from Cully & Sully. 
  • The Galway Kitchen Organic Houmous from Galmere Fresh Foods.

According to the Guild of Fine Food, almost 3,500 companies from around the world entered Great Taste this year, offering 13,672 products for review. Each entry was meticulously blind-tasted by the guild’s expert judging panel of over 500 food critics, chefs, recipe creators, buyers, retailers, and other specialists in the field of food and drink. Entries were analysed across 92 judging days, with each product receiving detailed feedback regardless of whether it was a winner. 

Only 1.9 per cent of all entries (266 in total globally) received a 3-star award, given to ‘extraordinarily tasty food and drink’. Just over 10 per cent, or 1,386 in total, were awarded 2-stars, which meant they were ‘above and beyond delicious’. And 28.8 per cent, or 3,938 in total, received a 1-star award for ‘food and drink that delivers fantastic flavour’.

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