Our Judges

Aoife Ryan has been working with food since 2009, firstly as a food & drink blogger, then as head of buying for an airline retail supplier.  She developed buy on board menus for airlines including Ryanair, Aer Lingus, LATAM & SWISS, bringing both a local and international range to their menus, as well as developing private label products for airline clients.

Aoife joined Avoca in 2021 as Head of Ambient Food Buying with a mission to bring more micro, local and national suppliers to join the food & drink range in the Avoca Food Markets.  She works closely with Bord Bia, LEO's and local food groups to identify potential new suppliers and list  them with Avoca.

Brenda has worked in the food industry for up to 20 years in food product development. Brenda has a passion for food and has worked extensively developing branded and own label products in chilled and frozen categories. Brands include Goodfella’s, Donegal Catch, TS Foods & Tony’s Chippy. Own label products include M&S, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Tesco UK & Ireland, Asda, Morrisons, Supervalu, Aldi & Lidl. Brenda’s current role in Southern Regional College’s Business Support centre involves assisting food businesses to innovate and help launch products successfully in the marketplace.

Owner of Perry `St Market Cafe, Perry St Loves Home and Lifestyle, Perry St Catering and Events

Qualified chef with a passion for business. I opened our first restaurant in 2013 and grew from there.

Worked in Finance for 15 years which gave great insight into how business works.

Very passionate about travel and always observing different cultures and bringing home fresh ideas.

Super interested in people and their passions!

Brigid O’Hora is a WSET-trained sommelier who has worked for many years in the operational and sales side of the wine industry, including front of house in l’Gueuleton and as a sommelier in Dromoland Castle. During this time, her passion was always for the educational aspect of wine; and she really caught the bug for teaching during a year lecturing on wine at Cathal Brugha St., DIT (now TU Dublin).

The small matter of having triplets in 2006 saw Brigid take a short career break, during which time she established a strong Instagram following for her Bridey Bunch Triplets. By 2020, she was ready to re-enter wine education – just in time to embrace the new opportunities for online learning that the strange and challenging year of 2020 brought. Brigid launched Brideys_wine_chats (Instagram handle) in March 2020 to offer free Insta-Live wine tastings to followers on Facebook and Instagram, now at 15,000 followers. These free tastings are accessible to novice wine tasters, who are guided through the basics of wine tasting. In September 2020, Brigid launched Virtual Vineyards. Virtual Vineyards is an online wine education business which allows wine lovers to further their wine knowledge from the comfort of their own homes. As well as regular Zoom-based, six-week wine appreciation courses, Virtual Vineyards also offers popular online masterclass evenings concentrating on French, Italian or Spanish wines. Again through Zoom, these one-off classes introduce three wines from the respective country and talk about their production styles, tastes and foods to match.

www.virtualvineyards.ie

Caoimhe Delany is a Business Advisor with the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Meath and has responsibility for the development of the full suite of training and management development programs  for LEO client companies. She manages the Business Advice Clinics with LEO Meath clients and currently sits on the National Communications Committee for the LEO Network. Caoimhe has held business development positions with The Fitzwilliam Hotel, Dublin and The Shelbourne Hotel, most recently she worked for nearly 10 years with the Irish Exporters Association as National Development Manager, working with companies from Pre- Export to Global Multinational Exporters based throughout the Island of Ireland..

Caroline Gray is the editor of Easy Food magazine, Ireland’s best-selling monthly food publication. She has hosted cooking demonstrations at food festivals and appeared regularly as a TV cook on TV3’s SaturdayAM morning programme.

After earning a degree in journalism, Caroline completed the the 12-week certificate course at Ballymaloe Cookery School. She has previously written for the Food Network in New York City as well as for several newspapers in her hometown of Chicago.

Daniel has worked within the culinary arts for over 19 years.  In Montana, Daniel specialised in Vegan desserts within a health food store bakery, and later learned Artisan Bread baking at Le Petite Outré.  In Seattle, Daniel continued his work baking in a busy bakery producing pastries and decorating cakes.

Immigrating to Ireland in 2008, Daniel found his culinary home on Dublin's north coast.  Former Head Chef of Seasons in Skerries.  Also a passionate photographer, he has pivoted from working as a Chef in commercial kitchens into Food Styling and Photography.

Daniel now writes "Diced and Spiced" - a plant-based recipe and vegan lifestyle blog along with his wife, Suzanne.

Regular judge of Craft Beer at the IQFA and World Beer Awards

Deirdre Carroll is Senior Enterprise Development Lead in Fingal Local Enterprise Office with responsibility for  Food Sector clients within the Fingal area. She has worked with many food clients assisting them with their business in the start up and scaling stages. Deirdre's previous background is in the technology sector and has travelled extensively sampling the cuisine of various countries and continents and brings a business & consumer perspective to the judging panel. 

Denise McBrien is the General Manager of The Old Spot GastroPub which is 1 of only 2 pubs in Dublin recommended by The Michelin Guide. Denise won the RAI best restaurant manager in Dublin 2019.

The Gluten Free Kitchen Company was Founded in 2011 by myself, Doireann Barrett, as a market stall providing quality Artisan hand-made food products, naturally 'Free From' Gluten, Wheat, Rye, Oats and Barley.

As a Coeliac and Endo Warrior I set up the business to share my knowledge, benefits of supplements, food options, skincare brands, holistic rituals that I use in my daily life that are free from, high quality, and safe for my health conditions.

The brand has now developed into a Multi Award Winning Food & Wellness brand, supplying our own brand artisan handmade food products at Market Stalls and direct Online Sales

 I am Kerry Co-Ordinator for the Coeliac Society of Ireland Supported Support Groups!

Donal Lehane is currently chair of DFBA Community Enterprises CLG in Co. Waterford, board member of the Federation of Irish Beekeepers’ Associations and member of the FSAI Artisan Forum. A Cheesemaker and Beekeeper, Donal graduated in Dairy and Food Science from University College Cork. Now retired, with 50 years experience in managing food businesses, product developments and marketing of food products on home and global markets, both as a multinational business and as an artisan producer. He is a founding member of Slow Food Ireland and the Waterford Harvest Festival.

I have had a life long passionate interest in Nutrition. The importance of eating the correct food began at a very early age. I was diagnosed a Coeliac when I was 6 months old. The support, guidance and education I received growing up is what focused my attention in choosing nourishing, healthy and exciting food. 

I worked for 10 years as a Performance Coach with a Scottish Competitive Swimming Club. My experience includes coaching Elite Athletes at Regional, National and International Level. As a Performance Coach I have always emphasised the importance of Nutrition to the Elite Athlete which holds an equal value to their daily intensive physical training.

As a Nutrition and Health Coach I continue to emphasis the importance of Nutrition in everyday living.

In 2021 I set up my new online business "Nourish Me" with a focus on helping people achieve their health, diet and lifestlye goals.

In 2022 I was invited by the Coeliac Society of Ireland to act as joint co-ordinator in the establishment of the first ever Coeliac Support Group for the entire Kerry Region.

Elaine Donohue is the General Manager at BIA Innovator Campus since 2019.

Elaine oversees and manages the initial development of the not for profit company, delivery of its capital project, and the company’s operation once opened in 2022.

Elaine holds a First Class Honours in International Marketing Practice, Prince II Project Management and a Diploma in Strategic Growth for the Food Industry from Smurfit Business School in Dublin. Initially shegained robust knowledge of the retail industry and its workings following her years with Lidl Ireland. She then gained an extensive international perspective from working for Bord Bia in their London office. She worked commercially as a National Account Manager for

Greene Farm Foods and Brady Family Ham, managing both domestic and export channels of business.

Prior to her appointment, Elaine proudly led the Galway, West of Ireland, European Region of

Gastronomy Designation. It was awarded Best Economic Development Project in Ireland at the Chambers Ireland, Excellence in Local Government Awards 2018 and nominated as one of the Top Five Large Projects along the Wild Atlantic Way at the Irish Tourism Industry Awards 2019.

Freelance Radio/TV Producer

Nearly 40 years in brewing industry

Ex Masterbrewer from Guinness 

now consultant 

Fiona Staunton is a Ballymaloe trained chef and has a Bachelor of Education in Home Economics from Trinity College Dublin. Having worked as a chef at Ballymaloe House, she started her own successful catering business in Dublin in the late 1990’s. She then moved to Australia for eight years. Now as a Mum to two young children, she is passionate about healthy wholefood family cooking and opens her house to cookery demonstrations. Fiona’s business also caters for corporate clients. Fiona’s Food for Life runs live cookery demonstrations in companies as part of their wellbeing programmes including the IBEC Keepwell accreditation.

Hi, 

My name is Fionnuala Cosgrave. 

I work for Pilgrims Food Masters as Research & Development Manager for Cooked Meats, Breakfast & Snacking. I am responsible for leading the research, overseeing the development of new products from initial planning phase to implementation and developing the R&D team. I am proficient in project management and have completed APMG Project Management examinations. I have a passion for flavour trends and market research, which I feel are integral in the R&D function. In my personal life I love gardening and growing fresh produce along with team sports such as Football and Soccer. 

Dr. Francesco Noci is a lecturer at ATU – Galway City in the areas of Food Science and Technology, Food Safety, Food product development and Nutrition. Prior to ATU he has been working at the UCD Institute of Food and Health, lecturing in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism and food product development. Overall he has over 15 years of experience in research on physical and chemical aspects of food quality by instrumental and sensory methods. In his current role he is actively involved in applied research on shelf life and product development with food SMEs and is a member of the Sensory Food Network Ireland. Dr. Francesco Noci graduated from UCD in 2005 with a PhD in food science focusing on the modification of meat quality using a dietary approach at farm level.

Since starting in the hospitality sector in the early 90's to present day I have worked across many parts of the food industry successfully competing both nationally and internationally with the Irish culinary team and also winning many accolades for my culinary endeavours in the restaurant scene and achieving awards for product development.   I am a keen traveller and enjoy world cuisines and love to try new and exciting foods. I look forward to what the 2022 IQFA's hold in store!

CEO / Founder of Peak Vegan Vitamins & Silver Spear Gin. Multi award winning entrepreneur across the FMCG & IT sectors. Often told that I'm "responsible" for a lot of things... including a few drink, food and health supplement brands... Known for being opinionated and stubborn. Business Mentor. Ex Hotelier & Publican.

Hannah is an Innovation & Creativity Consultant, Neuroscience-based Leadership Coach, Mentor and Trainer helping businesses and individuals think differently to excel and reach their potential. Specialising in the areas of Innovation, Innovativeness, Creativity, Continuous Improvement and helping businesses and individuals excel and reach their potential. Hannah is a highly driven and results-oriented Innovation Manager and Project Manager with significant Process Improvement, Innovation Management and Innovation Delivery experience across the public sector, utilities and FMCG. Hannah possesses strong business acumen, commercial awareness and technical knowledge gained through working with high profile global companies and through academic learning. Hannah has a proven track record in collaborative leadership, project planning and delivery. An excellent communicator, well recognised for relationship building, negotiation and influencing skills, Hannah has a demonstrated ability to coach and support cross-functional teams across geographies to achieve company and project client objectives. Hannah is now an independent Business Consultant, Coach and Trainer helping businesses be more Innovative and successful with their Innovation. Specialising in Innovation Management and Process Improvement, Hannah provides the right processes and strategies to put structure, speed and effectiveness on Innovation, in addition to Project Management and Time Management Training, all tailored to clients' needs. Hannah designs and facilitates Workshops in Creativity, Ideation and Problem-solving, enabling businesses to be more creative, generate better ideas and fill their Innovation pipeline. As an accredited neuroscience-based coach, Hannah works with professionals to help them think differently, develop their leadership capabilities, improve communication, strengthen their emotional intelligence, and enhance overall team effectiveness.

Harshal Shah is an international wine professional having worked in Asia, Australia and Ireland. He successfully ran Ireland's leading fine wine importer before branching out on his own in 2022. He was in the Master of Wine program until 2019, and is a former award-winning sommelier.

Irene Collins is a highly experienced business director and qualified chef. She is passionate about quality standards, food safety and sustainability. Irene is currently a member of the SafeFood advisory board and an independent director of ELVES. (End of life vehicle environmental services). She is a recent graduate of TU_Dublin and holds a 1st class hons. in Botanical Cuisine. She was managing director of Excellence Ireland Quality Association between 2008 - 2020.

James Burke has personally worked in the food sector for over 23 years. Having started in SuperValu in West Cork, and then moved to Superquinn he spent 10 years at the operational side of the business and 10 years at head office. During his career in Superquinn James became group purchasing manager and he was also appointed to the board of the company. He is now CEO of Irelands largest food and retail advisory business. He is also a member of the TASTE Council (the strategic advisory group for the speciality food industry). He works with many of Irelands leading retailers and foodservice operators both at strategic level and developing management skillsets as well as helping businesses respond to market trends.

Hi,

my name is James Walsh and I am the wine and spirit specialist with Fine wines off licence group for the last 15 years. I have  worked in the hospitality industry, hoteling and restaurant,  until the 90s and moved to retail. I have worked in the Multiples and convenience sector. 

I have a passion for good quality products and love to champion local and Irish producers.

I have Wset level 2 wine and spirits and will be completing Wset level 3 spirits this year.

Chef Jeeny Maltese is a Latin-American born TV chef and food writer. Regularly Featuring as a celebrity chef on RTE One, on the “Today Show with Maura & Daithi” and Virgin Media One on “The Six O'Clock Show”. A keynote speaker and guest chef in top festivals and events nationwide.

Jen is an experienced Food & Drink Business Development Manager building mutually beneficial and profitable business relationships between Nothern Ireland Food & Drink producers and ROI based buyers for over 10 years. Jen provides a comprehensive understanding of the products, capacity and capabilities of around 100+ Northern Ireland food and drink producers and is able to pinpoint how NI companies can help buyers meet their business objectives with outstanding products. Jen also manages a successful programme of networking events, factory visits and ‘meet the buyer’ activities.

Katie is a naturally curious, media-loving communications consultant with over four year’s experience in the Irish food and drink industries. Katie holds a 1:1 honours degree from the MSc in PR & Strategic Communications programme, and a BA Hons degree in Communications both from Dublin City University. As the Account Manager at &Smyth, Katie designs, implements and leads a wide range of cross-sector communications campaigns for Irish businesses which most recently includes: Bord Bia Bloom, McCormack Family Farms and Rye River Brewing Company.

I have been in involved in the print and manufacture of labels and packaging for nearly 40 years. 20 years  have been in the food and beverage industries. I have worked for various types of manufacturer, from small private companies up to the larger globally established ones, including the largest label supplier in the world. I deal daily with brand owners, designers, marketers, contract packer as well as applicator and container suppliers.      

➜ Keith is a seasoned commercially focused creative brand + marketing growth strategist with 15 years B2C + B2B industry experience. 

➜ Keith is the Founder + Digital Growth Strategist at Urban Brand Creative, a premium digital growth agency with over 100+ 5 star online reviews. He is also an accidental second-generation foodie.

➜ In this time, he’s worked in 6 different countries and collaborated with scores of businesses - from ambitious high-performance start-ups -to billion-dollar industry leaders, across the SAAS, tech, eCommerce, professional services, FMCG + Foodservices industries. 

➜ Keith is a public speaker at international brand, marketing + web development conventions, and as a recognized brand and marketing thought leader, serves as a judge on the Dublin Business Innovation Centre (BIC) tech panel, the Halo Business Angel Network (HBAN), heads the judging panel in the Irish Quality Food Awards (IQFA), and sits on the Blas nahEireann, The Irish Food Awards panel.

➜ He is a more than a little bit obsessive about his work, and is happiest creating campaigns or designing something lovely, resolving complex brand + marketing solutions, sharing ideas, empowering clients + colleagues, drinking good coffee, listening to Spotify and chasing after his very active toddler.

➜ He is passionate about social justice and advocacy, 

➜ Connect with Keith on LinkedIn.

Liam is currently center manager for the CAPPA center in Munster Technological University. The centre has a specific remit to assist companies with their in-house R&D activities and provides expertise to a diverse range of clients. The centre has completed over 250 industry engagements over the last 5 years and has worked with a number of small, medium and large food enterprises 

Intermediate Certificate (Level 2) WSET 1992

Advanced Certificate (Level 3) WSET 1992

Diploma WSET 1995 (Level 4)

Master of Wine student 1995/96

Diploma – Craft Beer & Cider, Beer Heaven/National Off-licence Association of Ireland

Advanced Marketing Certificate, University College Dublin 1993

Diploma in Public Relations 2004, Public Relations Institute of Ireland

WSET Approved Educator and Invigilator Level 2 and Level 3 courses:

Wine Board of Ireland 1995-2008.

Cooks Wine Academy 2010-2019

La Cave Wine School 2010-present

Wine Editor: THE DUBLINER, a lifestyle magazine April 2001 - July 2011

Write the wine column of themed blind tastings.

Monthly 2001-Feb. 2010 and weekly April 2010 to July 2011.

Wine Columnist: EASY FOOD monthly magazine from Nov. 2011-2013

Wine Editor: Irish Independent Newspapers, weekly Saturday edition Dec. 2012 – Sept. 2016 (incl. spirits, craft beers, and ciders)

Wine Columnist: IRISH HOMES, a bi-monthly interior design magazine October 2004-Feb 2009.

Contributor: WINE IRELAND, a bi-monthly magazine on diverse subjects May 2001 – July 2005 e.g. Organic Wines, interviews with Angelo Gaja, Marimar Torres, Charles Sichel, and various winemakers from France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and Argentina.

Wine & Drinks Editor: THE HOTEL & RESTAURANT TIMES, a trade bi-monthly magazine available by subscription to hotel and restaurant proprietors and managers; introducing a new wine and drinks column April 2004 – Dec. 2005.

Editor: Best of Wine in Ireland 2001, 2000, 1999 & 1998

Co-ordinated blind tastings and wrote tasting notes for the best 850 wines of the 1,300 blind tasted by a panel to include background on winemaker/ varietal/ classification/ region/ climate etc. for each wine.

Wine Consultant: Best of Wine in Ireland 1998, 1999 and 2000

Co-ordinating blind tasting of 1,400 wines and listing of the best with tasting notes.

 Member of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers since September 2003 and elected to the Council June 2010.  On Tasting Committee organizing regular tastings and Tutor on Sommelier Course in conjunction with Restaurant Association of Ireland 2009-2013.

Co-author of the Guidelines to Implementation, re: Certificate in Professional Wine Studies, Bachelor of Business in Bar Management.

Extern Examiner to Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, Dublin Road, Galway 2005-6 re: Certificate in Professional Wine Studies.

With +20 years’ in the supermarket trade I have held food technical roles in M&S and Dunnes Stores followed by buying roles in Dunnes, Superquinn and SPAR. From 2006, I was Buying Director and Marketing Director at Aldi Ireland.  From 2014 to 2016 I was the Fresh Foods Commercial Category Director at Tesco Ireland. I set up Food First Consulting in 2017 where I help suppliers and buyers do better business through my unique retail insights, negotiation skills training and strategy development.  I joined the IPLC network in March 2018, a boutique consulting firm specialising in Private Label strategy.  I joined the Uspire team in 2020 where we help businesses create sales and negotiation academies.

My name is Michelle Connor and I am the Product development and Specifications Manager at Galmere Fresh Foods 

I have worked in Galmere for 6 years where we develop and produce a range of Soups, Meals and Pesto's along with some ready to eat products. 

I graduated from GMIT with a Level 7 bachelor of Business in culinary arts and I then completed a level 8 in product development. Food has always been apart of my life growing up with my parents both being chefs and owning their own restaurant. 

I am passionate and enjoy experimenting with food and most importantly eating and trying new foods all the time 

Oonagh Monahan is a food business consultant, mentor & trainer, with clients ranging from start-up through growth to export and innovation. Oonagh has mentored over 300 producers many of whom are now on supermarket shelves. She is the Technical Consultant to the Irish Bread Bakers Association. Her best selling book “Money for Jam – the Essential Guide to Starting Your Own Food Business, 2nd Ed.”, was published by Oaktree Press. In 2019, Oonagh won the inaugural IQFA Food Hero award, sponsored by Aldi Ireland. In 2020, she was awarded the COVID FrontLine Hero - Community Award

20 years of culinary experience working in top class restaurants and hotels all over the world including America and Australia 

Starting my career as a professional chef in restaurants and hotels, I am now a lecturer in culinary arts and food product development.

Hi there! I'm Rosie, an award winning photographer that focuses on food, drink, products and restaurants. 

I have a background in cheffing, being a qualified and experienced pastry chef with 8+ years in the industry.

I pivoted at the start of the COVID pandemic and now help food brands and businesses show up and gain real visibility online through content creation.

Saundra trained as a baker / confectioner  in the family bakery , and has worked in the bakery industry for over 35 years. She works with her husband and other family members in The Dane’s Bakery which was established  in Limerick city in 1941.The bakery makes traditional  breads , cakes & pastries and specialises in celebration cakes . 

From an early age I have been passionate about food. My family run Dublin's oldest fresh fruit & vegtable business - Jackie Leonard & Sons since 1890.

Previous work experience within hospitality, financial and media industries, I studied a masters in 2019 and grew an interest in supply chain management. I then moved to Aramark Northern Europe as part of the UK & Ireland buying team.

Assistant food buyer for Avoca Ireland, ambient and chilled food products. Experience buying for kitchens, cafes, restaurants and retail outlets.

Passionate about food, service and quality. 

Áine Lynch has been working in the food industry from an early age, starting as a butcher, now in product development in the fish industry. With over 21 years experience in food, she has worked closely with all the major retailers in Ireland. Áine has completed numerous courses, including a Masters in Food Business Management & Technology and recently a course with University of Cambridge on Business Sustainability Management.