Bord Bia today awarded Matt Leahy, a Cork Institute of Technology student, with the overall prize at the Irish Pork Cookery Competition Final 2008. The competition, which took place in Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, concluded the sixth annual ‘Pork Experience – from Farm to Fork’.
Matt Leahy of Ballymacoda, Co. Cork impressed the judging panel with five delicate individual creations on one dish entitled “Muc na mBord”. The artistic medley included sweet and acidic accompaniments such as maple syrup and white wine to accentuate different flavours and highlighting the versatility of pork. Matt was awarded the opportunity to work with prominent restaurateur and chef Neven Maguire, a €1,000 cash prize, a bursary to the value of €2,000 towards further studies and a trophy.
Speaking at the awards presentation Minister of State for Horticulture and Food Trevor Sargent TD commented "This cookery competition helps to underline the value and quality of Irish pork. It illustrates the versatility of a product that is well adapted to changing consumer tastes and trends. It affords a valuable opportunity to those entering the catering and hospitality sectors to demonstrate the well-earned reputation of a safe and succulent Irish product. In so doing, it supports the promotion of Irish pork on both the home and export markets."
The ‘Pork Experience – from Farm to Fork’ includes training days, demonstrations and the final cookery competition event. Organised and sponsored by Bord Bia in conjunction with the IFA, the IAPP and Panel of Chefs of Ireland, the programme is run to further educate catering students on the benefits of using more pork in the foodservice sector. Catering students from nine of the Institute of Technology Colleges nationwide participated in the final, each cooking a pork dish of choice.
The judging panel included Neven Maguire, renowned chef and owner of McNean Restaurant & Townhouse, Blacklion, Co. Cavan; Lucinda O’Sullivan, Culinary Critic, Sunday Independent; Biddy White Lennon, Irish Food Writers Guild; Anthony Carroll, pig producer and representative from the IFA Pigs Committee; JJ Healy from the Panel of Chefs of Ireland and Maire Dufficy, Bord Bia Food Advisor.