For Irish food, you could say that April to November is the ‘busy season’, with a different show on nearly every weekend. A definite highlight is always in October, with the Blas na h’Éireann awards in Dingle, Co Kerry. Here, our producers are recognised and celebrated for their contribution to Irish food.
Months before the main event, entries and samples are put forward for judging, which begins in June. In the midst of this, there is another cause for celebration with the announcement of the Blas na h’Éireann Producers’ Champion.
It recognises those who have shown outstanding dedication to Irish food production and championed producers. Previous awardees include Conor Spacey, Kate Ryan, Darina Allen, and Irish Country Living’s resident chef Neven Maguire.
These champions are chosen by the Blas na h’Éireann producer’s network, meaning the accolade comes directly from the Irish food community.
This year, for the first time, not one, but three champions are being honoured: chef, consultant and founder of Fat Tomato, Anthony O’Toole; food curator and consultant, Santina Kennedy; and award-winning journalist Caroline Hennessy. And they spoke exclusively to Irish Country Living ahead of the official announcement.
Founder of Blas na h’Éireann, Artie Clifford, says they’re thrilled to announce “three unique supporters of Irish food”.
“Each of them, in their own way, has shown a serious and ongoing commitment to the people behind the produce. They share a deep understanding of what it takes to grow, make, market and champion Irish food, having all had a background in production, and therefore, an understanding of the challenges that producers can face.”
Blas na h’Éireann organiser, Fallon Moore, says. “We will always want this award to reflect the experience of producers, and to recognise and reward the support they get from the food community in Ireland.”
Meet the champs:
Anthony O'Toole is a chef, consultant and Slow Food Advocate. He founded the horticultural project Fat Tomato in 2024. \ Joleen Cronin
Anthony O’Toole
Like many Irish kids in the 80s and early 90s, Anthony O’Toole spent years living in England and coming home to Co Wexford each summer to visit family.
“I hated going back to London after time spent with my grandparents,” he recalls. “I grew up plucking turkeys, collecting eggs, foraging the hedgerows to make jelly, growing carrots in my own little ‘patch’ and milking cows.”
Back in Ireland, as a teen, Anthony had his first taste of gastronomy. First, he worked in his aunt’s restaurant in Enniscorthy, and then in The Courtyard in Ferns. These experiences shaped his future and helped develop his culinary style.
While studying for his Masters in Culinary Innovation at Technological University Dublin, he gained a deeper understanding around the ethics of food production.
“Food, drink, and cultural identity was my research focus, which was about how we express culture, reflect our values and signal our aspirations,” he says. “It all broadened my mind. I went from wanting to be ‘the best chef’ to wanting to share my knowledge, and bring chefs and producers together.”
His years of experience have brought a wealth of knowledge to his business development agency, AOT, and today, Anthony is one of Ireland’s leading voices in food, sustainability and tourism.
You’ll find him working closely with the likes of Euro-Toques Ireland and the Slow Food movement, but equally these days, you’ll find him in his happy place: the market garden where he grows over 500 varieties of edible plants for his horticulture project, Fat Tomato. “Fat Tomato is really a culmination of how I have been advising my clients,” he explains. “We have to constantly innovate and move with the times. It’s also a result of my travels, and wondering why we don’t produce certain ingredients in Ireland when we’re well able to.”
Being named a 2025 Producer Champion has been a career highlight for Anthony, and meaningful, too, as he shares the honour with two people he deeply admires.
“There is a synergy with us three,” he says. “We all share a deep understanding of the artisanal journey, we know how to tell a food story. We understand the challenges food producers face, and we’re not afraid to talk about them.”
Santina Kennedy is a food consultant and food experience curator who specialises in tourism and hospitality. \ Joleen Cronin
Santina Kennedy
“When I was a child, I was such a plain eater,” Santina Kennedy tells Irish Country Living. “But I remember my grandmother, Birdie, making boxty for the whole family and it being a really joyful time for everyone. My mother, Marie would make gorgeous apple tarts for visitors, who really appreciated them. They were making simple food, with heart, and making people happy.”
These core memories stuck with Santina, as she became adventurous with flavour as she got older. When she travelled, she would arrive in a new place and immediately think – “What am I going to eat?” She wondered if visitors to Ireland considered Irish food as seriously.
“We’re surrounded by growers and great ingredients, but we perhaps aren’t celebrating them in the same way [as other countries],” she says. “[In 2009], I opened a small café in Enniskerry, which I operated for 10 years. It became a platform for producers, and meeting them made me so interested in their stories. I wanted to tell these stories through the food I was serving.”
As Santina’s relationship with Irish food evolved, she knew she had more to give. She closed her café and completed a Masters in Gastronomy and Food Studies at TUD, realising her strengths lay in
storytelling, marketing, food history and tourism.
“I was working at Powerscourt Distillery and developed an Irish food and whiskey pairing, which became a really powerful visitor experience,” she says. “I also got involved in Wicklow Naturally [the producer’s group] and I gave that my all, as a volunteer.”
Today, Santina works independently as a consultant specialising in food tourism. Part of her work, and something she loves, is designing and hosting cultural gastronomic experiences. Her Art Plate series (with co-founder Blanca Valencia) considers art through the lens of Irish food and drink and invites guests to The National Gallery in Dublin for an immersive meal.
Being named a 2025 Producers’ Champion alongside Caroline and Anthony came as a complete surprise to Santina.
“I know how I’ve made food my life’s work and get great joy out of it, but being recognised for that is just so special,” she says, visibly emotional. “I admire Anthony and Caroline so much.
“I want to continue using the experiences I curate to provide a platform for small Irish producers. They are working so hard, with so many challenges, to provide something amazing. I just love playing my part in the jigsaw puzzle.”
Caroline Hennessy is a multi-award winning food journalist and author. Her blog, Bibliocook: All About Food, is Ireland's oldest and longest-running food blog. \ Joleen Cronin
Caroline Hennessy
If you are a regular reader, you will be familiar with the work of food journalist and Irish Country Living contributor, Caroline Hennessy. She says the news of being named a 2025 Producers’ Champion caught her completely off-guard.
“I was in total disbelief,” she says. “I just couldn’t get my head around it.”
Caroline has been an active member of the Irish food writing community for many years, from the time she first started writing her food blog Bibliocook: All About Food in 2005.
“Food was always my first love,” she says. “I was planning to train as a chef. Instead, I studied English and history and cooked for my college mates.”
In 2000, Caroline was editor of Ireland’s first-ever food website, RTÉ’s Tasty. She wanted to continue on with food writing, but couldn’t find a way in.
She moved to New Zealand, and her life was turned upside-down after being hit by a truck, which resulted in – among other injuries – a serious skull fracture. The accident happened in February 2005. The following October, she moved home to recover.
“I lost my words,” she recalls. “Before the accident, I had been talking about setting up a food blog called Bibliocook. A techie friend put the site together for me as I navigated my recovery.
“It was occupational therapy,” she continues. “It was a lifeline. I cooked, and wrote, and tried things [and wrote] and discovered new food [and wrote]. Bibliocook gave me the space to find my words again. I found my voice.”
From then on, Caroline carved out an important space within Irish food media. Bibliocook was Ireland’s first-ever food blog, and is now also the longest-running.
Much of Caroline’s success comes from her close relationships with Irish producers. Over the years, she has shared their stories with unwavering support and a realistic understanding of food production.
“It’s their passion, determination and focus I find inspiring; often in the face of so many obstacles,” she says. “My Kiwi partner is half of Eight Degrees Brewing. I know the hard work and heartbreak that goes on behind the scenes, and the compromises a family often has to make. No producer does this work alone.”
The fact that this honour is producer-led makes all the difference to Caroline, and she is thrilled to be a Producers’ Champion alongside Anthony and Santina.
“I’ve always been focused on writing about Irish food and seeking out Irish producers, who work so incredibly hard to bring us the best of what this country has to offer,” she says. “It’s a real honour to be acknowledged for that, and in such brilliant company. I’m so proud to stand with Anthony and Santina, and in this line of fabulous food producer champions.”
Read more
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For Irish food, you could say that April to November is the ‘busy season’, with a different show on nearly every weekend. A definite highlight is always in October, with the Blas na h’Éireann awards in Dingle, Co Kerry. Here, our producers are recognised and celebrated for their contribution to Irish food.
Months before the main event, entries and samples are put forward for judging, which begins in June. In the midst of this, there is another cause for celebration with the announcement of the Blas na h’Éireann Producers’ Champion.
It recognises those who have shown outstanding dedication to Irish food production and championed producers. Previous awardees include Conor Spacey, Kate Ryan, Darina Allen, and Irish Country Living’s resident chef Neven Maguire.
These champions are chosen by the Blas na h’Éireann producer’s network, meaning the accolade comes directly from the Irish food community.
This year, for the first time, not one, but three champions are being honoured: chef, consultant and founder of Fat Tomato, Anthony O’Toole; food curator and consultant, Santina Kennedy; and award-winning journalist Caroline Hennessy. And they spoke exclusively to Irish Country Living ahead of the official announcement.
Founder of Blas na h’Éireann, Artie Clifford, says they’re thrilled to announce “three unique supporters of Irish food”.
“Each of them, in their own way, has shown a serious and ongoing commitment to the people behind the produce. They share a deep understanding of what it takes to grow, make, market and champion Irish food, having all had a background in production, and therefore, an understanding of the challenges that producers can face.”
Blas na h’Éireann organiser, Fallon Moore, says. “We will always want this award to reflect the experience of producers, and to recognise and reward the support they get from the food community in Ireland.”
Meet the champs:
Anthony O'Toole is a chef, consultant and Slow Food Advocate. He founded the horticultural project Fat Tomato in 2024. \ Joleen Cronin
Anthony O’Toole
Like many Irish kids in the 80s and early 90s, Anthony O’Toole spent years living in England and coming home to Co Wexford each summer to visit family.
“I hated going back to London after time spent with my grandparents,” he recalls. “I grew up plucking turkeys, collecting eggs, foraging the hedgerows to make jelly, growing carrots in my own little ‘patch’ and milking cows.”
Back in Ireland, as a teen, Anthony had his first taste of gastronomy. First, he worked in his aunt’s restaurant in Enniscorthy, and then in The Courtyard in Ferns. These experiences shaped his future and helped develop his culinary style.
While studying for his Masters in Culinary Innovation at Technological University Dublin, he gained a deeper understanding around the ethics of food production.
“Food, drink, and cultural identity was my research focus, which was about how we express culture, reflect our values and signal our aspirations,” he says. “It all broadened my mind. I went from wanting to be ‘the best chef’ to wanting to share my knowledge, and bring chefs and producers together.”
His years of experience have brought a wealth of knowledge to his business development agency, AOT, and today, Anthony is one of Ireland’s leading voices in food, sustainability and tourism.
You’ll find him working closely with the likes of Euro-Toques Ireland and the Slow Food movement, but equally these days, you’ll find him in his happy place: the market garden where he grows over 500 varieties of edible plants for his horticulture project, Fat Tomato. “Fat Tomato is really a culmination of how I have been advising my clients,” he explains. “We have to constantly innovate and move with the times. It’s also a result of my travels, and wondering why we don’t produce certain ingredients in Ireland when we’re well able to.”
Being named a 2025 Producer Champion has been a career highlight for Anthony, and meaningful, too, as he shares the honour with two people he deeply admires.
“There is a synergy with us three,” he says. “We all share a deep understanding of the artisanal journey, we know how to tell a food story. We understand the challenges food producers face, and we’re not afraid to talk about them.”
Santina Kennedy is a food consultant and food experience curator who specialises in tourism and hospitality. \ Joleen Cronin
Santina Kennedy
“When I was a child, I was such a plain eater,” Santina Kennedy tells Irish Country Living. “But I remember my grandmother, Birdie, making boxty for the whole family and it being a really joyful time for everyone. My mother, Marie would make gorgeous apple tarts for visitors, who really appreciated them. They were making simple food, with heart, and making people happy.”
These core memories stuck with Santina, as she became adventurous with flavour as she got older. When she travelled, she would arrive in a new place and immediately think – “What am I going to eat?” She wondered if visitors to Ireland considered Irish food as seriously.
“We’re surrounded by growers and great ingredients, but we perhaps aren’t celebrating them in the same way [as other countries],” she says. “[In 2009], I opened a small café in Enniskerry, which I operated for 10 years. It became a platform for producers, and meeting them made me so interested in their stories. I wanted to tell these stories through the food I was serving.”
As Santina’s relationship with Irish food evolved, she knew she had more to give. She closed her café and completed a Masters in Gastronomy and Food Studies at TUD, realising her strengths lay in
storytelling, marketing, food history and tourism.
“I was working at Powerscourt Distillery and developed an Irish food and whiskey pairing, which became a really powerful visitor experience,” she says. “I also got involved in Wicklow Naturally [the producer’s group] and I gave that my all, as a volunteer.”
Today, Santina works independently as a consultant specialising in food tourism. Part of her work, and something she loves, is designing and hosting cultural gastronomic experiences. Her Art Plate series (with co-founder Blanca Valencia) considers art through the lens of Irish food and drink and invites guests to The National Gallery in Dublin for an immersive meal.
Being named a 2025 Producers’ Champion alongside Caroline and Anthony came as a complete surprise to Santina.
“I know how I’ve made food my life’s work and get great joy out of it, but being recognised for that is just so special,” she says, visibly emotional. “I admire Anthony and Caroline so much.
“I want to continue using the experiences I curate to provide a platform for small Irish producers. They are working so hard, with so many challenges, to provide something amazing. I just love playing my part in the jigsaw puzzle.”
Caroline Hennessy is a multi-award winning food journalist and author. Her blog, Bibliocook: All About Food, is Ireland's oldest and longest-running food blog. \ Joleen Cronin
Caroline Hennessy
If you are a regular reader, you will be familiar with the work of food journalist and Irish Country Living contributor, Caroline Hennessy. She says the news of being named a 2025 Producers’ Champion caught her completely off-guard.
“I was in total disbelief,” she says. “I just couldn’t get my head around it.”
Caroline has been an active member of the Irish food writing community for many years, from the time she first started writing her food blog Bibliocook: All About Food in 2005.
“Food was always my first love,” she says. “I was planning to train as a chef. Instead, I studied English and history and cooked for my college mates.”
In 2000, Caroline was editor of Ireland’s first-ever food website, RTÉ’s Tasty. She wanted to continue on with food writing, but couldn’t find a way in.
She moved to New Zealand, and her life was turned upside-down after being hit by a truck, which resulted in – among other injuries – a serious skull fracture. The accident happened in February 2005. The following October, she moved home to recover.
“I lost my words,” she recalls. “Before the accident, I had been talking about setting up a food blog called Bibliocook. A techie friend put the site together for me as I navigated my recovery.
“It was occupational therapy,” she continues. “It was a lifeline. I cooked, and wrote, and tried things [and wrote] and discovered new food [and wrote]. Bibliocook gave me the space to find my words again. I found my voice.”
From then on, Caroline carved out an important space within Irish food media. Bibliocook was Ireland’s first-ever food blog, and is now also the longest-running.
Much of Caroline’s success comes from her close relationships with Irish producers. Over the years, she has shared their stories with unwavering support and a realistic understanding of food production.
“It’s their passion, determination and focus I find inspiring; often in the face of so many obstacles,” she says. “My Kiwi partner is half of Eight Degrees Brewing. I know the hard work and heartbreak that goes on behind the scenes, and the compromises a family often has to make. No producer does this work alone.”
The fact that this honour is producer-led makes all the difference to Caroline, and she is thrilled to be a Producers’ Champion alongside Anthony and Santina.
“I’ve always been focused on writing about Irish food and seeking out Irish producers, who work so incredibly hard to bring us the best of what this country has to offer,” she says. “It’s a real honour to be acknowledged for that, and in such brilliant company. I’m so proud to stand with Anthony and Santina, and in this line of fabulous food producer champions.”
Read more
Buying - and cooking - the perfect steak for your summer barbeque
Food for thought: should we have a legal definition for sourdough bread?
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