Overview: Blas na hÉireann crowns two Irish favourites
The Blas na hÉireann Irish food awards returned to the spotlight with a pair of standout wins that underscore the country’s thriving food scene. In a ceremony set against the backdrop of Dingle, Co Kerry, this year’s awards crowned a lockdown-era chocolate business as Supreme Champion 2025 and honoured a decades-old cheese producer as Best Artisan Producer. The four-day festival, which celebrates producers from all 32 counties, remains one of the nation’s most prestigious food honours.
Supreme Champion 2025: Bon Chocolatiers
Offaly’s Bon Chocolatiers claimed the highest honour of the night, taking the Supreme Champion 2025 award. The bakery-turned-chocolate studio is the brainchild of Georgia Quealy and Daniel Linehan, a couple who met while training as chefs and later merged patisserie craft with luxury chocolate making. Their journey—from the kitchens of renowned chefs to founding a boutique brand—has been rapid and focused on quality, design, and ethical sourcing.
Bon Chocolatiers’ philosophy blends ethically sourced chocolate from France and Switzerland with Irish butter and cream, complemented by foraged local berries to create small-batch chocolates that are equally rooted in luxury and locality. Their products are sold online and through select retailers, including Fallon & Byrne in Dublin, alongside partnerships with certain restaurants and hotels seeking an elevated chocolate experience.
Coinciding with the awards week, the founders welcomed the birth of their first child, a daughter, adding a personal milestone to a landmark year for the brand. Blas na hÉireann chairperson Artie Clifford described the Supreme Champion as a celebration of a young couple starting their business journey with a bold, high-quality offering that spans a full flavour spectrum from sweet to savoury.
Best Artisan Producer: Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers
Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers, long associated with the iconic Cashel Blue, was named Best Artisan Producer. The award recognises the family-run dairy’s evolution from its 1984 blue cheese burst onto the Irish scene to a broader, terroir-infused cheese range. Today, under the next generation—Sarah Furno and her husband Sergio Furno—the business has expanded with cheeses like Shepherd’s Store (a sheep’s milk cheese) and Cashel Blue Organic, maintaining a commitment to traditional methods while exploring modern expressions of flavour.
Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers has become a staple in Irish cheesemaking lore, illustrating how a brand rooted in one beloved classic can grow into a portfolio of cheeses that reflect place, craft, and consistency. Clifford praised the family’s long-standing contribution to Irish cheese culture, noting that Best Artisan Producer highlights a family business that has endured and evolved over decades.
What the awards mean for Ireland’s food scene
Blas na hÉireann’s dual winners underscore the breadth of excellence in Irish food—from artisanal chocolate makers to terroir-driven cheesemakers. The award program, open to producers from all counties, serves as a bellwether for trends in small-batch, high-quality food and drink, and it provides a platform for producers at different stages of their journeys. Clifford’s reflections remind us that success can span generations: a long-established family business like Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers—a first-generation dream 41 years ago—can stand alongside a youthful chocolate atelier embarking on its own ascent.
About the festival and its reach
Blas na hÉireann has grown into a cornerstone of the Irish food calendar. The four-day event in Dingle gathers producers from across the country, with gold, silver, and bronze awards highlighting the finest in Irish food and drink. The Supreme Champion title and Best Artisan Producer award are among the highest honours in the industry, celebrated by peers and consumers alike.
