The 21st Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, held in China's Yantai, saw Irish publications win in three categories as 205 countries competed to be crowned the best food and wine publications in print and digital form, as well as food television.
TheTaste.ie, which was set up by Keith and Jules Mahon 18 months ago, won the Gourmand Award for Best Digital Food Magazine in the World. It currently has a readership of 1.7 million and has generated €2.2 million in revenue across the hospitality industry.
On winning the award, Keith Mahon said “It is the quality and beauty of fresh Irish produce and the culinary innovations of Irish chefs and restauranteurs that enable us to produce TheTaste.ie. Without the product, there would be no magazine and really this award belongs as much to the Irish hospitality community as it does to The Taste team. We are delighted to receive the award, to win for Ireland at such a prestigious global event is a true honour.”
Michael O'Meara, who runs Oscar's Seafood Bistro in Galway, won the award Best Seafood Cookbook in the World for Sea Gastronomy along with publisher Artisan House Connemara.
Dingle-based chef, author and multiple sclerosis blogger Trevis Gleason and publisher Coffeetown Press, won the Prestige Award by the International Jury for the book Chef Interrupted – Discovering Life's Second Course in Ireland.
Commenting on his win, Gleason said “The Gourmand Awards does not have a memoir category, but they felt Chef Interrupted was worth review for an award of special merit. For the book to be nominated to represent Ireland was beyond belief. To be given the Prestige Award by the International Jury was, indeed, an honour and surprise.”
