Culloden Estate and Spa is food lovers choice at Good Food Ireland Awards

13th November 2024

Photo caption: Mark Begley (middle), Executive Head Chef of the Culloden Estate & Spa is joined by Grace Dugan, Chef de Partie and Ross McAlister, Executive Sous Chef as it is announced that the leading 5-star property has been named as the winner of the Northern Ireland Food Lovers Choice award at the Good Food Ireland Awards 2024. 

The Culloden Estate and Spa has been named the Northern Ireland Food Lovers Choice at the Good Food Ireland Awards 2024. 

The prestigious awards celebrate businesses at every layer of Ireland’s food and drink industry, from primary producers, manufacturers, and chefs, to shops, hotels, tourism experiences and restaurants.

The event took place at a glamorous ceremony at The K Club in County Kildare and was attended by 300 guests including Irish and international chefs, buyers, food and drink writers, media and industry leaders. 

The judges said that the Culloden’s stunning location and exceptional dining experiences made the 5-star property a popular choice. 

The award is a reflection of the Culloden’s experienced culinary team which recently welcomed Ross McAlister as its new Executive Sous Chef. Ross was former Sous Chef at the five-star Grand Central Hotel.

Mark Begley, Executive Head Chef of the Culloden Estate & Spa said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been named the Northern Ireland winner of the Food Lovers Choice Award at this year’s Good Food Ireland Awards. Our food offering has been a key focus for us across the Estate in recent years and we have developed a strong culinary team of talented chefs and together we have transformed the menus. 

We pride ourselves in offering a truly unique experience across the Culloden’s beautiful range of dining options and this award is testament to our teams and also reflects our commitment to local provenance and creating seasonal menus.” 

“We are particularly proud of the immersive fine dining experience we have created with our 7-course tasting menu in Vespers. It is a truly unique gastronomic experience of taste, texture, and immaculate presentation, and has been incredibly popular with our guests from around the world. 
This prestigious accolade is a fantastic achievement for our team and a reflection of the collective passion that drives every single one of us to innovate and push boundaries with our menus every day,” Mark added.