'Born and braised' named NI's new signature dish

As part of Northern Ireland's Year of Food and Drink 2016, Tourism NI tasked four of our top chefs to create Northern Ireland's New Signature Dish and following weeks of testing, collaboration and deliberation, the winner has been announced.
Kelan McMichael from Bull and Ram, Finola Guinnane from Tourism NI, Ian Orr of Browns Restaurant and Ardtara House and Niall McKenna of James Street South
proudly unveil the winning dish.Kelan McMichael from Bull and Ram, Finola Guinnane from Tourism NI, Ian Orr of Browns Restaurant and Ardtara House and Niall McKenna of James Street South
proudly unveil the winning dish.
Kelan McMichael from Bull and Ram, Finola Guinnane from Tourism NI, Ian Orr of Browns Restaurant and Ardtara House and Niall McKenna of James Street South proudly unveil the winning dish.

Three shortlisted dishes - ‘Born and Braised’, ‘Jowled Eel’ and ‘Buttermilked Lamb’ - have all been battling it out in a public poll over the last number of weeks. The votes have been counted and verified and ‘Born and Braised’ has now been named, Northern Ireland’s New Signature Dish.

The four creative minds, referred to as the ‘cooking collective’, who created the final three dishes are Niall McKenna from James Street South in Belfast; Ian Orr from Browns Restaurant and Ardtara House in Derry~Londonderry; Kelan McMichael from Bull and Ram in Ballynahinch and Chris McGowan from Wine and Brine in County Armagh.

Naomi Waite, Director of Marketing Tourism Northern Ireland has all the details: “So many people have got involved in the search for Northern Ireland’s New Signature Dish and we’d like to thank each and every one of you. The winning dish, ‘Born and Braised’ will appear on restaurant menus and dinner tables across Northern Ireland, but as the final three were all so delicious there really isn’t any downside for food lovers.

Cooking up a storm at St George's MarketCooking up a storm at St George's Market
Cooking up a storm at St George's Market

“The three dishes prepared by the ‘cooking collective’ are completely new to the dining scene in Northern Ireland and are made from only the best of our local produce. While the Born and Braised, Buttermilked Lamb and Jowled Eel dishes are of restaurant quality the recipes are available on the Discover Northern Ireland website and can easily be cooked, adapted and enjoyed at the dinner table at home.”