Jp McMahon, the chef, restaurateur and author, calls for the appointment of a dedicated Minister for Food in Ireland.
Recognised as a food leader and a prominent advocate for food sustainability, education and food ethics, Jp McMahon emphasised that a Minister with a dedicated remit for food could help drive policies to support the culture of food in Ireland and create a vision for food for the next 25 years.
Jp McMahon said: “Ireland has done well in the independent sector in terms of food, hospitality and small cafés, bars and restaurants, but he stressed that as a nation, we can’t just keep hoping that food entrepreneurs are going to continue landing in Ireland.” He argued that the food sector, which is central to the country’s culture and economy, requires focused government leadership to address key challenges facing the food and hospitality industry right now.
Hospitality goes back to the Middle Ages in Ireland, and Jp McMahon called on the government to appoint a minister whose brief was to sustain and develop the food landscape in the country. In a rapidly changing global food landscape, he believes Ireland is at a crossroads and needs a dedicated government minister to connect the dots between agriculture and food production as a commodity with a strong food policy that works to futureproof the culture of food in Ireland.
Jp said: “Right now, responsibility falls on so many different government agencies that ultimately it falls between the cracks. We see a similar thing happening with the Arts and Sports portfolios because they need more support and development. Ultimately, the international perception of Ireland needs to change regarding Irish food because the awareness of our rich culinary heritage and strong food culture is just not there.”
Pointing to the development of food policy in other European countries such as Spain, Italy and France, and how that has strengthened the industry there, he went on to say that: “We excel at food as a commodity; with a high percentage of our beef and dairy exported, but domestic food at home is not getting minded”. He believes that if it continues on this trajectory; “More multinationals or bigger restaurant groups will become the norm, and our food landscape will reflect the generic offerings often seen in major cities in America and the UK”.
Jp feels that another area of concern is around food security and supply chains, something that was brought into sharp focus during the pandemic and with the ongoing weather events. While we may not necessarily be in a position to be fully self-sufficient, support for small growers and producers so that they can survive would be part of the remit for a Minister for Food.
Jp is the founder and symposium director of Food on The Edge, the internationally renowned food convention where visionary chefs and food leaders come together to listen, talk, and debate about the future of food in the industry and on the planet. He says that for the past decade, those in the industry have been calling for stronger policies to support the longevity of the culture and heritage of our food landscape here in Ireland.
The chef patron of the Michelin-starred Aniar Restaurant also stressed the need for policy and planning to support the hospitality and tourism industry and likened the importance of a ministerial position for the industry as being similar to that of Sport and The Arts.
Keep up to date with the latest news by following Jp McMahon on social at @mistereatgalway
