The Spring 2024 PodBLASt series features 4 Blas judges talking about their experiences judging.

In this episode, Fallon Moore talks to Shane Smith, an award-winning Pastry Chef with over 25 years of experience working in some of the most celebrated pastry kitchens in Ireland and abroad.

These years of experience and love of teaching ultimately led to the launch of his own online cookery school in 2022. Shane’s mission is to share his experience and knowledge to help educate, mentor and guide the next generation of pastry chefs and home bakers.

Along with this, he also manages his own consultancy business, specialising in hands-on training, recipe development, long & short-term support, social media planning for food establishments nationwide.

Shane is currently Brand Ambassador for Kenwood Ireland and Gem Foods and in his free time, can be found behind the camera lens, styling and photographing food. He is no stranger to standing in front of the camera lens either as he is a regular on “The Today Show” on RTÉ One.  Here he can be seen bringing his natural love of all things sweet into the nation's homes.

Other episodes in the Spring 2024 PodBLASt series:
Episode 1 Patrick Hanlon
Episode 3 Una Martin
Episode 4 Ali Dunworth

#Blas2024 is open for entries until Thursday 16 May 2024!  Visit www.irishfoodawards.com for more details.

PodBLAST Spring 2024 - Shane Smith

The Spring 2024 PodBLASt series features interviews with 4 Blas judges.

In this interview Fallon Moore talks to Úna Martin about her judging experience.

Úna's entrepreneurial journey began in 2009 when she founded Úna’s Pies at the Farmers' markets in Cork. Her dedication to quality and innovation quickly earned her recognition, with numerous accolades including the prestigious Blas na hÉireann / Irish Food Awards Artisan Producer and Supreme Champion titles. Despite its success, Únas Pies faced challenges due to rising ingredient costs and she ceased trading in 2014. Undeterred, Úna transitioned to a new role, joining the product development team at Clóna Dairy Products in Clonakilty.
 
In 2021, Úna embarked on a new career path, as an International Recruitment Officer for the College of Science, Engineering, and Food Science, University College Cork (UCC)  Her diverse background as an artisan producer, a contributor to major retail production, and now a judge on the Irish Food Awards panel gives her a unique perspective to the judging process.
  
Other episodes in the Spring 2024 PodBLASt series:
Episode 1 Patrick Hanlon
Episode 2 Shane Smith
Episode 4 Ali Dunworth

#Blas2024 is open for entries until Thursday 16 May 2024!  Visit www.irishfoodawards.com for more details.

PodBLAST Spring 2024 - Una Martin

In the Spring 2024 PodBLASt series Fallon Moore talks to a selection of Blas judges.

In this final interview of the series, we meet Ali Dunworth.

Ali is a writer, journalist, consultant and events curator who loves writing and talking about food and drink so much that she’s made a career out of it. She started out working in hospitality before a career behind the scenes in food TV. In between TV productions, she always returned to bar and restaurant work, either waiting tables, making drinks or back in the kitchen. There was even a year spent cooking at Lord’s Cricket Ground and another running a butchers in Melbourne. As a freelance food, drink and travel writer, Ali contributes to the Irish Times, Food & Wine Magazine and many others. She also curates and hosts numerous Irish food events and festival stages. At the heart of everything Ali does is great local food and drink and a hunger for the stories that go with them. Cooking, writing, storytelling, washing up, pouring pints, writing about pints – she’s done them all, and as a freelancer, she’s always prepared to do any of them again. 

Her book “A Compendium of Irish Pints” is available to order from Blasta Books.

Other episodes in the Spring 2024 PodBLASt series:
Episode 1 Patrick Hanlon
Episode 2 Shane Smith
Episode 3 Una Martin

#Blas2024 is open for entries until Thursday 16 May 2024!  Visit www.irishfoodawards.com for more details.

PodBLASt Spring 2024 - Ali Dunworth

In the Spring 2025 PodBLASt four-part series, Fallon Moore talks to Blas finalists and winners from the farming community.

In the first episode we meet Sharon Sugrue of Réalta Mara. Located between the stunning Dingle and Iveragh peninsulas of County Kerry, Réalt na Mara Shellfish produce top quality oysters and mussels, managing the entire process from seed to what you enjoy on the plate!

Other episodes in the Spring 2025 PodBLASt series:
Episode 2 Cass & Nick McCarthy, Lunasa Farm
Episode 3 Helen Bracken, Fox Covert Farm
Episode 4 Maria Flynn, Ballymakenny Farm

PodBLAST is presented by Fallon Moore and produced by Sharon Noonan.

For more information about Blas na hÉireann/Irish Food Awards, visit www.irishfoodawards.com

#Blas2025 is open for entries from Monday 17th March 2025 until Thursday 15th May 2025!
Early bird deadline is Wednesday 2nd April 2025.



PodBLASt Spring 2025 - Sharon Sugrue

In the Spring 2025 PodBLASt four-part series, Fallon Moore talks to Blas finalists and winners from the farming community.

In the second episode, we meet Cass and Nick McCarthy first first-generation farmers who are passionate about regenerative agriculture, ethically-raised livestock and food provenance. 

Other episodes in the Spring 2024 PodBLASt series:
Episode 1 Sharon Sugrue, Réalta Mara
Episode 3 Helen Bracken, Fox Covert Farm
Episode 4 Maria Flynn, Ballymakenny Farm

PodBLAST is presented by Fallon Moore and produced by Sharon Noonan.

For more information about Blas na hÉireann/Irish Food Awards, visit www.irishfoodawards.com

#Blas2025 is open for entries from Monday 17th March 2025 until Thursday 15th May 2025!
Early bird deadline is Wednesday 2nd April 2025.



PodBLASt Spring 2025 - Cass & Nick McCarthy

In the Spring 2025 PodBLASt four-part series, Fallon Moore talks to Blas finalists and winners from the farming community.

In the third episode, Helen Bracken from Fox Covert gives an insight into being a part of a fifth-generation farming family who has diversified into growing sustainable hemp seed in a 100% natural, pesticide, fungicide and herbicide-free environment. 

Other episodes in the Spring 2024 PodBLASt series:
Episode 1 Sharon Sugrue, Réalta Mara
Episode 2 Cass & Nick McCarthy, Lunasa Farm
Episode 4 Maria Flynn, Ballymakenny Farm

PodBLAST is presented by Fallon Moore and produced by Sharon Noonan

For more information about Blas na hÉireann/Irish Food Awards, visit www.irishfoodawards.com

#Blas2025 is open for entries from Monday 17th March 2025 until Thursday 15th May 2025!
Early bird deadline is Wednesday 2nd April 2025.


PodBLASt Spring 2025 - Helen Bracken

In the Spring 2025 PodBLASt four-part series, Fallon Moore talks to Blas finalists and winners from the farming community.

In the final episode, Maria Flynn shares the journey that brought her to Ballymakenny Farm where she now grows heritage and speciality potatoes. 

Other episodes in the Spring 2024 PodBLASt series:
Episode 1 Sharon Sugrue, Réalta Mara
Episode 2 Cass & Nick McCarthy, Lunasa Farm
Episode 3 Helen Bracken, Fox Covert Farm

PodBLAST is presented by Fallon Moore and produced by Sharon Noonan

For more information about Blas na hÉireann/Irish Food Awards, visit www.irishfoodawards.com

#Blas2025 is open for entries from Monday 17th March 2025 until Thursday 15th May 2025!
Early bird deadline is Wednesday 2nd April 2025.

PodBLASt Spring 2025 - Maria Flynn

This special episode of Best Possible Taste was recorded live at Cork on a Fork.
Host Sharon Noonan had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Fallon Moore from Blas na hÉireann, the Irish Food Awards. Now in its 18th year, Blas na hÉireann is the largest blind-tasted food awards on the island of Ireland, celebrating the very best of Irish produce and the passionate people behind it. 
Fallon chats to Sharon about Cork’s award-winning drinks—an area where the Rebel County truly shines. 

Best Possible Taste is Ireland's longest-running food and drink podcast.  Visit www.sharonnoonan.com for more details and episodes.

Best Possible Taste at Cork on a Fork!

Each year, Blas na hÉireann celebrates excellence in Irish food and drink, not just through their awards for outstanding products, but also by recognising the people who go above and beyond to support and champion Irish food and drink producers. 

The Blas Producers’ Champion Award is unique because it’s not decided by a panel or a committee—it’s voted for by the Irish food and drink producers themselves. It’s their way of saying thank you to someone who has made a real difference in their journey, whether through mentorship, advocacy, collaboration, or simply being a consistent and passionate supporter of Irish food and drink.

In 2025, for the first time, there was a three-way tie—equal votes for three incredible individuals.   In this bumper episode of podBLASt, Fallon Moore chats to each of them - Caroline Hennessy, Anthony O’Toole and Santina Kennedy, to find out — in their own words—about their work and their passion for Irish food and drink.

For more information about Blas na hÉireann, visit www.irishfoodawards.com

PodBLASt is presented by Fallon Moore and produced by Sharon Noonan.

PodBLASt September 2025 - Producers' Champions

This panel discussion was recorded in October 2025 as part of the #Blas2025 Conversations in the Backyard, supported by Bank of Ireland.

Messy, Mindful & Making it Work

 Work-life balance isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s the secret ingredient to thriving businesses. 
The final Conversation in the Backyard was a relaxed, conversational session exploring how balance, wellness, and genuine care for yourself and your team can spark creativity, boost efficiency, and make the workplace a happier place for everyone. 

Work-life balance isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s the secret ingredient to thriving businesses. 

Hosted by Blas Boss Fallon Moore with guests Emma Tarbett (Hatch Coffee) and Aoife McElwaine.

𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘺𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 available to watch on our 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘛𝘶𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭.


October 2025 - Messy, Mindful & Making it Work!

Food and Drink Podcast with Sharon Noonan.
Ireland's longest-running food and drink podcast airing since 2013.

Some people like to blog, Sharon Noonan likes to interview!  In 2013 her food and drink show, Best Possible Taste, premiered on West Limerick 102FM and entertained listeners for 11 years up until October 2024.  

Sharon continues to interview guests from the food and drink scene in Ireland and beyond for the podcast.  From restaurant reviews to discussing current affairs issues affecting the hospitality industry to hearing a famous family recipe to enjoying an award winning artisan product, the topics covered are diverse and delectable.  Happy listening and Bon Appetit!

New tracks tagged #Fallon Moore