ICIAR has proudly announced its victory as the Best Delicatessen for France at the esteemed French Champion Awards, held last week in Dublin.
Founded by Parisian entrepreneur Julien Comte, ICIAR is more than just a café and deli—it’s a culinary haven that brings the finest French cheeses and delicacies to Dublin. Inspired by his love for Ireland, Comte bid adieu to Paris in 2020 and embarked on a mission to tantalise Irish taste buds with the essence of French gastronomy. With a full delicatessen, catering, and take-out offerings, ICIAR is renowned for its meticulously curated cheese and charcuterie boxes, mouth-watering Croque Monsieurs, gourmet coffee, freshly baked French bread, pastries, sandwiches, and a selection of French wines—all served with flair in its Parisian-inspired café located in the Frascati Centre in Blackrock. And a second ICIAR will be opening in Whelan’s Wines in Loughlinstown next month.
The French Champion Awards, organised by Business France and the French government trade agency, aimed to recognise and honour the outstanding contributions of Irish businesses in promoting and showcasing French produce.
“We are incredibly proud and honoured to receive the Best Delicatessen in Ireland award at the French Champion Awards,” said Julien Comte, Founder of ICIAR. “This recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to offering an unparalleled selection of authentic French products to our valued customers. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the promotion of French cuisine in Ireland.”
ICIAR’s win underscores its dedication to excellence in providing top-quality French cheese and products and its pivotal role in elevating the profile of French gastronomy in the Irish market. With this prestigious award, ICIAR reaffirms its status as the go-to destination for French delicacies and sets the standard for culinary excellence in Ireland.
For more information about ICIAR and its award-winning selection of French products, visit www.iciar.ie.
LOCATIONS
• Frascati Shopping Center, Frascati Rd, Blackrock, Dublin, A94 Y2W6
• Opening in May 2024: Whelans Wines, The Silver Tassie, Bray Rd, Dublin 18 VK37
Who are the 2024 French Champions?
The French Champion awards were created to recognise the contribution of the Irish traders who play a key role in raising the profile of French produce on the Irish market, across four categories:
- Best Importer for France
- Best Supermarket for France
- Best Restaurant for France
- Best Delicatessen for France
The nominees for ‘Best Importer for France’ were La Rousse Foods and Odaios, with La Rousse Foods leaving with the award in hand in a closely run race.
The ‘Best Supermarket for France’ French Champion was Donnybrook Fair, who was in good company nominated alongside Dunnes Stores, who were recognised for the diversity of French products on shelves.
The ‘Best Restaurant for France’ French Champion Award was taken home by a restaurant widely known for their exemplary French food and wine selection, Dax Restaurant, shortlisted alongside Piglet Wine Bar.
French Food Days: Celebrating the ties between Ireland and France
The awards kicked off French Food Days, Ireland’s only event 100% dedicated to French produce organised by Business France. This year saw over 50 Irish food industry professionals sign up to meet the 9 exhibitors keen to expand their presence in Ireland.
This year’s event was supported by Adec, the agency in charge of promoting the development of Corsican companies internationally. Consequently, Irish professionals enjoyed a Corsican flavour to this year’s proceedings; artisan biscuits, olive oils, vinegars, jams, pâtés and teas were just some of the ‘Isle of Beauty’s’ delicacies presented to professionals from the Emerald Isle.
