BRID TORRADES

Chef

Brid Torrades recognised the wealth of Irish food and culinary experience before most, and has been protecting and promoting it for over 30 years. Through her involvement with Euro-Toques over a 23-year period, she has defended artisan food practices and natural food resources at a European level, as well as promoting and participating in food education initiatives. 

Brid has been chef-proprietor of award-winning coffee shops and restaurants since the age of 21.  Her great belief in the quality and freshness of Irish ingredients and determination to source them direct from farms, as locally as possible, influences everything she does. It remains the philosophy behind her current outlets, Osta Café & Wine Bar which offer casual but high quality local fare at affordable prices in Sligo Town in the North West of Ireland.

Her drive to encourage new producers, create a local food scene and make good food accessible to all, led her to spearhead the founding of the SÓ Sligo Food Festival, which prepared the groundwork for Sligo Food Trail, an organisation which unites producers and food outlets in the local area. Her passion and enthusiasm for Irish food grows unabated, encouraged by the fact that small scale food production is now viable as customers become more aware of quality and food miles.