The Dalkey Food Company

The Dalkey Food Company is a creative cooking collective born from a true passion for food. Set up in 2010 by Dalkey local and Ballymaloe-trained chef Ivan Varian, the company is the result of a brainwave, a leap of faith — and many hours over a hot stove.

As part of the Irish Slow Food Movement, we are passionate about seasonality, fresh local produce and mouth-watering flavours. We instill the principles of this movement into all our products and services including the supply of wholesome artisanal soups and breads to cafes, pubs and stores of all sizes.

Our pride and joy is our delicious Sorbetto… inspired by our home town and the traditional Italian ices of the Mediterranean. Read more about this newly-launched project here and find out what shelves we’re currently stocking.

And because we like to keep busy — we organise cookery classes. Helping people of any level to gain more confidence in the kitchen is something we love to do. For bespoke event menus tailored to the needs of our clients, we take pleasure in offering Catering and Private Cheffing.

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“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”
Virginia Woolf

Sorbet vegan frozen desert sorbetto dalkey food company

Our latest project has hit the shelves and will hopefully be dancing onto your thirsty palates very soon. Inspired by our hometown’s similarity with the (much sunnier) coastlines of Naples and Amalfi, our wiley gang of Mediterranean-inspired, vegan Sorbettos come in four mouth-watering flavours…

Lemon very lemony sorbet sorbetto dalkey food company — SORRENTO —
*Very Lemony*

Enjoy this classic palate cleanser on its own or shaken with vodka and topped with bubbles to create the fantastic Sgroppino.

Raspberry and tarragon vegan sorbet sorbetto dalkey food company — TORCA —
*Raspberry & Tarragon*

Like a frame can make a painting, the tarragon makes the berry flavour sing: a harmony of ruby-red fruit with a refreshing, aniseed finish.

chocolate and orange cacao vegan sorbet sorbetto dalkey food company — VICO —
*Chocolatey Orange*

With 24% Cacao and zero lactose, this winning combination is as deep, rich and funky as a Bootsy Collins’ bassline! A vegan ice sensation that’s a chocolate citrus party for your tastebuds.

Strawberry and Basil vegan sorbet sorbetto dalkey food company — NERANO —
*Strawberry & Basil*

Our berry bursting, herbaceous hero will bring you back to the taste of summer. Ripe, fresh fruit with a grown up twist of the herb’s peppery tang. Did someone say Daiquiri?

Oh yes, did we mention that they’re 100% Vegan and Plant-based,
Fat-free and made locally. What’s not to love?

They come in 500ml tubs and are currently stocked in:

Butlers Pantry | Barnhill Stores | Nolans of Clontarf

Lilliput Stores | Mortons of Ranelagh

Pettitts Supervalu Bray | Supervalu Kilmainham

Supervalu Pavillion Swords | Aldi

…and a load more to come!

Simple food cooked without pretence. Whether it’s for your cafe, a big occasion, a corporate event or something especially for you — our menus can be adjusted to suit a wide range of events and budgets. Get in touch and we’ll talk through the options.

WHOLESALE

With 11 years in the business of supplying and consulting the cafe trade, we know what we’re at! We know how much you care about the quality and consistency of every part of your business, and our services and products will meet that level of care.
For winter, we have an extensive range of freshly made soups delivered hot to your shop counter, produced that morning, and ready to serve. They are all made from the freshest of seasonal Vegetables, Gluten-free, Vegan (because we want everyone to enjoy the love), and Blended (because we know the consistency of serving is paramount so the first bowl is as good as the last).
For summer, our Sorbetto mix is available for your soft-serve machines. Made from blended fresh fruit, they contain no additives, emulsifiers, and thickeners. And what’s more, they’re all vegan, so they provide a delicious zingy treat that’s a change from the usual, and everyone can taste the summer.
For our consultancy, we offer a suite of advisory solutions to help you on your way to establishing your business or just freshening up your offering. We have assisted some of the greatest cafes in Dublin. From writing menus, product sourcing, and to supply chain management, we offer a bespoke service tailored to your requirements and facilities

PRIVATE CHEFFING

We draw on many years of working both on and off-site from our private clientele. From finger food to multi-coursed, fine-dining meals, we have extensive experience in catering for our clients needs.
“I wanted to plan a special dinner for my friends and I couldn't have been happier with Ivan and his culinary expertise! From the outset to execution, he listened to my thoughts and made the planning process a joy. Not only did Ivan devise a menu that suited all of us and took on board our different tastes, but his food was an absolute treat for the eyes and unbelievably delicious. We are still talking about that lobster risotto!! Thank you so much for an evening to remember and l look forward to planning the next!!”
*— Monica*
“Louise and I just wanted to thank you for preparing, cooking, and serving the food on Saturday evening. From the canapés to the lamb, the food was quite simply delicious and was remarked on by most of our guests on the night and the next day.
*All in all, a very professional service and you have set very high expectations for our guests in the future.”*
— Richard and Louise (Bray)
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“I think Ivan has an innate feeling for the essence and potential of his raw material which he transforms with culinary art for those of us round
the table.”
— Anne Madden

CORPORATE CATERING

We believe that nothing can better exemplify your company’s ethos than the food you offer to your clients and stakeholders. We can either offer menu ideas or follow your brief… and as we’re used to thinking on our feet — we can do it fast! From simple canapés and standing buffets, to catering for that important lunch meeting, our expertise will surpass your expectations.
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“*Ivan and* ***The Dalkey Food Company*** came on board to work with us on a large Industry event held at our buildings this year. Despite the challenges of a small kitchen area and very tight timings, the guys provided exceptional service, following the brief exactly as requested, always smiling and the food was delicious.
*I would have no hesitation in recommending* ***The Dalkey Food Company*** *and we would definitely work with them again*.”
— Lisa Colgan (Events Manager, Ogilvy Dublin)
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“I couldn’t recommend The Dalkey Food Company highly enough… professional, really easy to deal with and their food is fantastic. Thanks a million guys. Publicis QMP look forward to working with you again soon!”
— Shona Byrne (Account Director, Publicis QMP)

If you haven’t guessed already, here at The Dalkey Food Company we simply love food and everything that goes into preparing it. From making a great soup, to putting together a weekday meal for two, to a full-on dinner party for friends — the whole process is a pleasure! And is there anything better than savouring the results of your work with an excellent glass of wine?

“YES, CHEF!”

The epicurean adventurer/chief gourmand behind *The Dalkey Food Company* is Ivan Varian. From an early age, Ivan was fascinated by food having been brought up with plenty of home-grown and hunted produce. This ignited a passion in him for how we eat that has stayed with him ever since.
In 2010, his time as an Audio-Visual design manager came to an end and he was presented with an opportunity to take up a professional role and attend training in Ballymaloe Cookery School. From there he worked his way up through Michelin-starred kitchens and also gained experience as a personal chef to both Louis le Broquy and The Duke of Devonshire.
Through observation of the market he spotted a niche for a food service option of soup that tasted far superior to the current market standard at a cost-efficient level using his experience as both a chef and a business manager. Using feedback from café managers, he successfully established a business supplying soups to the foodservice industry, as well as office delivery. Through constant market research he has developed a series of seasonal soups to bring to the consumer.
In conjunction with this, he has co-produced, written, and co-presents *Gulp – The Science of Food and Cooking*, alongside Jonathan McCrea (Futureproof presenter and Newstalk science editor). The stage show is a nine course bonanza of the weird and wonderful aspects of where the fields of science intersects with how we cook, eat, and taste our food. The boys have performed this show at *The Festival of Curiosity*, *Donegal Festival of Food*, *Northern Ireland Science Festival* and *Electric Picnic* where they will be returning to perform in The Theatre of Food in the Mindfield Area for four years’ running.
As a graduate of the Musgrave’s Food Academy, SuperValu has been great in aiding the business to grow into a completely new sector. By providing the company with insight, mentorship, and practical knowledge of the retail sector through an intensive course, *The Dalkey Food Company* has been able to grow its current market base, expand to larger production kitchens, hire highly-skilled staff, and purchase more from local growers and producers, and thus strengthen their slow food ethos.

Ivan is as dedicated to music as he is to food and he also DJs in festivals such as Electric Picnic, Body and Soul and The Beatyard.

OUR FOOD PRINCIPLES

It takes a certain skill and general culinary knowledge in order to cook well and trust that your food will match your enthusiasm, but we also believe that it just takes a love of flavour and some pure abandon to become a good cook. We can teach you the skills and practice does, indeed, make perfect, so choose the best ingredients you can and dive in. Enjoy it, don't dread it!
We're not too much of an opinionated bunch, but we do feel strongly about a few things...
Our motto is **Buy Irish, Buy Local, Buy in Season**. You will end up with a better meal if you do.
We promise!
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Site photography by Clare Wilkinson, Daniel McCrea and Russ Healy.

Contact Us

We’d love to hear from you. Please fill out our contact form or phone us on +353 (0)1 235 2657

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