Portadown family caterer secures first Northern Ireland two-star rating in Food Made Good Standard

Northern Ireland family caterer Yellow Door has achieved a notable milestone by securing a two-star rating in The Sustainable Restaurant Association's Food Made Good Standard.

This recognition marks the first in Northern Ireland and underscores Yellow Door's commitment to sustainability within the hospitality industry.

Yellow Door, based in Portadown, is operated by the husband-and-wife team Simon and Jilly Dougan, which includes a bakery, the Deli Market restaurant in Portadown, and well-known outside catering operations. The company employs 70 people across the three operations, plus casual staff for events. Last year, the company had a turnover of £3.6 million.

Jilly Dougan says that the business has always been committed to ethical sourcing and sustainability. She wanted to test if Yellow Door's operations would pass close scrutiny by the organisation, whose President is chef Raymond Blanc OBE.

Jilly explained: "The agrifood sector, at the level of artisans and independent businesses, relies on trust and cooperation. This drives our approach to always seek out the best ingredients, not beating our small suppliers down on price and conducting ourselves in full awareness that we are in a climate crisis.

"We want to feed people well and make them happy, at the end of the day. While it's one thing to claim to be conscientious and aware, it's another to be closely examined by qualified inspectors. This acknowledgment gives us even more reason to celebrate.”

The Sustainable Restaurant Association’s Food Made Good Standard follows an extensive assessment process which looks at three key pillars: Sourcing, Society and Environment.

Managing director of The Sustainable Restaurants Association, Juliane Caillouette Noble, continued: "We are delighted to congratulate Yellow Door Deli on their fantastic two-star result in the Food Made Good Standard, making them the only accredited restaurant in Northern Ireland! Social sustainability is an area often overlooked in the hospitality industry, so it was particularly impressive to see their great work in the Society pillar of the Standard.

"Specifically, we are inspired to see the relationship they have built with the local community in Portadown and love their menus – a true celebration of small-scale and local artisan producers. Well done to Jilly and Simon Dougan and the whole team at Yellow Door."

In terms of sourcing, Yellow Door scored highly for its focus on the provenance of its ingredients. Regarding society, it was recognised for its commitment to making a positive impact on staff, clients and the wider community. In terms of the environment, the assessors acknowledged Yellow Door's commitment to managing its environmental impact by reducing food waste, working with suppliers to use reusable containers and conducting a carbon footprint analysis.

“There are always areas where there is room for improvement, and we are committed to achieving a three-star rating next time!” added Jilly.