'A massive boost for us': American-born Northern Ireland entrepreneur wins big at restaurant awards with double honour
Lo and Slo Sauces founder Emily Joy-McCorkell celebrates double success at the Restaurant Awards of Ireland, earning honours for both sustainability and local food impact
American BBQ specialist Emily Joy-McCorkell, owner of the award-winning Lo and Slo Sauces in Londonderry, was one of the big successes in this year’s restaurant awards for Northern Ireland.
A native of Philadelphia, Emily is passionate about the benefits of barbecued food and has built a successful small business in Londonderry developing American BBQ sauces and seasonings which have won her UK Great Taste Awards for quality and innovation. In addition, Emily has expanded into running training courses for home cooks keen to master BBQ culinary skills.
Emily’s enterprise recently won her two awards in the prestigious Restaurant Awards of Ireland (RAI) Ulster regional heat in the Armagh City Hotel. She was the choice for Local Food Hero in Londonderry. Lo and Slo Sauces, in addition, won Best Sustainable Practices for that county.
“I am absolutely thrilled to have gained this RAI recognition for my focus on BBQ food and culinary techniques over the years. More people than ever before are taking part in our workshops at Brook Hall,” says Emily.
She’s enjoying widespread success with her unique sauces, dips and glazes in the North West and beyond.
"The award for our longstanding commitment to sustainability is a massive boost for us,” she added.
Originally travelling to Londonderry to help with children affected by the violence, Emily subsequently married and stayed. She decided to start a small outdoor food truck business and then launched her Lo and Slo American Sauces in 2018 with help from technical experts at the FoodOvation Centre at the North West Regional College (NWRC) on Strand Road.
Known for ‘low and slow’ cooking, Lo and So offers premium, often vegan products designed for cooking, glazing, and dipping.
The company produces a variety of award-winning sauces and rubs, including a sticky, tangy Chilli Mop Sauce (ideal for pork), an Original BBQ Sauce with molasses and warm spices, and a fiery Screaming Banshee Hot Sauce featuring an extremely hot Ghost Chili. The company focuses on authentic American BBQ roots combined with locally sourced ingredients. Emily emphasizes ‘good, clean, and fair’ food.