Food and drink marketing strategist Ciara Daly on her life in food

A Galway native, Ciara Daly is the driving force behind food marketing agency Conquer Digital. A highly experienced communications professional, she blends her over a decade worth of experience in the food and drink industry with her digital prowess.

A strong advocate for a more holistically nourished world and passionate about contributing to the creation of a more sustainable and circular food system, Ciara works with conscious food and drink brands, sharing authentic and inspiring stories from the industry.

Outside of Conquer Digital, Ciara is a founding member of Ireland’s first dedicated climate news podcast, The Climate Alarm Clock. The podcast brings listeners some of the most relevant news stories, channelled through the lens of the climate emergency. Recommending positive actions each episode, the podcast aims to pierce through the jargon and acronyms of climate science, and brings an infusion of emotional reflection and humour to proceedings.

Here, Ciara Daly shares her life in food…

What are your earliest memories of food?

Sitting at the dinner table with my Grandad Joe eating roast chicken, with him encouraging me to lash more salt on the beautifully crispy chicken skin. To lather a bit more butter on to my scone or to add more sugar to my cornflakes and milk. He was a sturdy Clare man who wanted me to develop a taste for the finer things in life I guess you could say! I’d love to see what he’d make of the food scene in Ireland now. Bringing him out for a taco would be some experience!

How would you describe your relationship with food?

Extremely emotional; for me food means connection, culture, it means celebration and comfort. Feeding others is how I show my love to people, and similarly ensuring that each bite of food that passes my lips is something to be savoured is my own personal form of self care. But on an even deeper level, I really believe that food has a magical ability to inspire change.

While it’s true that the food industry at large has played a huge role in contributing to climate change, through my work I have experienced the respect that many within the Irish food and drink industry have for the food they grow, prepare and serve. And how that food impacts the people, community and environment around them.

That’s why I’m such a strong believer that those in the industry who choose to do business responsibly, and consciously deserve support. Those small responses from those in the Irish food industry have the ability to kick off a huge cyclical impact in combating the climate crisis, and creating a more equal and just society. So for me, food is about so much more than sustenance; it’s about hope, unity and love.

What was the first meal you learned to cook?

Scrambled eggs on toast – I was about 6/7 years old when my even younger neighbour taught me how to do this in the microwave. It was revolutionary!

How did food become a part of your business?

I originally studied Music in University – another passion of mine – but during that time, I was much more concerned with inviting pals around for lunch or dinner, or my job working in a kitchen than I was with my studies so I suppose the grá had been there from an early age. Even after graduating when I moved to the UAE to work as a Music Teacher, I would obsess with what to cook each day, and found myself starting a food blog (which was quite novel at the time) to scratch my itch.

However it was in 2015, when I enrolled in the Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship programme at GMIT that my fate of working in the food industry was sealed. I found myself working alongside like-minded food and drink business owners who shared my passion for food and a profound respect for it. Hearing their passionate discussions about their daily work and witnessing their dedication to delivering exceptional products and experiences left a lasting impression.

It was during this time that I began to realise my role within the industry needed to be telling the stories of these brilliant and passionate people. Their stories held untapped knowledge and the potential to inspire others to cherish and respect food as they did. The seed was planted, and it’s been growing ever since.

What’s your go-to breakfast?

I’m a dinner for breakfast kinda girl… Potato hash with chorizo, peppers, onions, spinach mushrooms and a poached or fried egg depending on the mood!

If you’re impressing friends and family at a dinner party, what are you serving up?

I’m too excited about cooking for friends or family to ever really have a standard “go-to” dish, but you can be sure that whatever I’m cooking is more than likely going to be served up family style. I love the informality and shared responsibility of it, and just think it creates the most wonderful sense of togetherness.

In terms of what I’m cooking; I’ll come up with maybe one or two good solid meat options, and 3/4 good veggie stars of the show, then add the frills in the form of textures and flavours from there. Lots of different dips and sauces, condiments, anything that my diners can mix and match to add a little flexibility to everyone’s dining experience. The key to impressing in my opinion is just making sure there’s something that everyone can enjoy. And a good fancy serving dish doesn’t go astray either!

Who is your culinary inspiration?

I’ve learnt a lot about cooking through YouTube actually. I used to watch a lot of Munchies, chefs like Matty Matheson and Jamie Oliver. I remember watching Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat on Netflix and learning a lot from that too!

What would your last meal on earth be?

It would be a toss up between tacos and margaritas or an Indian feast. Although I am also such a huge fan of Vietnamese food. My problem is that I’m so bad at making decisions about what to eat, that whoever was taking the order would end up getting sick of waiting for me to make a choice and send me off with a bowl of Corn Flakes. Which so long as they were drowned in sugar and milk would be pretty satisfactory too…

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Sticky Toffee Pudding from What’s For Pudding? That stuff is to-die-for!

What’s the go-to quick meal you cook when you’re tired and hungry?

Nasi goreng with a little Newgrange Gold Irish Chilli Oil drizzled over your soft fried egg. It’s the stuff of dreams!

What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?

The limit does not exist!

Hangover cure?

Bacon, sausage, eggs, hash brown, few beans, mushrooms, onions, toast and a big mug of tea. Then a hayp of crisps!

Sweet or savoury?

Savoury.

Fine dining or pub grub?

Pub grub. Shout out to Campbell’s Tavern in Cloughanover – one of my favourite spots for a pizza and a pint.

Favourite restaurant in Ireland?

Rúibín in Galway

Best coffee in Ireland?

Foam in Bundoran, Donegal

Go-to beverage accompaniment?

It depends on the beverage. For tea, biscoff; red wine, cheese; Rosé, spicy food; beer, pizza.

What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene?

I’m in awe of the resilience and strength of the producers who are the backbone of the Irish food scene. They are so dedicated to producing the best tasting, highest quality food and drink products, while also trying to make sure their business has as little impact on the environment as possible. In more ways than one, the odds are often stacked against them, and yet they persevere. I don’t say it flippantly but we are truly blessed with the best on this little island!

What’s your favourite thing about cooking?

It’s the one time I think I truly can switch off and relax. There is something so peaceful to me about cooking, particularly when I’m going to be sharing the food I’m preparing with people. It’s the definitely the way I show my love for people

What does food — sitting down to a meal with friends, mindfully preparing a meal, nourishment, etc — mean to you?

Everything. It’s one of the most beautiful privileges to be able to sit down with people you love and enjoy good food together, and I really do cherish each opportunity I get to do this.

Food for thought — Is there room for improvement within the Irish food/restaurant/hospitality scene?

As a nation, we most certainly need to improve on food security. Currently Ireland imports over 80% of our fruit and veg; there are 85% less field vegetable producers in the country than there was 25 years ago with that number standing at a mere 65. Should those imports become unavailable to us, what will we be left with to eat?

Similarly, we say we champion our beef, but the reality is that the average income from “cattle rearing” in Ireland was just over €9,400 in 2022, which actually is a decrease from 2021. What does it say when the people growing our food can’t realistically afford to go and pay for it. That’s just not good enough and it needs to change! I’d personally love to see more support for these producers in the form of direct buying by institutions such as hospitals and universities, etc.

There’s more benefits to this than just the financial ones, better quality food for the general public can help improve overall health. There are just so many wins that can come from fixing our food system here in Ireland.

Chef’s kiss — Tell us about one standout foodie experience you’ve had recently.

These gentlemen really need no introduction but I had a Banh Mi pizza from The Dough Bros earlier this year and the memory of the joy it brought me is still with me. I have to give it to them, from the moment you step inside the door of their Galway restaurant, everything about the experience is just spot on!

Compliments to the chef — Now’s your chance to sing the praises of a talented chef, beloved restaurant or particularly talented foodie family member.

I’m going to do all three.

The chef I want to sing the praises of is Julia Hemingway, aka the talented woman behind Julia’s Lobster Truck. The knowledge, respect and sincere love she has for food has had a big influence on me. She is without a doubt one of the best chefs on this magical island of ours!

The beloved restaurant needs no introduction – Kai Galway. Never in the seven or eight years I’ve been going there have I had a less than sensationally delicious meal there!

And last but not least, my aunt Claire Marlborough. Like myself, she has a serious grá for a family style spread. From seafood platters to her famous brown bread, her food always feels like a big warm hug!

Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?

Good Sea Salt – when you know how to season food correctly, you can make your food sing! West of Dingle is the salt I’m loving most at the moment. What I particularly love about them is that Marie, who is originally a potter by trade, handmakes these beautiful clay pots which you can store your salt in that absorbs the moisture and stops it from getting clumpy. Just beautiful!