Chef Wise

Gaze out of the window at Three Choirs Vineyard in Gloucestershire and you could easily be in Southern France, Western Australia or California.  Three Choirs is the most awarded single estate wine producer in the UK.  Originally the dream of wine lover Alan McKechnie, in 1972 he decided to transform his fruit farm into the thriving vineyard it is today. Now managed by Thomas Shaw, the vineyard has grown alongside England’s reputation for wine. Three Choirs offers wine and food lovers a choice of overnight accommodation.  Choose from the boutique ‘Vineyard’ hotel rooms adjacent to the restaurant and 3 stunning lodges that nestle amongst the vines.  You can even enjoy a breakfast hamper on your doorstep each morning or a locally sourced barbeque pack from the restaurant in the summer months.  The lodges boast under floor heating, roll top baths, and freshly ground coffee and homemade chocolates. The restaurant run by General Manager Darren Leonard...

Seasoned Cookery School are pleased to announce that two more Masterchefs will be joining their team of expert chefs. Claire Hutchings, 2011 Professional Masterchef finalist and 2012 Masterchef finalist, Andrew Kojima will be joining Seasoned Cookery school to offer day courses and unique Demo & Dine evenings in the beautiful surroundings of the Catton Hall Estate. Claire, aged 23 is known for her bubbly personality, skill and passion for unusual flavour combinations. She rose to fame last year as she wowed judges Michael Roux Junior and Greg Wallace in the gripping BBC1 Masterchef Professional TV series.  Claire comments: "I like to showcase my skills by taking one ingredient and doing several things with it and the presentation is important -  I want to impress my diners and make it a moment to remember." Claire's will be hosting two demo & dine evenings; the first evening will be a three course menu and the second a five course taster menu....

The Great Taste 2013 Supreme Champion award will be sponsored by Harrods in a new agreement with The Guild of Fine Food, organiser of the Great Taste Awards which is now entering its 19th year.    Last year the awards scheme attracted over 8,000 entries and this September, Harrods will present the Supreme Champion trophy to the producer of the most exceptional food or drink entered into Great Taste 2013 that was judged "faultless, exquisite, outstanding" by the panel of experts.     "Harrods built its reputation on retailing only the very best products. In order to select them, we work in partnership with our suppliers and many of those small and unique producers have been introduced to us through Great Taste. We are very proud to support Great Taste; the logo communicates that the product is the very best in its field," commented Bruce Langlands, Director of Food Halls at Harrods.   Great Taste opens for entries on 4 Februa...

The Ambrette named Best Indian Restaurant in South East by Cobra Good Curry Guide The Ambrette Restaurants Margate and Rye have been named “Best in the South East” by the Cobra Good Curry Guide – despite not serving curry.  “Of the UK’s 9,000 Indian restaurants in the UK, The Ambrette is one of the elite few - it is a fantastic achievement,” said Pat Chapman, Editor of the Cobra Good Curry Guide, who visited the Kent restaurant to present chef-patron Dev Biswal with the covet award. Biswal hopes that his latest accolade will encourage the next generation of Indian chefs and restaurateurs to move away from a “de facto franchise model” where almost every high street curry house offers a near identical menu. Despite being listed in all the major restaurant guides and having won numerous awards, Biswal feels that the Cobra Good Curry Guide tribute is the pinnacle. “Because we don’t serve curry or have any of the usual dishes like Chicken Tikka Masala or Lam...

The Cake & Bake Show - the UK's biggest experiential event dedicated to all things baking - is proud to announce that Paul Hollywood, Dan Lepard, Simon Rimmer and Andrew Nutter will be at the show in Manchester. They will join Mary Berry, Eric Lanlard, Peter Sidwell, Mich Turner and all of the contestants from Great British Bake Off 2012. Expanding to three days, the Cake & Bake Show Manchester brings together all of the nation's favourite baking stars on April 5-7. Paul Hollywood, the UK's most famous bread maker and judge on the Great British Bake Off returns to the show, demonstrating on the main Bakery Stage and hosting live bake offs on Grainchain.com's stand on the Sunday. Award-winning baker and food writer Dan Lepard will be headlining the Competitions Theatre sponsored by Sainsbury's. As well as his books, which include The Handmade Loaf and most recently Short and Sweet, he writes for Sainsbury's magazine and has a weekly bak...

Le Metro, Knightsbridge's local wine bar and bistro, will be featuring pancakes with a kick in celebration of Shrove Tuesday on 12th February. Available all day, guests can enjoy classic combinations of lemon and sugar with an additional shot of Tequila, or warm chocolate and clotted cream with a shot of baileys for just £7.50 (£4.50 without). For reservations call 020 7589 6286 or for more information visit www.thelevinhotel.co.uk/dining Open from 7am daily, Le Metro offers a menu of small and large plates making it a firm favourite with locals looking for a bite to eat, or a glass of wine after work. Located perfectly between Harrods and Harvey Nichols, Le Metro is also ideal for those enjoying the shopping delights of Knightsbridge. Dishes include Szechwan crispy squid (£5); Breaded Camembert, tomatoes, chutney and rye bread (£6.50); or Roquefort, pear and pecan salad with a blue cheese dressing (£6 / £12). Larger appetites can enjoy fish and chips with tart...

The White Swan Inn, Pickering, has revealed that it is offering guests a magnificent last minute 2 for 1 offer staying in either one of their country-chic Vintage Nest rooms or one of their lavish Courtyard rooms between the 28th of January and the 13th of February. The White Swan lnn is renowned for its' hospitality, unusual real ales and delicious, award winning Yorkshire food with meat sourced from the famous and very exclusive London butchery, The Ginger Pig. Whether you fancy a couple of days rest and relaxation away from the stresses of everyday life or an early Valentine's Day romantic weekend away, this unbelievable offer really is too good to be missed. The hotel's idyllic location in the North Yorkshire Moors offers guests a great opportunity to explore the bustling market town of Pickering, venture into the fresh air of the Moors and then retreat back into the warmth of this gorgeous 16th Century coaching  inn, unwinding by one of the roaring log...

Close House Hotel , Northumberland's 18th century mansion, has revealed a Valentine's getaway offering 'loved up' couples the ultimate in luxury dining and relaxation. Set in the heart of the countryside with roaring fires and plush furnishings aplenty, Close House makes a truly romantic setting to escape with your loved one and unwind in style this February. Available 14th until 16th February 2013, couples can enjoy an overnight stay in the main mansion house, a chilled bottle of champagne upon arrival and a three course evening meal in the opulent Argent D'Or restaurant from £135 per person. Executive chef Simon Walsh focuses on contemporary cuisine with a traditional French twist, meticulously prepared using the finest, locally sourced ingredients. Special Valentine's dishes include 'Confit Duck Roulade, Chocolate & Blood Orange' and 'Roast Loin of Venison with Celeriac Puree & Red Wine Braised Salsify'. For those ...

Heartwarmer Foods is introducing innovative premium-range gourmet smoothies to the healthy non-alcoholic beverage and food-to-go sectors. The company is a start-up by Pranav Bihari, a student at the University of Kent, and his partner Kaly Bihari. Heartwarmer smoothies are a blend of fruits, gluten-free oats and spices and contain no added sugar or artificial ingredients. The smoothie range is available in three flavours: 'blackcurrant, oat and spice', 'raspberry, oat and spice', and 'chai spice, oat and ginger'. Packaged in infinitely recyclable glass bottles with a shelf life of six months, more than 97% of the smoothies' ingredients are sourced from British farms. Pranav came upon the business idea during the course of his research on sustainable food consumption in Britain. He says, 'I became aware that for people who were interested in eating sustainably but had little time to prepare food themselves, there were few convenience food ...

“We are truly thrilled with this announcement”, commented Kate Nicholson, manager. “The news has delighted all the team here, given that we were nominated by the public and it takes into account the Hawkshead Relish shop, our wonderful produce as well as the business and our exceptional customer service which has obviously rubbed off on our customers. It is credit to everyone here”. The Countryside Alliance a leading voice of rural Britain, and the Awards complement the wide range of rural life and the communities. The national judging panel included Clarissa Dickson Wright the well known TV cook, Philip Johnston Assistant Editor to the Daily Telegraph's & Sir Barney White Spunner, writer & Countryside Alliance Executive Chairman . Regional winners will now go forward to the grand final, at a gala evening at the House of Lords, Westminster in March, attended by Parliamentarians and media where the overall Champions will be declared. History and ethos of the b...

Wine & Dine is the iPad app which enables restaurants to further enhance the dining experience by replacing their paper menus with sophisticated iPad ones. Creating a mouth-watering menu has always been a challenge for chefs and restaurant managers. You can 'say it' with words and even perhaps a few photos created in studio conditions and bearing little resemblance to the dish that arrives at the table. Now though it's technology and contemporary communication techniques to the rescue. From the evidence in the US and Asia, where tablet menus are now being used, it is very clear that all parties are benefitting, according to Nigel Hazell, chairman of Dun and Huang, the company that's launched its Wine & Dine: iMenu solution in the UK. According to Hazell, restaurants that replace traditional paper menus with a digital experience could see average spends per head increase by 10%. It's not just because diners enjoy a 'one off' digi...

Gordon's Jolly Fine Recipes Gordon Rhodes loved exploring the globe in search of exotic tastes and flavours and has supplied the food industry with a quality range of aromatic and flavoursome recipes for over 30 years. Gordon's Jolly Fine Stuffing's are not just for Sunday lunch! Creating an array of versatile meal ideas for meat, fish and vegetarian dishes our Jolly Fine Stuffing's can be used for stuffing vegetables, meat or even topping pies. Gourmet Sauce Mixes designed especially for slow cookers as well as pan fry and oven bake methods! Gordon's Slow Comfortable Stew, No Hurry Chicken Curry and Chilled out Chilli Con Carne Gourmet Sauce Mixes are all suitable for vegetarian recipe variations, offering versatile recipe options. GReat gatherings inspired by Gordon's Gourmet Coaters! The new range of  Rubs, Crumbs and Sprinkles are perfect for meat, fish, wedgies and veggies and with both a "Hot & Spiced" and a ...

Summer Isles Hotel Appoints Alan White as Head Chef The award winning Summer Isles Hotel is delighted to announce the appointment of Alan White as Head Chef with immediate effect.  Summer Isles Hotel has long been renowned for its culinary reputation receiving a host of accolades over the years, including a coveted Michelin star for 13 years when Chris Firth-Bernard was Head Chef.  Chris who retired from the hotel’s kitchen last year after  26 years of loyal service.  Alan now hopes to build upon these solid foundations while adding his own style to the dining experience and so it is with great excitement that the team at the hotel are gearing up for the forthcoming season.  Alan himself enjoys an excellent reputation having been Head Chef for the past five years at the  luxury Alpine Ferme de Montagne in Les Gets where he received a host of excellent reviews from journalists and celebrities including Tom Parker-Bowles and Anneka Ri...

Growing chillies has never been more popular.  Now it really couldn't be easier.  South Devon Chilli Farm has introduced a new service offering a range of seedlings which can be delivered direct to you, at your home, by post. The seedlings are available in sets of six with 24 varieties in total to choose from. The sets available are 'Hot Six', 'Stunning Six', 'Tasty Six', 'Super Six', 'Extreme Six', 'Sweet Six' and 'Same Six' (see end of release for further details). The sets of six are all available for a very reasonable £12 except for the 'Extreme Six' which consists of the mighty Bhut Jolokia seedlings and costs £18.  For full details on the seedlings available visit South Devon Chilli Farm's website: www.sdcf.co.uk . The chilli seedlings are currently available for advance ordering for two delivery periods.  Orders taken by 17th February will be delivered mid-March to mid-April and those ordere...

Divine is sharing the love this Valentine's Day with its delicious little chocolate hearts in three flavours, gorgeous recipes, and a range of gifts available online which would melt any Valentine's heart. The chocolate hearts come in Divine's rich intense 70% dark chocolate, smooth milk chocolate, or the sublime combination of creamy white chocolate with strawberries. The 100g gift boxes, decorated in gold, are £4.50 each RRP, available from Waitrose, Liberty's and our online shop. You can choose your Valentine's favourite chocolates from an exclusive range of Divine gift selections at the Divine online shop with prices starting from £20. For these and all Divine products, visit www.divinechocolate.com/shop . For an even more personal touch, Divine has a gorgeous choice of chocolate recipes, that will delight and seduce in equal measure. Try Linda Collister's (the expert behind the Great British Bake Off books) Chocolate & Raspberry Tru...

The secret recipe to help bakers rise to the occasion for Comic Relief This Red Nose Day, ovens will be fired up and whisks will be at the ready, as the great British public goes into baking battle to help raise money for Comic Relief. To inspire the nation to host their own bake sales and raise money for those living incredibly tough lives in the UK and across Africa, 16 celebrities will demonstrate their baking prowess in The Great Comic Relief Bake Off on BBC Two. Prepare for a big dollop of laughter to be thrown into the Bake Off mix. To help the great British public raise a tasty sum, Red Nose Day has the perfect ingredients to make life in the kitchen that little bit sweeter. The Great Comic Relief Bake Off book (£2.50 with at least £2 going to Comic Relief. Available from Sainsbury's and other good book retailers.) The Great Comic Relief Bake Off book is packed full of easy, delicious recipes for the nation to try. Featuring 13 of the best recipe...

Dumfries & Galloway's food group, Savour the Flavours, is representing Scotland on the EU stand at International Green Week in Berlin from tomorrow. Green Week is the world's biggest fair for food, agriculture and horticulture and runs from the 25th - 27th January. Savour the Flavours is presenting on the EU stand as an example of best practise in rural development. The organisation will give a short presentation, screen videos of artisan producers, promote the annual food festival Flavour Fortnight and will sample Dumfries & Galloway food and drink, including award winning local whisky and champion haggis to reflect the Burns Night timing of the event.  Savour the Flavours is funded by an EU grant via LEADER and by Dumfries & Galloway Council, with in-kind support from Dumfries & Galloway's food and drink industry, and the organisation is now recognised as one of Scotland's most effective food and drink networks. Liz Ramsay, Project...

Terre à Terre, Brighton's celebrated restaurant suffered an accidental fire in October 2012 that gutted the Kitchen and caused huge damage resulting in the restaurant closing over the winter for a full kitchen refurbishment. Customers and regulars were horrified to hear the news but happy the Terre à Terre team were safe and eagerly working towards a February re-opening date. After a hugely active couple of months stripping the kitchen back to nothing and rebuilding it again the team are excited to be getting back to cooking and preparing to receive customers, the new state of the art shiny kitchen which services the 100 cover restaurant has had a new lease of life, an inspiring start to Terre à Terre's 20th year in business. The restaurant will open as normal on the 4th of February, offering its a la carte menu featuring old and new dishes and some set menu options including 'Phoenix Bites' 3 courses for £25 in an effort to provide customers w...

As part of National Heart Month in February, Somerset farmer Andy Fussell is recommending those looking to lower their cholesterol levels through healthy eating try taking one simple step and swap their olive oil for the golden goodness of rapeseed oil. With half the saturated fat of olive oil and bursting with essential fatty acids, rapeseed oil is known to reduce cholesterol, maintain heart health, joint mobility and brain function. It is also a rich, natural source of the powerful antioxidant Vitamin E and Omegas 3, 6 and 9, and unlike olive oil even retains its health benefits at high temperatures (240oC smoke point), so it's especially good for cooking, marinating, baking, frying and roasting. So be extra kind to your heart in 2013 and look out for Fussel's Fine Foods delicious new season freshly cold-pressed rapeseed oil on Asda supermarket shelves. Fussels' award-winning Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil has a RRP £5.05 (500ml) and is availa...

The team at Steve's Leaves in Hampshire has been inundated with comments from men across the country commenting about how good bags of Steve's Leaves Wasabi Rocket and little leaves are. Known as the 'man leaf' at Steve's Leaves HQ, fiery Wasabi Rocket has taken some men by surprise and instead of turning their nose up at a bowlful of the green stuff, they've enjoyed it so much that they've felt compelled to write and let Steve and the team know. Available from Ocado and Wholefoods, this hot little leaf has been mixed with other fab baby leaves like red spinach and mizuna. Steve, the Steve from Steve's Leaves comments: "Wasabi rocket is a fantastically fiery fellow. It's not for the faint-hearted so that might be why it is proving popular with lots of men. The mix is naturally rich in vitamin A and folic acid and tasty enough to eat on its own or next to a grilled sirloin steak with a drop of balsamic. Delicious!" Wasab...

Curry-crazy Brits will blow more than £30,000 on Indian grub in their lives, the Curry Club can reveal. The average Brit will splash out £20 a month cooking Indian food at home, according to new research. They will also fork out £31.44 eating the spicy dishes in restaurants over the same period, according to The 2013 Cobra Good Curry Guide. This means that over a 50-year period we will each spend £30,864 on curries. And, despite the recession, the guide claims curry houses are thriving as the UK refuses to give up its favourite food. The UK's 9,000 curry restaurants attract 2.5 million customers a week, according to Curry Club statistics. And the curry sector is worth about £777 million each year, despite a fall of 20 per cent since the economic downturn began.  Pat Chapman, author of the Guide is confident the industry will ride out the current recession.  He added: "There is doom and gloom being talked about all restaurants incuding ‘Indian’.  They'r...

Millie’s appreciates all the hard work mothers put in every year, and their Mother’s Day Iced Giant Cookies and Cookie Cupcakes are the perfect way to say thank you. Heading up the new range is a floral twist on the classic Cookie Cupcake, with round cookie cupcakes coming topped with a delicate chocolate daisy design. They can be ordered as singles (starting at £1.25) or as a dozen in a heart-shaped box for £17.99. The Cookie Cupcakes are totally unique to Millie’s and based on their famous cookie dough. The cupcakes have a deliciously gooey centre, contain generous chunks of chocolate chips and are available in milk, white and double chocolate flavours. Iced Giant Cookies can also be personalised for Mother’s Day, decorated with the design or message of your choice, making them a delicious alternative to the traditional Mother’s Day greetings card. Iced Giant Cookies are available from £13.79 with a gift box, and are made to order and ready within 40 minutes (at busi...