Chef Wise

Cookbook Cafe ( www.cookbookcafe.co.uk ) at InterContinental London Park Lane has partnered with the Edible Playgrounds project (part of Trees for Cities) to launch the Seedling Series Kids Cook programme, which celebrates ingredients and teaches kids where food comes. Executive Chef Paul Bates has created a series of twice-monthly seasonal classes for kids aged 5-8 that are designed to be educational, interactive, and most importantly fun! The series starts on 9th March 2013 with Sprouting Seedlings, where kids will learn to make an edible garden that celebrates the arrival of spring. Other sessions include Bee Happy, which teaches budding little cooks how to make a honeycomb mousse, the need for bees, and why there are resident honey makers on the roof of InterContinental London Park Lane. During Jersey Royal season, kids get to make their very own Mr Potato Head (complete with seaweed hair) and find out how potatoes grow, and where they come from.                     

Set within an old Georgian town house and operating over 5 floors in a prime location; Bird of Smithfield is the long awaited venture by Chef Alan Bird. With over 15 years heading the kitchen at arguably London's most iconic restaurant The Ivy and as a former Group Executive Chef at the International Soho House Group, Bird has received widespread recognition from both peers and trade. The restaurant's menu will be British with a twist; with dishes aiming to explore the influence British food has had both historically and presently. Moments away from Farringdon, Bird of Smithfield will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bird of Smithfield will offer a beautiful classically styled dining room featuring Harris Tweed and herringbone fabrics, a bar with a cosy lounge feel, a basement cocktail bar, an exquisite private dining room with a chef's table and a roof terrace over- looking the towers of the old market. The intimate basement bar, known as The B

Rachel's Welsh Rarebit ....Cheese on toast with a difference Ingredients: 1 sourdough loaf or baguette 200g strong Welsh cheddar cheese 1 tsp Dijon mustard 2 spring onions 100g Rachel's natural yogurt (low fat or natural) 2 eggs, separated 1 tbsp plain flour Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Serves: 4 Method: 1.Cut the bread into thick slices and grill or toast for 2-3 minutes until golden 2.Mix the cheese, mustard, spring onions and yogurt together with the egg yolk. Whisk together and add the flour, mix again 3.In a separate and clean bowl whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the cheese mix 4.Spread the mixture over the toast and pop back under the grill until set, bubbling and golden 5.Serve straight away with a fresh green salad Tips & Suggestions: Use a rich, mature cheddar to make this recipe taste special and add a dash of Worcestershire sauce for a kick Kcal Per

14 March 2013 - One Mayfair, North Audley St, W1K 6ZA Friends of the Earth is thrilled to announce its forthcoming Extraordinary Banquet event; a unique evening of experimental food and performances inspired by the life and principles of Linda McCartney, with support from friends Dame Vivienne Westwood and Jo Wood and compered by Clive Anderson. The evening will feature a one-off UK performance from Grammy-nominated classical musician Julian Wachner; a special live performance from critically acclaimed soul and blues singer Natalie Duncan; unique beat-boxing collaborations live on stage and a multi-sensory, experimental menu to tease the senses, selected by Sir Paul McCartney and brought to life by Zafferano. The magical menu will include edible sand and soil, pistachio trees, passion fruit caviar, jewelled quail eggs, glow-in-the-dark cucumber, agave nectar, and strawberry and cream mushrooms. Linda saw things differently; she saw the well-being of people and

For those of you, that is if anyone out there is, I might be flattering myself, follow my blog you might have noticed a few changes. Over the past few months I have just been posting all news and press releases and not many recipes. Well the reason for this it that due to the fickle, or is that faecal, world of work I am being made redundant. But do not fear I have found another job. The problem is that as I have been job hunting and now about to start a new job my time for my blog has somewhat been cut back. As I am now going back to work in a real  kitchen as opposed to one where I have to think of daily amounts and how to make everything fit a price point. I will, have less time to do things like this. But I hope to keep up with the blog but only as and when I can. Soon I hope to have more recipes posted and not just the news stuff. You never know I might end up posting more stuff than I have ever done before , life is strange like that. 

Lotus Bakeries is delighted to announce that it will be the official biscuit sponsor of UK Coffee Week 2013, which runs from the 22nd - 28th April 2013.  Lotus will give away a total of over half a million exclusively co-branded wrapped biscuits to all those outlets that register to join the scheme.  And the good news for cafes, coffee shops, workplaces and other catering establishments is that reaping the benefits of being a part of UK Coffee Week could not be easier – simply log on to www.ukcoffeeweek.com and register to receive your pack. Organised by the Allegra Foundation Ltd, UK Coffee Week is the nationwide charitable programme that celebrates the UK coffee sector, whilst raising vital funds to deliver clean drinking water projects in coffee-producing countries.  The UK Coffee Week charity, Project Waterfall currently helps some of the poorest and most marginalised communities in Tanzania gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene, by working in partnership

Formerly The Greyhound Inn, The Greyhound on the Test, a historic country pub located in the village of Stockbridge, has undergone a full refurbishment and will open to the public in mid March. Located deep in the beautiful Hampshire countryside, The Greyhound on the Test will boast not only a new décor and new bedrooms, but also the appointment of its new chef, Alan Haughie, who has brought his talented touch to the menu to offer a food experience unique in the area. The new interior design presents a contemporary look while remaining respectful of the traditional setting of the 500 year old building, creating a rustic, warm and cosy feel.  Seven individually designed bedrooms will be available, offering relaxed and stylish accommodation in an ideal location for those guests drawn to the area for the country sports for which this part of Hampshire is renowned. The home of where fly fishing was invented, Stockbridge lies within the Test Valley which offers pristine cha

Confident about the quality of your product`s? ,would you like third party endorsements from the leaders in the field?, would you like to raise brand and product awareness and increase sales ?, if the answers to the above is yes, then read on as this may be of interest to you and your company! Evidencing that products are superior in terms of taste and quality can be a challenge in a competitive business. Experience shows that an independent and credible endorsement by a large number of professional opinion leaders will certainly help to overcome this challenge. The iTQi are leaders in the field, operating to strict codes of practice that ensure a globally recognized standard of quality, leading to easier identification of superior products for both buyers and consumers alike. Products are not in competition but are tested for their sole merits, each in their own category. iTQi blind judging process is truly unique thanks to the: Extensive expertise of its judges

The shortlist for the 2013 FreeFrom Food Awards - celebrating the best in gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and all 'freefrom' foods - is now out!! From 'activated' walnuts to 'sea waves' pasta; cappucchino' soya milk to sulphite-free wine and alcohol-free, gluten-free beer. After two weeks of sipping and supping, not to mention some heated discussions, the 50+ FreeFrom Food Awards judges have chosen nearly 220 products to go on the shortlist for this year's FreeFrom Food Awards - see below for the full list. 'Not only did we have a 34% increase in the number of products entered into the awards' says Michelle Berriedale-Johnson, editor of FoodsMatter who chairs the judging sessions, 'but the range of products has widened enormously. Gluten-free samosas and panninis, fresh chick pea pasta, lots of children's products, a massive entry into the 'store cupboard' category, the usual wonderful selection of 'free

Chocoholics can immerse themselves in an abundance of indulgent chocolatey treats this Easter as everything goes gooey at Tees Valley's, Wynyard Hall. Chocolate temptations will feature throughout the stately home, including Spa treatments, cocktails, afternoon tea and six-course dinner menu at the award winning 3 AA Rosettes restaurant - guaranteed to have you in a chocolate whirl! The 19th Century house, set in 150 acres of historic parkland is pulling out all the stops to make this an Easter week to remember creating a paradise for any self-confessed lover of chocolate from 26th March until 1st April. Dine on the special six-course menu in the hotel's 3 AA Rosettes Wellington Restaurant with hand-dived scallops, celeriac, truffle, and caramelised white chocolate, before finishing off with the rich and creamy coffee and chocolate soufflé, coffee soil and biscotti ice cream. Guests can succumb to their sweet tooth by treating themselves to the chocolate th

*Chocolate Cakes are nations favourite* *Over 60% get baking inspiration from family and friends* Research out today shows that Mary Berry is the person most people in the UK would like to bake with and over 60% of respondents get their cake inspiration from family and friends, followed by the ever growing popularity of baking and cookery programmes on television, as well as books and magazines. The research, released by The Cake Awards also shows that the UK's favourite cake is something chocolatey - sponge or brownies, second best is a delicious Lemon Drizzle, and a traditional Victoria Sponge is also whetting people's appetites. Over 50% of those surveyed said that they bake weekly, with almost a quarter finding the time to bake several times a week - showing how cake making has been embraced by the nation. The 'must have' gadget for 2013 cake making is a good icing bag with a range of nozzles, followed by the very handy silicone spatula. Half

Curry lovers are in for a treat at one of the leading cookery schools in the North of England. The Tideswell School of Food,based in the Peak District, Derbyshire, has added a spicy new Indian Masterclass to its range of courses, hosted by Prett Tejura, founder of the award-winning Curry Cuisine Cookery School. Driven by a desire to inspire Brits to move away from bland baltis and tasteless tikkas towards more authentic Indian cuisine that can be freshly made in the home, Prett, a passionate home cook, established her cookery school in 2007 in Yorkshire.  Prett was inspired by her Indian heritage and encouraged by her mother, who shared the secrets of her culinary expertise with her from an early age. Cooking has always been a way of life for Prett and for many years the family has developed traditional recipes with rich, aromatic flavours and explored the unique cuisine of the diverse regions of India. The new Indian Masterclass, held onApril 28 2013 at Tideswell, pro

Dorset's Michelin starred Chef prepares to celebrate 10 years of his Sienna Restaurant in Dorchester. Chef Russell Brown is celebrating 10 years of the restaurant he runs in Dorchester with his wife Elena. Sienna, in High West Street, was opened in 2003 and has since picked up a string of awards, including Dorset's first Michelin star in 20 years. To commemorate its tenth year in Dorchester, Sienna is to host a 10 day event involving a specially selected 10 course menu (below) - with each menu worth 10 pounds to the charity Hospitality Action. Sponsors of the event - which begins on 18th April and is available for dinner Tue to Sat - include Bollinger Champagne, Blackacre Farm Eggs, Westwood House, Richard Budd Photography, Dorset Wines and Villeroy & Boch. Chef Russell said: "In many ways it's hard to believe that we have been open at Sienna for ten years; how time flies!  So much has changed and the business has grown considerably. Ov

Study finds financial incentives produce average weight loss of two stone - more than double weight loss of slimming clubs Financial rewards for sustained weight loss could be the key to solving the obesity epidemic, according to the results of a UK-wide trial run by Weight Wins, an innovator in weight loss incentives. Participants who were active in the programme after a year had achieved an average weight loss of 21 lbs (one and a half stone). After two years, the average weight loss was 33 lbs (nearly two and a half stone). This is more than double the average 11 lbs long term weight loss of active members of slimming clubs. 214 women and 50 men participated in the trial between October 2009 and December 2012. Participants chose and paid for a weight loss incentive plan with monthly weight targets and rewards. Plans extended for up to 24 months and rewards were as high as £3,000. Participants could choose to pay higher fees in order to earn higher rewards. 47% of pa

Food and Travel, the UK's market-leading gourmet travel magazine, is asking its readers to cast their votes and decide the winners of its second annual awards, which will celebrate the best of the best in the worlds of food, wine and travel. The magazine's readers will nominate a shortlist, then pick the winners in a variety of categories synonymous with the newsstand title: destination, restaurant, hotel, tour operator, specialist retailer, airline, chef, book, cruise line and cookery school. 'Last year, we launched the awards to coincide with our 150th issue,' said Guy Woodward, editor of Food and Travel, 'and our readers, as they always are, were tremendously engaged when it came to giving us their views. Food is one of the key elements in people's lifestyles and travel plans these days, and nowhere is this more true than with our readership. So it's fantastic to be able to tap into their expertise and experience and have them reward those pe

Never mind the G&Ts, after the exhaustion of the BRIT red carpet and Awards on Wednesday night,  everyone wanted a yummy jelly bean rush!  The Jelly Belly jellybeans Sweet Recovery bar at the Brit Award's party was so popular that it had been pretty well emptied within 45 minutes of the party starting. " It was crazy" said an observer "but delicious!"   Following the colourful theme of artist Damien Hirst who had designed this years' Brits trophy statue, 90,000 Jelly Belly beans were shipped in for the Sweet Recovery bar. They were displayed in their iconic bean machines and the give-aways were blister packed like authentic pill packets - suitable for a hangover perhaps?  Sweet recovery indeed.

Whether it's down to cost, health, animal welfare, environmental factors, or, more recently, labelling and contamination concerns, the meat-free market is continuing to gain sales as more and more consumers regularly reduce their meat intake.  Retailers and buyers wishing to take advantage of this growing trend will find a host of innovative new vegan and vegetarian products for their customers at this year's Natural Food Trade Show, which returns to London's Olympia on 7-8 April 2013. Spurred on by celebrity chef endorsements, greater menu choice when eating out, more new product developments and better visibility in supermarket aisles, there has been a notable shift in consumer attitudes towards going meat-free (if not wholly then in part) and an increased awareness of the benefits that following a more vegetable-based diet can offer. Ongoing revelations about the UK's food supply chain aside, a 2012 study by research company Mintel estimated that the mea