Chef Wise

Booming coffee sales offer foodservice operators a huge opportunity to grow their hot drinks trade over the winter months, according to Bestway Wholesale, who are launching a range of 'winter warmer' offers. Mintel forecasts that out-of-home coffee sales will top £3bn by the end of 2016, and reports that along with specialist coffee shops and cafes, consumers also expect to be offered good quality coffee and hot drinks by fast food, restaurants, pubs and hotels.* Tony Holmes, Bestway's sales director for foodservice and retail, says, “Consumer expectations are higher than ever when it comes to enjoying hot drinks out-of-home, and operators should have a tempting and diverse offer to meet increased demand over the winter months.  “We have a range of 'Winter Warmer' offers and promotions on hot drinks running to help operators raise their game and take a share of this £3bn market.” Products featured in Bestway's Price Hold Guarantee until the...

2017 marks the 40th Anniversary of three Michelin Stars for the legendary chef and pioneer of healthy cuisine, Michel Guérard at Les Prés d'Eugénie in South-West France. To celebrate this achievement a special 40th Michelin Celebration Package has been created.  Michel Guérard started his career after the Second World War as an apprentice pastry chef. In 1958, aged just 25, whilst working as the head Pastry Chef at Hotel de Crillon, Paris, he was awarded the coveted title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France. Guérard then strengthened his position amidst culinary scene during his time cooking for some of the most reputable establishments in Paris. In 1965, the opening of his own restaurant Le Pot-Au-Feu marked the start of his foray into the world of Michelin Star success, being awarded his first Michelin Star in 1967, and the second in 1971, consecrating Le Pot-Au-Feu as the place to be on the Parisian gastronomic scene. In the early 70's Michel Guérard, alongside chefs...

As Prince Harry heads-off on his second official tour of the Caribbean this week, Cap Maison, St Lucia is introducing the new Ultimate Maison dining experience, a feast that is certainly fit for a King and possibly a Prince. The Ultimate Maison Dining Experience will pair a lavish six-course dinner menu with carefully selected fine French wines. At US$ 1900 per person (when four dine together) it is the certainly the most expensive dining experience in Saint Lucia, possibly even the Caribbean. Dishes include poached oysters and langoustine with squid ink farfalle and coconut anise nage, along with fillet mignon, truffle asparagus & pumpkin agnolotti with Madeira sauce. Accompanying wines include Dom Pérignon, “P2” Plenitude, 1998 and Les Flors De Latour, Pauillac, 1982. Prince Harry will visit Pigeon Island, a national landmark of Saint Lucia, during his tour. A spectacular view of Pigeon Island can be viewed from Cap Maison, in fact the hotel are hoping he migh...

If you're looking for a Christmas gift for the beer-lover in your life, take inspiration from our list of 10 books about our national drink. While the number of breweries in the UK has rocketed – up to 1,700 at the last count – writing about beer, brewers and pubs is also in good health. Whether you want a romp through beer's 10,000-year history, some tips on cooking with beer or a handy guide to the best places to enjoy it, there's a book just waiting to go under your Christmas tree. All the books below have been written by some of our finest beer and pubs writers, whose work has been recognised in the annual awards staged by the British Guild of Beer Writers.  Simply choose, wrap up, hand over - preferably with a bottle of seasonal ale – and wait for the gratitude to pour in. The World Atlas of Beer                            ...

Vorrei the online Italian retailer have expanded their shop this year with a carefully selected range of new products for Christmas. The small family firm are the UK's leading Italian dried fig specialists. Priding themselves on personal customer service, Vorrei not only select additive, preservative and colourant free products but have an extensive range of vegan and vegetarian gifts. Selecting the very best producers of fig specialities from Southern Italy Vorrei are the best stocked online source for Italian dried figs and fig delicacies. Their family run producers use ancient recipes and local produce to create sweet chocolate fig roll, figs with almonds, fresh figs in syrup, fig pralines with coffee and fig pralines with lemon. Hand made from an artisanal recipe, Vorrei's vegan panettone, flavoured with sweet, plump raisins is full of flavour and incredibly light and fluffy. Costing just £16, they make a perfect animal-friendly gift this Christmas. Founder...

Premium milkshake brand, Shaken Udder, has recently grown its reach even further as its range of 330ml bottles hits more than 100 extra Tesco stores this month. Shaken Udder has enjoyed a long relationship with Tesco, supplying stores across the UK since 2011. This increased listing will see its range of premium milkshakes available in over 650 Tesco stores throughout the UK. “We are very excited to be increasing our contract with Tesco,” explains Jodie Farran, co-founder of Shaken Udder. “Tesco has been an incredibly supportive retailer of our brand over the years. This year we have seen a 22% growth in sales in Tesco, so it's fantastic this strong performance has led to larger distribution. It's also great to be able to offer our loyal customers the chance to get their hands on Shaken Udder more easily.” 2016 is proving another strong year for Shaken Udder Milkshakes, with a 35% year-on-year growth, which has been additionally bolstered by the launch of Ub...

Real, authentic vodka should be smooth, characterful and soft on the palate, which is exactly how you would describe Wild Knight Ultra-Premium English Vodka. Using Norfolk's finest barley and the purest water from Eastern England, Norfolk's new Wild Knight English Vodka is both authentic and delicious and perfect for Christmas whether given as a gift, served at a party or mixed into a delicious festive cocktail. Distilled by hand in small batches, Wild Knight is so pure that only a single distillation is needed. It is soft on the palate, full of character and has such a smooth, long finish meaning it can even be enjoyed neat at room temperature. For a vodka connoisseur it is the ultimate gift this festive season. Or, if you're planning on wowing your guests, why not try one of these delicious cocktails created by the Wheel Bar at Tuddenham Mill using Wild Knight? 'Hot Tuddy' Cocktail A warming and delicious combination that's perfect ...

Now in its 29th year, the World Cheese Awards held its first ever Champion of Champions event at the Kursaal Congress Centre in San Sebastián on Thursday 17 November, with this unprecedented honour going to Kraftkar, made by Norwegian producer Tingvollost. Featuring a tantalising line up of all previous winners, this unique spectacle was a celebration of the heritage and diversity of the largest cheese-only awards scheme on the planet, with the spoils going to Kraftkar, which was crowned World Champion Cheese 2016 the previous day. Taking place on day two of the International Cheese Festival, which had already witnessed a record number of over 3,000 cheeses being judged at the World Cheese Awards less than 24 hours earlier, curd nerds from every corner of the globe gathered to watch a panel of renowned cheese experts, representing Australia, the Basque Country, France, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, the USA and the UK, taste, nose and assess this unparalleled field of world c...

Dolce by Ferrero Rocher, a pop-up dessert destination, is coming to the heart of London in Covent Garden for 10 days from 1st December. The first London dining experience of its kind by Ferrero Rocher will explore the layers of this iconic chocolate, offering dessert lovers the chance to rediscover Ferrero Rocher and its unique combination of tastes and textures. From its cocoa-roasted hazelnut heart to its glittering gold wrapper, guests will be taken on a delicious journey celebrating what makes Ferrero Rocher so special. Guests will enjoy an exclusive tasting plate of five beautiful, mini hand-crafted desserts, curated by celebrated chef Paul Hannagen – owner, director and head chef at Cuisson, the luxury gastronomy company. After the five mini desserts, the tasting experience will end with a delicious Ferrero Rocher (taking centre stage on the plate) to demonstrate how the elements of a whole hazelnut; rich, smooth chocolate; crisp, wafer shell; and gently roast...

Winter warmers are the way to go on a cold winter's day. Rocks' Lemon Barley and Orange Barley Squash boast the wonderful traditional taste of barley making it a comforting choice brimming with goodness. Packed with freshly sourced organic ingredients and Rocks Drinks' very own barley infusion, the Barley Squashes offer an abundant source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Made in Devon using traditional methods, the soft drinks producer has given this classic Barley Squash a fresh twist using their traditional recipe. Produced with handfuls of organic whole oranges and lemons, organic cane sugar, Rocks' own spring water and UK-grown barley they have created an authentic and delicious drink. With only 29kcals per 250ml (diluted) Lemon Barley serving and 31kcals per 250ml (diluted) Orange Barley serving, these drinks are a great way to give your body a healthy boost throughout the day. For a warming serving option, simply mix Rocks' creamy Barley ...

Following the last big awards announcements of 2016's cheese calendar, Devonshire producer, Quicke's, are finishing the year triumphantly. Last week, they collected two Golds and three Bronze medals at the World Cheese Awards, which took place in San Sebastian, Spain, on 16th and 17th November, during the International Cheese Festival. Now in its 29th year, the World Cheese Awards received a record number of entries from across the globe including countries as diverse as Australia, Barbados, France, Mozambique, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, the USA and the UK. Amongst the panel of 250 renowned experts invited to judge over 3,000 cheeses, was Mary Quicke MBE. Working in teams of four, the judges identified the entries worthy of a bronze, silver or gold and by the end of the morning's judging the top 60 cheeses had been decided. Mary also went on to use her legendary nose and tasting talents, as one of 16 highly respected industry professionals selected to sit ...

With customers ready to indulge themselves in the run-up to Christmas, Hi-Spirits has developed simple seasonal drinks serves for four of its key brands, aiming to help pubs and bars make the most of the festive uplift in spirits sales. Whether it's a warm spirit drink to spice up a cold evening or seasonal flavours to make a night out even more memorable, the drinks are designed to appeal across a wide range of on-trade occasions in the run-up to Christmas and the New Year. Created by the Hi-Spirits team with mainstream on-trade operators in mind, the drinks can be made quickly at busy times, without backing up the bar. Featuring best-selling brands including Buffalo Trace, Southern Comfort, Fireball and RedLeg Rum, the simple-to-make serves include:      Southern Comfort Hot Party Punch 25ml Southern Comfort 25ml RedLeg Spiced Rum 50ml Apple Juice Ginger Beer/Ale Method: Gently heat all ingredients (do not boil), pour into mug, ...

For anyone struggling to find the right gift for the wine lover in their life, an English Wine Tasting Tour Gift Voucher offers the perfect solution. Experience gifts are growing in popularity, and an English Wine Tasting Tour Gift Voucher provides an all-inclusive and extremely memorable experience day. It is the perfect way to get an up close and authentic experience of the English Wine industry and the opportunity to taste an array of English wines. English Wine Tasting Tours are more than your average Vineyard Tour and Tasting gift.  What makes them so unique is that they pick you up from central London (no one has to worry about driving) and take you for a full day tasting English Wine, with a small group of fellow wine lovers. Their English wine tours include a visit to two acclaimed English Vineyards for a tour, and tutored tasting, with a very English inspired gastro pub lunch in-between, with a discount on all wines purchased. For 2017 they are launch...

The epic journey of a robin is the focus of the new Waitrose Christmas TV campaign, which aired for the first time on Sunday November 13th during ITV's The X Factor Results. The 90 second advert reflects the real-life migration of a young Scandinavian robin on an eventful journey across mountains and seas. When he finally reaches his home in a UK garden the robin is reunited with his feathered companion to enjoy a festive treat - a Waitrose 1 mince pie - left for him by a young girl, who has eagerly awaited his annual return. The theme is the spirit of connection at the festive season and the joy of welcoming guests, because - in the words of the endline - 'At Christmas, there's nothing quite like Waitrose.' The advert, which has been created by adam&eveDDB, follows the supermarket's successful spring adverts, which centred around the provenance of good food using innovative filming techniques to bring viewers close to the sources of some...

The National Cookery School Guide has just launched revealing the 50 most influential and ground-breaking cookery schools in the UK. South Devon's, Kingswear based Manna from Devon Cooking School, run by David and Holly Jones, has been included in this list, positioning the school alongside the very best in the country. The cookery schools have been selected by a distinguished panel of 15 contributing editors, ranging from BBC Good Food to Olive Magazine. It is being run in association with Kenwood. Commenting on this recent news, Holly Jones, co-owner of Manna from Devon Cooking School, says: “We're honoured to have been included in this highly prestigious list of the top 50 cookery schools. To be placed alongside the likes of Leith's, Edinburgh Cookery School and Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons is something we could not have imagined when we established the cooking school just over ten years ago.” Adding to Holly's comment, David says: “We have worked ex...

Laura Southern, nutritionist at Gosh! believes that Christmas can be one of the hardest times for anyone who has a food allergy or intolerance. “The whole Christmas period is based around eating, drinking and socialising, and this can be quite isolating for sufferers,“ says Laura. “Suddenly there is all this exciting food, stuff that hasn't been around for a whole year, and we're positively encouraged to be gluttonous! “Being invited out over Christmas and having a food intolerance can be a challenging time for many. Lots of people who are on strict eating plans for health reasons, find it easier to stop going out, and I always discourage this. It is really important to keep up your social life, and make time for friends and family. “If you're going out to a Christmas party at a friend's house then Gosh! bakes are an easy thing to pop in your bag, and just ask your host to heat up – tasty for you, easy for your host. Better still, get creative and try some...