Chef Wise

The ultimate pancakes recipe is available from brand new cook book, The Mountain Café Cookbook: A Kiwi in the Cairngorms, published this month by Kitchen Press. The recipe is adapted by Kirsten Gilmour, chef and owner of the iconic Mountain Café in Aviemore, from one passed down to her from her grandmother. Kirsten said: “This was originally my nana's pikelet recipe, which I think she adapted from a copy of her mother's Edmonds Cookery Book. I loved making these with her. She would stand and supervise while I stood on a chair flipping away. My granddad and I would then sit at the kitchen table stuffing in hot pikelets with lashings of whipped cream and raspberry jam.” The Mountain Café Cookbook: A Kiwi in the Cairngorms is the debut cookery book from chef and café owner, Kirsten Gilmour. Gilmour draws on her Kiwi roots to turn out contemporary dishes with an antipodean love for fresh and bold flavours. With more than 130 recipes and luminescent photogr...

When it comes to corporate entertainment, Brew Club, a different and new kind of brewery, has come up with the ultimate solution – brewing your own beer in the heart of East London. Over the decades everything from wine tasting to days at the spa, have proven great options for client entertainment. However, in the 21st century a traditional technique, with a modern day twist, is proving to be an increasingly popular activity for larger groups; including businesses of all sizes at Brew Club. In teams of 2-4 per Braumeister (a state-of-the-art brewing station), each group can choose from 3 different types of beer to brew and leave with up to 40 bottles. In addition to being educated on the skills of brewing, Brew Club has their own tap room where you can sample local beers. Brew Club's co-founders Rob Berezowski and Jo Llewellyn-Jones said: “We have spent many days with friends at home brewing all sorts of styles of beer. For us beer brewing is definitely a social...

Arapina, the distinct bakery based in Greenwich, challenges the misconceptions people have about what tasty, attractively appetising vegan, vegetarian, free from, and 'low in' dishes can look and taste like, with their spectacular Vegan Wedding Cake. When the couple, Petros and Panos approached Michaela to create a Vegan wedding cake, they did not anticipate that the creation would look and taste so spectacular. “The cake looks amazing,” said the excited couple. On arrival to the venue, the couple took a photo of the cake and placed it on Facebook. The image attracted over 1000 views, was shared numerous times and received many comments. Arapina's Founder and Director, Michaela Pontiki of Greek heritage, is passionate about producing food that is not boring. Her holistic approach to championing and encouraging people to have a healthy relationship with food is at the heart of what she does. Her bakery supplies appetising, attractive gluten-free products;...

Hush Heath Estate in Kent, one of England's top premium wine producers, has been developing its Balfour 1503 traditional method English sparkling wines since 2014. Today these wines, all made from estate grown Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, can be found in wine aisles across the UK priced from under £20 per bottle. On an international level, Balfour 1503 Rosé is now the first and only English wine in Ontario in Canada, available from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), which is the biggest single buyer of wine in the world. Every bottle of Balfour 1503 has been crafted by winemakers Owen Elias and Victoria Ash to deliver wines that are typically English (vibrant acidity, fresh fruit flavours) and Hush Heath Estate's signature finesse, to customers of Majestic, M&S, Co-op, and most recently in the UK, Tesco. The name of Balfour 1503 references Hush Heath Estate's history and draws attention to the provenance of the wine.  Built in 1503,...

The Vincent Rooms at Westminster Kingsway College, which opened in 1910, is a hidden gem with two dining experiences offering contemporary cuisine freshly prepared by Westminster Kingsway College's students. The Escoffier Room, with its five-course tasting menu that changes weekly, provides intimate surroundings for those seeking a relaxed and leisurely banquet in the beautiful surroundings of Vincent Square in London's SW1. Priced £27.50 or £55.00 with matching wines, the Escoffier tasting menu is as meticulously planned as it is perfectly baked, broiled or braised – by the second and third year chef students aged 16 and up, under the supervision of experienced chef lecturers. Every week this next generation of chefs designs a novel menu that champions a county or country, fresh and seasonal produce, or a social celebration. As examples, the English counties of Yorkshire, East Anglia and Hampshire will each be honoured with dedicated menus that observe local cuisi...

Somerset-based destination dining pub, The Queens Arms, has reported a steady rise in pups as punters during owners, Gordon and Jeanette Reid's, seven years at the helm, as more and more dog owners discover their award-winning food, 5-star rooms and exceptional hospitality for man's best friend. With a welcome drink at the door, labelled 0% ABV, and doggy treats flying off the bar, demand has risen sharply for its dog friendly accommodation, complete with a wooden floor, wet room, dog bed, bowl and towel to make sure everyone feels right at home. Following a lunch menu built around produce from the pub's own kitchen garden and smallholding, with gravy bones and doggy biscuits a popular side order, visitors to The Queens Arms can walk off their meals around the rolling country hills that surround the pub. Gordon and Jeanette have even mapped out four rural routes in a handy guide for their guests, ranging from 5.5 miles to 16 miles and offering a variety of terrains...

Seeking food and drink's entrepreneurial stars of tomorrow, The Seed Fund has announced that its annual competition will be open for entries from Wednesday 1 February. A philanthropic organisation, which nurtures small and start up food and drink businesses, The Seed Fund is in its fourth year of activity. Extending its reach across the UK in 2017, The Seed Fund offers support and mentoring from over 30 industry professionals and business leaders. Twelve shortlisted companies will be offered places on The Seed Fund Academy – which runs over a number of days, during the summer months. The winning companies can attend seminars, workshops, one-on-one sessions with mentors, industry visits and meet the buyer events. One eventual winner will then be announced at the Great Taste Golden Fork Awards Dinner in September, receiving a further year of support worth over £100,000. Founded in 2013 by Bristol-based design and marketing consultancy, The Collaborators, The Seed Fund ha...