Food

A former North East Chef of the Year winner, Mark Percival, has been appointed head chef at 14th century luxury hotel and restaurant, Langley Castle. Mark, aged 30, has returned to head up a kitchen in which he was a sur sous chef at the time of his title-winning success in 2011.  He has also entwined his life even further with Langley Castle, by getting married within its impressive seven-foot thick walls on Good Friday (March 25 2016).

Sophi Tranchell, CEO of the acclaimed farmer-owned company Divine Chocolate, is today named as a Schwab Social Entrepreneur of the Year – the most prestigious international award for social innovation. Tranchell was chosen, after a rigorous selection process, for the role she has played in demonstrating how a much more equitable trading relationship with smallholder farmers in Africa can not only work, but also flourish in highly competitive environments in both UK and USA, and provide a model for a sustainable future for cocoa.

With so many farmers being forced out of business, something needs to change and it is up to shoppers to vote with their wallets. Throughout May shoppers are being urged to 'make one change' to the way they shop for food. In a bid to end supermarket domination, Anthony Davison, a Cambridgeshire farmer and founder of local food and drink website www.bigbarn.co.uk says buying local could help preserve the UK food industry and ensure the survival of rural communities.

Foster's, the most popular classic lager in the UK, is to be the Official Lager of England Cricket having signed a two-year deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board. The partnership sees Foster's return to sports sponsorship for the first time in a decade. The major new sponsorship deal will be supported by a nationwide campaign appealing to cricket fans across the country throughout the summer.

Following the hugely popular Cook for The Queen competition for children that was held for the Diamond Jubilee, the organisers, Love British Food, are inviting schools to join in this summer’s Royal celebrations and commemorate Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday by making a Cake for The Queen. 

Warrens Bakery has been placed firmly in position as the nation's favourite producer of authentic Cornish pasties after a series of public polls and national and world championship award wins. Recently voted Cornwall's favourite pasty maker by the Cornish public in four independent radio and newspaper polls, a winner at The World Pasty Championship and recipients of a 'Highly Commended' and 'Gold' at The 2016 British Pie Awards, the craft Cornish bakery is delighted with the victories which also coincide with their expansion across the country.

The Blenheim Palace Food Festival returns for the 2nd year running, for the late May bank holiday weekend, 28th-30th May 2016, from 10am-5pm.  Building on the huge success of the 2015 festival, which saw 20,000 visitors to the festival over 3 days, this year's enhanced festival will feature more demonstrations, more local producers and more tastings, with a fantastic range of food, drink and activities for the whole family to enjoy. 

The Free From Food/Functional Food Expo, the only dedicated showcase of free from, and functional, food and drink in Europe, returns for 2016. The show, now in its fourth year, has an impressive line-up of exhibitors specialising in free from products, speakers and new attractions. With more producers than ever before - additional features this year include vegan, lactose free and functional products - the show boasts dedicated UK, Finland and Ireland Pavilions, and a Functional Food section.

Food trucks from Qatar and around the region will feature in the 7th Qatar International Food Festival, adding a new urban feel to the long-awaited annual event, organizers have revealed. The 12 food trucks will feature at the QIFF satellite experience in The Pearl-Qatar, which joins Katara Cultural Village as one of the Festival’s new locations this year.

Easter eggs might be disappearing fast from the shelves of supermarkets across the country, but the best chocolate is still found a little further afield... Journey deep into the remote and beautiful rainforests of Ecuador, and you will discover some of the highest quality chocolate in the world.

From the organisers of Penzance Farmers Market, Penzance is to host a brand new monthly market, starting Easter Saturday, 26th March at the top of Causewayhead. Penzance Town Market will offer locally grown, reared and created products, with a plethora of stalls ranging from antiques and collectibles, to produce and crafts on the last Saturday of every month, between 9am-2pm.

Sacre bleu! Don't tell the French but British shoppers are falling out of love with the traditionally crescent shaped croissants – preferring ones that are straight. Both shapes have been sold on British high streets for some time, but recently demand for the curved ones has fallen. And it's all because of something known in the baking trade as 'the spreadability factor' with Brits finding it easier to spread jam and other fillings on the straight ones.

For four days, visitors walked the aisles of the Paris-based Event Center located at the Porte de la Villette for the second edition of the exhibition of Gastronomy Overseas. Babette De Rozières, creator of the show and a famous chef herself, and host of France's top cooking shows, invited more than 100 chefs from French overseas regions to showcase their gastronomy and the culinary arts.

Millions of ‘healthy’ Brits have a ‘blind spot’ over hidden sugars and calories in sauces, condiments and snacks, research revealed yesterday.

A study carried out among 2,000 adults, found that while calorie counting and ‘five a day’ are a focus of their daily food plan, over two thirds (69 percent) admit that they often forget to consider the calories, sugar and fat content of sauces, condiments and toppings. It emerged that many adults are consuming ‘invisible calories and sugar’ on top of their usual daily intake, with syrup and sugar on breakfasts among the biggest culprits.

In a recent survey, from a list of 12 most sexually satisfied countries, the UK was nowhere to be seen, but nature’s answer to the little blue pill could be just the trick to get you feeling fruity this Valentines Day! A diminished libido is something that at least a fifth of us suffer from at some point, but swapping the mighty blueberry into your meal this Valentine’s Day, could help to ramp up your sex drive!.

Local people are being asked to share their views on Sandwell Council's hot food takeaway planning policies, to bring them up to date, taking into account the increase in takeaway premises. The consultation takes place between February 1st and March 11th, in an extension to the original consultation from November/December. If you took part in the previous consultation, your views will still be taken into consideration, unless you wish to make additional comments, then your views are logged.