Chef Wise

If you know a young person who loves cooking, now is their chance to show off their culinary skills in the Guild of Food Writers' annual Cook It competition. Not only could they wow the judges in an exciting cook-off held at the Electrolux Training Academy, there's also a chance to win a family holiday, thanks to our sponsor Gold Top. Plus, there are lots more prizes for you to win. To enter the Cook It competition, the Guild of Food Writers is asking 10-16 year olds to create a celebratory two-course meal to impress their friends and family. "We are looking for a main meal and a dessert," explains Jayne Cross of Cook It, "that not only look and taste delicious, but are all your own work and show impressive skill in the kitchen." There are two age groups (10-13 years and 14-16 years as of 31 August 2014), with the winner in each category eligible for the first prize of a four-night family break at Tredinney Farm in Cornwall. Six talented finali

Leading UK cook school, Edinburgh New Town Cookery School, has launched its next professional chef training course starting in April 2014. Offering three and six month options, the cook school, which has seen many of its graduates join kitchens such as the Fat Duck at Bray, Ottolenghi and Chez Roux, offers a straightforward route to change career and become a professional chef. The Diploma, which recently won Looking to Cook's 2013 Best Cookery Diploma has proved so popular with career changers that the April course represents an expansion of the curriculum. Daniela Gattegno who completed the six month diploma successfully, has recently been made head chef at Ottolenghi in Islington fewer than 18 months after graduating from the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School. With the School's qualification, Daniela, as with many of former pupils, found moving into the food industry straightforward due to the reputation of the school and its passionate teachers. Fiona Burrel

Gourmet dairy experts The Collective create UK first with Raspberry & Amaretto yoghurt plus Extra-Special Valentine's Limited Edition - Gourmet yoghurt brand The Collective ( www.thecollectivedairy.com ) has created the UK's first alcoholic yoghurt with a deliciously daring Raspberry & Amaretto limited edition pot. This month, keep an eye out for pots of the extra-special limited edition Raspberry & AMOURetto flavour to celebrate Valentine's Day. These pots will hit shelves for just three weeks so get them while you can. A strictly grown-up treat of tangy, fresh raspberry compote spiked with classic Italian almond liqueur in a lavish double layer of intense flavour, all folded through ridiculously tasty, thick and creamy yoghurt. Like the whole of The Collective's award-winning range of yoghurts, new limited edition Raspberry & Amaretto flavour is made in Britain using only the best West Country milk for a silky smooth, clean te

American three-star Michelin Chef Christopher Kostow - also awarded 'Best Chef: West' by the James Beard Foundation - is making his Arabian debut at Gourmet Abu Dhabi, a 16-day culinary festival held annually in the capital of the United Arab Emirates and which runs until 19 February. Chef Kostow left the city lights behind him for a journey to the isolated Arabian Nights Village deep in the Al Khatem desert. Surrounded by towering dunes, Chef Kostow was a guest of Chef Saeed Fawaz, who has been honoured by the Emirates Culinary Guild for his authentic representation of Arabian cuisine and who has cooked for many a ruling family's wedding. On the special menu in the quaint surrounds of the village's Al Maqtam restaurant, was roasted camel - a treat traditionally reserved by Arabs and Emiratis for special celebrations, particularly weddings. The camel was first scrubbed with salt and vinegar before marinating for 24 hours in an aromatic paste of local

Hideaway with your sweetheart at stately home Weston Park this Valentine's for a romantic break you will never forget. Indulge in all the opulence and comfort of the 17th century mansion during an overnight stay on Friday 14th or Saturday 15th February. Weston's beautiful Capability Brown-landscaped pleasure gardens and parkland are there to be explored during your stay, with far reaching views across the Shropshire countryside. In the evening, Head Chef Guy Day will prepare a seasonally inspired Valentine's menu to be served in the candlelit Historic Dining Room. The 28 individually styled bedrooms have all the grandeur you would expect from a stately home but with the home comforts and personal touches of a modern country house. And with its team of butlers and housekeepers on hand throughout the weekend, all you will have to think about is each other. Breaks include: Afternoon Tea in the Library upon arrivalChampagne reception in the Marble Halls

Spice up your love life this Valentine's Day with Chaat! Magazine's Seductive Spicy Hamper! Our special 'Love' themed hamper is packed full of aphrodisiac spiciness, and as if that weren't enough to get you 'in the mood', it comes with a year's subscription to the nation's only Spicy Food magazine! Each issue promises a minimum of 20 outstanding recipes all with a wide range of flavours and styles. Tied in with tantalising travel features linked with exotic dishes, and top tips from celebrities and chefs; Chaat! Magazine is a delightful read for those who love a bit of spice! With your hamper delivery, you'll receive our exciting current issue which offers 23 fantastic recipes ranging from flavoursome nibbles to impressive desserts that will make you feel like a culinary genius in the kitchen. With a large section on the artisan food revolution, bread and pastry recipes from Paul Hollywood and James Morton, inspiration from th

The West Country is bursting at the seams with fresh local produce and top class pubs, restaurants and cafés. Now,   Taste of the West , the leading food and drink organisation for the South West, is looking for the finest food and drink producers and foodie destinations to celebrate the magnificent food and drink of the region. This is the largest regional awards programme in Britain and Taste of the West Gold, Silver and Bronze award winners' logos are widely recognised as a sign of quality and provenance across the country, helping to boost business for the winners. John Sheaves , Chief Executive of Taste of the West, said, “We are delighted to have launched the 2014 awards as we look forward to another record breaking year in this our 21 st   year. Throughout February we are actively encouraging all producers to enter their products into the programme. We are also looking for owners and managers of pubs, restaurants, cafés and shops to enter the retail and hospitalit

Tasting menu promotes health and well-being with medicinal herbs and spices A special ‘Food for Life’ menu, introduced by the award-winning Ambrette restaurants in Margate and Rye,  designed to promote good  health and boost the immune system, is proving a big hit, especially with the towns’ senior citizens. The 6-course tasting menu available at lunchtimes features: Chicken Supreme flavoured with fresh coriander and Himalayan salts; Kedgeree of smoked mackerel with mung lentil and fresh turmeric; Soup of mustard, yoghurt, ginger and basil; Ambrette style game pie with black pepper and garlic; Gingko leaf and ginger ice-cream with carrot and wild blueberry pudding; and Cinnamon chai tea with home-made cardamom chocolates. The £32 menu is discounted to £16 for holders of Ambrette’s Seniors Privilege Card, which is available to the over 60s.  The restaurants have over 4,000 registered cardholders. “Being located at coastal locations, with a high proportion of reti

Bring the family together this Easter with DIVO, the award-winning range of Italian recipe cheeses... Whether used as an ingredient in a favourite recipe or eaten on its own with freshly baked bread, cheese is as much a part of the Italian table as pasta, olive oil and a glass of Chianti. Why not use DIVO’s range of Italian cheeses in family meals this Easter? Top Chef, Aldo Zilli has teamed up with DIVO, and has chosen two of his favourite recipes featuring two cheeses from the DIVO range - Turkey Escalopes with Lemon Sauce and Cannoli alla Siciliana using Parmigiano Reggiano and Ricotta respectively. Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard cheese made with milk, salt and rennet and PDO certified from Parma, Italy.  A crunchy and crumbly texture with fruity and nutty flavours, it is matured for at least 24 months from selected mountain dairies where the cattle graze on the lush high pastures and their milk gives this Parmigiano Reggiano an outstanding flavour.  It is delicio

Say I love you with Bonne Maman this Valentine’s Day… For a simple, stylish and thoughtful breakfast in bed treat, heart shaped  Bonne Maman Strawberry Conserve on toast or luscious Caramel and fresh berries on top of home-made pancakes with a glass of fizz and a single red rose (in an empty Bonne Maman jar, of course) is the perfect way to show how much you care this Valentines… Planning a romantic dinner for two at home but don't want to spend all evening in the kitchen?  For delicious yet indulgent dessert ‘cheats’, simply warm Bonne Maman’s Caramel and pour over boules of vanilla ice cream or choose a Bonne Maman chilled dessert such as Crème Brûlee.  Served in pretty glass ramekins complete with pre-caramelised sugar… simply add fresh berries and enjoy – no need for complicated recipes, no blow torch hassle and best of all, no washing up! For information on all of the above products, recipes and inspiration on what to do with your beautiful empty Bonne Ma

Divine Chocolate, the farmer-owned chocolate company, has created  four new recipes  especially for Fairtrade Fortnight 2014 (24 th  February – 9 th  March).  Divine is supporting the Fairtrade Foundation’s Make Bananas Fair  campaign buy showing just how delicious our favourite fruit can be when combined with Divine Chocolate. Ethical food blogger Pauline Milligan has created three new recipes including a  Chocolate Chip & Brazil Nut Banana Bread  which uses over ripened bananas to bring out the fruit’s natural sweetness in the cake. Flavoured with vanilla and almond, the banana bread is studded with chopped Brazil nuts and chunks of Divine’s 70% Dark Chocolate. For a grown-up take on a banana sundae, this recipe for a  Divine Banana Chocolate Sundae  combines the gorgeous flavours of banana and vanilla with a decadent chocolate-orange rum sauce and nutty caramel praline. The final recipe from Pauline is for a stack of  American style banana pancakes  topped with

Mango Lounge opened its door to the residents of Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead in December 2007.  Since then, the restaurant won multiple awards, and now attracts customers from further afield.  An award-winning head chef, Ashwani Kumar,  and a highly talented tandoori chef Manoj Sharma, supported by a skilled and experienced kitchen team, the restaurant is going from strength to strength.  The service in the restaurant is second to none. The enticing Valentine's Day menu is one example of how Mango Lounge goes that extra mile to maintain its reputation and standard. The ultimate romantic day of the year is here once again.  The right ambience, with candles and roses on the table, soft music, and food prepared with love and care using ingredients to fuel your passion, are all in Mango Lounge, Windsor.  We speak the language of love through our food and you will find plenty of love-laden ingredients on our menu.  Seafood, chilli, cardamom, cumin, chocolat

The Great Sausage Roll off at the Red Lion, Barnes, proved an even bigger hit in its second year. Sixteen top chefs and even a local journalist braved the expert judging panel with their weird and wonderful creations. This year's variety of pastry wrapped sausage treats focused not only the flavours of the roll itself but also on the presentation and garnishes. Chris Brumby from Ben's Canteen based in Battersea was this year's stand out winner with his All Day Breakfast Sausage Roll with Bloody Mary Shot. The fantastic sausage roll was inspired by Ben's Canteen brunch that is one of London's most indulgent brunches, served seven days a week. Runners up to Chris were Jamie Thicket and sous chef Ben Mullock from the Opera Tavern with their Iberico Pork Sausage Roll. Third place went to Andrew Justice of The Running Horse in Mayfair with his Wild Rabbit and Chestnut Mushroom sausage roll alongside a carrot and thyme puree. As well as the fabulous select

Other courses running:     Day courses - £55.00 per day from 10:00am until 4:00pm Italian day - Saturday 15 February 2014     Thai day - Saturday 15 March 2014     Evening courses - £30.00 per evening from 6:00pm until 10:00pm Indian cuisine - Wednesday 19 February 2014     Italian pasta - Wednesday 5 March 2014     Mediterranean cuisine - Wednesday 19 March 2014     For more information please contact us on 01273 643167 or southcoast@brighton.ac.uk To book http://shop.brighton.ac.uk/browse/product.asp?compid=1&modid=5&catid=34      

Jane Mason's second book, The Book of Buns has been released nationwide in book stores in the UK.  As with her first book, All You Knead Is Bread, Mason has pulled together a gorgeous collection of unique recipes from all over the world.  This time, the focus is on buns - sweet and savoury, every day and special.  Buns have a special place in our history as they were originally made to allow poor people to buy their own whole "loaf" in miniature rather than buy a small piece of a larger loaf - giving dignity to everyone's bread purchase. From Asia to the Middle East; from Africa to the Americas; and to our own European shores, Mason has researched and travelled widely. She, with the photographer Peter Cassidy, provide the reader with plenty of clear, step by step photography and simple instructions to enable bakers of all levels to bake a new bun every week for over a year in order to find a favourite! How to shape baguettes from Virtuous Bread on Vi

Lal Bagh Tandoori in Bushey, a double award winner in the recent Asian Curry Awards has announced a new menu featuring lighter, healthier ghee and oil free dishes, reflecting the change in customer dining patterns. Owner Martin Miah has also revealed that the 40-seater Chalk Hill restaurant will be serving a special Valentine’s menu with dishes utilising Indian spices noted for their aphrodisiac qualities. At the prestigious Asian Curry Awards held before Christmas at a glittering ceremony at Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane, attended by over 1000 leading Asian restaurateurs, VIPs and embassy dignitaries, Lal Bah won the ‘Asian & Oriental Chef of the Year – London Suburbs’ category  at of Asian Curry Awards 2013.  The Chalk Hill favourite also received a Highly Commended Award in the ‘Best South Asian Restaurant - London Suburbs’. The evening was hosted by Sky TV’s Lukwesa Burak with Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy PM Nick Clegg both deliverin

Discover the Origin, the European Funded campaign that educates trade professionals about five precious European products from the food and drink industry will be returning to The Source Food and Drink trade show in Exeter on the 5th and 6th February 2014. Trade professionals visiting the show are invited to visit the Discover the Origin stand, located at C5, to taste and learn more about all five products and take advantage of expert advice on offer. Nathan Nolan and Rosi Nightingale will be on hand to demonstrate the finesse required to skilfully slice Parma Ham; the authentic way to cut Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese; discuss the Bourgogne and Douro Valley wine regions; and offer expert food and wine matching recommendations. Nathan and Rosi will also be sharing advice to help businesses enhance their customer offering. This will be Discover the Origin's second year at The Source food and drink show, showing the campaign's on-going commitment to provide new infor

Attracting over 4000 visitors over the three days and a quarter more exhibitors than last year, the mood at Scotland’s Speciality Food Show and Scotland’s Trade Show was buoyant as exhibitors made a healthy number of orders and enquiries, and visitors were impressed by the quality and originality of the stands. A larger Launch Gallery for young, innovative companies under two years old attracted many buyers into the Food Show with exhibitors such as The Wee Tea Company, Kwan’s Kitchen, Lov Sushi, Golden Age Honey and Considerit Chocolate, who all produce quality, fine tasting and packaged foods. Complemented by larger fine food companies there were many new food and drink products or lines that appealed in particular to farm shops, butchers, delis, tourist shops and garden centres. Catriona Farquharson from Finzean Farm Shop in Aberdeenshire said: “It is encouraging to see so many new products each year at Scotland’s Speciality Food Show. The variety and the quality