Duncan O’Neill Steps-up

Duncan O’Neill, one of the NHS experts who took part in our creation of The Healthcare Chefs’ Knowledge – due to be published in March – has taken on a new job at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT). Duncan O’Neill has become Food Safety & Quality Assurance Manager at MFT. His previous position was Support Services Manager Catering at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport.

MFT is one of the biggest NHS Trusts in the country with 10 hospitals and two local community organisations and the new role will see Duncan O’Neill support different styles of hospital food delivery.

“MFT is a fantastic opportunity for me,” O’Neill told Catherine Farinha. “I have a wealth of experience working in NHS catering and will be utilizing that knowledge in my new role as Food Safety and Quality assurance manager here at MFT which is a challenge I`m relishing. I’ll be looking to work alongside teams from around the Trust to improve the mealtime experience for all our service users and ensure this is done safely. It’s an absolute privilege to be working for the biggest Trust in the country in this role. It’s a different model of operation at MFT vs Stockport which was one of the attractions of the role here  broadening my knowledge across the sector. At MFT we have a mixture of delivery methods across the twelve sites which include ward-level regen kitchens, catering kitchen regen and individually tailored methods of delivery. I’m keen for the Trust to have a presence in all conversations around catering services at a national level and hope to actively contribute to this via the relationships I have built and colleagues I have met through working alongside NHS England.

I`m always keen to challenge stereotypes and perceptions around health service catering and believe this platform gives me the opportunity to continue this work.

I have had a warm welcome from colleagues here at MFT and look forward to the challenges ahead.”

Catherine Farinha said: “Duncan played a big part in the research for The Healthcare Chef’s Knowledge and everyone at The Chefs’ Forum wishes him well in his new job. What we have learnt is that hospital catering is done differently at every NHS Trust and our book is a way of formulating best practice and showing, in one volume, that there can be a central way of working that every trust can buy into. Duncan’s new role at MFT will be part of that process.”

Putting on The Ritz

200 school students in West London were treated to a taste of the top drawer of London on Monday at a Hospitality Industry Taster Day, packed with live demos and entertainment – Show us a stage and we’ll give you a show!

West London College played host to the special student spectacular, with 11 invited schools getting a sneak peak of what a life in hospitality is like.

The worshipful Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham Patricia Quigley and former student of West London College came to open the event.  She spoke of the importance of being able to cook and how lovely it was to see students from her constituency represented in such great numbers.

The demos were interspersed with fantastic music and dancing from Manchester rapper Lowkeylimit, Kit Sells and Jake Morgan – Our young audience really enjoyed the performances, and this is how we use music and dance to engage this age group.

Valentina Maschio from Gordon Ramsay Burger at Harrods built gourmet burgers, but not the sort most were used to.

Valentina invited students to help her make a smash burger on the FlashGRILL, a new edition to our demo stage from MCS Technical Products.

She also broke-in our brand new Unox Bakerlux convection oven that has been generously supplied by the market-leading oven manufacturer in creating some beautiful brioche buns, garnished with seeds and grains.

Aaj Fernando from The Ministry then took to the CookTek Helios double induction hobs to demonstrate how to make Asian gyoza dumplings, before Luigi Cagnin from The Ritz Hotel made perfect crêpe Suzette – the orange-flavoured pancake which is normally flambéed at the tableside.

Aaj also gave the students a butchery demo in the kitchen prior to the event using Aussie wagyu picanha which he has used in the Middle East and now at The Ministry in London. The young guests were able to try the wagyu beef in delicious canapés which were kindly sponsored by Meat & Livestock Australia.

As the demos were being performed, canapé-sized versions of the dishes were handed out to the students in the audience.

They also got to try pineberries, physalis and seasonal root vegetables butternut squash and celeriac kindly sponsored by First Choice Produce and Valrhona chocolate.

A final mocktail competition with Nathaniel Morales, Assistant Restaurant Manager at Gouqi London completed the two-hour session that also included lunch, kindly sponsored by Premier Foods.

Jo Wyke, Brand Manager – Foodservice said

“I really enjoyed the event today.  There was lots to taste and learn about. Premier Foods were delighted to sponsor pasta pots for lunch with our Homepride brand.  As the event spanned over lunchtime, it was important to ensure that our young visitors has a substantial, nutritious lunch as well as all of the lovely canapés, mini sliders, fruit, chocolate and mocktails.”

Head of Curriculum at West London College, Denise Charles, said: “We love these taster days that are organised by The Chefs’ Forum. They give school students an opportunity to come and visit and see what we do at the college and to get an insight into the sort of establishments we work with. It was great to work with Luigi from The Ritz and to sample Gordon Ramsay’s burgers. The cocktail competition with Nathaniel was also great fun.”

Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum, said: “A huge thank you to all our participants and to West London College for their continued support. Aaj Fernando and Nathaniel Morales rounded out a brilliant morning and we love it when we can bring in such dedicated professionals from the best hotels and restaurants to work with schools and students. It’s what having a Chefs’ Forum Academy is all about.”

All the students who helped-out with the demos won a subscription to CKBK, a fantastic online recipe repertoire of the finest cookbooks and the winners of the cocktail competition won dinner for two in Taste restaurant at the college.

There were past students showcased as success stories, as well as current students who had previously attended our Taster Days at the college in previous years.  What we are doing is definitely working in driving-up college registrations year on year, making a valuable contribution to solving the chef shortage.

The Chefs’ Forum is looking to expand its network of Chefs’ Forum Academies across the UK and would be more than happy to stage similar events at FE colleges around the country.

Next week sees the demo stage and Hospitality Industry Taster Day event travel to Coleg Gwent, with Cambria and South & City College Birmingham hosting in March and April.

Photography & film by Carlos Farinha.

 Top Chefs Love Bragard!

When it comes to chef jackets, Luciana Berry (winner of Top Chef Brasil 2020) knows a thing or two about how to make them look good. But, it turns out, the tailoring is only half of the benefit of going Bragard.

“It’s really important when we perform cookery demonstrations at big shows, spanning over a few days, that we are comfortable, smart and cool. With Bragard I know I always will be and I don’t wear anything else. I’ve just been in Berlin for Fruit Logistica where I showcased fabulous Brazilian cuisine on the Abrafrutas stand, showcasing amazing Brazilian produce. Thank you to Bragard for sponsoring by jackets.”

Next month I’m going to be on the BelOrta stand at IFE showcasing Belgian Ruby Red tomatoes. So, I’ve got to look and feel my best as Executive Chef of The Chefs’ Forum’s BelOrta demo stage, both organising the chefs who will showcase tomato recipes as well as demoing myself each day.”

Luciana has always worn Bragard and has bought over thirty jackets from them over the past decade for various events and shows as a celebrity chef.

Chef Works UK have a full-service embroidery service, so can produce bespoke, branded jackets for any occaision and supply all jackets for Chefs’ Forum events and the chefs absolutely love them!

Luciana continued

“With Bragard I can always be sure of the tailoring. It’s perfect and the Impulse jacket enables me to move freely whilst giving a cooking show to the audience of show visitors.”

“The Chefs’ Forum is incredibly proud to be working with Bragard, showcasing their beautiful chef tailoring at all of our Chefs’ Lunches.” said Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum.

 “Bragard will also be supplying all of our demo chefs with jackets for our demo stages in the IFE and co-located HRC taking place next month at Excel- 25th-27th March. We’re all going to be looking fabulous!”

For more information on Bragard chef jackets and specialist embroidery services, please contact ben@chefworksworld.com

Joké Wins Big as Michelin Recognises Chishuru

Adejoké Bakare, known affectionately as “Joké” has become the first black female Michelin-starred chef in the UK and only the second in the world.

Joké is the founder of Chishuru restaurant which opened in its new location in Fitzrovia last autumn having had a run in Brixton. The cuisine is West African.

Interestingly, a second West African restaurant Akoko, also in Fitzrovia, was also awarded with a star.

 “It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Bakare told The Guardian. “Until this morning I was just focused on enjoying the accolade itself, which I’m hugely honoured by. But seeing reactions on social media today, I’m starting to feel a weight of responsibility on my shoulders too, it’s lovely.”

The menu includes dishes such as sinasir (fermented rice cake), moi moi (bean cake) and ekoki (corn cake).

Denise Charles

“We make our own rules,” Bakare continued. “We answer to no one, we do our own thing. As a black female chef I’m not totally sure I could have done it any other way.”

Chefs’ Forum favourite Denise Charles, Head of Curriculum at West London College, said of the news:

“Congratulations Adejoké Bakare on being the first black woman to achieve a Michelin star, breaking through the ceiling and ensuring that there is a path for others to follow. Well done. I will look forward to booking and eating the delicious cuisine.”

We echo those words. A fine achievement demonstrating that patience and belief are the keys to success.

Cubitt House Announces Relaunch of The Orange, Belgravia

Restoring one of London’s historic public houses to its former glory Celebrating the design history of Pimlico Road.

Cubitt House, the privately owned collection of some of London’s most iconic pubs, is relaunching The Orange, one of the capital’s most historic boozers, on 26th February.

The pub group is co-chaired by Georgie and Sam Pearman and has renowned chef and author Ben Tish directing the food, who is also due to launch cookbook Mediterra in July. The team has focused the last 3 years on modernising some of the city’s most inspiring centrally-located pub buildings, overhauling the menus with Ben Tish’s renowned culinary approach and renovating the interiors so that they celebrate the original aesthetics of each site through Georgie Pearman’s iconic vision.

The Orange pub on Belgravia’s Pimlico Road has welcomed thirsty Londoners for centuries. Opened in 1800 as a brewery and reportedly named after William of Orange, the pub has become known for connections with his royal heirs ever since. Georgie, Sam and the Group are excited to honour the building’s history with a dramatic revamp set to reignite the pub and return the atmosphere to its
former glory. With four bedrooms and 200 covers, the relaunch will see the space reinvigorated with a dramatically extended bar area running through the entire ground floor. The space will be equipped with its own charcuterie station from which Ben and the team will churn out lashings of Mediterranean inspired cured meats and a wood-fired pizza oven. Tom Raciborsk has been appointed as Head Chef at The Orange to work alongside Ben in the kitchen while Craig Rawcliffe, previously at the Hawksmoor Group, will be stepping into the role of General Manager.

Ben has created an entirely new menu for the launch of The Orange with his innovative and Mediterranean inspired take on pub classics. As well as hearty Large Plates like the Angus Ribeye with Roasted Onions and Comte; and the Wood Roast Chicken with Grapes, Wine and Rosemary; guests can order smaller plates to start (or for sharing), like the Roast Squid with Za’tar and Aioli and the Grilled Lamb & Rosemary Arrosticini.

Typical of Ben’s cooking, food is seasonal and flavour-rich, and the pizzas (to be served daily both in-house and for takeaway) are no exception. Toppings like Mortadella, Buffalo Mozzarella, Pistachio; Ibérico Pancetta, Roasted Pineapple, Pickled Red Onion and Chilli; and Red Prawns, Rose Harrisa, Marmande Tomatoes, Caciocavallo and Oregano, will bring a laid back feel to the offering. Sharing specials, on the other hand, like the Moussaka; and the Porter House Chop with Wood Roasted Treviso, Pancetta & Chianti Sauce are designed for two or more people and carry a sense of occasion for those dining at The Orange.

A lower ground floor is clad with wine bottles and holds its own bar for revelling and live music throughout the year. A vault space sits at the foot of the room, enclosed by a heavy velvet draped entrance and black steel lined windows. The original stone features and wooden floorboards are continued throughout the building. The first floor, with its multileveled three dining rooms, is reminiscent of historic coaching inns with their enclosed and intimate spaces. Huge windows brighten the floor and look over the busy Pimlico Road, still to this day a centre for design, interiors and antiques with the newly renovated Newson’s Yard and Pimlico’s Design Quarter. Using local designers for the majority of the interiors at The Orange, Georgie has sourced wallpapers from Lulu Lytle’s collection at Soane Britain while all the ground floor walls are adorned with paints from Edward Bulmer Natural Paint, whose shop is located  opposite the pub. A number of lampshades and fabrics are chosen from Fermoie, two doors down, with beautiful still objects curated from Nina Campbell’s flagship store in Pimlico. The Lacquer Company has provided hand crafted contemporary furniture for the bedrooms.

Al fresco street side seating for 26 and an 18-cover roof terrace adorned with tasteful greenery makes for plenty of outdoor dining. The south-facing roof top will be the perfect spot for summer sipping, with Cubitt House’s recently launched Maison Cubitt Rosé being served throughout the summer months. The drinks and wine menu has been concocted by Head of Wine, Charles Beaini, with a selection of classic and modern options available throughout the pub.

Commenting on the opening, Sam Pearman said: “Taking iconic pubs across London and restoring them, with a modern eye, to their former splendour is what we do at Cubitt House and we’re so excited to do just this for The Orange. The pub has such a rich history, once a brewery and since a meeting spot for Londoners, celebrities and royals over the years, it earnt a name for itself in past decades for its buzzing ambience and generous offering. It’s so sad to see the decline of places like this when their foundations have so much promise – beautiful buildings with centuries of history. We hope our take on The Orange shines a light on this. I know that Ben’s menu will serve as a refreshing reminder of what a pub should be – a relaxed and warm setting serving brilliant food and drink alongside great hospitality.”

Mind your Own Business

Cooking is the final piece of the jigsaw in a chefs daily life. Before that comes preparation, sourcing, buying and researching. Hidden in between these jigsaw pieces is business. Costs rule kitchens and chefs need to learn business from the very start of their career.

Students at South & City College in Birmingham, which has a Chefs’ Forum Academy, took part in an important business challenge this week supported by chef Munayam Khan of Birmingham’s Raja Monkey restaurant.

The challenge was a visit to Birmingham’s Wholesale Fruit & Vegetable Market with a budget to spend, to create four identical main courses and desserts. The budget was £25 and the students worked in pairs to identify and purchase everything they needed to create the dishes.

“It’s so important to learn business,” Khan said on the day. “Knowing the cost of something and understanding how much it costs to produce will influence a price on a menu. That’s what I wanted to get across on the day. It was great to see the students working with each other and watching them work out what they could afford and what they couldn’t.”

Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum, said: “We have been championing business studies for chefs for a long time. Too many chefs do not understand that business rules their lives. This exercise was so good for introducing important business themes to students. They had to do the buying as well as the choosing. This type of exercise should be part of the curriculum and we are going

 to roll it out to all our academies.”

Sheri Cadwallader, Senior Technician for Hospitality and Catering at South & City College, said: “The students really enjoyed the day. They were amazed by the Wholesale Market and loved seeing all the produce. The students could ask for advice and help and they learned so much and then got to work with what they had bought. It was a great day they won’t forget.”

Students James Poole and Olivia Brown won the prize of a meal out at Raja Monkey Hall Green.

HRC Launches Seminar Programme for 2024 

Sustainability, retention and the future of African & Caribbean cuisine are some of the topics set to top the agenda as HRC, part of Food & Drink & Hospitality Week, returns to ExCeL London on 25-27 March.

The show will launch with an official inauguration ceremony for Food, Drink & Hospitality Week featuring Martin Traynor OBE, Small Business Crown Representative for the Cabinet Office, Kate Nicholls OBE, Institute of Hospitality CEO Robert Richardson and James Bielby, CEO of the Federation of Wholesale Distributors on the Vision Stage, designed by Harp Design.

Day one of HRC will see sessions including ‘Putting the S in ESG’ moderated by Juliane Caillouette-Noble, MD of the Sustainable Restaurant Association, and featuring panellists Lorraine Copes of Be Inclusive Hospitality, Chet Sharma of BiBi and Matt Wood of Lexington Catering.

This will be followed by KAM, HospitalityJobsUK and Otolo unveiling the results of The UK’s Largest Hospitality Salary Survey and discussing how businesses can recruit and retain staff and remain competitive in the British hospitality market.

HospitalityJobsUK Founder Dawn Lawrence comments: “I am excited to have been invited again by HRC to share the results of the UKs Largest Hospitality Salary Survey. This is our second year of running this survey, and I am delighted by the significant increase in responses. With over 35 years of recruitment experience I know, only by working together can we make a difference and showcase Hospitality as a great place to work and I look forward to seeing you all at HRC.” 

Day one of the show includes a must-attend session with HRC’s 2024 Chef Ambassador Lisa Goodwin-Allen, interviewed by Si Alexander of FoodFM, as she discusses her work as Executive Chef at Northcote, her work with young chefs and industry charities and appearances on programmes including Great British Menu, James Martin’s Saturday Morning and Snackmasters.

Goodwin-Allen comments: “I’m excited to be joining HRC as Chef Ambassador for 2024 and look forward to networking with the chef community and discussing the latest trends and challenges in the world of hospitality.” 

Day two of the show will kick off dservice: The 2030 Vision by futurist Simon Stenning, followed by an examination of the impact of the national living wage rise for the industry by UKHospitality’s Kate Nicholls OBE.

Nicholls comments: “The rise in National Living Wage is set to have a profound impact on the UK hospitality sector and I look forward to breaking down the implications of this change, both positive and negative, at HRC 2024.” 

The day will also include sessions on the physical health of hospitality teams, the future of contact catering and some key hospitality marketing trends to watch in 2024.

The final day of HRC will see a discussion of the future of African & Caribbean cuisine with The

Future Plate, a session on mastering your menu hosted by Citizen Kind and a look at how hospitality can diversify its talent pool hosted by Saira Hospitality and featuring industry charity Only a Pavement Away.

HRC takes place alongside IFE Manufacturing, IFE The Pub Show and International Salon Culinaire as part of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week, the UK’s biggest celebration of industry innovation. To view the show’s full seminar programme visit hrc.co.uk/seminar-programme. 

Hospitality & Food Industry Professionals Beat the January Blues with an Aussie Beach BBQ to Remember

Monday 29^th January, Bishopsgate, London. On a cold Monday in January, the dazzling new Fazenda restaurant in Bishopsgate was alive with revellers as chefs, food sector and hospitality professionals joined representatives from the Australian Government and the Australian red meat industry to share a delicious menu full of Australian beef, as well as some good old Aussie hospitality.

The Aussie Beef Beach BBQ, where Hawaiian shirts and thongs (flip flops) were mandatory, was organised by Meat & Livestock Australia in partnership with Trade and Investment Queensland, with the aim of showcasing the very best of Australian exports to the UK food service and retail industries.

The event was a springboard for the Aussie Beef brand in the UK, which is gaining recognition since the Free Trade Agreement was signed in June 2023. It is synonymous with high-quality, premium beef products that are sustainably produced with the highest traceability and animal welfare standards.

Already available in the UK, it’s predicted that Australian beef will make its way onto more menus and retailers’ shelves as diners and buyers switch on to the premium nature of the product. Aussie beef is renowned for its consistency and superior eating quality that only comes with wide open spaces, vast verdant landscapes, and year-round sunshine — all of which combine as the perfect conditions for rearing healthy animals and producing the highest quality beef.

With market analysis suggesting that beef production is tightening in Canada, the US, the UK and the EU*, Australian beef could provide the solution to potential market shortages, especially during low season for British beef here in the UK.

The event was held in partnership with Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ).

Justin McGowan, TIQ CEO said: “Queensland farmers and beef producers have forged a global reputation for quality, with Queensland produce regularly consumed in more than 60 countries around the world.”

“We are proud to see our world class meat return to the UK courtesy of the new Free Trade Agreement, with an incredible £7.25million in exports out of Queensland already since it came into force last June.

“Beef is a cornerstone of Queensland’s export industry and reinvigorating the relationship with such a valued trade partner as the UK is critical for our tireless farmers and producers.

“Events like this provide a wonderful platform to help grow the global profile of Queensland beef in one of the world’s finest cities.”

Stephen Edwards, Meat & Livestock Australia Business Manager UK, added:

“We were thrilled to bring a little Aussie sunshine and warmth to a corner of London this evening. It was cold outside, but the atmosphere at Fazenda was fantastic, and we had a really good turnout with over 200 chefs, buyers, wholesalers, retailers, journalists and food industry contacts, all getting into the Aussie beach party spirit. I think everyone enjoyed themselves. 

“I’d like to say a huge thank you to our event sponsors, who helped us to give a 360-degree showcase of everything Australia has to offer, not just our beef products but the terrific seafood, wine, gin and beers we have available too. Plus, we gave our UK contacts a taste of some of our Aussie traditions – including how to BBQ Aussie style.

“In 2024 we will continue to host networking events like this to raise awareness of the ethos behind the Aussie Beef brand, which is designed to provide reassurance to the British consumer.

“At Aussie Beef we work with beef producers, that demonstrate stringent standards of sustainability, food safety, animal welfare, traceability and grading systems. If a product shares the Aussie Beef logo, it means it is a quality product that you can trust.”

Sponsors of the Aussie Beach BBQ included:

• Trade and Investment Queensland
• Queenslander Beef
• Fable Foods
• Coopers Beer
• Diviners Gin
• Karumba Banana Prawns
• Fox Creek Wines (Courtesy of the SA Government)
• Brown Brothers Wines

Queensland Beef Fast Facts

• Queensland’s beef export industry is valued at £3.7 billion.
• In the 12 months to Nov 2023 Queensland beef exports were up £467 million or 14.3% from the previous year.
• Nearly half of all beef production in Australia occurs in Queensland.
• In the 12 months to Nov 2023, Queensland beef exports to the UK were valued at £8.5 million, our 22nd largest beef export market.
• However, £7.25 million or 84% of this was achieved since the UK-Australia FTA entered into force on 1 June 2023.
• A key feature of the FTA was improved access for beef exports from Australia.

More on why to buy Australian beef HERE.

You Say Tomato!

The Chefs’ Forum is excited to announce a new partnership with Belgian fruit and vegetable giant BelOrta. The Chefs’ Forum will be setting up shop on the BelOrta stand 3677 at IFE 24 at ExCel in March and creating a demo stage, supplying top chefs as well as compering during the day.

Focus will be on BelOrta’s Ruby Red tomatoes. These are already a hit with chefs across the UK. On the IFE stage Chefs’ Forum chefs will be produce cutting-edge tomato dishes that bring a new dimension to menus and new ideas for serving tomatoes.

Commenting on the new partnership Chefs’ Forum Director Catherine Farinha said:

“Our work with international brands is reaching new heights in 2024 as we are able to draw from so many different threads of our business. We can provide chef talent, student and college interest, media and demo stage experience and we now offer a full package included branded chopping boards and chefs jackets on the day.

“BelOrta are a great brand and we’re really excited to show off what they’re bringing. Tomato production has changed so much and the Ruby Red is already popular with UK chefs and for good reason: it’s got exceptional colour and taste. I’m, looking forward to seeing what the chefs come up with at IFE!”

Glenn Sebregts, Head of Marketing at BelOrta, adds:

“We’re excited to be present at IFE with our own booth for the very first time. The British market is a very important one for us and has been a key focus in recent years. As as result, some of our products are already widespread in the UK. Our Ruby Red tomato might very well be our flagship in the UK market. At IFE 2024, we’re partnering up with the Chef’s Forum to showcase the versatility and superior taste of this tomato. With a superb product combined with the expertise of Chef’s Forum, we’re convinced we can spread the BelOrta love even more.”

New Book for National Health Service Chefs to be Released at The HRC Show

The Chefs’ Forum, in partnership with professionals across the NHS, will unveil The Healthcare Chefs’ Knowledge on March 25th at the Hotel, Restaurant and Caterer show at ExCel. The book, which contains over 100 NHS-approved recipes, showcases the latest advancements in patient, staff, and visitor catering across the NHS. Our goal is to provide every NHS chef with a complimentary copy of the book thanks to the amazing support of our sponsors, we will make it happen.

Since the Independent Review of Hospital Food was published in 2020 the NHS has been working towards implementing and furthering the recommendations. Chair of The Food Review and Senior Operational Manager and National Lead for Net Zero Food (NHSE), Philip Shelley has worked closely with The Chefs’ Forum to produce this important new work.

He explains:

“Working with The Chefs’ Forum to produce The Healthcare Chefs’ Knowledge has been very important. For the first time since the Food Review, we now have a central book that contains not just recipes but detail about the journey from our kitchens to the patient.  We also talk about some of the specialties involved, staff catering and the need for a strong partnership between nursing, dietitians and our chefs.  There have been some incredible changes in recent years and although there is always more work to do, this is a chance to recognise where we now stand. Importantly, our chefs need to understand the wider implications of the review, the food standards, and the responsibility that they have throughout healthcare.“

Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum said:

“This is a much-needed book and following on from the launch of The Chefs’ Knowledge last year, we have brought our publishing skills to the NHS. We have worked across the board, interviewing chefs, clinicians, doctors, dieticians, patient groups and NHS food supply experts, to gather as much up to date knowledge as we could. The amount of work that has been done over the last few years since the Food Review is enormous and our new book, written and edited by Chefs’ Forum editor Chandos Elletson, has left no stone unturned.

“Working with Phil Shelley and Nick Vadis from NHS Supply Chain, it gave us access to the best of the best, and the cherry on the cake was having Prue Leith write the foreword. The Healthcare Chefs’ Knowledge will launch on the Rational stand at HRC in March and we are looking forward to seeing the first printed copies as well as sending them out to every trust.

“However, we believe that such an important and timely work, will also have an interest in private hospitals, care homes and anywhere else where food is served to vulnerable patients.”