A state-of-the-art kitchen was opened at City College Plymouth by celebrity chefs Chris and James Tanner on Tuesday 15 November.

The brothers launched the kitchen by testing out its facilities with a live cooking demonstration, creating three special dishes including a new Tanner ‘signature’ dish using locally caught sea bass.

The kitchen has been fitted out with high-end industrial standard equipment, as well as audio/visual capabilities so that demonstrations can be filmed and shown live on screens within the kitchen. The new kitchen provides seating for up to 50 and is a great teaching aid for both students and industry professionals.

Martin Nash, Head of Faculty at the College, said: “We were extremely pleased and proud with how the launch of the demonstration theatre kitchen was received. Chris and James were simply brilliant both with our guests and students. We have established strong links with industry over many years, and have received some excellent feedback on the evening from hospitality employers endorsing the fact that the hospitality provision is judged to be outstanding.”

Sharron Robbie, the College’s Corporation Relations Manager, said: “The ongoing, positive relationship the College has with industry is of paramount importance to us. It helps shape and develop our curriculum, supports Apprenticeships and enables work experience and employer workshops and visits, all of which add value to our students’ learning experience here at the College.”

A winning recipe from America’s deep south will be added to The Bridge at Mount Batten’s menu for a month following Al Harris’ victory in ITV’s No Taste Like Home on Tuesday.

TV chef Gino D’Acampo visited Bruce and Lesley-Ann Brunning’s restaurant on Plymouth’s waterfront to judge three budding chefs as they cooked  their favourite family dishes for 25 diners.

Al Harris, won with his great grandmother Alberta’s classic recipe gumbo with hot water corn bred.

Using bell peppers, onions, celery, sausages, smoked chicken and rice for the gumbo with corn bread to soak up the juices, the recipe was declared the winner by D’Acampo who said: “Congratulations to Al and his beautiful gumbo dish. I thought it was excellent.”

Harris added: “You will not find a dish in the deep south without the holy trinity of onion, celery, bell pepper and celery in it.

Other contestants included farmer Sue Edwards from Hatherleigh who cooked Nellie’s Braised Beef and Dumpling Stew, a recipe cooked for Winston Churchill in the mid 1920’s by her mother Helen ‘Nellie’ Edwards. Mrs Edwards explained: “My mother started off with cooking for Winston Churchill for three years. She was a kitchen maid and she always went to No 11 Downing St because he just didn’t like the meals in the Houses of Parliament.”

Churchill enjoyed Nellie’s home cooking so much that she frequently accompanied him in his open topped car travelling from his home in Chartwell to 11 Downing St where she would prepare up to three meals a day for him.

“It’s a good old traditional dish that’s good and wholesome and really fills you up,” said Mrs Edwards.

Meryl Salter, who runs a bed and breakfast business in Porlock on Exmoor, made Grandma Mary’s Jewish Chicken Soup with Metzo Balls, a recipe which was down through the family by her great great grandmother Mary Rose. “Every Jewish mother makes chicken soup – it’s Jewish pencillin,” she said.

Following the competition, Bruce Brunning said: “It’s been really good fun and it will be interesting to see how popular the gumbo is with our dinners for the next few weeks. It was certainly very tasty and our chef has been practicing making it as good as Al’s original.”

For more information and try out Al Harris’ special recipe contact The Bridge

Tel: 01752 403888
Email: eat@bridgeatmountbatten.com www.bridgeatmountbatten.com

A city-wide food project in Plymouth is set to be a shining example for the rest of the UK on sustainable food sourcing in urban areas.

The Plymouth Food Project aims to help make Plymouth Britain’s first ‘Sustainable Food City’. 

As part of the initiative, The Plymouth Food Project is supporting local producers to supply fresh fruit and vegetables into Plymouth’s schools and hospitals.

The project is led by the Soil Association and The Barefoot Partnership and involves a city-wide partnership of public sector organisations including Plymouth City Council, University of Plymouth and NHS Plymouth.

Plymouth’s Food Charter, launched in February this year, aims to promote a thriving economy, health and well being, resilient and close knit communities, life long learning and skills, and a reduced eco footprint.

Over 30 Plymouth-based organisations are now signed up to help deliver these aims, these include; Transition Plymouth, Riverford Organic Vegetables, National Marine Aquarium, Gribble’s Butchers, Tamar View Fruiterers and Stiltskin Theatre Company.

The food and drink sector employs nearly 250,000 people in the South West and makes up 8% of total economic output. Food and drink is the largest manufacturing sector, largest retailing sector and is a key tourist attraction, accounting for one third of visitor spending.

Traci Lewis of the Soil Association, coordinator of Plymouth Food Project, said: “This is a truly pioneering project which could provide the blue print for sustainable cities across the UK. It’s a winner for everyone involved. 

“Not only do the residents of Plymouth get more fresh, tasty, good quality local food on the menu, the increase in the amount of locally produced food and drink sold into Plymouth’s public sector is great news for a thriving local economy and the local farmers, growers and food businesses who supply the produce.”

For more information please go to www.foodplymouth.org/?page_id=61

source: www.clickgreen.org.uk

Barbican Kitchen are pleased to inform you the Express menu is now available for longer in the evening hours.

The Express menu remains great value for money with 2 courses for £10.95, 3 courses for £14.95. To reserve your table at the Barbican Kitchen please call us on 01752 604448.

The Express Menu is available 12 noon -3pm Monday to Friday; & 5pm-7pm Monday to Saturday

Kitchen Café

The Tanner Brothers recently launched the Kitchen Café next door to us on Southside Street. They are pleased to announce that from Saturday 10^th September the fully licensed Kitchen Café will be presenting a new and exciting tapas menu. This is complimented by a range of wines served by the glass, carafe and bottle, great beers and tapas paired sherries. A sample menu and the Kitchen Café’s new opening hours are attached. For any queries regarding their menu, please call 01752 266347. Pop in for a glass of fizz and fantastic nibbles!