Food

Andrea Zagatti, the private chef behind a £250 ‘Billionaire’ sandwich, has announce the release of his latest culinary creation – The Tsar Egg. Inspired by enigmatic design of a Matryoshka doll, the culinary work of art is covered entirely in 24k gold and is being dubbed the UK’s most expensive Easter Egg.

“The Tsar Egg represents the ultimate expression of high-end culinary craftsmanship”, says Andrea, “Easter is the only time you should put all your eggs in one basket — or in one egg should I say — so why not do it in style!” The Tsar Egg is composed of 3 individual eggs, each decreasing in size, placed one inside another — much like a Matryoshka doll.

The heart (the smallest egg) is made up of bronze chocolate and crystallised violets, and in true Zagatti’s style, wrapped in edible rose gold. The medium sized egg consists of 35% milk chocolate with Difference Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain beans and hazelnut crumble and is wrapped entirely in edible silver leaves.

The outer egg is produced using 85% dark chocolate with pistachio and gianduja cream layers. And the coating? You guessed it - The Tsar Egg is finally wrapped in 24k edible gold, with the entire structure constituting a 35cm luxury delight.

“I’ve always been fascinated with Russia and its enigmatic culture, so to be able to create something that speaks to Russian cultural opulence, while sparking my culinary creativity is exciting to me!” The Tsar Egg will be available to order on the April 2 and prices start at £1,000.

When leading food delivery app Foodhub heard that donations to charitable causes have fallen substantially during the pandemic, bosses acted quickly to help out.

The ongoing restrictions during lockdown have forced people everywhere to tighten their purse strings over the last year, and as a result, there has been a worrying reduction in charitable donations. So Foodhub pledged to help raise vital funds for three national charities close to the company’s heart.

For every order placed via the Foodhub website/app for one month, 10p was donated to either the Trussell Trust, Make-A-Wish UK and the Macmillan Cancer Support, with Foodhub customers choosing which charity they’d like each order donation to go to. A staggering £55,000 was raised in total and distributed to the three national charities to mark the 12 month lockdown anniversary this week.

Foodhub spokesperson, Wil Chung, said: “This past year has been a tough time for everyone, especially charities, as fundraising events have been placed on hold and charities have really felt this with a big reduction in donations. So we wanted to help raise funds for these three amazing causes.

“Each of the charities chosen holds a special place in the heart of Foodhub employees, as everyone knows someone who has been affected by a terminal illness or by cancer. Food banks have also felt the pinch and have been really stretched with so many people relying on this service now more than ever, so it was vital we did what we could to help out.”

Jason Suckley, CEO of Make-A-Wish UK said: “The pandemic has dramatically affected our ability to fundraise, so we are hugely grateful to all our supporters, including Foodhub. The donation will help to grant more wishes to seriously ill children who desperately need that priceless, positive experience to cherish with their families. This generous contribution will help grant wishes of five children living with critical illnesses in the UK.” 

Executive Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Innovation at Macmillan Cancer Support, Claire Rowney, said: “We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of everyone at Foodhub and their supporters. During a global pandemic, these donations to Macmillan help ensure we are able to do whatever it takes to support people with cancer.

“Every penny raised will play a vital role in enabling us to continue to provide cancer care, fund essential services and offer the crucial support so many people with cancer rely on. Thanks to the donations of Foodhub and their customers, we’ll be able to ensure that no one faces cancer alone.”

Samantha Stapley, Chief Operations Officer at the Trussell Trust, said: “We’ve seen unprecedented numbers of people needing help from food banks as the impact of coronavirus has hit people’s incomes. This isn’t right. But thanks to the support of Foodhub, we have been able to remain agile to the fast-changing situation, ensuring food banks in our network are better equipped to provide the lifeline of emergency food to people in crisis today while we work towards a future where everyone can afford the essentials. Thank you so much.”

As the last few months have shown, a huge amount of food poverty still exists in the UK, and as lockdown restrictions continue – the Trussell Trust has to work harder than ever to support those struggling. Foodhub’s donation has helped support the network distribution of 1.2M emergency food parcels, with 2,600 parcels going to children every day between April 1 and September 30, 2020.

A Greek-inspired street food company will be launching brand new restaurant Kouzina at Selfridges Birmingham once lockdown restrictions on hospitality are lifted.

From Street Kitchen Brothers, a West Midlands-based Greek-Cypriot family run business, Kouzina will be the first eatery to serve authentic Greek food at the renowned iconic department store. Once Selfridges doors reopen, shoppers will be able to indulge in Greek Mezze cuisine – including the famous moussaka (as seen on The Hairy Bikers show) souvlaki, stifado, and a range of traditional sweet treats from the Greek Bakery such as baklava and kadaifi.

The restaurant will launch with a takeaway offer until government guidelines allow for indoor hospitality, when customers will be welcomed in for all-day dining. The restaurant will seat 50 covers. The company was founded by brothers Paul Polyviou and Chris Butcher, who are regulars at The NEC, Digbeth Dining Club, BBC Good Food Show, and Lichfield Food Festival, and are keen to get back into the kitchen and feed hungry shoppers in the city centre.

Paul Polyviou and Chris Butcher, owners of Street Kitchen Brothers, stated “We’re incredibly excited to be bringing Kouzina to the Selfridges store. Opening a restaurant in Birmingham is something that we have always aspired to do and this has provided us with the perfect opportunity to take our business to the next level. We are extremely passionate about food and we do everything with our customers in mind. We’re thrilled to finally bring a taste of Greece and Cyprus to the city with our street food and taverna favourites”

Selfridges Birmingham General Manager, Sam Watts, says: “I was first introduced to Street Kitchen Brothers, my local Greek takeaway, by a friend and was hooked immediately, making my way through all the dishes on the menu. I got to know founders Chris and Paul and as testament to my love for their food, have worked with them to launch Kouzina at Selfridges Birmingham.

“We’re excited to welcome customers back to store with the addition of Kouzina and its delicious authentic Greek meze, wraps and specials. With vegan and vegetarian dishes making up half of the menu, it aligns with our sustainability commitments to offer more planet-friendly food.” Throughout the Covid-19 lockdown, Street Kitchen Brothers were able to keep customers satisfied with their unique ‘Kouzina’ Cook at Home Range and takeaway service.

The online shop has proved to be a huge success for Street Kitchen Brothers, who wanted to recreate their Grandmother’s Greek feasts from their childhoods in Greece and Cyprus, where the dinner table would be filled with memorable dishes and shared by the whole family. Now these memorable dishes will be shared by family, friends and colleagues in Birmingham’s iconic department store.

National charity Heart Research UK have launched their first charity cookbook, featuring 17 recipes from celebs, chefs and some of the web’s biggest food bloggers.

The e-book, which is available to download here for a suggested donation of £5, features a selection of well-balanced recipes from some of the best known faces in food and fitness, including Joe Wicks, The Hairy Bikers, Heart Research UK ambassador Sally Bee, Gennaro Contraldo, Michelin Star Chef Tom Kitchin, Masterchef winner Shelina Permaloo and many more.

Recipes range from light breakfasts and brunches, through to healthy snacks, show-stopping main meals and family favourites, and even a few desserts.

Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion and Education at Heart Research UK, said: “As someone who loves cooking and eating nutritionally balanced dishes, I know that healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring or expensive.

“We put together this cookbook to provide everyone, from families and first time cooks to the home-chef extraordinaire, a selection of recipes that are healthy, full of flavour and unpretentious.

“I often advise people on making dietary changes to reduce their risk of heart disease and manage their weight. A healthy, well-balanced diet contains plenty of fruit, vegetables and wholegrain foods and not too much fat, sugar or salt. By using this cookbook, we hope you will discover some delicious new recipes that will enable you to keep looking after your heart.”

The cookbook can be downloaded for a suggested donation of £5. All of the money raised will support Heart Research UK's life-saving work, funding pioneering research into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease.

Recipes for ‘easy white bread’ have proven to be the most popular amongst Brits looking to hone in their baking skills during the pandemic, new data analysis reveals. 

A full-scale analysis of the UK’s bread baking habits has been conducted by SEO Agency Blueclaw, revealing the highest-rated and most popular recipes ahead of this year's Real Bread Week - beginning on 20th February.  The analysis looked at guides provided by the UK’s top recipe provider and found that other popular choices among amatuer bakers include naan bread and cheesy garlic bread. 

‘Easy’ bread recipes seemed to be most popular, as ‘bread in four easy steps’ ranked at the number four position - showing more new bakers are now looking for recipes than before. 

Surprisingly, the data also showed a nationwide shift towards vegan bread recipes, as these proved to be the most popular despite longer prep and cooking times - accounting for 35% of the site’s search volume compared to their non-vegan and vegetarian counterparts. As well as being higher rated and more popular, vegan recipes were also found to be a lot healthier than others with around a third less calories on average and just over 60% less fat.

This year’s Real Bread Week encourages Brits to support local, independent bakeries and to bake their own bread, with the aim being to focus on consuming fewer additives in 2021. In fact, this year the annual celebration could prove more prominent given that more Brits are turning their hands to baking during lockdown than ever before. 

During the first lockdown in March 2020, Google search trend data showed a massive spike in searches for ‘bread recipes’ which increased by 50%. With Brits now having nearly a year to perfect their baking skills in the boredom of lockdown, this year's Real Bread Week, beginning on 20th February, is expected to see bread recipes go through another rise in search volume.

The French government has criticised Lyon's mayor after he removed meat from school lunches in the city.

Gregory Doucet, a member of the Green party, has said the move allows service to be streamlined and quickened amid coronavirus restrictions. But the government has hit back, accusing him of risking children's health.

Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie wrote: "Let's stop putting ideology on our children's plates." In a post on Twitter he added: "Let's just give them what they need to grow well. Meat is part of it." Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said it was an "unacceptable insult" for French farmers and butchers.

"We can see that the moralising and elitist policy of the Greens excludes the popular classes. Many children often only get to eat meat at the school canteen." Mr Doucet responded by saying his right-wing predecessor as mayor introduced the same measure during the pandemic last year.

Fish and eggs remain on school menus in Lyon, and Mr Doucet said menus would be balanced for all children. Nutritionists say a vegetarian diet is safe for children, but advise taking extra care to ensure sufficient amounts of protein, iron and other minerals are included.

Lyonnaise cuisine is world renowned, with a particular emphasis on meat and offal. But there are signs of tastes changing. Sales of meat-free products are on the rise, and a 2018 law made it compulsory for schools to make one day vegetarian. A vegan restaurant recently made history in France by winning a coveted Michelin star.

Mr Doucet maintains the measure is solely as a result of the pandemic, but has been unafraid to challenge French traditions. He has previously called the Tour de France bike race "macho and polluting".

Ahead of Shrove Tuesday, Severn Trent is asking customers to help avoid any sewer blockages by binning leftover food waste rather than putting it down the drain.

Severn Trent’s sewer blockages lead, Grant Mitchell, explains: “Pancake batter and leftover food can cause a real flipping problem if it’s washed down the drain. Just like fat, oil and grease (commonly known as FOG), food waste quickly hardens once it reaches the pipes and can attach to other unflushable items, such as wet wipes and sanitary products, to create a blockage or even a fatberg, which is something nobody would wish to experience.

“So rather than tossing any remaining batter and toppings down the sink, we’re encouraging people to collect any leftovers in a container and throw it in the bin once cooled and use kitchen roll to wipe down pans and plates before washing them or putting them in the dishwasher. We completely understand that disposing of FOG and other food waste can sometimes be tricky, but a couple of small changes can make a big difference when it comes to reducing the chance of a blockage.” The company clears thousands of blockages each year, with around 70% being caused by the wrong things being put down the sink and toilet.

Grant added: “Many customers may not realise that they are responsible for the waste pipe running away from their home up until it either crosses the property boundary or meets with another waste pipe or sewer. Unblocking or repairing this section of pipe can be costly, but completely avoidable if you’re careful about what you put down your toilet and sink. It doesn’t take much to cause a blockage, but by binning FOG and food waste, rather than blocking drains and sewers, customers can make sure that a blockage doesn’t crêpe up on them.”

Lockdown has seen UK consumers takeaway habits change dramatically during 2020, with more people than ever relying on food delivery services. Foodhub, one of the UK’s largest food ordering platforms grew substantially throughout this period, adding new partners across the UK and overseas to process a total of 47M orders during the year. 

This rapid expansion saw Foodhub leapfrog Uber Eats to become #3 in the UK, by the number of takeaway restaurant partners. It’s huge growth when you consider that, at the end of 2019, Foodhub was partnered with 12,000 food outlets. But now, in January 2021, that number has risen by 70% to over 20,000 total, thanks largely to Foodhub’s unique partner offering. 

Of all the major market players, including Just Eat and Deliveroo, Foodhub is the only food aggregator that does not charge a commission per order, instead partners sign up to a flat-fee monthly subscription model, resulting in a significant saving for them. Since its launch, Foodhub has encouraged partners to pass this saving on to the customers – which they do. According to an independent study in 2019, Foodhub orders were an average of 15% cheaper than an equivalent order from Just Eat. 

On Foodhub’s partner offer, CEO Ardian Mula said: “This has been an incredible year of growth for Foodhub, and as we continue to expand, it’s great to see new partners are taking our advice and passing the 15% saving onto their customers. We’re the only major player in the market right now offering this subscription model, and as more outlets continue to flock to Foodhub it will become increasingly apparent that a non-commission approach is the future of the takeaway industry.” 

The other factor in Foodhub’s huge growth in 2020 is a number of significant overseas expansions. In the space of a year, the brand began trading in the USA, Guatemala, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. As well as these new territories, Foodhub also expanded existing operations in Mexico, Malaysia and Chennai, India, to support growth, as well as invested in operations closer to home. At its HQ in Stoke on Trent, Foodhub added a c-suite team to support growth plans. New team members include the new Chief Operating Officer, Philip Mostyn, Chief Technology Officer, Paul Hodkinson, and Chief Revenue Officer, Martin Hawkes.

The rapid growth in the number of partners has naturally caused a substantial uptake in the number of orders Foodhub processes each year. In 2019, the total orders processed via the Foodhub platform was 2M, however at the end of 2020 it had risen by over 300% to 8M orders. Online, the story is the same, with orders growing 200% from 14.6M in 2019 to 28.5M in 2020. Internationally, Foodhub’s growth has been spectacular. Since its launch in Ireland, the UK brand has acquired 338 partners. In Australia and New Zealand, the figures are even more impressive, with over 1,600 partners joining the 0% commission platform. 

On Foodhub’s international expansions, COO, Philip Mostyn said: “We’ve made fantastic progress in several overseas territories throughout the last year, and one of our big goals in 2021 will be to develop and expand our offering in each territory. If you look at how fast we’ve grown in Australia and New Zealand for example, that will give you an idea of how rapidly we as a brand can develop in a new market.”

Sandwell Council will be funding free school meals to those families who are eligible during the February half-term holidays. Parents and carers will be contacted through their child's school and will receive vouchers to go towards the cost of food for the two week break.

Councillor Wasim Ali, cabinet member for resources and core services, said: "We will again be providing funding for free school meals to ensure no child goes hungry this half-term using a voucher scheme to eligible families. I encourage all those families who are eligible to take up this offer.

"I would like to thank all of our schools for their help and support in getting these vouchers to those families who need them."

Cllr Maria Crompton, Sandwell Council's deputy leader, added: "We used vouchers to help families during the last school holiday and will again do this to make things a little easier for our families to help with the cost of a meal."

Once verified, vouchers will be sent to parents electronically with an alternative being offered to those parents without mobile phones or internet access.

Sandwell Council has budgeted £262,500 to help around 17,500 children. Eligible families will receive a voucher for £15 per child for the week-long school holiday. Schools will contact parents in the coming week when details on how to access the vouchers will be available.

New research has revealed that the turmoil of 2020 led half of Brits to reassess their cooking and eating habits – with one in ten stating they had already made big changes. The survey, commissioned in line with the release of new plant-based recipe book Great British Vegan by Aimee Ryan (@WallflowerKitchen), shows that a quarter (26%) of respondents reported cutting down their meat consumption - following news that a record half a million have signed up to the 31-day annual vegan eating challenge, Veganuary.

Although many reported eating fewer meat and dairy products, some respondents expressed concerns around adopting a fully vegan diet – the biggest being that they might miss eating their favourite foods (39%). Others worried vegan food may be less tasty (22%), more expensive (22%) or that following a vegan diet may be too time-consuming (16%).

When asked what would encourage them towards a vegan diet, a fifth (19%) of respondents stated they would feel reassured by knowing food would taste just as good, knowing it was a healthier option (18%) and knowing they could still enjoy their favourite dishes (17%).

Among the dishes said to be ‘most missed’ when transitioning to a vegan diet, were fish and chips (44%), a traditional Sunday roast (42%) and a full English breakfast (38%).

Top 10 Savoury British Dishes Most Likely To Be Missed When Turning Vegan

1.    Fish and Chips – 44%

2.    Sunday Roast – 42%

3.    Full English – 38%

4.    Bacon Butty – 37%

5.    Sausage Rolls – 28%

6.    Shepherd’s Pie – 27%

7.    Yorkshire Puddings – 27%

8.    Bangers and Mash – 26%

9.    Cheese and Ham Sandwich – 21%

10.  Steak and Kidney Pie – 21%

Wider trends included a quarter of Brits now cooking more from scratch than did previously and over a third are eating healthier and including more fruit and vegetables in their diets.

The research uncovered a generational gap in eating trends, with 71% of 16-24-year-olds considering or making changes to their diet following 2020, compared with just 31% of those over 55.

Top 10 Eating and Cooking Habit Changes Prompted By Events of 2020

1.    More cooking from scratch / eating fewer prepared meals - 25%

2.    Eating healthier than previously - 23%

3.    Eating more fruits and vegetables than previously - 23%

4.    Being more experimental with cooking / tried new recipes - 19%

5.    Eating less meat/meat products - 18%

6.    Eating more locally sourced food - 17%

7.    Spending more money on cooking and eating - 16%

8.    Eating fewer sweets or desserts - 14%

9.    Trying to cook in bulk more - 12%

10.  Eating more traditionally British foods/meals - 11%

Aimee Ryan, author of Great British Vegan said: “It’s so exciting to see how many people are embracing changes in their eating habits following the difficult year we’ve all had. When I went vegan in 2014, I was determined not to give up my favourite foods, such as the full English breakfast, steak and kidney pie and scones. I created the ‘Great British Vegan’ recipe book, which has plant-based versions of all of these staples, in the hopes that it will show people it’s possible to enjoy comfort foods you love, without using animal products and without compromising on flavour and familiarity."

Jessica Axe, Publisher at White Lion - publishers of Great British Vegan, said: “The research shows a steady rise in popularity for a more ‘flexitarian’ approach to eating from the general public, with many wanting to dabble in eating less meat and dairy without wanting to sacrifice enjoying their favourite dishes. That’s why we’re delighted to launch ‘Great British Vegan’, showcasing delicious and more accessible versions of everyone's favourite meals and comfort foods. We hope it spurs even more people towards that Veganuary pledge.”

Kid chef and 12-year old entrepreneur Julian Frederick is teaching other children how to build their culinary skills and empowering them to be leaders in the kitchen and beyond. His company, The Step Stool Chef, which is dedicated to building kids’ confidence and independence through cooking, is partnering with SideChef, the all-in-one home cooking platform, to launch The Step Stool Chef Cooking School For Kids brought to you by SideChef Premium.

Step Stool Chef CEO and co-founder Julian Frederick said: “I want to help kids build their cooking skills and confidence while creating great family time memories. The Step Stool Chef teaches kids to be leaders in the kitchen, providing tools and solutions for them to learn to cook in a safe space with little to no help from parents. At the Step Stool Chef, the kids are the chefs, parents are the assistants.”

SideChef Premium is an immersive cooking subscription service that offers home cooks hundreds of recipes, tips, and behind the scenes knowledge from world-renowned chefs and culinary influencers. It is available for $4.99/month or $49.99/year and allows home cooks to unlock recipes from major culinary creators, explore new cuisines, and transport authentic flavors from around the world into the comfort of their own kitchen.

“In these uncertain times, what is certain is that home cooking has become an essential part of everyday life, even for kids, and we are dedicated to persistently innovate with renowned partners like Step Stool Chef to help kids start their cooking journey with a strong foundation,” said Kevin Yu, CEO, and Founder of SideChef.

“Teaching the future generation life skills early on in their childhood development means we are fulfilling our mission to empower even the youngest of eaters everywhere to cook great food.” Step Stool Chef Cooking School for Kids, brought to you by SideChef Premium, is broken down into two class modules – Intro to Kid Cooking and Next Level Cooking. Within both modules, kids learn essential cooking skills as well as how to integrate math, science, and reading into the overall cooking experience. These classes are easy to follow, engaging, and most importantly, entertaining for kids.

“This unique partnership allows us to merge kid cooking, education, and technology. Step Stool Chef co-founder Toria Frederick explains. “As distant learning and homeschooling become a reality for many kids across America, these on-demand cooking classes are a great complement to the new reality of present-day at-home education. This is a great solution for families wanting to spend more time together that also supports kids learning to be more independent.”

Additionally, SideChef offers parents the ability to order all the ingredients they need right from the platform, through its partnership with Walmart and AmazonFresh. This enables subscribers to have a seamless home cooking experience with one-click shoppable recipes, personalized meal planning, and the ability to connect recipes to smart kitchen devices from several leading kitchen brands for a true all-in-one home cooking experience.

Beyond cooking classes for kids, SideChef Premium also includes 800+ exclusive on-demand recipe classes from world-renowned culinary experts, including the winner of Top Chef Masters, contestants from MasterChef and The Great British Baking Show, and more. Each culinary expert features instructional guidance with step-by-step videos, cooking techniques and tips, and voice-guided cooking.

McDonald's have paused walk-in takeaway services in the UK as new lockdown restrictions come into force. It means that dine-in meals and walk-in takeaways will not be available temporarily while it reviews safety procedures, it said.

Its UK boss said it will be testing "additional measures that may further enhance the safety of our takeaway service." Rival food chains Burger King, Subway, KFC and Pret A Manger are still offering takeaways in-store.

McDonald's UK and Ireland chief executive Paul Pomroy said that safety measures across the firm's 1,300 restaurants will be reviewed by an independent health and safety body and added that customers would be kept updated via the restaurant's app and its website. Drive-through and delivery services across the fast food chain will remain open.

Under new lockdown restrictions which came into force in England and Scotland this week, hospitality firms are allowed to offer takeaways and deliveries. But rules which had previously allowed takeaways or click-and-collect services for alcoholic drinks have been scrapped. Wales and Northern Ireland were already in lockdown, which meant that pubs, restaurants and cafes were restricted to takeaway-only too.

After the first nationwide lockdown in March, many chains including McDonald's, Burger King and Pret closed their doors to hungry customers. They gradually reopened with additional safety measures in place, such as plastic screens in front of the tills, hand sanitiser dispensers and restrictions on the number of customers allowed in at any one point. Some also pared back the number of dishes on offer.

Despite adapting their business models, many casual dining chains have been forced to make job cuts in the last year as lockdown restrictions hit sales.

The UK has reported a further 1,041 people have died with coronavirus, the highest daily death toll since April. It came as 62,322 new cases were recorded, the highest daily rise since mass testing began, as MPs debated England's lockdown.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said doctors could be forced to ration treatment without the new curbs. There are 30,074 Covid patients in UK hospitals, he said, as an ambulance trust told of severe pressure.

From humble beginnings on the streets of Nepal, to winning the nation’s hearts on Masterchef: The Professionals, chef Santosh Shah is putting Nepalese cuisine firmly on the map. 

Santosh’s talent, skill and passion has been laid bare for all to see as he competed on the UK’s most prestigious cookery competition, Masterchef: The Professionals, coming in second place against 32 other professional chefs. 

Santosh shone a light on Nepalese cuisine in all its glory, introducing the judges, food critics and esteemed chefs to flavours and ingredients they had never experienced before. His dishes wowed throughout the competition, with The Guardian’s Grace Dent noting ‘this is the most beautiful plate of food I’ve ever been served on Masterchef’ and esteemed judge Monica Galetti commenting, ‘it’s a real master of art to be able to use spices as he does.’ 

Santosh’s first culinary job was as a kitchen and commis chef in an Indian hotel when he was just 14. From then on, he worked tremendously hard, rising through the hospitality ranks in India, and eventually moving to the UK in 2010. Once in London, Santosh worked at some of the most renowned Indian kitchens, holding positions at Michelin-starred Benares restaurant and super trendy Dishoom, before becoming a Sous Chef at The Cinnamon Club and eventually Head Chef at its sister restaurant, Cinnamon Kitchen. 

Santosh worked at The Cinnamon Collection with Vivek Singh for three years, cooking for MP’s at The Cinnamon Club and City workers at Cinnamon Kitchen. He then took a position as Executive Chef at the five-star LaLit Hotel in London. 

What’s next? Santosh is looking forward to the future and what it may hold. His goal is to open a Nepalese restaurant in London and be awarded a Michelin star. For now, he will continue working on his skills, and learning from his mentors, to continue bettering himself and his cooking. 

Santosh says: “Coming second on Masterchef is a dream come true, and I could not be more honoured! It has been an incredible experience that I will never forget. 

“My mission now is to show the world how amazing Nepalese cuisine is, with vibrant and interesting ingredients and flavours that deserve to be enjoyed by the masses! 

“Cooking authentic Nepalese food on Masterchef and experimenting with dishes I grew up eating has been an absolute joy and I am so happy that the judges loved them! For now I am going to keep working hard, experimenting and learning and we’ll see what 2021 brings!” 

Hot off the press following the excitement of the NEW Katsu Chicken McNugget launching in the UK, the return of the Big Tasty was announce, hitting McDonald’s restaurants from today  (December 30).

One of McDonald’s best loved menu items will be available with or without bacon.

Made with fresh 100% British and Irish beef, melty cheese made with Emmental, topped with tomato, lettuce, slivered onions and lashings of Big Tasty sauce, all on a sesame seed bun.

As the name says – it’s big, it’s tasty, and only available for 6 weeks - so hurry up if you want to get your hands on one.

Available for a limited time only, the NEW Katsu Curry Chicken McNuggets are match made in heaven and everything you didn’t know you needed until now. Now hitting McDonald’s restaurants, they are the tastiest way to wave goodbye to 2020 and start the new year as you mean to go on!

100% chicken breast meat in a crispy Katsu Curry panko breadcrumb coating, served with our classic Sweet Curry dip – need we say more?

Last but definitely not least, the signature limited edition Galaxy Salted Caramel McFlurry will also be making its return, and will be available in both mini and full sizes.

The perfect combination of soft dairy ice cream with pieces of creamy Galaxy chocolate and a swirl of caramel sauce means it is a very popular choice, so make sure you can get one while it is available for 6 weeks.

Sitting in the foothills of the Helan Mountains, Emma Gao runs the Silver Heights winery and vineyards in China's Ningxia province, about 1,000 km (620 miles) west of Beijing and where it's dry and sunny with mild temperatures in summer and plenty of irrigation from the Yellow River.

Still, the winters are so bitterly cold that the vines need to be buried under 30cm (12in) of soil late in the year so that they make it through to the next season.

Wines from the region have grown in popularity in China, and business is good for Silver Heights. A medium-sized winery, it produces up to 200,000 bottles a year and exports to 15 countries, in addition to its home market. In fact, Chinese wine is having a moment, domestically. While foreign wine is often regarded as more prestigious, under this year's lockdowns Chinese drinkers have increasingly sought out home-grown wines.

Why has this been the case? And will Chinese wine maintain its increased popularity in its home market after the Covid-19 pandemic ends, or will drinkers switch back to imports?

According to industry analysts Wine Intelligence, there has been a shift to buying more domestic bottles in most wine-producing countries this year.

Nowhere has this been more pronounced than in China, where 54% of respondents to a Wine Intelligence survey in August said they were now buying more Chinese wine compared to pre-pandemic levels. "There is a dramatic rise in the consumption of local wine this year," says sommelier and wine educator Roger Chow, from Xiamen in Fujian province. One possible reason, he thinks, is that people switched because imported wine simply became trickier to find due to the pandemic.

Wine import volumes into China slumped 32% in the first half of 2020 compared to the previous year, according to industry figures. Imports by value also declined sharply over the same period, down 31% to $752m (£565m). But according to Janet Wang, author of The Chinese Wine Renaissance, it's unlikely to account for the entire change, because most stores and distributors would have had months worth of existing imported stock. Instead, she thinks the shift is about Chinese producers being savvy enough to sense an opportunity.

Ms Wang says: "Anecdotally, you do hear people saying 'we're seeing a lot more promotions around Chinese wine, or a lot of distributors are taking up Chinese wine, or inquiring about Chinese wine'."  For many years, expats in China turned up their nose at the local wines, and as recently as five years ago one Chinese executive even candidly admitted his company's wines were "not very good".

It's not unusual for a young wine industry to endure some sniping from better established rivals overseas. Even Australian wines - which now account for around A$3bn ($2.2bn; £1.6bn) in exports a year - were famously derided as "Chateau chunder" by British comedy troupe Monty Python.

Some Chinese winemakers have sought to get around this reputational issue by partnering with European wineries and in some cases making their labels look similar to European brands. But according to Daxue Consultants - a market research group which (among other things) helps Chinese winemakers with their branding and marketing - some wineries now want to play up their connection to China.

"When we look at the label, some can be very westernised in style. The other side is quite interesting. They're more like localising or integrating Chinese elements," says Daxue's Yuwan Hu.

Ms Wang says that in recent years the general quality of Chinese wine has greatly improved. And in fact, the best Chinese wines have been winning competitions for even longer. She also points out that some Chinese winemakers have been trying to cater to the national palate, which comes from the county's well-established food culture. "So straight away, some of the more astute producers were saying 'this is quite a sophisticated market in terms of the palate'," she says.

Ms Gao, who learned winemaking in France's Bordeaux region, agrees that if there's a shift towards Chinese wine, it is because of higher standards, and producers who know their market.

She says: "I believe the quality of Chinese wine keeps improving.  And this has been matched by a new generation of wine lovers that are more adventurous, proud of their Chinese heritage."

Ben Luker, from Wine Intelligence, says that the pandemic has also been a catalyst for Chinese consumers to trust domestic products more.

He says: "Trust in domestic produced wine, and even trust in imported wine, has always been something that's very much a challenge to the industry, because there was always that fear that it was counterfeit."

A sure fire way to distinguish between ‘locals’ and ‘foreigners’ at a Caribbean dinner table is to listen out for the request for ‘pepper sauce,’ a hot and tangy flavouring that is typically made of the indigenous Scotch Bonnet, otherwise known as Scotty Bon, Scotchy, Bonney Pepper or scientifically, Capsicum Chinense. The Scotch Bonnet is the main commercial variety of pepper in the region, having achieved this status through a process of repeated selection based on aroma, pungency, flavour, yield, and disease and pest tolerance.

Originally cultivated by the Taino Indians, the distinctly Caribbean flavour of the fiery hot condiment is used to make a variety of value added products such as hot pepper sauce, jerk seasoning, pepper mash, dried pepper, scotch bonnet chocolate truffles, pepper powder, hot ketchup, pepper infused peanut butter, pepper jams and jellies, salsas and pickles. With a heat rating of 100,000-350,000 scoville units, the scotch bonnet can be up to 40 times hotter than a typical jalapeño pepper.

High levels of capsaicin, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, most B vitamins (particularly vitamin B6), iron, copper, magnesium and potassium provide a number of benefits including heart health, weight loss, and congestion relief. “Scotch Bonnet Peppers are the “back roads” that lead to the same destination,” says Chef Peter Ivey of The Reggae Chefs, of the tear-inducing Caribbean flavour. “They are the roads that your parents told you not to walk down alone at night until you were all grown up.”

“The Scotch Bonnet pepper can be dangerously deceptive, as its distinct aroma can lull you into lowering your guard,” Ivey continues. “It’s prowess in deception lies in its ability to either tinge your tongue with sweetness or take traditional Caribbean flavours to heights matched only by the peaks in cock pit country, Jamaica where they are abundantly grown.”

Traditional curry goat and thick Caribbean soups are elevated with the ‘Scotchie’s’ presence, and rice and peas is just “rice and some peas” without the tail of a scotch bonnet pepper peeking out from under a few rice grains. Escoveitch fish would be relegated to simply fried fish without the Scotch Bonnet’s tangy flavour and no self-respecting Caribbean person wants a jerk sauce made without a bright yellow, orange or red Scotch Bonnet ‘flag’, indicating that appropriate caution must be taken.

It is no wonder that Scotch Bonnet has become one of the biggest trends in international food, claiming the ‘hot’ spot of the first trend listed by The Happy Foodie in its “10 food trends to look out for in 2020”, a mention on the list of Uren Food Ingredients’ “2021 Global Food Trends” and a hyper-regional food trend on New Zealand’s Par Avion “Top 25 Food Trends for 2020”. Jamaica is the biggest player in the regional market, with top agro-processors including Grace, Walkerswood, Spur Tree Spices and Jamaica’s leading pepper sauce producer, Gray’s Pepper Products Limited, with approximately 60 per cent of its products destined for the export market.

Popular brands in the region include Gray’s hot sauce out of Jamaica, Baron’s Blazing hot sauce which is manufactured in St. Lucia and Grenada, Matouk’s hot pepper sauce of Trinidad & Tobago, Windmill Products Hot Pepper Sauce from Barbados and FIYAH sauces by Tomfoodery Kitchen & Bar in the Cayman Islands. Scotch Bonnet is in such high demand by both the Caribbean domestic and export markets that, at a 2018 meeting of the Jamaica Agro processors Association (JAPA), members complained of a lack of the famous pepper as a raw material for sauces. The supply at the time could only meet about 55 per cent of the demand for sauce production.

Jamaican export sales of the incendiary condiment are reflective of the growing demand. Exports of hot pepper sauce totalled $4,453,019 in 2019. Between 2013 and 2017, the export of fresh hot peppers increased by 713 per cent and 302 per cent for semi-value added. Of all the value added products created from the pungent pepper, none are more popular than traditional Caribbean sauces and condiments, including the famous hot sauce or as it is known in the region, pepper sauce.

According to regional trade and investment promotion agency, Caribbean Export, the market for Caribbean sauces and condiments is worth $1.49 billion, having grown in value by 16.8 percent between 2019 and 2020. Globally, the hot sauce market is projected to reach $ 5.9 billion by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 5.2 per cent (2020-2025). (Imarc group)

Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), a promotional agency for export and investment in Jamaica’s local and international private sector, is currently in dialogue with investors who are interested in growing the hot peppers on a large-scale on-island. It is also working with other government agencies through a Pepper Value Chain Task Force (managed by the Bureau of Standards Jamaica) to identify goods made from the Scotch Bonnet pepper and a strategy to facilitate the production of these goods.

Diane Edwards, President of JAMPRO, said: “With more investments into the sector, Jamaica will be able to meet the large demand that exists for the peppers in their natural state, as well as pepper mash which can be used to make sauces, seasonings and other products.”

“The next step for Jamaica is to create more value-added products from Scotch Bonnet peppers. This will not only have a positive impact on the economy by increasing export sales and creating jobs, but it will also diversify our exports in the agribusiness sector.”