Food

Bringing fire and passion to its guests, Hilton London Metropole's Fiamma restaurant, which translates as flame, is embracing its Italian roots with its latest menu launch. From flame-cooked pizza to home-comfort styled antipasti and delicious seafood, the open kitchen at 225 Edgware Road is bringing the flavours of the Mediterranean to the UK capital.

With over half of Fiamma's kitchen team, and all of its pizza chefs, originating from Italy, diners are guaranteed an authentic taste of the country. The all-new menu features sumptuous starters of chargrilled squid, burrata, bruschetta three ways, and insalata di mare, transporting diners to the heart of Italy from the very first bite.

For secondo, diners can choose from hand-made pizzas, tender meat dishes, mouth-watering seafood and hearty pastas and risotto.  Highlights include herb-baked lamb rump with celeriac puree and trumpet mushrooms, spaghetti allo scoglio, lobster risotto and pizza calzone. With an equally tempting Italian wine list, the perfect glass to pair with any dish is easy to find, while those with room for dessert will find tiramisu, limoncello sorbet and creamy panna cotta among the choices.

On launching the new menu, Omer Lang, director of operations, Hilton London Metropole, said: 'We're passionate about delivering memorable, delicious dining experiences to our guests. Going back to our Italian roots ensures we can deliver true Italian fire when it comes to gastronomy. We're thrilled with the new menu and the excellent feedback received so far.”

Do you add boiling hot water to coffee? How do you make the perfect espresso? Whether you like to brew coffee at home or try a new speciality coffee, baristas have all the answers to help with your caffeine fix.

New research published by Costa Coffee to celebrate their annual global Barista of the Year competition, revealed that of those people who drink coffee, 86% of people in the Midlands do so daily. Midland coffee drinkers are habitual in their drinking habits with three quarters (76%) having one first thing on the morning, two thirds have one late morning (66%) as well as over half of coffee drinkers in the Midlands (54%) have a cup in the afternoon.

The taste of the coffee is vital for consumers as the new research reveals that the majority of coffee drinkers in the Midlands (93%) think that taste is the most important factor when choosing a coffee to drink, with under two in five (37%) saying smell.

When it comes to trying new coffees (such as a cold brew or an alcoholic brew), the survey has shown that London coffee drinkers are the most adventurous (74%), in contrast to Midlands (50%), Northern Ireland (37%) and the South West (39%) who are the least adventurous.

All the recent developments in the coffee industry, encapsulating flavours, technology and the coffee drinking experience may well be influencing the perception and perceived career opportunities that a Barista has to offer too. As interestingly, of those coffee drinkers surveyed it was found that over half of Midland coffee drinks (54%) would select being a Barista as their preferred profession, other than selecting waitressing or bartending as a profession.

The Barista of the Year competition, which takes place in London next week, highlights the important skillset of Costa’s baristas from all over the world. Luke Antinoro, Laboratory Assistant for Costa Coffee and former finalists says: “Being a barista is more than just making drinks, it’s impacting on someone’s day – making a customer feel happy. As a barista, I thoroughly enjoy learning about coffee and all the aspects of its preparation, as well as flavour trends to inspire us to create our own signature drinks. This is why the Barista of the Year competition is so important, as Costa wants to showcase their barista’s and highlight their importance in the industry. Baristas have technical knowledge, creativity and a passion for coffee which makes them all unique.”

Some barista techniques for brewing the perfect cup of coffee at home include;

• Serving a crafted coffee in a proper porcelain cup to experience it at its best – as the cup keeps the coffee warm for longer so you can take your time drinking the coffee and savour every last drop.
• An espresso shot only remains in its perfect state for around 15 seconds. This means that when preparing favourites such as the latte or cappuccino, the milk is always prepared first so that the coffee can be used as soon as it’s been poured.
• When serving an Americano, baristas always serve the espresso shot on top of the water, rather than topping the espresso up with water. This is to preserve the precious crema on the surface of the Americano and ensures that it isn’t burnt by the water.
• The barista’s top trick is with the cappuccino. They roll an espresso ring gently around the edge of the cup before pouring over the frothy milk, ensuring that with every sip of the silky drink you can taste the delicious coffee blend.

Following 2017's record-breaking year, entries are now open for the prestigious Food & Drink Devon Awards 2018. These gold standard awards celebrate the very best Devon has to offer by recognising the county's most respected, influential and passionate artisan food and drink producers and establishments.

The awards, currently in their eighth year, continue to grow with 2017 recording the highest number of entries to date as well as boasting a glittering sell out awards evening. Last year the judges tasted over 250 of the finest products and visited nearly 100 establishments across Devon to select the pick of the crop for the shortlist.

Barbara King, a proud champion of Devon's producers and chair of the board of directors for Food & Drink Devon, comments: “Since our awards were launched eight years ago, the food and drink scene in Devon has gone from strength to strength. Our county boasts so many dynamic and innovative local producers and purveyors and these awards give us the chance to recognise their success and contributions to this vibrant industry. Every year the awards get bigger and better with a record number of entries last year and for 2018, we have every reason to believe that this trend will continue!.”

The awards cover a broad spectrum of categories across the Devon food and drink scene. The Retail Awards on offer include 'Best Producer', 'Best Retailer' and 'Best Online Retailer'. Whilst the Hospitality sector is also acknowledged with a number of highly sought after Awards including 'Best Fine Dining Restaurant', 'Best Hotel Restaurant','Best Pub Restaurant', 'Best Restaurant', 'Best Bistro', 'Best Café/Tearoom'  and 'Best Pub'. Last year, to reflect the growth of some key areas within the industry, three new categories were added, 'Best Street Food', 'Best Farmers' Market' and 'Best Training School'. This year we have replaced 'Best Packaging' with 'Best Brand Representation' which will judge entrants on their website, packaging, social media, brand message and values.

Closing date for entries is Friday 20th April and judging will be carried out by a panel of experts, which will include a number of celebrated names from the industry, and will take place over the following three months. Entrants will have the opportunity to benefit from invaluable product feedback provided by the panel. The winners will be invited to collect their awards at a dazzling black tie ceremony in October.

It's set to be one of THE big food trends of 2018 and today Tesco will launch its first ever range of 'wicked' plant based dishes, unleashing the mighty flavour of plants.

Tesco has partnered with pioneering chef, Derek Sarno, to create 'Wicked Kitchen' – a new range of irresistible meals that celebrate everything that's 'wicked' and tasty about plants.

Recently demand for vegetarian and vegan food has soared as a result of lifestyle choices such as Meat Free Mondays and flexitarian diets.

In the last year alone Tesco has directly seen the effect of those lifestyle choices with demand for chilled vegetarian ready meals and meat substitutes soaring by 25 per cent.

Prepared exclusively for Tesco, the new range will launch on 8 January in 600 stores nationwide.

From crispy carrot 'pastrami' to wicked-meated barbecued 'shrooms and Sourdough Pizza, the vibrant wraps, meals and salads have all the zing, punch and crunch to encourage Brits to eat more veg – and they're available at a great price too.

Chef Derek said:

“When I first arrived in Britain from America I was hugely surprised at how little choice there was for vegans and those considering a lifestyle change.

“For too long, vegans have been overlooked, with many offerings that are available seemingly created to appease rather than truly please.

“Wicked Kitchen plans to change all that and I'm proud to work with Tesco and offer all its customers delicious meals to get them on board with this growing foodie revolution.”

The exclusive range includes 11 ready meals and nine food to go options, perfect for lunch or dinner.

As a third of the UK population now identifies themselves as “flexitarian”, the number of those cutting back on animal products and following a plant-based diet is set to increase by 10 per cent this year*.

Tourism is eating, eating, eating. Gala dinners at conferences, constant eating on cruise ships, multinational buffets – food is big business in the travel and tourism industry.

Building on the success of the UN’s International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development (IY2017) initiative and in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), PATA, along with our project partner, Scholars of Sustenance (Thai-SOS) and knowledge partner Futouris, is launching the BUFFET Campaign to raise awareness of food waste in our industry to drive positive change.

The BUFFET (Building an Understanding For Food Excess in Tourism) Initiative is about bringing together a coalition of industry partners and PATA members to create and implement a campaign that challenges our industry, particularly the hospitality sector, to reduce food waste to landfill.

PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy said, “With significant growth expected in the industry and especially the Asia Pacific region in the near future, greater waste can be expected. Our aim is to curb that waste by bringing the tourism and hospitality sectors together to reduce our impact on the planet by reducing our industry’s food waste to landfill. Reducing food waste will reduce the cost for operators in the industry while benefiting the environment at the same time.”

The main activities in this initiative include the raising awareness of food waste in our industry and the creation of Asia-Pacific focused resources for hoteliers and other hospitality and tourism professionals to drive positive change and ultimately reduce their food waste to landfill. While this initiative aims to impact our industry at large, will be focusing additional efforts on hotels and food and beverage providers in Asia, and specific hotel properties in Bangkok in our Bangkok Hotels Project, with the expertise of Thai-SOS.

PATA is seeking to engage further with hotels who would like to reduce their food waste to landfill, hotels already implementing food waste solutions, potential partners and sponsors, as well as those who would like to help us in raising awareness and building a better understanding for food excess in tourism.

With increasing concern of the world for climate change, food waste has come increasingly under attention in recent years and for good reason:

• Food waste is the third biggest contributor to climate change
• One third of all foods produced in the world is wasted
• Additional pressures arise from GHG emissions caused by food production and transportation
• Right now 842 million people do not have enough to eat and with an estimated world population of 9.8 billion people in 2050 resources will be limited and more people will be hungry

Single use cups are well and truly on the political agenda following a call from MPs for a 'Latte Levy' last week.

Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, is setting his own example (admittedly following criticism last month for using a takeaway cup) by proudly parading his reusable Ecoffee Cup yesterday outside number 10.

Ecoffee Cup founder David McLagan, who has been fighting the coffee cup waste corner since the company's inception in 2014, applauds Gove's example. The company set up its #stopthe100billion campaign precisely to raise awareness of the cause, effect real change in the way we consume coffee and help tackle the ever growing issue of single use packaging waste going to landfill.

Following the news of a possible 'Latte Levy' last week, the coffee cup waste issue is showing no signs of letting up, with hope that the PM is also taking note with her vow yesterday to end the 'throwaway culture'.

David McLagan comments: “Having previously thrown out similar initiatives in the past, the call from MPs for a coffee cup tax is fantastic news. The hope is that this time it actually comes to something…

“With awareness of the single-use coffee cup waste issue growing rapidly, and consumers admitting they would be happy to pay a charge, it is high time for government to sit up and listen. Policy has to be dramatically altered if we are to effectively change the mind-set of the coffee-consuming public.

“Following the huge success of the 5p plastic bag charge, a coffee cup levy is the obvious and necessary next step and will go a long way in changing attitudes and behaviours, by incentivising people to bring their own mugs.

“Recycling is simply not the answer. Reuse is.

“So few facilities are currently available to manage the recycling of disposable cups due to the highly complex task of separating the plastic from the paper, and with 100 billion single-use takeaway cups going to landfill globally each year - that's 273,972,603 coffee cups every single day – the time for action is most definitely now.

“Consumers, coffee chains and governments must all act in unison in order to reduce the volumes of coffee cups going to landfill.”

With a keynote talk from food critic, writer and broadcaster, Jay Rayner, The Jolly Tasty pop-up pub sampling Great Taste award-winning beers & ciders, retail clinics with the School of Fine Food and Shopper's Anonymous all on the line up, the new look Fine Food Show North (formerly Harrogate Find Food Show) is set to be bigger and better than ever before.

Extended to three days and moved from June to February in response to popular demand, this trade-only event from the Guild of Fine Food will showcase more than 180 food and drink exhibitors and will take place at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate on Sunday 11 February from 11am – 4pm, Monday 12 February from 10am – 6pm and Tuesday 13 February from 10am – 4pm.

Registration is now open for deli, farm shop, café and garden centre owners, along with chefs, publicans, hoteliers, bar owners and restaurateurs, to visit this jam-packed three-day event and discover emerging food and drink trends, along with buyers from Selfridges, Harrods and Fenwicks.

Visitors to Fine Food Show North 2018 can also expect to learn how to tap into tourism during a Gastro Tourism Business Builder workshop with Sir Gary Verity, CEO at Welcome to Yorkshire, explore 'off the wall' accompaniments for cheese and watch producers pitch new products to the experts on the Feed the Dragon panel.

As millions of people embark on New Year resolutions to eat healthier, a new One Poll survey* has found that a third of shoppers find it difficult to know which foods to choose for a healthy diet.

The survey results come as Waitrose launches a new label which will be featured on hundreds of nutritious food and drink products to make it easier for customers to make healthier choices.

The new 'Good Health' label now shows on many of the supermarket's own-brand products, from fresh produce, juices and smoothies to store cupboard essentials including pulses and grains. A number of new healthier products will also be launching at Waitrose, many of which incorporate vegetables in innovative ways in response to the growing demand for plant-based protein.

Every product carrying the Good Health label has been assessed by a team of nutritionists and meet strict criteria based on government guidelines for fat, saturated fat, added sugar and salt, and so won't appear on products with red traffic lights, apart from where the fats and sugars are naturally occurring. The nutritional benefits of the products will be clearly signposted on packaging, including claims such as whether they're high in, or a source of, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients - as well as information on how this in turn benefits health.

Indicators such as 'high in fibre', 'Source of Vitamin D' and '1 of your 5 a day' will help customers to make healthier choices.

Nathalie Winn, Senior Nutritionist at Waitrose, explains:

“We believe there are few things more important than the food we eat, but we know people sometimes find it difficult to know what's a healthier choice, or to know which foods provide certain nutrients.

“With one third of shoppers getting confused by which foods to eat for a healthy diet, we wanted to make it easier than ever for our customers to know they're selecting food that not only tastes good, but is good for you too.

“Whether or not you have specific dietary requirements, the new labels will make it easier for everyone to make simple, healthy choices every day.”

New healthier products launching this month include meat sausages which are also packed with up to 35% fruit, vegetables or pulses, such as quinoa, cauliflower, kale and lentils.

The new range also includes a sandwich made with omelette in place of bread, Edamame Noodles and Mushroom and Miso Stir Fry Bites, all of which add protein to your diet.

Waitrose has also launched a number of tasty, healthy recipes for customers to pick up in store or online this month, as well as a special edition of its Waitrose Weekend newspaper which will help shoppers keep their health resolutions on track.

A sweet-toothed Staffordshire Bull Terrier named Bailey had a very lucky escape this festive season after wolfing down a potentially lethal dose of chocolate. Thankfully, her owners were aware of the dangers and took urgent action, meaning PDSA vets were able to provide life-saving treatment.

The warning comes as new PDSA research reveals one-in-ten pet owners face an emergency trip to the vets over the Christmas period*.

Bailey’s owner Angela (53) from Shard End, Birmingham, said: “I’d popped out to get Bailey some food but got back to find scraps of paper and foil all over the floor. She’d managed to get into a plastic bag and rip open the chocolate bar wrappers!”

Angela was horrified to find Bailey had polished off two huge bars of chocolate – over twice the lethal dose for dogs. But thankfully, Angela knew chocolate was poisonous for our four-legged friends and rushed Bailey straight to Aston PDSA Pet Hospital.

PDSA vets immediately gave Bailey medication to induce vomiting, alongside treatment to help reduce absorption of the deadly chemicals contained in chocolate.

PDSA Vet, Hannah Gritti, said: “Chocolate is incredibly toxic for dogs – especially the amount Bailey had eaten. We knew time was of the essence, so we needed to act fast to make sure she would pull through.

“Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine which, although harmless to people, is poisonous to dogs. Luckily, Angela knew Bailey had eaten chocolate and acted quickly, but others aren’t so lucky. It’s important to be vigilant this Christmas and keep all chocolate, including cakes and advent calendars, completely out of reach. Remember, gifts under the tree could contain chocolate too, so keep wrapped presents out of reach from curious paws.”

Cases of chocolate poisoning are consistently one of the most common enquiries to the Veterinary Poisons Information Services (VPIS), and the number of chocolate poisoning cases during the festive season is around 20%** higher than any other time of year. PDSA is urging owners to be vigilant during the festive season.

Hannah adds: “Signs your pet may have eaten chocolate can include excessive thirst, vomiting, diarrhoea, a tender tummy and restlessness. This can then progress to tremors, an abnormal heart rhythm, raised body temperature and rapid breathing. In severe cases, chocolate poisoning in dogs can cause fits, kidney failure and even death.”

Other festive foods, including onions, raisins, some nuts, sage-and-onion stuffing, mince pies and Christmas cake, can be harmful and should be kept out of paws’ reach. You can find out more at pdsa.org.uk/poisons. If you think your dog may have eaten something poisonous, it’s important to contact your vet straight away for advice.

A very relieved Angela wants to share Bailey’s story to highlight the dangers that chocolate can pose to beloved pets this Christmas.

Angela added: “I was terrified she wasn’t going to make it. She’s my little prima donna and rules the house, but she’s my world and I would be distraught if anything happened to her.

“I hope that Bailey’s story helps raise awareness of the life-saving work PDSA do – I’m incredibly grateful for all they have done. They are such an amazing bunch of people – I just don’t have the words to say how thankful I am.”

New for 2018, Saint Lucia Food and Rum is the first event in the Soleil festival series running throughout the year. It's the must-visit food Caribbean festival taking place from January 12-14 with an appearance by one of the world's top chefs, Marcus Samuelsson. The festival also includes another major addition: the first-ever Caribbean Rum Awards.

The Saint Lucia Food and Rum Festival takes place in January 2018, exploring the island's sensational flavours with the Award-Winning Chef, TV Personality and Restaurateur, Marcus Samuelsson. The event also sees the launch of the inaugural Caribbean Rum Awards from the Caribbean Journal. The festival runs from January 12-14 with select restaurants featuring rum inspired Prix Fixe menus.

The Food & Rum Festival is a three-day celebration of the island's unique culinary offerings derived from its French, British, African and Indian heritage combined with the finest rums of the Caribbean and the world. A highlight will be renowned chef, Marcus Samuelsson who is presenting a Saint Lucian twist on his menu from President Obama's first State Dinner, at a gala event. Samuelsson is the acclaimed chef behind many restaurants worldwide including, Red Rooster, Streetbird Rotisserie, and Marcus B&P.

Food & Rum will convert the Rodney Bay strip into a foodie's dream with the Rodney Bay Culinary Experience on Saturday January 13. Some of the Island's best restaurants will be setting up sampling booths to share the tastes of their rum inspired creations. The lively Saturday night scene in Rodney Bay will be taken up a few notches with the exciting flavours and live entertainment well into the night.

The festival reaches its climax Sunday January 14 with an open-air event at the historic Pigeon Island National Landmark. Restaurateurs, chefs and rum makers will present the most delectable fare, including their own rum infused creations. The festival day will feature sampling booths, live cooking demonstrations, rum tastings and a power packed live concert.

The Gala event will be an exclusive night of glamour, entertainment and some of the finest dining in the western hemisphere.

Sandwell health bosses are encouraging local people to take care with how much they drink ahead of Booze Black Friday.

Booze Black Friday – the last Friday before Christmas – is the most popular night for office and factory Christmas parties, which consequently makes it one of the busiest nights in the year for ambulances and the police services.

Sales for alcohol massively increase on Booze Black Friday in comparison with Fridays at other times of the year. Both supermarkets and bars and restaurants see a massive increase in the amount of alcohol being consumed.

Councillor Elaine Costigan, cabinet member for public health and protection, said: “Over the festive period a lot of us like to have a drink or two. However, it is important that people are aware of the short and long-term health risks of drinking alcohol.

“There is lots of great advice and support available locally on how to cut down or remain booze-free.”

Regularly drinking more than 14 units a week risks damaging your health. Fourteen units is equivalent to six pints of average-strength beer or seven 175ml glasses of average-strength (12%) wine.

For more advice and information on how to keep in control of your drinking please go to: www.healthysandwell.co.uk/our-services/lets-talk-alcohol/festive-drinking-advice

Waitrose is the first UK supermarket to launch a Prosecco cheese. Arriving in shops on 4th December, this indulgent cheese is perfect for adding a sparkly twist to a festive cheeseboard.

The Ubriaco Prosecco DOC, affectionately referred to as 'drunken cheese', is a traditional Italian cows' milk cheese which is bathed in Treviso Prosecco DOC for 40 to 50 days during its ageing process, which takes 6 - 8 months in total.

Made by a third generation family of cheese makers in Veneto, northern Italy, the cheese has a soft, supple texture. Its flavour is reminiscent of flowers, pears and golden apples, with a hint of saltiness in the background. The cheese develops a semi-firm edible rind as it soaks in the Prosecco DOC and the wine imparts floral and aromatic notes to the cheese.

The company behind the cheese was founded in 1930 by Luigi Moro, who sold milk to local families in Veneto, particularly helping those who were struggling during difficult times. In the 1950s they started cheese production and today Sergio Moro, Luigi's grandson, specialises in making cheeses using old rural techniques of production and ageing.

The cheese goes particularly well with pears and figs, and a glass of Prosecco or aged red wine.

Heston Blumenthal has worked his magic to turn what can be the most divisive part of a traditional Christmas dinner into a dish everyone will love - a giant 'sprout' filled with profiteroles. Available at Waitrose from December 13th, the Heston from Waitrose Melting Chocolate 'Sprout' will appeal to even the most vehement sprout haters.

The new dessert has a green chocolate dome shell which, when drizzled with warmed salted caramel sauce, melts to reveal 18 green profiterole 'sprouts' filled with a lime-flavoured Crème Patissiere. The visual effect is a pile of sprouts doused in gravy but - with no actual sprouts or gravy used in the recipe - the flavour could not be more different; the zingy lime profiteroles perfectly balance the sweetness of the chocolate and salted caramel sauce.

The dessert's green shell, which is textured to look like a giant version of the festive vegetable, is made with white chocolate turned green by adding spirulina, a natural colouring. The choux pastry profiteroles are filled with a Crème Patissiere flavoured with lime.

Blumenthal is a master of curious food, famous for innovative dishes like the Meat Fruit - a 'mandarin' made with chicken liver parfait - at his restaurant, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and The Fat Duck's famous Bacon and Egg Ice Cream.

Heston Blumenthal says: 'The dishes that have caused the biggest response from our guests at The Fat Duck are those that look like something they're not. What can be more fun at Christmas than playing with your guests' minds and taste buds with a dessert that will leave everyone talking?'

Aileen Wood, Waitrose dessert buyer, says: 'Christmas is the perfect time of year to create a fun dessert with lots of theatre for people to enjoy together. We are sure this unique pud will be a talking point, and will give sprout haters a chance to try a new take on the festive veg!'

Heston has also introduced both a new gin and Panettone for Christmas 2017. The Heston from Waitrose Citrus Sherbert Lazy Gin only needs ice and Mediterranean tonic water to create the perfect G&T.

Blumenthal has also taken a classic Italian Panettone and given it a 70s makeover with the Heston from Waitrose Black Forest Panettone - the cherry scattered bread is topped with dark chocolate and kirsch-soaked cherries.

The most visited destination in the U.S. has a new must-taste experience: a signature dessert developed to showcase the region's culinary evolution and connection with honey. A destination-wide culinary competition involved public voting as well as a celebrity panel of judges including two-time James Beard Award winner Chef Art Smith.

The winning dish, “Orlando's Honey Nougat Glacé,” is an Italian meringue prepared with honey, nougat and fruit confit, on a red berries sorbet from Chef Catherine Delrieu of Mon Petit Cheri.

“Orlando's Honey Nougat Glacé stood out because you could really taste the honey,” said Chef Art Smith. “Yet it had this wonderful clean refreshing aftertaste – a total sweet honey bomb with a delicious tart fruit that soothes. Congratulations to Chef Catherine on this fabulous dish.”

“I wanted to create something different and refreshing to showcase local honey, but with balanced flavors so that it does not become too overpowering with sweetness,” said Chef Catherine Delrieu. “The entire process has been really exciting and challenging. I'm very proud to have been a part of this.”

The culinary competition launched in August, welcoming submissions from across Central Florida with the following criteria:

• local honey must be a key ingredient;
• the dish must be a dessert;
• it is available to the public in a restaurant or food venue;
• only one entry per restaurant.

The panel of judges included:

• Celebrity Chef Art Smith, Homecomin' and two-time James Beard Foundation Award Winner
• Tish Boyle, co-editor of Dessert Professional magazine
• Lauren Delgado, multimedia food reporter for the Orlando Sentinel
• Scott Joseph, veteran restaurant critic for com

Five food businesses in Sandwell have been recognised by Sandwell Council for offering healthier food options to their customers.

The national award called Eat Out Eat Well rewards caterers who make it easier for their customers to opt for healthier choices when eating out.

With three levels – bronze, silver and gold - the scheme is open to caterers, takeaways and other food retailers that have a good food hygiene rating and are complaint with food standards.

It encourages food businesses to provide healthier options to customers by increasing fruit, vegetable and starchy carbohydrates on their menus, and decreasing fat, especially saturated fat, sugar and salt.

The level of the award is based on a scoring system that takes into account the type of food on offer, cooking methods, provision of healthier meals for children and how the meals are promoted customers.

A platinum level is also available to larger organisations which meet government buying standards.

The first five Sandwell award winners are:

Brasshouse Café, Brasshouse Lane, Smethwick (Silver award)

Health Futures UTC Café, High Street, West Bromwich (Silver award)

Captain Café, Halesowen Road, Cradley Heath (Bronze award)

D’Vine Café, High Street, West Bromwich (Bronze award)

Eat it Fresh, Pound Road, Oldbury (Bronze award)

Councillor Elaine Costigan, cabinet member for public health and protection, who presented the awards, said:

“I’d like to congratulate all the winners of this new award for Sandwell.

“A lot of us enjoy eating out, but it can sometimes be a struggle to find healthier alternative eating options.

“We’re all becoming more aware of the contribution that a healthier diet can make towards reducing some diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

“These awards are a great way of recognising and raising awareness of the businesses that are making that extra effort to provide us with tasty and healthier options."

Abbas Abbas, owner of Captain Café in Cradley Heath, said: “I am very honoured and proud  to receive this award for Captain Café.

"The Eat Out Eat Well scheme, gives food businesses an opportunity to promote healthy eating to our communities and to offer our customers a healthier choice of food.”

Customers wanting to make changes to their lifestyle through healthier eating should look out for the Eat Out Eat Well logo when eating out, showing them where healthier eating choices are available.

Sainsbury's is branching into the coffee-to-go market by trialling a new coffee bar at the front of six of its supermarkets.

The bars, called '1869 Coffee' in reference to the year that Sainsbury's opened its first shop, enable customers to order Sainsbury's Own Brand coffees and teas, as well as pastries and cakes (hot panini's will be available in selected coffee bars) to take away.

Run by a Sainsbury's colleague with specialist barista training, the menu offers a wide range of hot drinks with each store spicing it up and adding their own seasonal specials throughout the year. In the run up to Christmas customers can get their hands on new blends including a honeycomb latte, black forest hot chocolate and gingerbread latte. Mince pies will also be on offer for those looking for a festive treat.

Mintel's latest reports reveal that the UK coffee shop market has risen by 37% over the last five years and coffee-to-go is high in demand. Sainsbury's new coffee bar format will look to tap into this market by giving customers their instant caffeine hit while on the move.

Customers in Sainsbury's West Green, Cambridge Eddington, Slough, Watford and Alton can already pay a visit to the bars, with Sainsbury's Armada Way store in Plymouth due to kick off the service this week. The bars will be open seven days a week with opening times varying from store to store.

Adrian Cook, Director of Fresh Foods at Sainsbury's commented, “We want to help all of our customers to live well for less and as part of this we're continually looking at new ways to be there for our customers, providing a range of convenient and high quality services at their fingertips.

“By giving our customers the chance to grab and go a range of hot drinks and snacks at the front of the store, we are differentiating our in-store offer and delivering a great value takeaway experience. It's an exciting opportunity for us to listen and understand how our customers respond to a new trial like this.”