The Barbican Kitchen

Plymouth’s favourite chefs James and Chris Tanner have reopened their restaurant The Barbican Kitchen at the Plymouth Gin building, after the unfortunate kitchen fire in February. They’ve also got a fab new ice cream recipe book out and are happy to sign copies at the Barbican Kitchen, with some of the proceeds going to charity.
Tel. 01752 604448
http://www.barbicankitchen.com/

Dartmouth Apprentice

Dartmouth Apprentice, an Italian restaurant with a social conscience is opening on July 26. Serving a fusion of Devon and Italian food in a refurbished church, it will be a training restaurant - similar to Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen - providing career and lifestyle development for local people.

The Seahorse Restaurant

Mitch Tonks’ The Seahorse Restaurant has some of the UK’s top chefs doing guest chef spots this summer. Mark Hix is sold out in July, but there’s still space for Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver of London’s St John restaurant, in September.
Tel. 01803 835147
http://www.seahorserestaurant.co.uk/

Enjoy England Awards

Fifteen Cornwall recently won gold at this year’s Enjoy England Awards, scooping the top award in the ‘Taste of England’ category for its excellent service, customer care, food sourcing and environmental policies.
Tel. 01637 861000
http://www.fifteencornwall.co.uk/

'Local' beef

In a recent investigation 20% of West Country pubs and restaurants were found to be selling beef as ‘local’ when it actually originated abroad. If you’re worried when eating out, ask restaurant staff where the meat comes from - they should be able to give you details.

New top-notch organic bakery

North Somerset has just got a top-notch organic bakery. Winnie’s Bakeries at Weston-super-Mare and Burnham-on-Sea have long been big on making bread in the traditional and natural way, but now there’s a new little sister company, Brinkton Bakehouse, making organic bread, including the yummy fig and aniseed, and roasted hazelnut and raisin speciality loaves. Look out for the new sourdoughs, rye breads and house loaf, ‘The Brinkton’, which is packed with seeds, and which will be in the bakery soon.
http://www.brinkton.com

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to Bristol’s Farmers’ Market which is celebrating its tenth anniversary. It was the first weekly farmers’ market to be established in the UK and ten of the original traders at the very first farmers’ market are still trading today.
http://www.bristolfarmersmarket.org/

Sharpham Park Shop

The much-anticipated Sharpham Park Shop and Kilver Court Gardens will open this summer. Everything in the shop will come from within a fifty mile radius and of course there’ll be the full range of Sharpham Park’s own top-quality produce. Visit the website below for more details.
http://www.sharphampark.com

The Green Table

Celeb chef Lesley Waters has just launched The Green Table, a new food concept to Devon, which is a sort of posh meals on wheels for foodies. She’ll be trialling it in the Salcombe area in July and August, so if you are interested in giving it a try then call the number below or visit the website.
Tel. 01548 560850
http://www.thegreentable.co.uk

Children lead the way on 5 a day

One in three parents admit that their children know more than they do about 5 A DAY and nutrition.
A new report released for the Department of Health's 5 A DAY campaign shows that although parents understand the importance of getting their 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day, many are still confused about what counts towards that target, with one in three admitting that their children know more than they do about 5 A DAY and nutrition.
1 in 2 parents don't realise that any vegetables they include in homemade food such as spaghetti bolognaise can count towards their five a day, and that of their children. 95% of mums and dads also didn't know that chips cannot be counted towards the 5 a day target.
While 91% of parents know that fresh fruit and veg counts, and 78% are aware that frozen fruit and veg counts, 4 in 10 parents don't realise that canned fruit and veg counts too.
It looks as though there's some clearing up to do on the 5 a day issue, and so celebrity mum Melinda Messenger offers parents the clarity they need in a new government video.
http://www.dh.gov.uk