Food and Drink

With a continuous rise in restaurants serving exciting meat-free food, heightened awareness of animal welfare and health-conscious dieting, it’s unsurprising that vegetarianism, veganism and flexitarianism (semi-vegetarian) are on the rise. In fact, since Linda McCartney introduced her range of vegetarian dishes over 25 years ago, the number of vegetarians in Britain has more than doubled – launched as an attempt to save vegetarians from a bleak future of eating unexciting food. Research in 2016 also showed that 12 per cent...

Just over a year ago, when Sartoria opened on the corner of Saville Row – like everybody else in London with a passion for food - I couldn’t wait to visit. Renowned as one of London’s finest Italian chefs (having previously worked at L’Anima), D&D London recruited Francesco Mazzei to run the kitchen of its swanky new venue. Bedecked with heavily starched linen and cutlery so heavily polished that neighbouring diners could be blinded with one misjudged mouthful – it...

Culminating with the release of a brand new free-standing steam oven, high-end home and kitchen appliance innovators Miele have teamed up with chefs Skye Gyngell and Marianne Lumb. Created using the new Miele steam oven, one of Australian chef Skye Gyngell’s recipes is for a sweet farro tart (farro is a composition of certain wheat grains, often eaten crispy), that’s relatively simple to recreate at home, best served with ripe strawberries and espresso caramel. “Created by Australian multi-award winning chef,...

One of Britain's most celebrated Chefs, Heston Blumenthal's résumé of achievements is beyond belief. Alongside starring in numerous food-focused television shows, Heston has opened five restaurants over the past 20 years, with his Fat Duck group having garnered a total of six Michelin stars. Three of those belong to The Fat Duck, just one of the chef's restaurants in the otherwise sleepy village of Bray (near Maidenhead). Most recently, Heston has launched a five-strong barbecue range with Australian specialists Everdure....

It was with a certain sense of delight that I received a news release this morning noting a potential price hike on olive oil following environmental factors that put 19.8 per cent on the price back in 2015. Granted I use olive oil in most of my cooking, but coupled with the news that avocado prices are set to rise and zesty fruits such as lemons and limes may also be in for a price hike we could finally be getting rid of the "foodie...

A London fine-dining institution, lunch at Michelin-starred Galvin La Chapelle, behind Spitalfields, is an absolute delight. Instead of serving an exclusive menu of (often pompous) haute cuisine, the restaurant offers some of the best French gastronomic delights available in London, alongside one of the most stunning settings. The grade II listed location of brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin’s third restaurant has a long colourful history. At the end of the 19th century, the building was used as the parish of Bishopsgate and...

Strength: 5.2% ABV Brewed: Fuquay Varina, North Carolina Launched at the end of 2008, Aviator Brewing Company began life in an airplane hangar. Using a hangar at Triple W airport in North Carolina as a base, a range of beers were initially brewed in a DIY fashion, using two used dairy tanks. Against all odds, said beer became hugely popular and demand increased enough for the brewery to open a larger premise, just a short distance from the original. Now,...

Imagine if Burger & Lobster were only to sell their overpriced burgers, if MEATliquor actually specialised in eco-conscious vegan treats, or if Le Gavroche were run by a Roman chef with a penchant for German brasserie classics. No, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but in terms of indication, the importance of restaurant names should never be overlooked. Just opened within the newly refurbished space at The Stafford hotel in St James, The Game Bird is as quintessentially...

By Jay Williams  Arriving early, I mooched around outside new Farringdon rib joint Hammer & Tongs just long enough to hear a member of staff outside muttering darkly into his mobile “we’ve got a reviewer coming in again tonight”.  Kind of how you might expect one of the three little pigs to say “we’ve got a wolf popping round again this evening”.  But after returning to our table later, a quick Google revealed the restaurant had recently been rinsed by...