
Research by Allergy UK shows nearly 1 in 5 people in the UK have a food allergy or intolerance and these numbers are increasing by 5% annually. In other words, pubs and restaurants need to effectively cater for special dietary requirements or alienate 20% of their customers and significantly damage their income! So, how can pubs meet this modern dietary challenge?
TV chefs can often be seen wielding their sharpening steels around like a samurai sword, but away from the cameras there are far kinder and less dramatic ways to hone or sharpen your chefs knife. After all, even the finest knives in the world are practically useless with a dull edge. So what’s the best technique?

Many aspiring chefs look to restaurant chains that are successful worldwide and dream of reaching that level. It seems impossible - but it happened for them, why can't it happen for you? Everyone has to start somewhere. It takes an idea and an obsession to see the vision come to life for every successful business to get off the ground, and catering businesses are no different.
Here Brian Matthews, owner of Pen-Y-Bont Hotel, details all you need to know when starting a small catering business.

English sparkling wine vs champagne is a question with a surprising answer for Brits. Wine week is between May 27 and June 4 in the UK, and this year there’s much to celebrate. With English sparkling wine making big strides, here we look at whether we finally have something that can rightfully sit alongside champagne at the summit of the sparkling wine world.