Hannah Twiggs

The UK Health Security Agency has identified 207 cases of Salmonella enteritidis, including hospitalisations and one death, in an outbreak linked by genomic evidence to a common source. Investigators believe imported eggs are the leading suspect, although no specific country or egg has yet been confirmed and there is no identified link to British-produced eggs or poultry. British Lion and equivalent assured eggs are classified by the Food Standards Agency as presenting a very low salmonella risk, while pasteurised egg products and thorough cooking provide additional protection. The main uncertainty concerns eggs used by restaurants and food manufacturers, whose origins may be obscured after processing. Industry representatives are calling for stronger risk-based border checks on imported eggs.

Erchen Chang of London’s BAO restaurants shares three light summer recipes: cold tomato noodles, eel and smacked cucumber, and spinach with tofu sauce. The recipes emphasize ripe tomatoes, salted crunchy cucumber, carefully balanced dressings, Sichuan chilli oil, and minimal cooking. Several sauces require advance preparation, including a week-long tiger dressing infusion and at least two days for the chilli oil, while the finished dishes are designed for warm-weather eating.

Sixty per cent of people surveyed by the Food Standards Agency said they or someone in their household had eaten food past its use-by date to save money, amid a roughly 39 per cent rise in UK food prices since January 2021. Use-by dates relate to safety, unlike best-before dates, and smell, appearance or extra cooking cannot reliably show that food is safe. Risks vary by product and storage, with chilled ready-to-eat foods posing particular concerns because bacteria such as listeria can grow in refrigerators. Supermarket delivery practices also provide uneven shelf life, leaving some shoppers with little practical opportunity to eat or freeze food before its date. The trend reflects financial pressure and food-waste concerns, but there is no reliable number of extra days that can safely be applied to all foods.

Lactalis has agreed to buy Saputo’s UK dairy business for £988 million, potentially bringing Cathedral City, Davidstow, Country Life, Clover and Wensleydale under French ownership. The deal would include five factories and about 1,300 employees, subject to regulatory approval. The article argues that many supposedly British food brands already have foreign owners: Weetabix is American-owned, Tetley Indian-owned, Branston Japanese-owned, McVitie’s Turkish-owned, HP Sauce American-owned and made in the Netherlands, and Terry’s Chocolate Orange French-owned and made in Strasbourg. Britishness therefore depends less on corporate ownership alone than on a mixture of origins, ingredients, manufacturing locations, recipes and cultural associations. The main practical concern is what Lactalis will do with the UK factories and workforce, rather than which national flag owns the brands.

Meghan Markle performed better than expected as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia, asking thoughtful questions and offering specific, enthusiastic feedback on four ambitious dishes. However, the programme’s focus on her celebrity status, Harry’s FaceTime call, and family details overshadowed the contestants—particularly winner Petro Papathomas and his inventive celeriac ice cream. The episode is criticized for prioritizing Meghan’s lifestyle-brand appeal over the cooking competition.

The government’s 20 per cent business-rates reduction for pubs, social clubs and eligible live-music venues in England will save a typical pub about £1,100 annually, but excludes restaurants, cafes and hotels and does not begin until next April. Chef Tom Kerridge welcomes the measure as an initial signal that Andy Burnham understands hospitality’s importance, while arguing that a VAT cut from 20 to 10 per cent is needed to keep businesses open. Restaurateur Tommy Banks calls the relief a token gesture worth only a few pounds a day and says the sector faces an immediate crisis driven by labor, energy and supplier costs. Businesses and industry representatives warn that the policy reaches only a fraction of hospitality jobs, leaving Burnham’s credibility dependent on whether he delivers the VAT reduction he previously backed.

Four Middle Eastern–inspired dips from Newcastle restaurant Kiln showcase mezze-style summer dishes, including sweet potato borani, red pepper muhammara, herb-filled green labneh and Greek-style tirokafteri. The recipes highlight regional flavors adapted with local British ingredients, offering versatile options for sharing meals and informal gatherings.

Celebrates Ferragosto with a set of Italian recipes from Bocca di Lupo, highlighting a special outdoor dining event in Somerset that blends regional Italian dishes with local produce. Provides detailed instructions for fried courgette flowers, caponata, porcini risotto and cannoli, reflecting diverse Italian culinary traditions and the restaurant’s collaborative dinner series at Wyke House.

Rising meat prices driven by the cost of living crisis have reshaped British eating habits, pushing households to ration meat and stretch ingredients through lentils, beans and bulk staples. While immigration, global cuisines and ready meals diversified the national diet over decades, economic pressure has shifted meat from the centre of meals to a smaller supporting role. Vegetarianism and plant‑based products have lost commercial momentum as consumers favour inexpensive basics over branded meat substitutes. Contemporary cooking increasingly prioritises affordability, versatility and reduced waste, with one‑pot dishes, flavourful pantry ingredients and strategic use of leftovers guiding weekly meals.

Nick Jones returns to hospitality with St Clement, a new London hotel designed to eliminate common irritations of luxury stays through inclusive amenities, relaxed service and a focus on generosity. The project marks his first major venture since leaving Soho House after a successful career in hotels and a recovery from prostate cancer. St Clement includes a restaurant, bars, health club and retail spaces, aiming to serve both locals and guests without the exclusivity associated with his earlier brand. Jones emphasises familiar, welcoming hospitality, late-night vibrancy and creating spaces that Londoners can use regularly as he reconnects with hands-on hotel work and family involvement in the venture.

Record heatwaves in Britain have severely disrupted bakery operations as temperatures exceeding 37C accelerate yeast activity, melt butter, strain fridges and freezers, and shorten the shelf life of pastries and cream-based goods. Bakers are shifting schedules earlier, chilling ingredients, working in smaller batches and relying heavily on freezers to prevent doughs and laminated pastries from collapsing. Equipment failures have become more common as cooling units struggle, increasing costs alongside reduced customer footfall. Some bakeries are adjusting menus toward heat-tolerant items such as focaccia, while others invest in costly new cooling systems. Rising temperatures are creating ongoing technical and financial strain across the sector, requiring constant adaptation to maintain product quality and staff wellbeing.

A collection of seven fast, low‑effort dishes suited to hot weather highlights salads, noodles, flatbreads and pasta designed to minimise cooking time while remaining fresh and filling. Each recipe offers quick preparation and flavour‑forward ingredients, including rotisserie chicken with za’atar, a tuna pitta inspired by a popular café sandwich, coconut‑crusted cod with lime noodles, Chinese‑style rice noodles with bean sauce, shawarma mushroom flatbreads, crispy peanut‑coated tofu and sweetcorn‑chilli orecchiette.

A new fibre compound, inulin-propionate ester, approved for use in Europe, may help regulate appetite by stimulating satiety hormones in the gut. Developed by researchers in the UK, it aims to support weight control more modestly than GLP‑1 drugs by helping people feel fuller. While the science behind the fibre is credible, its impact will depend on how the food industry uses it, with concerns that it could become another marketing-driven wellness trend. The ingredient may assist with preventing gradual weight gain, but it does not address broader issues such as food affordability, diet quality or structural causes of obesity.

Rising food, packaging and transport costs have made barbecuing significantly more expensive in the UK, with supermarket convenience items such as premade burgers, salads and dips carrying steep markups compared with homemade alternatives. Despite this, barbecues remain cheaper than dining out, helping households manage increasing weekly food spending. Using raw ingredients, avoiding premium prepared items, choosing lower‑cost cuts like pork shoulder and chicken, and limiting multibuys can dramatically reduce per‑person costs. Several chefs offer recipes highlighting budget-friendly ways to grill while maintaining flavour and variety.

Three winning chefs chosen for Chapel Down’s Taste of England competition each interpret modern English cuisine differently, yet all emphasise exceptional produce and refined technique. Martin Carabott focuses on garden-to-plate cooking rooted in Sussex, Simon Hulstone highlights West Country ingredients shaped by two decades of Michelin precision, and Ethan Pack blends British produce with global influences. Their approaches demonstrate a confident, outward-looking food culture that values quality ingredients while embracing international ideas. The chefs will present their menus in a series of one-night dinners at The Swan at Chapel Down, with featured recipes including Hulstone’s lamb dish and Pack’s burnt cheesecake.

Nima Safaei’s debut cookbook At Home With Nima distills 15 years of Soho restaurant experience into simple Italian dishes grounded in restraint, generosity and subtle twists on tradition. The article highlights his philosophy of intentional simplicity and hosting, then presents three recipes: pea and mint risotto, ham and artichoke lasagne and the pistachio tiramisu served at Forty Dean Street.

Three Greek-inspired budget recipes provide affordable midweek meals: orzo-stuffed peppers baked in a roasted pepper sauce, halloumi saganaki served with lentils, spinach and walnut dressing, and a simplified moussaka-style lentil bake using microwaved potatoes and a mascarpone topping. The dishes aim to offer low-cost, flavourful options in response to rising living expenses as part of a collaboration with Sorted Food.