After winning the Bolton heat in October, Russell’s smoked salmon, spinach and Boursin Garlic & Herb pizza impressed the judges once more in the final. Camilla Deane from Bel Foodservice UK, one of the judges, presented Russell with his prize at the Awards Dinner held on 24 November 2011 at London’s Lancaster Hotel.

Competitors had to incorporate Boursin Garlic & Herb into their recipes. Its crumbly texture and delicious taste is ideal for giving a twist to your pizza toppings and can also be used instead of a tomato sauce when creating a pizza bianca.

The survey revealed that provenance is important with a staggering 85% of consumers expecting to see French produce on a cheeseboard. It also showed how important cheeseboards are to consumers at this time of year, with nearly 60% of consumers treating themselves to a cheeseboard when dining out for a special occasion, like Christmas.

Findings also showed that consumers expect to pay 10% more for a cheeseboard than they do for dessert and are willing to spend an average of £5.14. With bookings for seasonal parties already well underway it seems that pubs, restaurants and hotels should make sure that their menu is ready to capitalise on this opportunity at Christmas and throughout the rest of the year.

Since they’re happy to pay a premium, consumers expect good value for their money with 80% agreeing that it’s important to have a good selection of cheese and 85% expecting to see between three and six pieces of cheese on a cheeseboard. 

While cheese is central to the offer, it’s also important to include extras on a cheeseboard. With nearly 85% of consumers expecting to partner their cheese with biscuits, over 70% with grapes and nearly 50% with chutney, there’s more to consider than the range of cheese.

Adéle Bird, channel marketing manager, Bel Foodservice UK said: “The findings of this survey reveal how important cheeseboards are to consumers.  They expect to see cheeseboards on menus this Christmas and operators need to ensure they offer consumers a cheese offer that meets their high expectations. Offer brands of cheese they recognise such as Port Salut or Boursin and get your customers sharing and enjoying your festive cheese board.

Camilla Deane, foodservice controller, Bel Foodservice UK was one of the judges: “Pizza is one of the UK’s most popular foods and research has shown that artisan pizzas, regionally led and produced in open kitchens, will increase in popularity[1]. Pizza chefs can offer this by thinking outside the box and being unafraid to experiment. As we’ve seen at the heats, playing with different flavours, textures and combinations can create some incredible dishes - it makes our job as judges very difficult!”

Recipes such as Garlic prawn and spicy pepper with Boursin and Green Thai chicken were crafted by the South East’s most talented pizza chefs and enjoyed by all.

Adéle Bird, channel marketing manager, Bel Foodservice UK said: “We’re excited to be sponsoring this competition and for people to see how versatile Boursin is as an ingredient. I was lucky enough to try some of the pizzas and they really did taste just as good as they looked, if not better. Cheese is key for pizza designers and we believe that chefs should be able to use the best products possible to impress their customers.”  

Heats in Bolton and Glasgow have already taken place and the fourth and final heat will be held in Bristol on Monday 24 October. The final will be held ahead of the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food awards evening on Thursday 24 November, when the Pizza Designer of the Year 2011 will be crowned.

Winners

Boursin Garlic & Herb Cheese Category:

Pasquale Spaziano from Pizzeria Rustica

Smoked salmon, crayfish and Boursin pizza

Dell’Ami Kalamata Greek Olive Category:

Neil McCulloch from Solway Foods

Kalamata olive and red pepper pesto pizza

Birra Morretti Beer Category:

Robert Tucker & Cesare Marinaro from Pizzeria Venezia

“Hat Man” pizza

Whitworth’s Pizza Flour Category:

Robert Tucker & Cesare Marinaro from Pizzeria Venezia

Calabria pizza

[1] Allegra Strategies Eating Out in the UK 2011 Report

The team at Bel UK are bringing this concept to life at this year’s LACA conference.  A mini farm will be created at stand P8, featuring the High Farm characters including Big Baz, Sybil Stirrer, KongFu Kev, Mandy Moo, Little Lil and The Laughing Cow herself.

Visitors to the stand will be able to see for themselves the value of using branded cheeses on school menus. Those who stop by will have the chance to discover tasty recipe ideas and to sample snacks, all produced within nutritional guidelines. 

School competition to launch at LACA

Bel Foodservice UK will be launching a nationwide competition at the stand, open to school caterers and local education authorities. In addition to receiving a farm break, the two winners will give their schools the chance to win a visit from a leading children’s comedian and from The Laughing Cow and friends. The winning school will also receive a cookery demonstration from a professional chef.

The Laughing Cow – loved by children

Earlier this year, The Laughing Cow came out on top in a taste test among school pupils in Bury against another leading cheese spread. Labelled the yellow cheese for the test, with the other spread labelled green, The Laughing Cow received a stamp of approval among the schoolchildren, with one pupil simply stating “I chose yellow because it was the best.”

After four fiercely contested regional heats held across March and April (in Manchester, Glasgow, London and Birmingham) each finalist was ready to prove that they deserved the title.

The contestants had to compete in five different categories, with the overall winner being determined by their performance as a whole. After being dazzled by the quality of entries at the London heat, held at Bel UK in March, Camilla Deane (Foodservice Controller) was excited to see how the finalists would fare at the final stage of the competition. “Each year we see more bold designs than we did in the previous years and it’s an honour to recognise talent in an industry that has a value of over £6 billion.”

Bel UK and The Cheese Cellar sponsor a category each year, with Smoked Port Salut selected as this year’s ingredient. “This is a really interesting cheese,” continues Camilla, “And we’ve had some terrific feedback from contestants who love its gourmet flair and versatility”. Indeed, last year’s winner Robbie Gleave has described it as one of his “favourite cheeses”.

This year’s winner in the Bel UK /Cheese Cellar category was Ben Curtis from Bradgate Bakery, Leicester. His winning combination of Smoked Port Salut, carrot and coriander raita with Brinjal Pickle made for a delicious wrap.

Camilla and the rest of the judges were impressed by the unusual combination of French cheese with Indian ingredients. “It really epitomises the sort of creativity that we’re looking to recognise in sandwich designing. Experimenting with different ingredients can lead to a surprising but ultimately award winning sandwich,” say Camilla. “We’re already looking forward to seeing next year’s entries!”  

The awards recognise the major contribution of those involved in creating new recipes, which are vital in maintaining consumer interest and therefore the future of the industry. 

Claire Whitfield, senior concept developer at Greencore, was crowned the winner of the Smoked Port Salut Cheese Sandwich of the Year category, sponsored by Bel UK and The Cheese Cellar. She impressed the judges with her creative Smoked Port Salut with maple smoked bacon and apple and wholegrain relish sandwich recipe.

“It’s the first time I’ve entered the awards so it’s fantastic to have made it through to the finals, particularly as the standard of the other entries was so high. Smoked Port Salut is a great product for sandwiches; it has a beautifully subtle smoked flavour and a deliciously creamy mouthfeel.  The pre-sliced format also makes it really easy to work with,” commented Claire.

The panel of expert judges, which included Bel’s chief executive Jean-Noel Darniche and representatives from each of the category sponsors, Moy Park, Alaska Seafood, English Provender and Oasis, scored each of the entries on there creative and commercial merits.

The category winners from each of the four regional heats will gather to compete at the finals at the Lancaster Hotel, London on 19 May 2011.

Winners

The Cheese Cellar Bel UK Smoked Port Salut Cheese Sandwich of the Year – Claire Whitfield, Greencore

Moy Park Chicken Sandwich of the Year – Sumaya El Kroni, Greencore

Alaska Seafood Salmon Sandwich of the Year – Nicola Buckingham, Chartwells and Tom Holland, Raynors

English Provender Ploughmans Chunky Tomato Chutney Sandwich of the Year – Frank Boltman, independent restaurant consultant

Oasis Citrus Punch Sandwich of the Year – Chris Rai, Chapati Man

Bel has joined forces with its team of ambassadors to bring you a selection of top tips on how to create the perfect winter cheeseboard.

“Cheeseboards are fantastically simple to prepare and incredibly versatile. They make an impressive grand finale to any festive feast and are also great sharing options so can be used on lunchtime menus as a tasty alternative to sandwiches.  The cheeseboard offers chefs a blank canvas to demonstrate creativity by including seasonal fruits and home made chutneys, jams, pickles and biscuits while front of house can use them to trade up by matching winter-warming ports, whisky and wine,” comments Lacey Bradshaw, brand manager, Bel Foodservice UK.

Bel’s cheeseboard tips

• Include a variety of textures and tastes to create interest for the palate. Try combining Boursin, with its crumbly texture and distinctive, sophisticated taste with smooth and creamy Port Salut and sweet, nutty Leerdammer to create a full flavour experience.
• Allow the cheeses to reach room temperature and their flavours to develop before serving.
• To create a premium dish, serve on a wooden, marble or slate cheese board decorated with a selection of chutneys, preserves, pickles and fruits such as grapes and figs. Why not try Garry McMeckan’s delicious peach chutney? (recipe below)
• Serve with a selection of crackers, oatcakes or even toasted artisan style bread.
• Try serving with a rich red wine such as Valdivieso Merlot or for those that prefer white, serve with a powerful Sancerre such as Domaine de la Chezatte.

Peach Chutney

By Garry McMeckan, agency chef and ambassador to the Bel Cheese Academy

Makes 700g           

500g Yellow peaches peeled, stoned, largely diced                       

60g Cox Orange Pippin apples, peeled and grated

120g Tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped

60g Onions, finely chopped

Zest and juice of 1 lime

150g Castor sugar

½ tsp Ground cinnamon

½ tsp Ground nutmeg

½ Ground white pepper

10g Fresh ginger

150ml White wine vinegar

Method

1.    Add all ingredients to a heavy based saucepan except the peaches.

2.    Bring to the boil over a low heat cook and for 30 minutes, until the mixture has thickened.

3.    Add the peaches and cook gently for further 30 minutes.

4.    Transfer to a kilner jar and leave until cold. Seal the jar. The chutney will keep for 2-3 weeks in fridge.

Robbie Gleave, development chef, Heritage Portfolio and winner of this year’s Sandwich Designer of the Year Awards, shares his sandwich success stories, tells us about the innovative sandwich company Beetroot Blue and explains why Bel products work for his business.

Congratulations on your win at this year’s Sandwich Designer of the Year Awards. Is this the first year you’ve entered the competition?

Thank you. Yes, this was my first entry into the competition. I entered all four categories and won the Glasgow heats for three of them, qualifying to travel to London for the final where I made and presented each recipe to a panel of industry experts.

My Leerdammer Lightlife with Tonnato Rockdive in the Leerdammer Light Sandwich Category (sponsored by Bel UK & The Cheese Cellar) was recognised by the judges as a winning sandwich. They were impressed by the tasty combination of Leerdammer, tuna, olives, rocket and endive.

Is your winning recipe an old favourite or one that you specially developed for the competition?

I developed the recipe specifically for the Sandwich Designer of the Year Awards.  We were challenged to create an innovative new sandwich, incorporating the suppliers’ ingredients.

There were some fantastic, creative entries made in the competition.  I wanted mine to be applicable to the Beetroot Blue business and the market in which we cater for. Beetroot Blue offers high quality event food at an achievable cost, prepared with care, flair and passion.

Tell us a bit more about Beetroot Blue, the latest concept from Heritage Portfolio?

Beetroot Blue was created six years ago when Heritage and Portfolio came together as one business, Heritage Portfolio. Portfolio was already big in the lunch market, but we wanted to expand on this and do something really different.

We looked really closely at the lunch market in Edinburgh to see what existed and what gaps there were. Pret and Marks & Spencer’s had the quality and were clearly the operators to be competing against. At Beetroot Blue we share the same concept of strong brand image and consistency, where the customer knows exactly what they are going to get every time.

It all started with a re-vamp of the delivery method, one where our drivers didn’t have to return to collect plates or baskets. We developed bespoke platters and boxes, then the food to fit this concept followed.

We now deliver very high quality, bespoke snacks, platters, sandwiches and finger food throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians via our website.

Will you be entering again next year? Do you have any recipes up your sleeve, using next year’s ingredient, Smoked Port Salut?

Yes, I’m keen to enter again next year. Smoked Port Salut is one of my favourite cheeses from Bel, so I’m sure there’ll be a lot of scope for recipe development!

How long have you been working with Bel products? Why do they work well in your menus? And do you have a particular favourite Bel cheese?

We use around 30 to 40 different cheeses on our menu, and Bel cheeses are included in this selection as a matter of course.

My favourite is definitely the Smoked Port Salut. It warms well, has good stability and tastes great hot or cold. 

I also really like Kiri, which is well balanced and one of the best soft cheeses I’ve seen on the market.

You’ve catered for some pretty impressive events in your time, including the Queen’s Royal Garden Party at Holyrood. What are the challenges?

It’s really important to consistently deliver exactly what’s been promised. Our kitchen disciplines are very strong and the Beetroot Blue production team can transfer their expertise to this fantastic event.

Good communication plays a key role. Everyone involved in an event needs to know what’s happening and when, otherwise it just won’t work. It’s important to know how long each element of preparation will take, and again communicate this to the team.

It’s crucial to have the right equipment for the job and ensure you know exactly how it works too.

Finally, what trends do you predict for the food-to-go and event catering markets for 2011?

There will continue to be a growth in the consumers’ interest about where the food they eat comes from. Consumers are becoming more conscious and increasingly knowledgeable on the subject and operators who haven’t yet responded to this trend will need to do so to avoid losing out.

There is also currently a lot of talk about being seasonally aware, and again, I think this trend will continue to be very important. I would love to see us moving towards how we used to eat a hundred years ago; really cooking with, and eating, produce that’s absolutely in season locally.

Cuisine-wise, interest in Asian and Oriental food will continue to grow as media interest and the supply networks allow us to explore different cultures and bring some of the techniques and ingredients back home.

Bel Foodservice, supplier of some of Europe’s best-loved cheeses, has won the Kid’s Snacks category at the acclaimed Caterer & Hotelkeeper Excellence in Food and Drink Awards 2010 with its innovative new cheese and cracker snack pack.

Me, Myself and My Cheese and Crackers was voted a runaway hit with the panel of 20 young judges at the awards, which aim to spotlight products that offer that bit extra in terms of taste, appearance and usability.

Lacey Bradshaw, Brand Manager, Bel Foodservice UK says: “It’s the first time we’ve entered one of our products into the awards so we’re delighted to have the originality and quality of the snack packs recognised with such a prestigious accolade.”

The grab-and-go style packs, which are due to launch to the market in January, include popular creamy cheese spread The Laughing Cow Light along with two crunchy Jacob’s crackers and a convenient safe plastic spreader.

“The snack packs are just perfect for little hands. Kids love the grab and go aspect, bright packaging and novelty of building their own snack,” concludes Lacey.

The Laughing Cow Light offers a great source of calcium and protein, both essential nutrients for growing children. It contains less than 7% fat, has no added preservatives or colourings and is suitable for those following halal and vegetarian diets.

Wowing judges with his Three Cheese and Chorizo pizza, a traditional pizza base topped with a combination of mozzarella, Leerdammer, feta cheese, chorizo, mint and basil, Pasquale took home the accolade at the Pizza and Pasta Association’s Pizza Designer of the Year Awards.

“Pasquale has shown passion, skill and a real knowledge of how flavours work together,” says Camilla Deane, Foodservice Controller at Bel Foodservice and competition judge. “The combination of his ingredients allowed the distinct sweet, nutty taste of Leerdammer to shine through, and the mint and basil worked extremely well. His pizza really stood out from the competition.

 “With 90% of Britons eating pizza at least once a week and pizza overtaking curry as the nation’s favourite dish, it’s crucial that the sector stays fresh with exciting new ideas and variants.”

Leerdammer is especially good for melting, retaining its rich, creamy texture and sweet nutty taste making it an excellent cheese for a pizza topping.

To see how else you can incorporate Leerdammer into your dishes, click here

Bel’s new sandwich recipe collection proved to be a hit with copies flying off the stand, while the product causing the biggest stir was the innovative new cheese and cracker snack packs. The convenient snack packs, which incorporate one of the world’s most popular cheese spreads, The Laughing Cow with two Jacobs crackers, have also recently been shortlisted for a Caterer & Hotelkeeper Excellence in Food and Drink Award.

It’s the second year running that Bel Foodservice UK has exhibited at the show and the event was deemed a success as visitors to the exhibition soared by 24%.

“Old Billingsgate is such a great venue and the atmosphere was amazing – it completely met up to its award-winning standards. And, with over 3,000 key food-to-go buyers in attendance, it was a fantastic opportunity for us to catch up with customers both old and new,” concludes Camilla.

To download your free copy of Bel’s sandwich collection click here

For a taste of Italy try Charlotte Leventis’ flavoursome stuffed roast chicken thighs. Charlotte, executive chef, Extravagaza Foods says: “I’ve used this recipe a lot since testing with Kiri. I really like the texture of the cheese – it seems much silkier than other cream cheeses on the market. It combined well with other ingredients and was good for melting. The taste is subtle, which makes it suitable for use in both savoury and sweet recipes.”

Robbie Gleave, development chef, Heritage Portfolio and winner at this year’s Sandwich Designer of the Year Awards said: “I’ve incorporated Kiri into some of the dishes on our banqueting and canapé menus. It’s ideal for both hot and cold dishes – the taste, texture and stability of the cheese is terrific. I’ve tried a number of cream cheeses over the years but this is one of the best.”

To view all our Kiri recipes click here »

Kiri is also available in 20g portions and offers all the calcium goodness of milk and cream with no added flavours or preservatives, making it a popular treat with children across the UK

Bel Foodservice UK, supplier of some Europe’s best-loved cheeses, is celebrating its success at this year’s International Cheese Awards, where it won four prestigious accolades.

Port Salut Smoked Slices was judged to be best in the Smoked Cheese category, winning Gold while Leerdammer Light scoped silver in the Convenience Cheese category. But it was the Soft and Cream Cheese category that saw Bel reign supreme, with Boursin Garlic and Herb taking Gold position closely followed by Kiri portions which scooped bronze.

The Bel products were judged against a massive 3,240 cheeses from 24 different countries and were chosen by a panel of 140 dairy industry experts.

Ian Greengrass, marketing director, Bel Foodservice UK says: “We are delighted to have the quality and flavour of our cheeses recognised at this world-renowned event.”

The awards, which are part of the Nantwich and South Cheshire Show, provides retailers and distributors with a seal of approval that guarantees outstanding quality for their customers.

Cheese is one of the UK’s most popular sandwich ingredients and the collection showcases a tasty range of innovative and contemporary ideas to tempt your customers, including a recipe from Robbie Gleave, a winner at this year’s Sandwich Designer of the Year Awards, where Bel Foodservice was proud to sponsor of the Cheese Cellar Leerdammer Lightlife category.

Despite the recession, the sandwich market has continued to thrive with the overall number of commercially made sandwiches having risen in the last year by 3.6% to £6 billion*.

Ian Greengrass, marketing director, Bel Foodservice UK says: “The sandwich remains the lunchtime meal of choice and there is a real opportunity for operators to make the most of this flourishing market, but they must ensure that the quality and variety on offer is ahead of its competitors.”

The collection demonstrates how incorporating speciality ingredients such as sun-blushed tomatoes or Portobello mushrooms with branded cheese that consumers associate with superb quality and flavour creates a premium offer that is simple to prepare, adding-value for your customers and acting as a fantastic profit driver for your business.

To download your free copy visit www.cheese-recipes.co.uk

-ends-

*BSA May 2010

For images from the collection please contact Natalie on Natalie@williammurray.co.uk

Supplier Details
Please contact Bel Foodservice on:
01622 774 800
bfoodserviceuk@groupe-bel.com

Press Information
For media enquiries please contact:
Natalie Beard / Charlotte Davies
William Murray Communications
020 8256 1360
natalie@williammurray.co.uk / charlotte@williammurray.co.uk

Visitors to stand D401 will be able to pick up their free copy of the Bel Sandwich Collection as well as sampling the extensive product range, which includes household favourites such as Boursin, Leerdammer,The Laughing Cow and Mini Babybel.

Ian Greengrass, marketing director, Bel Foodservice UK says: “Despite the recession the sandwich market has continued to thrive with the number of commercially made sandwiches rising 3.6% to £6 billion in the last year*. The Bel Sandwich Collection will help operators make the most of this flourishing market by offering a range of innovative and contemporary new ideas that will help them stay ahead of the competition and tempt customers.”

The collection, which includes contributions from this year’s Sandwich Designer of Year Awards, demonstrates how incorporating speciality ingredients such as sun-blushed tomatoes or Portobello mushrooms with branded cheese can create a premium offer that is simple to prepare, adding-value for customers and acting as an excellent profit drivers for businesses.

It will be the second year that Bel has featured at the contemporary food to go show. “Last year’s exhibition had a fantastic atmosphere, I can certainly understand why it picked up an award for Best Trade Exhibition,” concludes Ian. “It’s a key event for the lunchtime, food-on the-go and sandwich sectors and a great opportunity for us to showcase our range of products, which have been specifically developed with the needs of these markets in mind.”

Supplier Details

Please contact Bel Foodservice on:
01622 774 800
bfoodserviceuk@groupe-bel.com

Press Information
For media enquiries please contact:
Natalie Beard / Charlotte Davies
William Murray Communications
020 8256 1360
natalie@williammurray.co.uk / charlotte@williammurray.co.uk

Paul Robinson, chef & Grimsby Institute tutor, Charlotte Leventis head chef at Extravaganza Food, Mark Ord, head chef at state-of-the-art nursing home Sanctuary and Gary McMeckan, chef were all winners of Bel’s 2009 competition to spend a day with Jean Christophe-Novelli at the Bel Cheese Academy.

Daniel Innis-Fitzhugh, Craft Guild Graduate Award Winner, Glen Dumbell, head chef and co-owner Puschka restaurant and Douglas Elgin, co-owner at Puschka have also signed up.

The ambassadors have already been active in their roles, contributing some delicious new sandwich ideas, which will be showcased in Bel’s forthcoming sandwich collection.

"We've developed our recipes to show that healthy vegetarian food need not be dull," says Ian Greengrass, marketing director, Bel Foodservice UK. "Cheese is a hugely important part of a vegetarian's diet, as they can’t get the necessary intake of protein from meat. We all need protein to keep our muscles and bones healthy, and to give us energy and vitality to get us through the day."

Last year, Bel Foodservice launched a vegetarian format of The Laughing Cow Light. The smooth cheese taste and fun, instantly recognisable packaging have made The Laughing Cow a firm favourite with children - each portion is also a great source of calcium and contains less than 7% fat. Our Laughing Cow Mediterranean Spinach Pie is sure to go down a treat.

If you want to serve up a quick and healthy snack, try The Laughing Cow Bagel Rarebit recipe with plum tomatoes and red pesto. Or for a fun mealtime idea try our Port Salut Mexican Fajitas, made with peppers, onions and avocado.

You'll also find a Frozen Lime Kiri Cheesecake and Chocolate-Praline Ganache with Kiri in our full list of vegetarian recipe ideas.

Recipes can be found at: www.cheese-recipes.co.uk/recipes/?category=a&product=a&type=2&occasion=a&keywords=

The creamy cheese spread has always been a favourite for children, thanks to its smooth cheese taste and fun, instantly recognisable packaging. The new vegetarian format will enhance its position as the perfect school snack, making it suitable for a wider range of children. In terms of nutrition, The Laughing Cow Light is an ideal choice for growing children - each portion is a great source of calcium and protein and contains less than 7% fat.

To celebrate the launch, Bel Foodservice will be offering attendees at the LACA conference the chance to win a coveted place at the Bel Cheese Academy in September, where they will spend the day cooking with celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli. Ten runners up will receive a signed copy of Jean-Christophe’s latest book. To enter, delegates will need to visit stand P8.

“Kids love the grab and go aspect and fun packaging of The Laughing Cow portions and the new format means even more children will be able to enjoy it.  The smooth consistency is ideal for sandwiches as well as making sauces,” comments Jean-Christophe Novelli.”

To find out more about The Laughing Cow Light please email Janet at jcarroll@groupe-bel.com

The collection includes two recipes devised by finalists from this year’s Sandwich Designer of the Year Awards. The cheese category of the awards saw entrants using 4 Pepper Cantadou, the latest addition to the range. Smooth and easily spreadable, Cantadou is ideal for sandwiches, acting as a sealant to prevent the bread becoming moist from other ingredients.

The remaining recipes use one of Bel’s most established brands – Leerdammer. This award-winning cheese has a distinctive sweet and nutty flavour and comes in a sliced format, which is ideal for hassle free sandwich making. Both cheeses are also excellent for toasted sandwiches and paninnis as they hold their consistency when melted. Versatile and easy to make, the sandwiches in the collection are perfect for a range of sites from café’s and deli’s to self-service units.

Click here to view the full sandwich collection.

Below is one of the recipes in the Bel Sandwich Collection to give you a sample of what’s in store…Designed by Jane Poulton of Food Partners, Berks, the recipe is one of the finalists in the cheese sandwich category of the Sandwich Designer of the Year Awards, sponsored by H&B & Bel Foodservice.

Hot smoked salmon with Cantadou, chargrilled lemon courgette strips and spinach in a multi-seed wrap

Ingredients:
Multi-seed wrap
Hot Smoked salmon
Chargrilled lemon courgette strips
Cantadou 4 Pepper cheese
Spinach

Method:
1. Take the wrap and spread with the cheese.
2. Lay the salmon down the centre with the courgette strips on top.
3. Fold up the bottom edge and two sides, leaving the top open to form a pocket.
4. Add the spinach on top of the bottom fold, roll and serve.

January 2009:  Some of Europe’s favourite cheeses and one of its most talented chefs have come together with the launch of the new Bel Foodservice website, incorporating the Bel Cheese Academy, hosted by Michelin and 5AA Rosette award winning French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli.

Specially designed for foodservice operators, the Bel Foodservice website features winning recipes and profitable ideas using some of the most famous names in the cheese world – Mini Babybel, Leerdammer, Port Salut and The Laughing Cow.  The site also includes newer cheeses from the Bel UK foodservice family Cantadou, Kiri and Boursin – further examples of just how versatile the Bel range of cheeses can be.

The new site, www.cheese-recipes.co.uk, will inspire chefs and foodservice operators to unleash the full potential of these much-loved brands.  There’s practical, as well as creative advice, with information appropriate to different types of catering establishments and a direct link to the member of the sales team responsible for each sector.

Jean-Christophe Novelli has helped launch the Bel Cheese Academy and will continue to be actively involved, developing recipes and providing step-by-step guidance in online master-classes.  There will also be a recipe competition with a first prize of a day in the company of Jean-Christophe Novelli at the real life Bel Cheese Academy.

To find out more, visit the website or call Holly Nuttall at William Murray Communications on 020 8256 1360.