Top Chefs Put Healthy Eating on the Cards for UK

Three of the UK's top chefs are revealing their culinary secrets this National Vegetarian Week (May 19th to 25th) in a bid to get more people eating their five-a-day.

In a survey carried out by kitchen retailer and manufacturer Sigma 3 and its sister company County Kitchens, it was revealed that just 27 per cent of women and 31 per cent of men across the UK eat the recommended daily amount of five portions of fruit and vegetables.

Furthermore, the survey revealed that less than a third of British people cook with fresh ingredients everyday.

The three acclaimed chefs - Stephen Crane of the Michelin-starred Ockenden Manor in West Sussex, John Morris of Michelin-starred Drakes on the Pond in Surrey and Daniel James, a former Michelin star holder, of Raglans at The Copthorne Hotel in Cardiff - became concerned after reading the statistics. Each chef has produced a series of easy-to-follow recipes which will be available free of charge on cards at Sigma 3 and County's showrooms from the start of the awareness week.

Stephen Crane said: ‘We all know the health benefits of eating five or more portions of fresh fruit and vegetables everyday. However, with so many convenience foods on the market it is little wonder that time-pressed people give into temptation and avoid healthier options.

‘At the Ockenden Manor, I use fresh, locally sourced ingredients on a daily basis and I hope that my recipe cards will show that cooking with fresh ingredients doesn't have to be difficult, expensive or time consuming.’

Paula Morris, marketing manager for Sigma 3, said: ‘The results of our survey were quite worrying but I hope that the three chefs' recipe cards will encourage people to come into our showrooms and discover that cooking with healthy ingredients can be a pleasure, not a burden.’

Visitors to Sigma 3 and County's showrooms can pick up recipes from Stephen, Daniel and John free of charge. Recipes include herb pancake moneybags with creamed wild mushrooms and feuillete of poached duck egg, asparagus and wild mushroom.

Sigma 3 has been designing, manufacturing and selling kitchens in Wales since 1975, and has eight flagship showrooms across Surrey, Sussex and Lancashire under the County Kitchens brand. Showrooms are located are located at Swansea, Newport, Warton, Cardiff, Camberley, Guildford, Esher, Hove, Worthing, Horsham and Chichester.

Web: http://www.sigma3.co.uk