Restaurant Review The Wellington Hotel, Northumberland

Posted on December 21st, 2023

Part of the Chef and Brewer Collection, The Wellington Hotel is a cosy country pub within Riding Mill, Northumberland. With a roaring fire and a relaxed atmosphere, the Wellington’s food is rooted to traditional British cuisine, showcasing a modern elegance within the dishes they produce.

The Christmas Menu relishes the festive season with options including Traditional Hand Carved Roast Turkey, Slow-Cooked Beef Cheek, a flavour packed Festive Hand Pressed Beef Burger or a vegetarian option of ‘Woodland’ Mushroom & Spinach Pie.

For starters we opted for:

• Chicken & Smoked Ham Terrine with Crispy Red Onion on Toasted Sourdough, paired with a Festive Spiced Pear & Fig Chutney
• Black Tiger Shell-On Prawns sautéed in Parsley & Sea Salt Butter in a Romesco Sauce, served with Toasted Sourdough

The Romesco sauce perfectly coated the prawns, offering a roasted red pepper flavour with back notes of garlic and smoke. The chicken and smoked ham terrine was light and smooth, carrying the spiced pear and fig chutney well, with the large crispy onions adding a crunchy texture.

For mains we chose:

• Slow-Cooked Beef Cheek on a bed of Mash with Maple-Glazed Roast Roots, Sprouts, Crispy Red Onion, and a Caramelised Onion & Ale Jus.
• The Festive Hand-Pressed Beef Burger with Maple-Bacon, Melted Brie, Sausage Meat Stuffing, Skin-On Fries, Onion Rings, and a Spicy Cranberry Dip.

The slow cooked beef cheek was the real the star of the Christmas show! The mouthwatering beef alongside the sweet, caramelised onion and ale jus delivered a rich deep flavour. The burger offered a taste of Christmas on a plate, with a juicy patty packed full of festive flavours. However, it was the spicy cranberry dip that really packed a Christmas punch – rich in taste with whole cranberries, the dip made the perfect pairing for a winter menu addition.

If you’re wanting a warming, inviting pub in the countryside to visit this Christmas, The Wellington Hotel perfectly captures the essence of Northumberland.

For media enquiries, please email: jessica.kane@dalziel.co.uk

Bristol Food Scene

Posted on December 18th, 2023

Our team recently ventured down to Bristol to experience a taste of the South West. Bristol is known for its creative culture, and we were eager to see how this trickled into their food scene. We have captured our thoughts from each eatery with the aim to translate restaurant quality foods, flavours, and formats, back at our NPD kitchen.

As recommended by @eatingwithtod, we headed to Low And Slow Barbecue for our first stop of the day. Founded by husband and wife, Jack & Lyndsey, the business came from humble beginnings in 2016 as a pop up outside their local butchers on Gloucester Road. This proved so successful, Jack & Lyndsey set to work full time on the project becoming regulars at all Bristol’s best loved street food markets and festivals.

We ordered a barbeque banquet with pulled pork, beef burnt ends, beef brisket, chicken thighs and a side of chicken wings paired with a habanero hot sauce. The brisket is smoked overnight, on-site so it was succulent and tender, along with the melt in the mouth beef burnt ends. Our banquet was served with a pickleback mayo, Alabama white sauce, house barbeque, chipotle peach sauce and of course – a low and slow gravy dipping sauce!

Foodies go wild for sensory overload from their food and we have seen sauce pairings become a must have to offer the full gourmet experience. Premium condiments are only set to increase as people continue to seek global flavours that can offer a little luxury with their dish (The Food People).

Bristol Christmas Market

The smell of bratwurst and mulled wine lured us to the festive stalls of Bristol Christmas Market where we explored the diverse food stands, sweet treats and of course enjoyed a festive tipple! Nestled in the heart of Bristol City Centre, we soaked up the Christmas atmosphere through the market whilst indulging in some food from the venders. Bristol even has its own hashtag ‘#MerryBristmas’, promoting magical events, artisans, places to stay, eat and drink in the city over the festive period.

At the Christmas market we had:

Big Bao

A local to Bristol, Big Bao serve up a taste of Vietnamese Street Food, ranging from bao buns to bubble teas!

We opted for:

• Half and Half Corn Dog – a crunchy corn dog coating with melting mozzarella and a smoky sausage, topped with ketchup and mayonnaise.
• Crispy Fried Chicken Bao –served with pickle carrot and mooli, drizzled with a sweet chilli sauce and topped with crispy onions.
• Pork Belly Bao – slow cooked and then grilled pork belly in a sticky oyster sauce packed full of garlic and honey.

Bratwurst Stand

It wouldn’t be a Christmas market without the smell of sausages smoking over an open fire in the cold air! We tried a traditional Currywurst, a fast-food dish of German origin consisting of fried sausage cut into bite-sized chunks and seasoned with curry ketchup, a sauce based on spiced ketchup or tomato paste topped with curry powder.

Other stands we saw included a Crumble stand, Pulled Pork, Shawarma, Middle Eastern Falafel Stall – all showcasing the diversity of cuisines.

The Christmas market hosted an array of traders selling crafts and unique items perfect for a special Christmas gift. However, as foodies, we would have loved to have seen a few more food venders making an appearance to try even more of what Bristol has to offer.

Pasture Restaurant

We ended our food journey at Pasture Bristol, a dining experience offering a celebration of fire-based cooking. Chef Owner Sam Elliott puts great emphasis on supporting local suppliers, ethical and sustainable working practices. Pasture Bristol brings you class and character. In the restaurant there is an open kitchen showcasing charcoal grills and dry-aging cabinets. All the beef is from farms in the Southwest, all of which have been raised on pasture. We loved the authentic interior of this restaurant; the open kitchen really created a homely atmosphere as well as the delicious smells the charcoal grills offered. We loved how this restaurant showcases the best of the best- quality ingredients and produce to create classic dishes with decadent flavours.

Nibbles

• Short Rib Croquettes Gochujang Aioli

Mains

• Ribeye Steak with Blue Cheese Sauce
• Fire Roasted Chicken Brown Butter Bearnaise with Chips and Roasting Juices

Sides

• Cabbage In The Coal’s Bacon Butter – roasted in the coals for a deep smoke.
• Mac & Cheese Four Cheeses with a Bacon Crumb (the best cheese pull!)
• Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Confit Garlic & Thyme
• Raw Kale Caesar House Dressing, Sourdough Croutons and Bacon

 

 

Our trip to Bristol highlighted the importance of flavour in every meal, whether it is street food or formal dining, the authenticity of flavours enhances any culinary experience. Just like the dishes we enjoyed, Dalziel seasonings and sauces are crafted with care to elevate the taste of your favourite recipes.

For media enquiries, please email: jessica.kane@dalziel.co.uk.

Winter Warmers

Posted on December 15th, 2023

We have entered the season of party food, winter markets and mulled wine galore – it’s Christmas!

The countdown is on, having seen supermarkets release their Christmas ranges earlier than ever this year. We have seen some showstoppers from the retailers, with Asda releasing several products featuring its flavour of Christmas 2023: Brown Butter and Spiced Dark Rum. The flavour combination can be found in various products, ranging from mince pies to gammon joints. Asda has also expanded its range to accommodate dietary requirements, with the launch of 57 new vegan and 35 new free-from products.

Winning retailer of the year for the 4th year running at the Quality Food and Drink awards, Aldi continues to create ‘everyday amazing’ at Christmas time. Aldi have brought the novelty factor this year, by opening the nation’s first bottomless pigs in blankets restaurant in North London. The exclusive restaurant will allow fans to press for pigs in blankets and indulge in a six-course menu of Aldi’s biggest pig in blanket range to date!

Over the past few years as a nation, we have changed our Christmas shopping habits around Christmas dinner, with many consumers becoming more experimental with alternative centrepieces. This year, we have seen innovative products such as Slow Cooked Sloe Gin Duck and Monkfish & Chorizo Wellington from Tesco, with Sainsbury’s launching a Dry Cured Gammon with Honeycomb and a Hot Roast Stuffing Wreath.

Indulgence

Food is a source of Joy at Christmas time, and more than ever we need to welcome it as a distraction from our troubles. Nostalgic flavours continue to be popular during the winter season as consumers look to indulge in classic favourites as the nights draw in.

It’s clear that indulgence will be a key driver of Christmas foods this year, with ingredients such as truffle and butter featuring heavily across festive ranges. Food and drink pairing recommendations feature widely within retailer marketing campaigns and Christmas magazines thanks to a viral Tik Tok video trending! We are seeing some of our most loved drinks being incorporated in our favourite festive foods across retailers, with products such as Sainsbury’s Brie & Bubbly Crisps, Waitrose’s Salmon En Croute with Champagne and Asda’s Venison Lollipops with Blackberry and Sloe Gin Dip.

Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate continues to win our hearts during Christmas time as a festive way to warm up from the cold. Hot drinks are as popular as ever on social media, with consumers seeking novelty and surprise from seasonal flavours. We have seen the transition from pumpkin spice to Christmas cheer, with the humble hero taking over the menus of coffee shops. ‘Super Sensory’ is coming into play, from festive flavours, confectionary mash ups, to toasty toppers … the search for “the best” hot chocolate in town continues across Instagram and Tik Tok! We have seen French hot chocolates crossing the boundary between dessert and drink, with specialty marshmallows becoming essential to any high-end hot chocolate (The Food People).

Yes, us foodies go wild for aesthetic and sensory overload when it comes to hot chocolates, but hot chocolate is not exclusive to cafes and restaurants! Our talented team have developed our own range of festive sprinkles suitable for dusting over hot drinks or festive bakes.

Winter Wonderland – London

Winter Wonderland Hyde Park is known as one of the greatest attractions in London at Christmas and during our recent visit, we experienced the many food stalls, savoured the flavours of winter, and explored the diverse range of culinary delights! The event is great at showcasing the newest food trends and always manages to create a “must try” viral product across social media.

From BBQ classics with a Scandinavian twist, to a taste of Asian, South American and Middle Eastern Street Food, there’s truly something for everyone. A standout culinary adventure is the new ‘Le Chalet Fondue’ experience. Nestled in The Sleigh-By, Le Chalet which will transport you to a beautiful authentic Alpine ski lodge, decorated with plush sheepskins, taking you on a journey inspired by Swiss tradition and flavour.

Handheld Gourmet – We continue to go back to basics, with classics like hotdogs and burgers making an annual appearance at Christmas markets. It’s all about eating with your hands and getting messy with the gourmet movement! Don’t be fooled by the simplicity, these classic dishes have all the flavour and made with the same skill as high end products (The Food People).

‘Worth the Splurge’ – Stand out flavours across stalls included Truffle, Pistachio, Porcini, Cheese and Honey!

We highly recommend Hyde Park Winter Wonderland for an overall truly wonderful Christmas experience!

 

 

How Can We Help?

 

Our team is already working on Christmas flavours for 2024. If you are looking for festive flavour inspiration, market research or industry expertise please get in contact.

 

 

 

 

Plant-Based World Expo 2023

Posted on December 1st, 2023

We visited the Plant-Based World Expo in London, a 100% plant-based event for food service professionals, to discover all things vegan! Plant Based World connects, inspires, and empowers businesses to successfully develop and showcase plant-based products from all around the globe.

This year we sampled the latest plant-based food innovations from around the world, discovered new trends and gained culinary inspiration from industry leaders in educational sessions.

Kalsec’s plant-based presentation at the expo offered us an insight into what consumers are looking for from their food and how these factors are shaping the plant-based landscape.

 

Taste

Taste is the leading driver in consumer purchase of food… so products need to taste good in addition to looking good!

La Vie vegan bacon is a favourite at Plant Based World Expo Europe and is claimed to be the closest to the real thing the market has seen! La Vie understands the importance of quality and taste in their products, with many consumers seeking the familiar format of traditional bacon. They have managed to replicate the fatty and caramelised flavour we associate with pork bacon without the ‘piggy in the middle.’

Plant-based meat alternatives, MOCK Meat, have crafted ‘chef quality standard products with zero compromise on taste and texture’. With 44% of global consumers wanting improved flavour in plant-based products, meat alternatives offer a great format to showcase innovative and bold flavours. Sweet, smoky, and spicy pepper are expected to become flavour leaders within the plant-based category. We saw an emphasis on global flavours in the arena, with the rise of East Asian and Latin American Cuisines continuing to grow in popularity.

Flavour inspiration included: ‘Firecracker No Chicken Drumsticks’, ‘King Oyster Mushroom Jackfruit’ and ‘Hoisin Mushroom Mini Tarts’.

 

 

Sustainability

We are seeing a huge demand for sustainable products across all retailers and brands; not just in the plant-based sector. Consumers desire transparency from brands and simply being ‘plant-based’ isn’t enough anymore. People want to know what they’re eating, know it’s good for them and know it’s good for the environment too.

Showcasing the concept of sustainable snacking is Nudie Snacks, who have launched a range of cauliflower crisps made from wonky cauliflowers that shops think they can’t or shouldn’t be selling. The snack brand promotes snacking smarter by using upcycled ingredients that would otherwise contribute to food waste, to be repurposed into a tasty new snack!

 

Health

Health has become an important purchaser driver over the last year, with consumers associating plant-based products with clean labels. There is a new focus on minimal processing, natural and short ingredient lists free from artificial additives and preservatives. As a result, we saw many exhibitors in the arena showcase products that focused on the quality and simplicity of their ingredients (The Food Institute). With the past few years focusing on meat alternatives, we are seeing an attitudinal shift in consumer preference for variation in plant-based options. The public are seeking new protein sources beyond meat style and soya substitutes, with mushrooms and walnuts predicted to be on the rise . To meet consumer expectations, brands will have to highlight which plant-based proteins are used in ingredient lists, not just “vegetable protein”. As covered in our sustainability section, the addition of upcycled ingredients also maximises the nutritional benefits offered from plant-based products. Upcycled products go hand in hand with creating food that is better for us and better for the planet.

In summary, we saw a great build on innovation and development across products from last year’s visit. It was very encouraging to recognise familiar brands returning to the arena with new and established vegan concepts! Invaluable talks from industry pioneers highlighted the future of veganism will be clean label and flavour focussed to meet the demands of high value plant-based retail customers. We will see an emphasis on global flavours across the category, with brands focussing on the sustainability of their products whilst trying to stay at a reasonable cost. Our Plant Based World Expo visit reaffirmed to us the strength of the plant-based market here in the UK and across Europe!

If you’re interested in our thoughts and learning from the expo or would like to understand how we can help you develop your plant-based innovation, please contact us at jessica.kane@dalziel.co.uk.

London’s Restaurant Snapshot

Posted on October 27th, 2023

You can’t get bored of eating out in London. This city’s restaurant scene offers a rich array of different cuisines and flavours. We visited 4 restaurants in 1 day with the aim to develop our understanding of how we can translate restaurant quality foods, flavours and formats, back at our NPD kitchen. From each restaurant, we have highlighted our 3 standout dishes.

1. Empire Empire, All Saints Rd

Empire Empire is a mash up of nostalgic 70’s glam, alongside an Indian disco with classic curry house-style to create a fresh and modern restaurant set in an Indian colonial-style dining room with a touch of Italian chic. With a photobooth placed in the middle of the restaurant and the dishes served on retro crockery, the setting was warming and fun.

• Lamb burra kebab. A delicate kebab, grilled on charcoal to give a unique smoky flavour, served on old school floral crockery.
• Buttered Chicken. A rich and creamy, tomato sauce with added butter with a smoky back note flavour from the tandoor.
• Ox cheek raj kachori. Forget the traditional lentil filling, this Kachori is living life on the wild side with succulent ox cheek meat, on a bed of a heavily spiced laal maas sauce, packed full of garam masala, cumin, and chilli, outstanding.

A side of raw, sliced red onion accompanied the dishes, liberally sprinkled with chaat masala. Fruity and tangy, this spice blend is used in many Indian street snacks, chaat masala brings bright, tangy spiciness to both sweet and savoury dishes.

2. Akub, Uxbridge St W8

A Palestinian restaurant celebrating the rich diversity of ingredients and culinary traditions from the region, working with locally sourced British ingredients. Inside, we were led up two further flights of stairs, winding past olive branches and warmly lit dining rooms until we felt as if we’d been seated in an open garden.

• Crunchy Mansaf. A traditional dish of lamb cooked in a fermented dried yoghurt sauce, crunchy Mansaf. This dish was traditional levantine flavours, with a twist. The mansaf is made by incorporating the pulled lamb shoulder, shaped with the rice into balls and wrapped in thin shrak bread then deep fried. Served on a bed of homemade laban jameed, a yoghurt tasting similar to parmesan. Flavours of the region, transformed into a unique, innovative dish.
• Short rib fatteh. Slow cooked British beef short-ribs, with spices from Palestine, then a layer of toasted spicy focaccia to soak up the flavourful juices of the meat. Covered in a rich, garlic yoghurt topped with some finely toasted shrak bread, pomegranate seeds and microgreens for texture.
• Lamb neck. Optimising an underused cut of meat, the lamb neck was show cooked in spices such as fenugreek, cumin and all spice. Served alongside a ‘Shatta’ sauce. Originating in the city of Gaza, Shatta is a paste of ground chillies and olive oil, with optional vinegar and spices for flavour – adored by many in Palestine.

3. Nessa Soho, Brewer St W1

A modern bistro that celebrates seasonal British ingredients and adds a touch of class to Soho.

*there was a theme throughout this menu – fresh jalapenos*

• Black Budding Brioche with brown butter noisette. Pure rich, indulgence. Brioche loaf with a black pudding centre, swimming in brown, nutty butter, perfectly caramelised but a deep richness.
• Grilled plums yoghurt, jalapeño & almond salsa. in keeping with the plum trend of 2023. This fresh dish had all the flavours and textures necessary. Hot grilled and slightly charred plums, on a bed of creamy yoghurt, fresh and spicy jalapeno with a crunchy almond salsa.
• Flank steak chilli & herb salsa. Classical dish served and cooked to perfection. A comforting dish with a gourmet twist. The chilli and herbs added freshness to the dish.

4. Kapara, James Ct Manette St W1

Focus on Tel Aviv style all day (and night-time) dining, hyped for its fun, kitsch, hedonistic veneer, lauded for its incredible food.

• Prawn Baklava. King prawns, wrapped in a kadaifi pastry shell, sticky bitters, sour cream mayo, persian lime, nori dust, pistachios, rose. Traditionally a sweet Greek dish, this was a truly different yet showstopping way to present prawns. The kataifi pastry, almost spaghetti looking, which gave it a crispy crunch.
• Kapara hummus. perfectly smooth and packed full of rich tahini and topped with brasied oxtail, amba spice, coriander, shallots, sumac, pita. Pure indulgence!
• Braised Ox-tail. A one pot autumnal meal, served in a cast iron dish in the centre of the table. Overnight braised ox-tail with Israeli cous-cous with saffron, harissa, red wine and orange jus. Topped with green grapes which cut through the richness and added a freshness to the dish.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk.

It’s The Season of Pumpkin Spice!

Posted on October 13th, 2023

Once again, we are entering the time of year for crunchy leaves, chunky knits and comforting food and drinks to help us cope with the changing seasons. Embracing all things pumpkin with #pumpkindecor hitting 82M views on TikTok!

Food and drink trends come and go but the humble pumpkin spiced latte isn’t one to ‘fall’, with the well-known Starbucks pumpkin spice latte celebrating its 20^th birthday this year.

Searches for pumpkin spice colours such as burnt orange and coffee shades are up by 40% on the 5 previous years according to the fashion site ‘love the sales’.  Not only is pumpkin spiced trending within food, beverages and fashion, celebrities including Jessie J have recently swapped their usual hair colours for warm ‘pumpkin spice hair’ in honour of our favourite drink of the season.

From the pumpkin spiced latte, from spiced pumpkin Cantonese style steamed buns from the bun house in London to pumpkin spiced rum and Krispy Kreme’s pumpkin shaped donuts there is something for all this autumn.

Check out our Instagram to find our pumpkin spice delights. Dalziel Ingredients (@dalziel_ingredients) • Instagram photos and videos

Fancy something with a bit of ‘pumpkin’ or ‘spice’ or both get in touch with Dalziel Ingredients!

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk.

The Breakfast Club: Brunch Spot Review

Posted on October 6th, 2023

The Breakfast Club is one of the most popular breakfast and brunch spots in London. Known as a ‘caf’, not a cafe, not a shop, not a branch, not a unit, not a restaurant. Just a caf, which makes comfort food to give you that warm fuzzy feeling inside!

With 13 locations and counting, we chose the Spitalfields location, tucked away on a side street opposite Liverpool Street Station, the outside of the caf is a little less obvious than the bright egg-yolk yellow frontages of the other cafs – but just as much personality.

The place was absolutely buzzing by the time we arrived just before 9am. We were lucky enough to get a table, as a steady queue was building behind. Seated at a small table for 2 towards the back of the room, the interior created an inviting ambiance with concrete floors, school-style metal benches, exposed red brick walls, and eye-catching luminous signs.

Now, let’s dive into the heart of our visit: the delectable breakfast offerings. They do the classics, things like an Eggs Benedict, Berry Pancakes or Avocado on Rye, but they also do awe-inspiring takes on them, like the incredible Huevos al Benny and Chorizo Hash.

1. The All American: American pancakes but make it Brit. A towering stack featuring proper British sausage, homestyle potatoes, fried eggs, and maple syrup. The savory sausage patties were perfectly complemented by the gooey melted cheese and fluffy pancakes. Make these diner-style pancake towers for a weekend breakfast.
2. Pancakes, Cream & Berries: Light, fluffy and locally renowned pancakes topped with fresh berries, lemon and vanilla cream, and a generous drizzle of maple syrup.
3. Green Juice: A refreshing blend of spinach, cucumber, mango, lime, ginger, and apple. Like the ginger shot craze, this green juice is key to set you up for the day!
4. Pink Chai Latte: A unique blend of beetroot and chai spices with oat milk, served cold and boasting a delightful hue. Its lightly spiced and refreshing profile was a perfect accompaniment to our meal. Who said healthy can’t be delicious!?

 

Although The Breakfast Club does ‘American Brunch’ to perfection, it was interesting to see how their drinks menu offered health twists including chai lattes, smoothies, and juice shots.

At Dalziel, we’re passionate about enhancing culinary experiences with our seasonings and sauces. Our trip to The Breakfast Club underscores the importance of flavour in every meal. Just like the breakfast dishes we enjoyed, our seasonings and sauces are crafted with care to elevate the taste of your favourite recipes.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

Meatopia ’23

Posted on September 25th, 2023

*Disclaimer* – This blog is not for any vegetarian or vegan fans!

We were back again for another year at Meatopia, a meat lovers paradise, right in the heart of our capital. This year held the ten-year anniversary at Tobacco Dock, starting off as a one-day event, now an impressive four.

There’s no smoke without meat, from simple grills to imposing smokers and roaring fire-pits, every method of fire cooking imaginable is on show at Meatopia, and at the helm of the flames are some of the world’s most skilled chefs. Expertly picked, it’s a place for the big names in BBQ to show off.

This event uses nothing but sustainable wood and charcoal and responsibly-sourced, quality ingredients. The smokiness doesn’t end there. All that smoky, flavour-filled food is thirsty work. Luckily, the festival has an array of quenching beverages – our favourites showcasing smoky spirits.

Combined with an eclectic mix of live music and entertainment, there is something for everybody over the course of this four-day event.

As there was a single dish per chef there were 20 dishes to choose from. We gave it a good stab at what was on offer, and we managed to try a large variety that were available.

We started with Ben Quinns Whole Smoked Chicken, Hot Ancho Honey, Tahini Gravy, Chilli Pesto Tomatoes and Crispy Chilli. Succulent, subtle smoky chicken with roasted notes from the ancho hot honey and rich, earthy hits from the tahini. All mopped up with the crispy bread. It was a good start!

Next up, Rob Hallas and Robert Trif with real showstoppers.  The Bastards Bistro boys brought us Cull Yaw Smoked Beetroot Mole, Pickled Anchovy and Toasted Pine Nuts – an exemplary surf, turf and earth example. Le Bab, wowed with their take on ‘Butter Chicken’. Creamy butter sauce rich in spices, chicken thigh, flatbread and finished with a green pepper sauce.

We headed to Texas with Holy Smoke BBQ’s: Holy’s Spicy Bacon, Sriracha Syrup and Apple-Maple Crumb. A simplistic looking dish with a flavour punch. This bacon was certainly not the extra, not a side… but the main event. Spicy, sweet, rich, fruity all finished off with the fattiness of the pork. Wow, just wow. A real highlight of the festival.

Another knock out was Mondo Sando’s Traffic Light Chicken. Brined and marinated boneless chicken thigh, grilled for the ultimate crispy skin, chopped and topped with green and red smoked peri sauces, fried onions, radish, with a triangular grilled crouton of chicken fat-soaked bread to mop up with.

One of the founders of Meatopia, Richard Turner is an award-winning chef with a passion for quality produce. His dish, Regeneratively-farmed Beef Steak on Toast with Bone-marrow Butter. Rich in umami, and heavily dosed in Richards famous savoury, full-bodied sprinkle. Dried beef fat, cayenne, salt and garlic. Pure indulgence.

Other dishes included Hawksmoors Beef and Bone Marrow Burger, Slow Cooked Honey and Stout Bacon, Green Slaw and Blue Cheese as well as Bocaloco’s Fire-cooked Prawns, Smoked Sausage and Corn topped with Ajin Butter.

The flavours didn’t end there. The Horse with No Name wowed with their silky smooth Texas Bourbon with a punchy habanero kick as well as Del Maguey back with *THE* frozen Pina Margarita. Showcasing the smoky aromas, flavour and rich textures their award winning Mezcals have to offer.

Chatting to the chefs around the fires, they are passionate about where their dishes were created, where their meat comes from, and they are there to educate you as you go.

This is the best place to sample top quality dishes from chefs you might not usually get to enjoy. One word of warning. The smell of smoke will linger for the next few days, no matter how much you wash your hair or clothes.

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

Dalziel Ingredients Strengthen it’s Technical Support Team

Posted on September 22nd, 2023

We’re pleased to announce that we have appointed Kevan Unsworth as Technical Sales Account Manager. His specialist knowledge spans a 26-year career in the food manufacturing sector.

Kevan’s experience working within companies such as Grampian, Forza and Fibrisol has seen him implementing products and processes around the globe, such as Brazil, Thailand and mainland Europe.

Unsworth adds, “I have dealt with Dalziel Ingredients as a customer over many years and have always been impressed with their level of customer service. I’m eager to apply my knowledge to new and existing customers, from curing developments, processing insights and learnings from my past experiences.”

Richard Wilson, Sales Director adds, “Dalziel Ingredients have been a leading manufacturer of cures, brines and functional blends covering a wide range of products for many years. We have recently completed a £500k upgrade to our cure plant, to increase our capacity further to service increasing demands. Technical support including recipe formulations, process, and developments for all our customers is a priority at Dalziel Ingredients. Kevan’s expertise and experience strengthens our food technology team even further and highlights our continued commitment to industry leading customer service.”

For more information, contact Dalziel Ingredients on 0191 469 3078, email: info@dalzielingredients.co.uk or visit www.dalzielingredients.co.uk

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk

The Battle Royal, Newcastle.

Posted on September 11th, 2023

Following on from previous foodie battles, Wylam Brewery again teamed up with 44 Events for another crowd-pleasing foodie event. We headed back to Exhibition Park where this time it was the ultimate battle of the best known as ‘Battle Royale’ with its biggest line up ever!

The celebration of international cuisines from street food specialists that have stamped out names for themselves in previous foodie battles from the likes of The Mexican Stand Off, ThaiKwondo, Slice Wars and The ArgieBhaji served up their most enticing culinary creations in a bid to win the ’Best Dish’ and ‘Best Genre’ titles.

With over 20 vendors showcasing the best of the best and many offerings at just £4 a plate, the battle of the best is a summer event with a fun atmosphere for food lovers.

Held on a warm but slightly damp August bank holiday weekend there was something for everybody no matter what your taste buds desired.  All vendors offered a showcasing dish as well as vegan or vegetarian options and the creativity from each vendor clearly showed.

Here is a round up of what we ate!

DRUM N THIGH- ‘Thai Me Up’!

Warming sriracha and sweet honey glazed chicken wings topped with fresh lime leaf, crispy onions and fresh creamy Thai curry mayo.

‘GOURMET BURGER VAN’ – The Moose burger up the win!

In a brioche bun, the smashed patty was juicy and flavoursome, with plenty of oozing melted cheese, smoky streaky bacon, sweet with maple syrup drizzle and homemade burger sauce! What a combo!

KRUNCH CORN DOGS – Korean Corn Dog- Salt and Chilli katsu dog

Combining a premium beef dog, with a thick crispy panko crumb, katsu curry mayo, spring onion and salt and pepper seasoning. Otherwise known as’ gamja’ hot dog that’s common in night markets of Seoul.

MY DELHI – Butter Chicken

As featured on the BBC was its 1950’s buttered chicken on offer and it’s safe to say it was crowned the ‘peoples champ’ with a wave of incredible feedback.

Its creamy butter chicken was packed with Tandoori roasted chicken smothered in a rich creamy tomato sauce served with white rice. Other options included Paneer Butter Masala and its legendary Cauliflower Manchurian.

CATCHIS KIMICHI- Kimichi Fried Rice  

Korean BBQ beef combined with sticky jasmine rice, Korean spices, kimchi topped with pickled mooli, crispy seaweed, hot sauce, spring onions, sesame seeds and finished with a fried egg.

SQUARE – ‘Pep talk’ pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza! With a caramelised cheese crust, a blend of three cheeses, double pepperoni, slow cooked Square red sauce, Pecorino Romano, hot honey, and finished with flowers of whipped ricotta, chilli flakes and fresh basil.

With everyone fighting hard it was 2022’s winner Acropolis Street food who were crowned the ‘best dish winner’ with its chicken gyros.

Whether you are a foodie or just fancy a great night out with music and great food this event is for you!

For media enquiries, please email: mary.niven@dalziel.co.uk.