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French chefs serve up a treat in Birmingham
Mar 5 2008 By Emma Cullwick, Birmingham Mail
TOP French and Brummie chefs joined students at a city college to serve up a gourmet extravaganza aimed at putting Birmingham on the culinary map.
Last night, four Michelin-starred chefs from Lyon joined kitchen staff from top Birmingham restaurants Simpsons and Opus to help students at University College Birmingham cook up a fusion of French and Brummie cuisine.
The event was part of Delice, a new scheme aimed at promoting Europe's top cuisine.
Birmingham is the only city in the UK to have joined the scheme, which also includes Lyon, Milan and Barcelona.
Paying a visit to food stalls at Birmingham's Bullring Markets, Jean-Christophe Ansanay-Alex, one of the French chefs involved in the initiative, said he had been left impressed by food served up in Brum.
"I have been surprised what I have seen here," he said. "The quality of produce on offer is excellent and it's been fascinating to learn about the eating habits and the way of life of people in Birmingham."
Ann Tonks, co-owner of Opus, Cornwall Street, said she was "thrilled" to be involved in the Delice initiative.
"It has been so exciting for us to not only work closely with such fantastic French chefs, but also to form closer ties with Simpsons restaurant," she said.
"One thing we've learnt from the guys from Lyon is that you have to work together to promote your city and its food."
Andreas Antona, owner of Simpsons, Edgbaston, added: "It's an honour to be working with French chefs of such standing and I'm proud to be able to show them what we can do here in Brum."
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