Atul Kochhar is mixing things up nicely at Benares, inviting a rotating roster of top guest mixologists, bartenders and brand ambassadors in to shake up proceedings in the restaurant’s bar. 

‘Everyone dabbles in’exotic’ ingredients,’ Cyrus Todiwala states,’But no-one’s quite managing to fine tune their approach’. And that’s just the issue that the formidable chef is hoping to address, throwing his full weight behind a new competition.

On first consideration, ‘spiced jam’ sounds a shade scary. But once your grey matter moves beyond any ‘curry in your condiment’ connotations, they become spreads to really savour. ‘Spice with sweets’ just makes sense. 

You gotta be British, too, to make the shortlist. The YBF Awards are back to recognise the cream clotting at the top of the nation’s simmering saucepan of talent, and this contest champions the unsung heroes.

The Leon chaps have decided the world would be a far superior residence if our youth would resist the clarion call of the microwave ping and learn to jolly well cook from scratch instead.

Hot on the heels of the Great Horsemeat Scandal, we receive news of a Beagle restaurant…Oh, wait, it’s not serving up ACTUAL beagles, or serving food to them- although this being a Shoreditch venture, both are possible and, arguably, some of the clientele might be derogatorily described as’real dogs’.

If you subscribe to the Valentine’s Day hype but you haven’t already planned a romantic treat for your significant other, fear not, mid-February hanky-panky can still be assured. Corinthia Hotel’s’Sensual Afternoon Tea’ is not your average.

Snuggle up on the sofa, switch on the telly and fire up a film this Valentine’s Day. You’ll need a pretty seductive snack to impress – Cheeky Frog’s ‘aphrodisiac popcorn’ should ensure the action doesn’t just happen onscreen.

When we hear the word Art we usually reach for our gum, but the chaps at Twenty Something London are leavening all the creativity with what looks like a decent bit of scoff too.

Sofitel Luxury Hotels has announced that its next Stars, Food & Art charity event will take place at The Balcon at Sofitel London St James on Thursday 21 March 2013. Stars, Food & Art combines art with gastronomic excellence and the London event sees four talented chefs participating: Raymond Blanc, Christophe Muller, Michael Moore and Guy Krenzer.