Winners of the Imbibe Service Awards as ‘Best Neighbourhood Restaurant’ in October 2009, and Restaurant Magazine’s ‘Best Dish in the UK’ for 2 years running for their cheese plate, the PINCHITOtapas, group, is putting an exclusive New Year’s Eve party up for sale on eBay at each of their sites.

Chino Latino is feeling festive and you can join the award-winning restaurant’s Christmas themed sushi masterclass in support of Help a London Child on Saturday 5 December.

‘You don’t make friends with salad, Lisa!’ Homer Simpson once famously pointed out to his daughter, but it seems for once that the Sage of Springfield may have been wrong. Tossed has not only made friends with its salads, it’s made itself into a major market force.In one corner of the Baker Street store is an Astroturf field with picnic tables to eat at. By 1pm queues are forming and the place is getting rammed, meanwhile over in our part of the field I am peering in at my Xmas salad.

The new, stylish Kitchen Italia opens its doors to the heart of Covent Garden on Tuesday 8 December 2009, promising fresh, innovative, exciting Italian food.

Traffic is a new contemporary bar in Kensington and Chelsea. Set in the recently launched Crowne Plaza Kensington hotel, Traffic will have imaginative cocktails, together with a selection of wines and beers. The bar offers an interesting destination.

Close students of Saturday Kitchen and other daytime delights will have become used to the sight of Mark Sargeant, Ramsay’s right hand man, cooking for the TV audience. As one of Gordy’s team for 13 years he first came to our notice in the original Hell’s Kitchen,where he could be often seen quietly helping the contestants get over their roughing up by Ramsay and steering their dishes back on course

The award-winning Whites Bar & Kitchen at the White Horse in Steyning has recently announced the appointment of their new Head Chef, Stuart Dove. With a menu and wine list full of locally sourced produce if you are conscious about food miles and carbon footprints, maybe you should try Whites.

At £4.50 a bowl the hot soups are hot, filling and good value but both need a bit more spicing up – basically if my nose aint running, they aint working. The prawn croquettes are great and the mushrooms are ok, but could be better with some work.

The Butchery Classes for Beginners, which Allens pioneered in 2007 have become hugely popular since they launched and they are now taking bookings for their 3^rd season, starting in January 2010. Indeed, we went on one and found it fantastic.