NEWS

DAVID RUSSELL CONTINUES TO DEMYSTIFY THE FOOD BUSINESS. acid plants produce to ght infection. Are all the answers already there in nature? PEARS Pears contain that easy to say hydroxycinnamic acid which inhibits the growth and development of harmful bacteria such as shigella sonnei, a cause of gastroenteritis. Lets close with some of the really good news: Resveratral, a phenolic compound, is found in the skins of grapes. Pinot Noir grapes (particularly those grown in Burgundy and Chile) contain very high levels. Resveratral acts as a natural fungicide for grapes. Within the human body resveratral inhibits the oxidation of LDLs (the bad guy cholesterols) which in turn reduces atherosclerosis, the hardening or furring of the arteries. Red wine also holds the benet of the good cholesterol guys, HDLs, relaxing the blood vessels by increasing the release of nitric acid. The moral of the story is: one or two glasses of Pinot Noir a day may well provide good health benets Cheers!

Know your Phenolics

Original interest in phenolics came from their ability to be used in the classication of plants, however, now there is a growing body of evidence to support the view that high intakes of phenolics reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes. Phenolics exhibit antioxidant, anti bacterial and anti cancer effects as well as acting to relax the blood vessels. Where do we nd them? Phenolics are found in fruit, vegetables, herbs, wholegrains, nuts, seeds and chillies. Although leakage occurs into water, phenolics are not generally destroyed by cooking. The message keep the cooking time short and do use the cooking uid. Heres the good bit: grape skins and red wine contain high levels of phenolics. SMART PHENOLICS FRUIT TIPS STRAWBERRIES The fresher they are the higher the antioxidants. 250 gms has proven effects on antioxidant levels in the blood. BLACKBERRIES Also a good source of vitamin C, folate and salicylate. Recent studies demonstrate salicylate inhibits the development of colon cancer. Aspirin is produced from salicylate - a phenolic

SEASONAL SUPERFOOD

July is the best month to serve British avocados. They are the original superfood, packed with vitamins and essential health fats, such as those found in olive oil.

Fair share of millionaires

Studying for a degree is the best route towards good business prospects, right? Not necessarily. The recently released 2007 City & Guilds Vocational Rich List reveals that vocational qualifications in catering are producing an impressive number of millionaires. It shows that the wealth produced by the catering sector has increased from 66million in 2003 to an impressive 115million in 2007. The biggest star of the list is celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, who has multiplied his wealth two-and-a-half times in just five years, making
8 UNIVERSITY CATERER

him worth 50million. Delia Smith also features on the list she originally started out on a hairdressing course but made the wise move of switching to catering. On average, the 25 wealthiest rich listers each own 372million, with the highest number of prosperous chefs coming from the northern region. Twelve of the top 25 have their roots in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and Scotland. The Director General of City & Guilds, Chris Humphries, says: Our research shows that vocational millionaires tend to stay loyal to the profession they

trained in, helping to raise the profile of the industry and future graduates. At City & Guilds were committed to eradicating the view that work-related qualifications and courses are the poor alternative to traditional academic routes. I hope the chefs who have made it onto our list, Gary Rhodes, Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver, will encourage people into the industry. The increasing requirement for chefs in London with the 2012 Olympics fast approaching is cited as another key reason by Chris as to why new talent should be considering a career

in catering. If only the large rewards at the top would start to filter down to those hardworking chefs who are not in spotlight, perhaps then they would in droves.

Gordon Ramsey: the richest chef on the list.

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