A Bradford on Avon chef was part of a team of eight top flight chefs from across the South West to create a new summer menu for Wiltshire Farm Foods.

At a time when many restaurants and pubs have had to temporarily close, Wiltshire Farm Foods has identified how to support chefs affected by the pandemic by updating its range with an innovative injection of culinary skill and creativity.

Josh Dobson, who is the sous chef at The Bunch of Grapes in Bradford, is the youngest member of the team and created a Mediterranean cod with tomato, bean and bacon stew dish for Wiltshire Farm Foods’ new menu.

Josh said it felt incredible to be part of the Summer Kitchen collaboration.

A project which took just 49 days to complete from conception, to recruiting chefs, development and manufacturing.

“In the restaurant it is nice and satisfactory from one customer at a time but then to know it’s going out to literally tens of thousands of people it warms your heart,” he said.

“It’s the same satisfaction you get in the restaurant but its one a different scale.”

The Bunch of Grapes was contacted by Wiltshire Farm Foods and selected Josh to work on the project.

For the project, Josh worked alongside Jethro Lawrence, head chef at Woolley Grange Hotel; Rob Allcock, chef patron at The Long Arms, South Wraxall; Richard Knighting, executive chef at Corkage, Bath; Elliott Lidstone, head chef and owner at BOX-E, Bristol; Henry Scott, head chef at Henry’s, Bath; Peter Vaughan, executive chef and director at Vaughan’s Kitchen, Devizes; and Simi Rezai-Ghassemi, cookery teacher and owner of Simi’s Kitchen in Bath.

Josh said: “At 25-years-old it is so exciting to get to work with the chefs that were involved in this because they are the best chef in the area by miles and it’s just very exciting for me to work with them.”

“They’re probably a bit fed up with me now because whenever I see them doing anything I’m asking them a hundred and one questions,” he laughed.

“I was so impressed by the passion and dedication of the chefs at Wiltshire Farm Foods and the level of development that goes into every dish.

“It’s really changed my perception of frozen food.”

COO of Wiltshire Farm Foods, Ian Stone added: “The South West attracts some of the best Chefs in the country and we were keen to collaborate with those whose businesses had temporarily been affected by the pandemic to bring a fresh and exciting new summer menu for our customers.”

To see the full range check out this video featuring all the chefs involved: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9KbM5pvHoo&list=PLuj4fM6fXTtoh-xpfYLN7WvUIo5pV_4XG&index=3&t=0s