If it’s not already on your list and you haven’t already ticked it off, make sure you add ‘Run the London Marathon’ to the list of things to do before you die…having just completed my fourth London Marathon in ten years, I’m a big advocate in taking part in something amazing at least once in your life.

Nothing compares to running the streets of our beautiful capital on a spring day to the shouts and screams of the great London public, cheering you on every step of the way. It’s the nicest day in London by far – even as a spectator – London becomes a hive of friendliness with a sense of camaraderie, usually reserved for Cup Finals or the folk up North.

Unexpectedly, this year was my most successful marathon. I only had 10 proper weeks training after my arm came out of plaster, so I invested in a running coach, who introduced me to the merits of the run-walk strategy…basically I ran the whole marathon and did all my long training runs running 5 minutes and then speed-walking 1 minute and it worked a treat, I didn’t hit the wall and I didn’t stop once. The last five miles my 1 minute speed-walk got less speedy, but I kept smiling and finished in just over 5 hours. I enjoyed every minute and would encourage everyone to give it a go.

I was running to raise vital funds for DEBRA, a charity which helps EB sufferers and their families – If you’ve never heard of DEBRA, please take a look at the very good work they do here: http://www.debra.org.uk/real-life-stories/intro and if you’d like to donate some money for this worthy cause, you can still sponsor me https://www.justgiving.com/Sam-RookeVLM.

Running for a charity helps you cross that finish line, it gives you the determination to get up in the morning in the wind and the rain and run 15 miles while everyone else is tucked up in bed and it certainly puts a smile on your face when you collapse into bed on race day. So, run yourself a memory that will last a lifetime and help others less fortunate in the process.

Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice marketing and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, foodservice marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.

Described as ‘Surrey Hill’s best kept dining secret’ I was excited last weekend to be visiting Haywards at Hurtwood for dinner with a few friends.

Nestled in the charming village of Ewhurst on the Sussex/Surrey border, Haywards restaurant is situated on the beautiful grounds of Hurtwood Park Polo Club, which as an equestrian lover, I was particularly excited about!

With everything on the menu sounding delicious, it was hard to pick just one dish. I ended up opting for the ‘Pork Saltimbocca’ – and I was not disappointed. Tender pork medallions topped with sage, Parma ham and chorizo served on a haricot bean cassoulet, not to mention a generous portion of creamy dauphinoise potatoes and fresh vegetables, it was a culinary delight – my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

There was something to suit every taste, with other dishes including ‘Venison Bourguignon’, ‘Magret Duck Breast’ and ‘Fillet of Halibut’ as well as starters, light bites, vegetarian and children’s options and of course (and most importantly) desserts!

Not only was the food fantastic, but the service was superb and the lovely staff made our dining experience at Haywards thoroughly enjoyable.

If you’re looking for somewhere to enjoy delicious gourmet food combined with stunning surroundings, I would recommend a visit to Haywards.

I’m already looking forward to returning in the summer to sample more of the menu and to watch the polo with a glass of Pimms (or two)!

Website: www.haywards-restaurant.co.uk

Address: Hurtwood Park, Ewhurst, Surrey, GU6 7SW
Contact number: 01483 267321
Twitter: @HaywardsatPolo
Facebook: Haywards at Hurtwood

Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice marketing and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, foodservice marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.

Last week fellow bean Jess and I decided to take a well deserved break to Grayshott Health Spa. Having browsed through numerous spa options online, we finally made up our minds and booked this sanctuary for three days…and what a delight it was!

After a mere one hour drive, we arrived at this haven in the Surrey countryside. Having never been away in England before it was a pleasant surprise not having to wake up at 4am to catch a plane! Luckily it was time for lunch when we arrived and we wasted no time getting stuck into the extensive buffet. The food was delicious, varied and all very healthy, although we couldn’t resist a glass of wine (we were on holiday after all!).

We managed to sunbathe the rest of the day, enjoying the unseasonably hot English weather and the beautiful grounds peppered with Spring flowers and shrubs until it was time for our exhilarating evening salt scrub before dinner. The treatment left us feeling revitalised and cleansed ready for our 3 course extravaganza of a duck starter, a wholemeal penne pasta in a sundried tomato sauce and a warm fruit crumble to end. Although the portions were small, we certainly left feeling full!

The following day, we decided to explore the local area, Grayshott is a beautiful town and make the most of the facilities in the spa and even had time for a spot of croquet in the evening…well making up our own version as we’d never played!
The dinner that evening, again was delectable and consisted of: quinoa with beetroot & prunes to start, aubergine melanzane for main (my favourite) and a raspberry parfait with a nut crumble.

On our last morning, we relished our final pampering session – a full body massage (couldn’t resist!). It was incredible. But, being the foodies we are we decided that we needed to eat something substantial to sustain us on the journey home (it was an hour after all) and so took a detour to the local pub, The Fox and Pelican. This was a real find and we must have left there a stone heavier than on arrival! The temptation of a burger and fries was definitely too much after eating like an athlete the previous two days.

We both left with a different outlook and better understanding of the foods we eat and a determination to think more about a healthy balance, I even purchased a book called Gut Gastronomy which was developed by Grayshott Spa, combining a health regime and recipe book, I can highly recommend it!

Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice public relations agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, foodservice marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.

“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.” Charles Dickens

I’m not alone in being a chocoholic – the worldwide consumption is predicted to hit 8.5 million tonnes in 2020* – but how many of us actually know how the sweet treat is produced?

As part of Callebaut’s For The Love of Chocolate campaign, two chefs won the trip-of-a-lifetime to visit cocoa plantations in Ghana, learning about the origins of chocolate, along with Lisa Jenkins from The Caterer. And I was lucky enough to be invited along with them!
Stepping off the plane we were hit with the vibrancy and colourfulness of Ghana, but also the heat! Although not the climate we in the UK are used to, it certainly works for cocoa – in fact, 70% of the world’s total number of cocoa beans originate in West Africa, with Ghana second only to the Ivory Coast in terms of crop numbers.

We spent the week travelling around the cocoa growing regions, visiting large plantations and small farms, discovering how the trees’ small white flowers grow to pods containing an average of 40 seeds/beans. As the pods don’t ripen at the same time, the trees must be constantly monitored before harvesting with machetes and then fermenting for around six days, often by covering with banana leaves – the smell is powerful! The final work of the plantation is to dry the beans for ten days before they are sold to purchasing agents and the licensed buying company.

Once away from the plantation the beans are taken through various quality control inspections before shipment. At this point we were struck by just how rigorous a process this is – each single bag of beans will be checked at least three times, labelled and sealed to ensure quality and traceability. The government strives to only export high-quality cocoa so the checks are done by hand, with the final tests evaluating samples of 100 beans per bag. All being well, these will then be shipped off around the world to continue the bean-to-bar journey.

Aside from cocoa, Ghana has so much to offer and history to share – we visited Kakum National Park for a walk above the rainforest canopy, as well as Elmina Slave Castle where we heard the horrific stories of slaves being held before they were sent to Europe.

It was also touching to visit the schools that Barry Callebaut Ghana support by building sanitary systems – only around 5% of schools in Ghana have these facilities – accommodation for teachers, I.T suites and libraries.

Working for a leading integrated foodservice agency, we’re often enjoying the finished product so to be able to travel to Ghana and learn where it all began was truly a privilege and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

To see some of my pictures and videos from the trip, check out @lflew and @Jellybeanagency on Twitter.

*http://www.statista.com/statistics/238849/global-chocolate-consumption/

Amsterdam is one of the greatest small cities in the world. This is how the Amsterdam tourist board describes it and I have to agree. Having visited for the first time this month, I have totally fallen in love. From the beautiful architecture, to the winding canals, to the uber friendly people, to the feel-good cycling, to the delicious food, it truly is a city that welcomes you and makes you feel at home almost instantly.

Having planned a three day break it was always going to be a busy couple of days, but within the first afternoon we had more or less explored the city by foot, accidentally coming across landmarks with surprised delight and pride – we almost felt like locals!

I could, and happily would, tell you about every part of my trip, but I would be here for days, so instead I want to tell you about a little gem that I discovered, again accidentally, but which I can highly recommend. This gem is called Trattoria Caprese.

Situated on Spuistraat, this Italian restaurant is a tranquil oasis compared to the hustle and bustle of the city outside. Greeted by the incredibly friendly and attentive waiters and shown to our table, we were presented with a menu that left us spoilt for choice!

Everything sounded mouth-watering, but after much deliberation we decided on tagliatelle con ragu di vitello e peperoni dolci (tagliatelle with veal ragout and sweet pepper) and polpette con salsa di pomodoro e pane di Altamura (meatballs in tomato sauce with Altamura bread) – both were nothing short of a culinary delight!

Of course, it would have been rude to have stopped at just a main, so we requested the dessert menu and the deliberations began yet again. Eventually it was the tortino caldo al cioccolato (warm chocolate pie) that won and it did not disappoint.

As the hours ticked by, there was not the slightest hint that they wanted us to move on to free up the table which made a refreshing change and as the restaurant filled up with a mixture of tourists, some of whom were happily dining on their own, it was the locals that had reserved tables which confirmed that we had in fact stumbled across a little gem.

Having only been back in the UK for a couple of days, I have already made plans to visit Amsterdam again, but this time I have a new to do list and sitting pride of place at the top will be a visit to Trattoria Caprese.

If you’re planning a trip to one of the greatest small cities in the world, then make sure Trattoria Caprese is on your list – I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

http://www.restaurantcaprese.nl

https://www.facebook.com/restaurantcaprese?fref=ts

Jellybean Creative is a leading food and drink pr agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, foodservice marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.

Until I visited America late last year and had several amazing breakfasts, that all seemed to include them. Never one to waste anything, it didn’t seem such a hardship to eat some goodness in the Big Apple (one of my five a day) along with the crispy bacon, french toast and maple syrup! What a lovely sweet and savoury start to the day. I now even put them on my porridge and eat them as a snack as I try and lose weight for my daughters wedding in three weeks time!

Perhaps this could be a third breakfast option in this country after the fantastic Full English and the lighter continental, how about a Full US? However, I was told recently by a foodservice consultant, that it has been tried in the UK by major hotel chains, but consistently fails to sell, guests preferring to fill up on the Full English!

While there, my wife Gill and I tried several amazing restaurants, one of the best was The Brooklyn Diner, made from what looked like an old railway carriage. We got there too late for lunch, so booked in for early evening dinner, and went exploring. We immediately came across a popup food market where all manner of street food was displayed… from bruffins to bamboo bites and cheddbread to pigs in blankets. Foodservice trends and outlets that maybe coming our way in the future?

Back to the amazing diner where traditional bar stools and typically american decor enthralled us! Such fantastic food as well. Brilliantly simple but so delicious. Starter of fried beans and griddled corn. Gone in an instant. Then the best burger in the world.?.. probably, but one in a beach restaurant in Portugal also comes close. This was the real thing though, in the right location with all the right ambience. Why is it that food tastes better in the right location? I can still taste it now. If you ever get the chance – it is well worth a visit.

Not quite so good however was Katz Diner, yes the place where that scene from Where Harry Met Sally was filmed. We definitely didn’t get the same thrill, but we did take our Jellybean with us for the experience. Though can someone please explain to me the tipping system in the US… levels unheard of in the UK – our experience certainly didn’t warrant anywhere near these kind of tips!

A thoroughly enjoyable trip and another yet sweet/savoury combo goes on my ok list, along with sweet and salted popcorn and salted caramel chocolate. I absolutely draw the line at peanuts in chocolate though! Can’t think why people think I’m fussy!

Jellybean Creative is a leading food and drink pr agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, foodservice marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.

What was your favourite subject at school?
Music / Music Technology.

What was your best subject as school?
Music / Music Technology.

What was your first-ever job?
Folding paper in a paper factory.

What was your worst ever job?
I’m going to go with folding paper in a paper factory.

What was the first music single you bought?
Maroon 5 – Songs about Jane.

What is the most entrepreneurial thing you have ever done?
I’ll get back to you on that one.

What is your motto in life?
Don’t worry so much, no one else knows what they’re doing either.

If you were allowed one dream perk what would it be?
Be paid to travel the world.

What’s your favourite movie and why?
Shaun of the dead, because zombies.

If you could pick a celebrity to join the agency who would it be and why?
Grumpy cat.

What luxury would you have on your desert island?
Super-fast broadband.

What animal best reflects your personality and why?
A cat, because they’re pretty laid back.

If you could be anybody in the world (alive or dead) who would you be and why?
I would be myself, but maybe with a poncho or something.

Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice public relations and marketing and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice public relations, foodservice marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.

What was your favourite subject at school?
English

What was your best subject as school?
English (no surprise there)

What was your first-ever job?
Waitress at a pub in Betchworth

What was your worst ever job?
Delivering magazines when I was 11, my backpack was bigger than me!

What was the first music single you bought?
Oasis – Little by Little

What is the most entrepreneurial thing you have ever done?
Buy multi-packs of crisps and sweets and sold them for more money at school

What is your motto in life?
Travel the world, see you new things, explore new destinations and start your own adventures!

If you were allowed one dream perk what would it be?
Three day weekends!

What’s your favourite movie and why?
Toy Story, it was funny as a child and even better as an adult

If you could pick a celebrity to join the agency who would it be and why?
Probably Micky Flanagan because he would have me in stitches all day!

What luxury would you have on your desert island? 
Percy Pigs – food of gods

What animal best reflects your personality and why?
A sea turtle because they go with the flow

If you could be anybody in the world (alive or dead) who would you be and why?
This is a tough one, but I think I would have to say Harry Potter (who wouldn’t want to live at Hogwarts and have an invisible cloak!)

Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice marketing and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, foodservice marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.