Taunton Deane MP Rebecca Pow has nominated local pub chef Dan Lowman from The Ring of Bells in St James Street for the inaugural Parliamentary Pub Chef of the Year award. Dan will be judged by an expert panel which will decide whether he will go through to the final stages. The award, sponsored by Nestlé Professional, will be presented in the New Year and is run by the British Beer & Pub Association and the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group.  

Pubs serve almost a billion meals a year, with more and more pubs recognising that great food will attract more customers. Pubs are also vital to the local economy in every part of the country, offering valuable and flexible employment. With a national shortage of pub chefs, earlier this year the BBPA, in conjunction with the British Institute of Inn Keeping (BII) launched the Pub Chef Passion initiative, aimed at promoting the pub chef as a career option. This award seeks to build on that work, and encourage young chefs towards a career in the pub trade.

Rebecca Pow MP comments:

“This is just the kind of friendly pub serving bona fide English food made from the best local ingredients that everyone would like to find on their street corner. There is a strong emphasis on produce sourced from the South West especially ciders and Real Ales on the drinks menu. They have bought an out of town pub into the centre of Taunton.’

Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said,

“I am delighted that Rebecca Pow MP is working with us on this new award. A career as a pub chef is exciting and demanding, and it offers young people development, rewards and a great working environment.

“Pubs are increasingly serving very high quality food, and for ambitious chefs, it’s a great chance to quickly take control of your own kitchen. I think it is time that we recognise the efforts of superb chefs up and down the country.”