Our Basildon Our Food pilot project
"For me it is very simple - Basildon is my home."
Angela Smith MP
"On a car journey around town I am pleased to see how many green places we pass. I have lived in other places where this is not the case and I am grateful I now live in Basildon."
Sue Randle, Secretary of CHASE
The Our Basildon Our Food pilot project to create a Tastier Basildon launches from Saturday 28th November 2009. Chefs from some of Basildon's most popular eateries are finally able to show off the results of their recent work with British Masterchef, Mark Baumann to develop tasty and healthier options for each of their menus. The team of culinary experts have combined forces to help improve the health of local people and offer something unique for people walking the Heritage Trail too.
The nine restaurants, cafés and snack bars will be taking part in the scheme that aims to introduce healthier eating to Basildon people. Thousands of people in Basildon will receive leaflets about the project so that they are able to try the healthier options, at half price with the discount vouchers attached. The special introductory offers are valid until 28th February 2010 and courtesy of each eatery. Terms and conditions apply
In creating a Tastier Basildon, the 'Our Basildon' team have cooked up their special recipe for healthy eating in partnership with NHS South West Essex, to encourage local people to think a lot more carefully about what they eat. Too much fatty food can lead to obesity, diabetes, heart attacks and cancer - and can even result in mental health problems and dementia as you get older.
Five of these nine independent eating places are on the Heritage Trail with four of these eateries having second businesses in outlying areas around the town. The five chefs have taken part in a master class with Mark at Baumann's Cookery Academy, in Earls Colne and all new recipes have been fully assessed by a NHS South West Essex nutritionist. They are all now looking forward to promoting their new dishes.
Stacey McDowell will be offering Mac's Ocean Pie, a tasty fish and vegetable pie in two of his pie shops. He said: "The master class was really inspiring. We already do a lot of healthy food and this new scheme is aimed at encouraging people to try something different I'm really confident they will enjoy it."
Our Basildon project director and Our Food organiser Lisa Hawker explained: "This innovative and exciting new programme is aimed at encouraging people to eat more healthily. Some of the restaurants, cafes and snack bars involved are on the Heritage Trail; the combined effect of people having more enticing, healthier eating opportunities, while taking more exercise round the 12km walking trail, or at least part of it, could really make a difference to growing obesity levels and other related health problems, such as heart attacks, diabetes, strokes and mental health issues."
Sarah Jones, joint Proprietor with Jill Solomon of Chip and Fin in both the town centre and Long Riding, is introducing curried fishcakes, otherwise known as Fin-tastic Curry Cakes. She said: "We are taking part because, although we are a chippy, we are passionate about healthy food and we think it is a great idea to offer our customers something a little different."
Mark Baumann explained: "The aim is to show people that healthy food can be really tasty and nutritious and we hope that, once they've tried these new dishes in the town's restaurants, they'll be tempted to experiment with their cooking at home."
All recipes that we are creating are completely original and devised especially for this project. We have published them here on this website exclusively for you to try at home. All we ask is that you let us know how you get on.
Rob Skews, who runs Tasty Bakes and More with his wife Pauline, is adding a jacket potato with a healthy filling based on corn-fed free range chicken with fresh vegetables-Tasty's Chicken Topper. He said: "We wanted to take part in the scheme because anything that gives people the option to have a more healthy diet has to benefit diners in Basildon. We have been providing a wider menu with more healthy options for a while and this fits with our own ethos."
John Hanley is the son of the owners of the Poolside Café and Pitsea Coffee Shop, Larry and Margaret Hanley. He said: "We are going to introduce wholesome tomato and basil soup, Maggie's Tomato Soup, named after mum, on a takeaway basis as the kids who come in are usually in a rush."
Meanwhile, Kemal Kaya, the owner of the Market Café and Café City is offering a spicy quesadilla, Chicken d'Lite. "We are delighted to be taking part to raise awareness about all the lovely food we offer. It enables us to reach out to new customers."
In addition to the team spirit that this project has generated between all the eateries, they will be entering into friendly competition as we ask everyone who tries an Our Basildon tasty dish to score each one, in order to vote for their favourite. Each time you order an Our Basildon tasty option you have the opportunity to enter a draw to win a meal for two at Baumann's Brassiere in Coggleshall. Terms and conditions apply
Photo of all chefs in Baumann's training academy
Picture caption: L-R: Rob Skews, John Hanley, Kemal Kaya, Masterchef Mark Baumann, Sarah Jones, Stacey McDowell
Fin-tastic Curry Cakes
These fish cakes are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which have been associated with lowering bad cholesterol and fin-tastic for a healthy heart! Eat at least two portions of fish a week one of which should be oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, fresh tuna, and sardines to keep your heart healthy and strong!
Download Recipe | Nutritional Guide
Fin-tastic Curry Cakes
is available at Chip and Fin, Basildon Bus
Station SS14 1BZ Tel: 01268 293347
and Chip and Fin, 5 Long Riding
SS14 1QX Tel: 01268 555810
Maggie's Tomato Soup
This soup is full of natural goodness with lots of vitamins and minerals that help protect against disease and keep the body healthy and strong.
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene a substance that has been associated with lowering the risk of prostate cancer in men! This also counts towards your five a day!
Download Recipe | Nutritional Guide
Maggie's Tomato Soup
is available at Poolside Cafe, Gloucester
Park Swimming Pool Broadmayne
SS14 2EB Tel: 01268 271355
and Pitsea Leisure Centre Coffee Shop,
Northlands Pavement
SS13 3DU Tel: 01268 456760
Tasty's Chicken Topper
This meal is a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals that help ward off disease; being lower in fat and with the good amount of starch it helps you watch your weight and blood sugar as well. Fibre helps lower your cholesterol!
Download Recipe | Nutritional Guide
Tasty's Chicken Topper
is available at
Tasty Bakes & More,
33 East Walk
SS14 1HA Tel: 01268 523252
Mac's Ocean Pie
Omega 3 essential fatty acids in this dish help lower your cholesterol and keep a healthy heart. Eat at least two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily fish, to keep it that way!
Download Recipe | Nutritional Guide
Mac's Ocean Pie
is available at McDowell’s Pie and Mash
Restaurant, 57 Southernhay
SS14 1EU Tel: 01268 293975
and Stacey’s Pie Shop, 221 Timberlog Lane
SS14 1PB Tel: 01268 555857
Chicken d'Lite
Lots of nutritious vegetables, lots of natural goodness, plenty of vitamins, minerals and the important anti-oxidants that help us stay healthy. This dish has a lot of fibre which helps lower cholesterol and counts towards your five a day!Download Recipe | Nutritional Guide
Chicken d'Lite
is available at Cafe Market Restaurant,
21-23 Market Square
SS14 1DS Tel: 01268 288268
and Cafe City, Basildon Garden & Mower
Centre, Nevendon Road
SS13 1BS Tel: 01268 284428
Our Basildon Our Food tasting session
We had a lovely reaction to the food being served at the launch of Our Basildon Our Food on November 28th in Basildon town centre. Here are a few comments.
Among the tasters passing by was a governor of Basildon Hospital, Patricia Ayres, who tried out the spicy chicken quesadillas on offer from the Market Café and Café City. She praised the scheme, saying: "It's a really good way for people to become aware that healthy food can be very tasty and nutritious, and not fattening."
Matthew Robarts tried the homemade tomato and basil soup which is being offered by the Poolside Café at Gloucester Park swimming pool as well as Pitsea Leisure Centre Coffee Shop. He said: "It's really fantastic, the soup tastes really good and I also really like the spicy quesadilla pancakes."
Steven Port, pictured with baby Harvey, also loved the quesadillas and the home-made tomato soup: "We try to eat healthily as a family and so this scheme is a really great idea to encourage others to do the same.
Steve Davis loved having his taste buds tickled, trying various dishes, simply saying: "It's lovely, tastes great, words cannot explain!"
Nicola Campen tucked into Mac's Ocean Pie, a tasty fish and vegetable pie on offer at Stacey's Pie Shop and McDowell's Pie and Mash Restaurant. She said: "It tastes really fresh and home made. I've given it five marks out of five. It's awesome."
Bogdan Gasior also tried the fish pie. He added: "I've never eaten anything like this before but it really does taste good. Normally I eat Italian food not pies, but I thought it was very nice."
Colleen Ferreira gave the curried fishcakes a whirl, on offer from Chip and Fin. She said: "It's very tasty. It's a great idea to do this as lots of people take the easy choice and aren't aware of the unhealthy food they are eating."
Former chef Lee Hixon sampled the jacket potato with chicken and vegetable filling, on offer from Tasty Bakes and More: "It's very nice. It's something new and good for a quick snack. It has lots of different ingredients in it, including sweetcorn and carrot, so it's nice and healthy.'
Robin Gaster thought the soup was delicious. He said: "It was very nice, you could really taste the tomatoes. I've taken the recipe to try."
Another person to take the recipe on offer was Tina Whybrow, who is going to try out the quesadillas. Along with husband Rob and daughter Lisa – pictured with chef Kemal Kaya from the Market Café, they enjoyed the tasting session. Tina said: "It's gorgeous, I'm going to give the recipe a go." Lisa added: "This is really good, encouraging people to eat more healthily, even though we all know it can be pretty hard at times." Bob agreed: "It's very nice, certainly different, but really tasty."