FOODIES are being encouraged to try new recipes inspired by one enthusiast’s favourites.

Jason Cattrell, from Great Horkesley, has used his insider relationship with the restaurant industry to help piece together a book helping people create their favourite dishes at home.

And it’s all for a good cause as Mr Cattrell hopes the book will raise funds and awareness for the catering industry during its struggle in the pandemic.

The 58-year-old said: “I run my own cooking oil distribution company which means I have a close relationship with the restaurant industry.

“I love cooking and delivering oil to restaurants for many years has allowed me to grab lots of tips from the chefs and owners I’ve encountered, something I’ve always really enjoyed.

“I love to try to recreate some of their dishes and it occurred to me during the first lockdown in 2020 there must be other foodies like me who would enjoy the same, and perhaps I could use this to help the restaurant industry at an extremely challenging time.”

The book, entitled The Chef ’s Challenge, features 12 recipes from 12 chefs at venues across Essex and Suffolk – including the North Hill Noodle bar in Colchester.

Mr Cattrell added: “I believe my wife thinks it’s a way for me to get 12 free meals because I can turn up, the chefs cook the meal and because there’s no-one to sell it to I then get to eat it.

“It’s a privilege to be able to go round the back of the restaurants and chat with the chefs and I pick up all these recipes and tips.

“I wondered if other people are like me, they like to go to restaurants and think ‘I bet I could do that at home’.

“The reason we go out is because pubs and restaurants tend to do it better than we can.

“If people buy the book from a restaurant, then they are more inclined to go and visit 11 other pubs, so they are all supporting each other.

“Foodies like me are getting 11 or 12 new adventures. People normally stick to the places they know, but this gives you a bit of variety.”

The book is now available on Amazon and will be sold in each of the venues when restrictions are lifted.

For every book sold, a £2 donation will go towards supporting the catering industry affected by the Covid-19 crisis.

You can join like-minded foodies on Facebook at The Chef ’s Challenge.