Leading lights in the North East hospitality industry have joined forces to help colleagues survive during the coronavirus crisis.
Valda Goodfellow, managing director of tableware supplier Goodfellow and Goodfellow, has joined forces with Georga Spottiswood, creator of Savour Magazine, to launch Taste Club.
The new initiative is a subscription box service which will use products produced by regional suppliers such as craft spirits, along with snacks and recipe cards from celebrity and regional chefs.
“Although the hospitality industry is in crisis, we are looking at new ways to reach consumers and give them an ‘At Home’ experience they will love. Taste Club plans were in the pipeline, with the concept launching in the summer, but this seems like an important time to bring more opportunities to local producers, chefs and mixologists whilst showing consumers what this amazing region has to offer.”
The boxes will have a number of different themes, such as The Gin School Box, and Rum & Right Good Stuff, which the pair hope will not only support the producers facing tough times but ‘give people stuck at home a much-needed bit of cheer’.
“We’ve lined up the producers and a team of top chefs who are currently working on fun recipe ideas so we can wage war on boredom,” said Georga.
The recipe cards from chefs and mixologists will be supported by a series of videos, which will run across Savour’s Facebook Page and Peterlee-based-Goodfellows & Goodfellows and Goodfellows at Home platforms in the interim period while a Taste Club website is set up.
They’ll teach people how to make dishes, craft cocktails at home, as well as Meet the Makers of the produce.
Taste Club is part of a wider SAVeOUR North Campaign, which will also focus on a series of videos for the family, with chefs showing how to batch cook at home and exciting things to make to keep children entertained.
Producers, distillers and mixologists will also be hosting classes across Savour’s digital platforms, again to give people ideas of how they can still have fun at home and be safe.
Boxes will be available to buy on Savour Magazine’s website in the coming weeks and people can subscribe to one every one, two or three months.
Any producer, distiller, mixologist or chef who would like to be involved can email: georga@savour-magazine.co.uk
