My time as a hair metal band manager

Damp walls, rickety gas fires and washing my smalls in the sink

The Art School’s chef patron on plating dinner with MI5 watching and ‘food intelligence’

“So she took her love for to gaze awhile upon the fields of barley…” Okay, so we weren’t quite channeling Sting and Trudi when we reached the Corston Wheatsheaf, the historic roadside pub on the We…

Before Instagram, the city dined on word-of-mouth

It’s hard to believe that Sarthi only opened the doors to its understatedly elegant oasis of plant-based South Asian food on Walcot Street little over a year ago; seriously, up until that point, wh…

This month, The Halfpenny – the gorgeous little (but not that little) all-day café-bar on the north side of Widcombe Parade – celebrates its second birthday… and thriving for two years in the curre…

A vibrant summer salad, packed with beautifully-balanced, harmonious flavour and satisfying texture in every bite. If you’re not a fan of prawns, they can be replaced with 300g of shredded roast chicken. Ingredients (serves 4) 150g instant rice noodles 100g peanut butter The juice of 1 lime 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tbsp runny honey 1 tbsp soy sauce 300g cooked king prawns 1 red or yellow pepper, deseeded and finely sliced ½ cucumber, deseeded and cut into half […]

The classic cheesy, meat-free burger, tasty enough to captivate even the most committed carnivore.  Ingredients (serves 2) 2 plump portobello mushrooms, stalks removed 200g halloumi cheese, thickly sliced 2 brioche buns 2 tbsp finely chopped onion 2 tbsp finely chopped tomato 2 tbsp finely chopped cucumber 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint The juice of 1 lime 4 tbsp hummus 1 large tomato, thickly sliced 4 lettuce leaves Method Mix the chopped onion, tomato, cucumber and mint with the lime […]

From Captain Hook to Hamlet, Bond villain to Tony Blair, Toby Stephens has spent three decades portraying some of drama’s most compelling characters. Ahead of his appearance in Peter Shaffer’s haunting masterpiece Equus at TRB, he talks to Melissa Blease about mental health, AI, artistic honesty, his mother, Dame Maggie Smith – and why theatre should never be afraid to make audiences uncomfortable. If you’re holding out for a hero, it’s very likely that acclaimed British actor Toby Stephens has

I’m often asked where I like to eat when I’m not working. Not that, in my professional life, I go and eat in restaurants that I don’t want to visit; far from it. And if, by the way, I end up findin…

On hot days, simple suppers are the way forward – and you can’t get simpler than this luscious salmon recipe, on the table in less than the time it takes to chill a bottle of rosé. Ingredients (serves 4) 4 x 150g salmon fillets, skinned 150g cream cheese 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed The finely grated zest from ½ lemon 25g fresh white breadcrumbs 25g Parmesan, finely grated 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (plus extra to garnish) 1 level […]

Towards the end of last year, I reviewed Colonnade: the sparkly, spacious all-day brasserie that compliments the vibrant live music hub that is the Bristol Beacon.  Within that review you’ll f…

Situated on the beautiful thoroughfare that links two of Bath’s most Iconic architectural landmarks (that’ll be The Circus and The Royal Crescent, then), The Circus has, for some 15+ ye…

Wimbledon smashes onto the south-west London tennis courts from this Monday. Ace your own game, set and match at home with these classic Strawberry Shortcakes, best served in the garden accompanied by a jug of Pimm’s. Ingredients (makes 8) For the Shortcakes 350g self-raising flour  100g cold butter, cubed 100g caster sugar 100ml whole milk 1 egg (plus extra beaten egg for glazing) A squeeze of lemon juice For the filling 1 tbsp icing sugar 1 x 227g tub of […]

Speedy summer supper sorted!  Ingredients (serves 4)  450g spaghetti 1 large avocado The juice of ½ lemon 1 packet of fresh basil, roughly torn 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 4 tbsp olive oil 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 50g Parmesan (or vegetarian/vegan alternative), finely grated To serve: Parmesan shavings Method Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the packet. Meanwhile, halve and stone the avocado and put the flesh into a food processor or blender with […]

Give the humble roast chicken traybake a spectacular summer-season makeover with this easygoing, super-tasty Mediterranean-inspired melange. Ingredients (serves 4) 700g new potatoes, halved lengthways 8 whole, skin-on chicken thighs 1 red onion, peeled and chopped into wedges The cloves from 1 bulb of garlic 1 lemon, cut into wedges 12 baby plum or cherry tomatoes, halved 125ml dry white wine A handful of mixed, pitted olives 150g feta cheese A smattering of fresh oregano leaves (optional) Metho

Melissa Blease explores Bath’s beer scene and discovers its never been better.

This iconic Jamaican dish brings all the flavours of the Caribbean to your British summertime repertoire.  If you’re igniting the barbecue, place the chicken pieces skin-side down over a medium heat then cook for around 30-40 minutes (turning over every 4-5 minutes) until the skin is charred and crispy and the juices run clear. Ingredients (serves 4-6)2 skin on, bone in chicken thighs For the marinade6 spring onions, trimmed and roughly chopped1 thumb-sized chunk of fresh root ginger, peeled and

Beverley Knight chats to Melissa Blease of The Bath Magazine about her upcoming Born to Perform tour.