Michael Caines and south-west chefs save Cornish Blue cheese from landfill

Food app Too Good To Go has joined forces with chefs in the south-west of England to prevent hundreds of blocks of Cornish Blue cheese from going to waste.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit, the Cornish Cheese Company was left with 30 tonnes of cheese that it was unable to sell. But Too Good To Go, an app that redistributes surplus food, launched the first Cornish Blue Cheese Week in the south-west to champion the award-winning cheese.

From 3 August, chefs can showcase Cornish Blue cheese on their menus. Michael Caines will introduce a complimentary cheese course as part of his menu at the Cove restaurant in Meanporth and Lympstone Manor in Exmouth.

Caines said: “I’m delighted to be supporting Too Good To Go’s Cornish Blue Cheese Week. Our local producers are the heartbeat of the south-west food scene and it is important that chefs continue to champion their delicious produce as much as we can.

"I was devastated to hear the impact that Covid-19 had on the Cornish Cheese Company (a local producer I already work with) and am excited to showcase its Cornish Blue cheese on my menus in the coming week so that I can play a part in preventing it from going to waste.”

The Fig Tree @ 36 in Plymouth will also be taking part. Owner Tanya Marsland said: “Cornish Blue cheese has always been our go-to blue cheese, so what better way than to celebrate it with Cornish Blue Cheese Week. Shouting out about local is what we pride ourselves in, and we are excited to be able to get involved.”

Each participating restaurant will provide dining customers with direct links to purchase 1kg of Cornish Blue Cheese for £6 (worth £16) through the Too Good To Go app.

Jamie Crummie, co-founder of Too Good To Go, said: “When we heard that the Cornish Cheese Company were facing having to throw away hundreds of portions of their award-winning cheese, we knew that there was something we could do to help. We’re thrilled to have the support of some of the south-west’s most acclaimed chefs and are looking forward to kicking off Cornish Blue Cheese Week next week."