Welcome to Nick's Kitchen, the ultimate in takeaway food

4:59pm Friday 2nd March 2007

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Nick Foster had no trouble coming up with a look' for his new venture, but there were rather a lot of sleepless nights over the name until he went to see the bank manager.

Such meetings do have a habit of concentrating the mind and so, when asked what his business would be called, the young chef had his brainwave.

"Nick's Kitchen," he announced without further ado.

Now, like the quality ingredients on which the former Drunken Duck head chef has built his reputation, Nick is busy pulling together all the elements for this, his first solo outing.

It's in Ambleside, in Kelsick Road, next door to the library in what was once a launderette, a clean' theme which Nick intends to continue.

"I'm going for a bright look," he explained from his nearby Smith Brow home. "Lots of light wood, a clean, crisp and airy space, narrow shelves, tidy, rather than cluttered."

That's minimal rather than rustic then; plus, peer through the huge picture window and shoppers will be able to see the kitchen at the rear of the premises - all stainless steel, twinkling under the spotlights.

"That's where I'll be making everything," said Nick, everything' being a range of ready meals, sandwiches and pies, but that's just for starters.

"I have to test the water. The last thing I want to do is everything in one go and the products suffering because of it," explained Nick.

Further good news for his customers is that Nick is one of those chefs who likes to know exactly where his ingredients come from and, in the case of animals, where they have been reared and how far they've had to travel to be slaughtered.

"You can tell in the meat if an animal has been under stress," cautioned Nick.

When he first started sourcing locally, it was difficult to track down supplies, "but now there are all these networks in place".

The aim is to have several core ready meal products, but for the Nick's Kitchen range to change with the seasons and what's available locally.

"You have to keep things interesting, you have to keep moving."

For the full interview with Nick Foster, see Food & Drink in The Westmorland Gazette's Leisure supplement, out today (Friday, March 2)