Renowned chef Richard Corrigan has spoken out about how consumers can do more to support British farmers. Corrigan maintains good food is plentiful in Britain and, while it may be easier to use supermarkets, by taking the time to look for good quality, local produce shoppers hold the key to supporting British farmers. image expired

The Michelin starred chef believes “If we want more British food, we have to demand it.” Corrigan is using British Food fortnight, which runs from 17th September to 2nd October, to encourage shoppers and restaurant-goers to insist on more home-grown meals.

The chef, who owns two restaurants in London, said that as well as celebrating the food produced in Britain, shoppers could use this time to discover how they could be more pro-active in demanding more British food and increasingly support British farmers.

Celebrity chefs, including Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall have raised the profile of home-grown food and have shown the public that they can support regional produce, but Corrigan believes most people still underestimate the influence they can wield.

Taking his message onto the airwaves, Mr Corrigan explained the importance sourcing his food in Britain. Speaking on BBC Radio 4, he said, “We take our purchasing very seriously, not just where possible; we spend most of our money in the British Isles, some in Ireland as well.

“Every pound that is spent in my restaurant I want to spend back in Britain or where I come from in Ireland. We should be buying a lot more from Britain, supporting local, small farmers who have had a horrible time over the last 15 or 20 years.”

Optimistic about increasing public awareness around food, Corrigan said he feels the profile of local, sustainable products has undergone a resurgence and there is now a renewed appreciation of artisanal practices and produce all over Britain. He disagrees with the perception that British produce is necessarily more expensive, believing that people should take the opportunity to support farmers in whatever way they can.

He explained the last decade has seen a growing realisation of how food is produced and as a result more consumers and restaurant-goers are demanding to know where their food comes from. Corrigan is incredibly positive about the potential of consumers to directly influence how their food is made and the increasing involvement in food production.

If supermarkets are unwilling to cooperate with this growing awareness, he said the advent of the internet has brought with it new opportunities for producers and consumers to revolutionise the supply chain. Earlier in the year, when, despite a bumper crop, many soft fruit growers in the UK found supermarkets were demanding lower prices for their produce than they could afford and instead importing fruits which were plentiful in England, some of the inefficiencies in the supply chain were laid bare.

A scheme launched over the summer in France has seen producers foregoing this relationship and instead forging links and selling direct to consumers in a virtual market place. Corrigan pointed to box schemes, which are enjoying increasing popularity; he enthused, “There is no shortage of great food in Britain, you just need to go out and find it. It’s there for anyone to have.”