A NEW cookery book has been specially created by Michelin star chefs to improve the meals at a care home in Abingdon.

Bridge House catering manager Colm Penfold attended the launch last week, where he prepared some of the recipes with celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott.

The cookery book has been developed through a collaboration with Michelin star chefs from the Great British Chefs website and catering experts. Ideas were also contributed by residents and their families.

The aim of the book, which contains 136 recipes, is to inspire the care home chefs to create the highest quality food for residents.

Mr Penfold said he was 'really excited' to start offering the updated menu, saying: “I cooked new dishes with encouragement and advice from Ainsley – including some popular favourites and some exciting new world food ideas I’ve never attempted before."

The Ready Steady Cook star said he was 'very impressed' with the book, adding: "Of course health and nutrition are absolutely essential when it comes to menus offered in care homes and all the recipes in this excellent book have been developed with that in mind.

"But it’s also so important to offer varied and exciting food and to present it well – after all we ‘eat with our eyes’ too. It was great to see Colm so committed to taking on the recipes."