THE former boss of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has brought the best of British and Italian food to the heart of the city of York.

Kirk and Ali Vincent have taken over Henshelwood's Deli, overlooking Newgate Market, and are determined to put their mark on the place.

The premises is filled with local and seasonal produce from the area, as well as handmade terrines and a wide selection of cheeses.

The shop also has strong Italian influences, inspired by Mr Vincent's work with Italian chefs Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo, while living in London, where he also worked with a young Jamie Oliver.

He said "Ali and I eat, sleep and dream the shop, which is wonderful, if a little intense at times.

"Obviously, we can't compete with supermarkets, so we don't try.

"Instead, we keep our eyes and ears open for new, interesting producers, both in the UK and in Europe, and we find producers who put that extra bit of effort into what they sell."

Ms Vincent added: "In this anonymous supermarket age, we want Henshelwood's to be a haven of old-fashioned values - a place where you can rely on the quality of the food, purchased when you need it from helpful people who know what they're talking about."