A COUNTY Durham charity is championing local talent and produce with a series of new eateries.

From flavoursome ingredients to developing the skills of up-and-coming chefs, The Auckland Project’s forthcoming cafés and restaurants in Bishop Auckland will shine a light on the best of the county.

The visitor destination will include a new café and two restaurants, which will all offer a warm County Durham welcome to visitors. It will also be a training facility for young chefs to develop their skills.

The Northern Echo: Members of The Auckland Project Catering Team in the central kitchen. Pictured from left, Katherine Hindes, Jane Ann Taylor, Ant Brown, Lucy Hendron and Emma RowellMembers of The Auckland Project Catering Team in the central kitchen. Pictured from left, Katherine Hindes, Jane Ann Taylor, Ant Brown, Lucy Hendron and Emma Rowell

The first of the new eateries is the Bishop’s Kitchen, a café located within Auckland Castle which launches following conservation work later this year.

This will be followed by a Spanish-inspired restaurant which will sit alongside The Auckland Project’s forthcoming Spanish Gallery in Bishop Auckland Market Place, and the Walled Garden Restaurant, within the 17th century Walled Garden at Auckland Castle, which are both also in development.

The Auckland Project’s Culinary Director, Ant Brown, said: “I’ve been lucky enough to find my passion in the food industry and I want to inspire that same passion in others.

“I’m confident that by training and developing staff who are passionate about, and take pride in, the food they produce we can create a centre for excellence in catering and hospitality here in County Durham.

“We believe that ingredients taste best and are of the highest quality when they are grown and harvested locally and sustainably."