What’s Cooking? re-opens with even more local food!

WHAT’S Cooking?, the well-established delicatessen and food shop in Thame, has a fresh, new look and re-opened this morning (Wednesday), offering more space, more choice and a new café.

As specialists in artisan produce, much of it locally sourced, What’s Cooking? wanted to offer a greater choice to customers and provide a bigger showcase for local food producers. One of the two Directors, Sally Dickinson explained: “We knew we needed more space and when the premises next door became available, we took the opportunity to add on a café and offer a greater range in a larger shop.

“For some time, our loyal customers were asking for somewhere they could sit down and enjoy the food they were buying from us, and the new café was the answer. It’s open for breakfast, light lunches, coffee and tea from 7.30 am to 5 pm, and you can now choose whether to take away or eat in.

“We’re especially proud of our coffee, which comes from small, artisan estates and is roasted by a local, wood-fired roastery in Witney, UE Coffee. UE only uses sustainable, organic beans from small estates. The roasters, the only ones in the UK, are wood-fired using sustainable locally sourced wood, which is much more carbon-efficient than gas.”

Alongside the deli and café, What’s Cooking? also has a catering operation that serves all occasions from a small private dinner party to a large wedding for 150 people.

Sally and her fellow Director, Tony Hazelton believe that the success of the Thame Food Festival shows just how popular local foods are and that locally sourced produce is here to stay. “While you can always purchase online – and What’s Cooking? is developing its website presence – there is nothing to beat the special pleasure you get from seeing, choosing and enjoying food that’s as fresh as possible because it’s locally sourced and perfectly crafted, which you can sit down to enjoy there and then, or take home to eat as part of a delicious meal,” added Tony.

The What’s Cooking? refurbishment involved local craftsmen too, and Sally and Tony are grateful to local suppliers Dymott Builders, Barr Joinery and Point North Electrical for their hard work in completing the conversion.

“Most of all,” said Sally, “We are delighted that we can now provide local producers with a larger shop window, where their food can be made available to a wider public who can spread the word about the wealth of wonderful local produce we have on our doorstep.”

What’s Cooking is at 6-7 Cornmarket, Thame.