Celebrity chef Brian Turner visited Paddington, Reading, Exeter St Davids and Plymouth stations on Wednesday 18 April to celebrate his new partnership with First Great Western.  As well as offering his culinary expertise, Brian is also to create a number of signature dishes for the new First Great Western Brasserie menu.

The star of TV’s ‘Ready Steady Cook’ and chef patron of the prestigious Brian Turner Mayfair restaurant in London will be making a special appearances on station platforms cooking up sample delights.

Brian’s made a whistle stop tour from London Paddington to Plymouth celebrating the partnership and raising awareness of First Great Western’s new Brasserie service – which provides a high quality, modern dining choice for customers. 

“I’m really excited to be working with First Great Western,” says Brian. “It takes me back to my childhood helping out my dad with his transport café – providing ‘real food’ for people on the go. The Brasserie offers a good selection of great British food in a contemporary and relaxed setting. First Great Western’s catering team has impressed me with the fresh approach they’ve taken, listening to customers’ feedback from their pilot project to develop a really tasty alternative when you want to eat on the move! I’m looking forward to a very fruitful partnership with the company.”

Brasserie meals will be offered at-seat to First Class First Great Western customers and as take-away products from buffet cars for Standard Class customers on more than 150 services a week. 

“The introduction of the Brasserie service means a much wider choice of on-board food, particularly hot meals, for far more customers,” says Paul Hinsley, Head of Catering, First Great Western.

“The Brasserie will appear where in the past customers have seen the Travelling Chef. Instead, many of the freshly made snacks familiar to customers from the Travelling Chef menu will now be available from our new Express Café buffet cars. In contrast, the Brasserie introduces new breakfast options including Eggs Benedict, Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Croque Monsieur as well as Bacon Baguette favourites. If you want something a little more substantial than a sandwich for lunch – Brasserie options include a simple bowl of soup or freshly grilled meats, prepared salads and popular pasta dishes. And of course the Pullman service is still available for a more formal dining experience.”

The new service has been piloted in recent months and following positive customer feedback is now available on selected services, seven days a week.