james martin and paul griffin

Isle of Wight produce praised to the hilt in James Martin’s Great British Adventure

Episode 17 of ‘James Martin’s Great British Adventure’, screened on ITV earlier this week, was set on the Isle of Wight.

James travels across the Solent to the Isle of Wight with another chef, Lenny Carr-Roberts, and opens the programme by stating that he’s on his way to, “one of my favourites places in the UK, the Isle of Wight”.

Much love for IW produce
Lenny, who runs a restaurant in Hampshire explains that he uses a great deal of produce from the Isle of Wight, adding that “some of the best lamb you can get” is from the Island.

We’ll forgive James saying the Isle of Wight is in the county of Hampshire (sack the researcher for that gaff and the one about a £300,000 price tag for beach huts in Colwell Bay) because he waxes lyrical about the Island thereon after.

The programme really is a great promotion for the Isle of Wight and should help boost visitor numbers this year.

“Best ever” sausage rolls
James rocks up next to The Hut in Colwell for his outdoor kitchen, where he cooks two sensational dishes, but he sends Lenny off to Bembridge (just voted best village in the Countryfile Magazine awards) to discover to the butchers (Woodford and Sons) and their “best ever” sausage rolls.

Lenny is not disappointed, saying that if Michelin gave out Stars for sausage rolls, they’d give these ones from Woodford’s three.

Like James, Lenny heaps a ton of praise on the Island prodiucers, highlighting the, “respect people show their produce around the Island”.

Briddlesford beauties
Later in the programme James heads to Briddlesford Lodge Farm, where among other things, they produce butter, cheese and milk from their gorgeous, award-winning Guernsey cows. The 140-strong herd all descend from the 15 cows who arrived on the farm in 1923 with the current farmer’s great-grandfather.

James partakes in tea and scones in a field surrounded by Paul Griffin’s Guernsey cows before cooking another masterpiece over in Colwell Bay.

He ends the programme heading home on the ferry saying,

“I think the Isle of Wight is an amazing place and it just happens to have the best sausage rolls … end of.”

Catch up
The programme on is available on catch up for the next 28 days

Image: © ITV