A NEW business venture and now a book to finish by November — Masterchef Peter Gorton of Tavistock has certainly got his hands full.

Peter, the former chef at Gulworthy's famous Horn of Plenty, has to get 25,000 words written in the next few months — but with his trademark enthusiasm for food and produce, his new book should be a labour of love.

Devon Food Heroes will be a big, hardback, glossy 'coffee table' style book, which will pay tribute to the amazing producers of food and drink to be found in the county.

Peter said: 'I've picked 13 of my favourite producers and we are giving them ten pages each.

'The book's not about me, it's about the producers telling the whole story of their particular product, whether it's beekeepers or mussel growers.

'I've learned so much doing it — it surprises me, when you think I've been doing this for 30 years now, how much, as a chef, you don't understand about local products, and this book will tell you all about them.

'I was surrounded by 60,000 bees the other day, it was incredible. Honey is such an interesting product — it can last for thousands of years — and the cleverness of the bees is amazing.'

At the end of each of the chapters, there will be one of Peter's recipes, featuring the product — pictures illustrating the dish will be taken at Gorton's, Peter's new dining club/restaurant on Tavistock's Plymouth Road.

Peter is working on the book with Adrian Oakes — a photographer who has already had three books published. They are currently touring the county, visiting their chosen producers and compiling the pictures.

Peter said: 'What we are going to do is get some of the producers to come to Gorton's and talk about their products, and people can come in and meet them and be introduced to the very best that Devon has to offer.

'If the book goes well, I am hoping we can do one on Cornwall next, which would be great.'