A TOP West Devon chef is leading a new search to find the region?s top local food heroes. Michael Caines, of the Gidleigh Park Hotel at Chagford, will be tracking down those producers and individuals who work to get the best local produce into shops and onto the plates of diners in the West Country. Mr Caines, who was awarded an MBE in the Queen?s birthday honours list for his services to the catering industry, will be encouraging people in this area to nominate and vote for food heroes as part of UKTV?s inaugural Local Food Hero Awards. The public is being urged to vote for their favourite food heroes by logging on to http://www.uktv">www.uktv food.co.uk ? once all the votes are in, nominees will be shortlisted and will battle it out in an 11-part TV series being hosted by top chef Gary Rhodes, in a programme to be broadcast on UKTV in November.