The School of Artisan Food and Delilah Fine Foods launch meat range

The School of Artisan Food and deli Delilah Fine Foods have combined their complementary skills in developing, making and selling high quality artisan food to produce eight new products: Bresaola, Coppa, Pancetta, Salt Beef, Pastrami, Sausages, Bacon and Guanciale.

Food experts at The School of Artisan Food on the Welbeck Estate in Sherwood Forest have developed the products based on customer research conducted by Delilah Fine Foods. Branded as ‘Delilah Artisan Butchery’, the new lines are on sale in Delilah stores in Nottingham and Leicester.

All of the products come from animals raised locally and are handmade in The School of Artisan Food’s butchery by Nik Tooley from Delilah and The School’s butchery teacher, Rich Summers.

Nik said, “We have some very discerning customers so when we were looking to develop our own high quality, artisan meats The School of Artisan Food at Welbeck was the obvious partner. We knew the provenance of the meat and we knew the expertise of their team because quite a few of our own staff have been on training courses there.

“For both companies the new lines are their first venture into producing their own brand food. Feedback has been very positive with tasters impressed by the quality of the products, the provenance of the meat itself and the artisan nature of its production.

Julie Byrne, managing director at The School of Artisan Food said, “It’s been very interesting for us to work with Delilah and develop products informed by their customers. We teach our students that it’s not just about the quality of the food they can produce but about how they can make it appealing to customers and at a price they will pay. It’s been good for us to practice what we preach.”

The School of Artisan Food is a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity dedicated to teaching skills in all aspects of sustainable and artisan food production. Based on the ducal Welbeck estate near Worksop, it encourages people of all skill levels to expand their knowledge through a wide range of short courses in baking and patisserie, cheesemaking, butchery and charcuterie, ice cream and chocolate making, preserves, charcuterie and brewing.

Started in 2005, Delilah Fine Foods sources unique foodstuffs from around the world and sells it from its stores in Nottingham and Leicester. Aside from the food in its shops, the shop also runs a tapas-style menu for customers to taste its food.