Head Chef Matthew Burns blogs about his experiences sourcing local, seasonal ingredients as he designs Upstairs at the Bluecoat's spring menu.

With an adventurer’s spirit I set to work sourcing for our spring menu, and three months on, I thought I’d share some of my journey so far...

I have always associated the summer months with waiting. Whether this has been waiting for University to start again, waiting for that elusive break or waiting for the sun to appear (although we are all still waiting for that); summer to me has always felt like a brief precursor to a larger event in the not so distant future.  This year has been no different.

As an Information Assistant, you are responsible for being the ‘face’ of the Bluecoat, the very first point of call for visitors as well as acting as an interface between front of house and staff. Performing these duties means that the majority of your working day is split between either invigilating the Galleries or manning our Tickets & Information, located in the Hub which is the main space when you first enter the building. As you can imagine, a lot of time spent in the Hub allows you to observe the everyday comings and goings...