Phil Vickery, the former England and Lions prop and winner of Celebrity Masterchef 2011, is to become an ambassador for British Sausage Week, which runs 3-9 November.
Joining the nationwide British Sausage Week 2014 tour, Vickery will be sampling some of the finest quality-assured sausages throughout the country.
Having been raised on a farm in Devon, the rugby legend claimed to be fully aware of the importance of quality assurance, food safety and animal welfare.
Countryside ambassador
Since retiring from professional rugby in 2010 he has been an official ambassador for the Prince’s Countryside Fund, which supports farming and rural concerns.
Vickery said: “With a farming background and also being a keen cook myself, British Sausage Week is a cause close to my heart.”
He added: “I always buy Red Tractor pork sausages because I know the rigorous standards they have gone through and it’s a sign of quality food that you can trust.”
Food knowledge
Tony Goodger, foodservice trade manager at BPEX – organiser of British Sausage Week – said it was fantastic to be able to work with someone with such enthusiasm and knowledge about British produce.
“Phil’s high-profile will certainly help to put quality sausages at the forefront of people’s mind,” he explained.
“British Sausage Week provides chefs and caterers with the perfect opportunity to celebrate the taste, quality and diversity of the traditional sausage.
“With more than 500 sausage varieties in Britain, the Week provides a fun and lively way to promote the great tradition of sausage eating in Britain,” Goodger added.
“Quality remains key, however, and we would urge caterers to source sausages made from farm-assured pork covered by a scheme such as Red Tractor to satisfy customer concerns regarding quality, provenance and taste.
“This in turn will increase loyalty and sales.”