I visited the Northern Restaurant and Bar Show at the GMEX last week and bumped into Clive and Adam from Sugarvine. It was great to see them because we go back five years, when Sweet Mandarin started and it was Clive who helped us make a 360 panoramic video of Sweet Mandarin and introduced us to google and online marketing. Sugarvine has grown to an impressive 20 regional sites so not only are locals reading about your restaurant and menu, but their million or so visitors around the country are too.  I’m often asked what tips I can give to budding restauranteurs. One of them is speak to Cliver or Adam at Sugarvine 0844 277 9858 for your promotions and marketing and just to understand your market and competition.  They are affordable, effective, have their finger on the pulse and are very pleasant people to work with – oh and they are a fellow Twitterer too (follow them http://twitter.com/sugarvine) .

To celebrate my forthcoming appearance on Iron Chef on Channel 4 in April/May (5pm- 6pm daily), I’ve teamed up with Sugarvine to launch a fantastic competition worth £180 (the Chinese believe 8 is a lucky number because it sounds like the word ‘rich’. Putting together 1 and 8 symbolises ‘always rich’).  Enrich yourself and win a three course banquet for 2 (with a bottle of wine) and a cookery school place at Sweet Mandarin.  To enter click  here  on the Sugarvine website and best of luck! Remember you have to be in it to win it.