Merrett joins the Farm

Paul Merrett, former chef at Michelin-starred restaurant the Greenhouse has joined new Fulham gastro pub the Farm. Merrett joins owner Tom Etridge to take charge of food at the 76-cover venue, which has recently opened in west London. The interior features a bar, lounge and restaurant area with a décor rich in dark wood panelling and oak tables. The Farm will employ a "no cash" payment policy to allow staff greater freedom to boost customer service according to Etridge. The menu includes warm yoghurt spiced chicken salad with okra and a warm pork belly salad. Desserts feature old classics such as warm doughnuts with strawberry jam. New cheese from the Jura The Cheese Cellar Company has launched a new addition to its range. Tête de Moine, a creamy Swiss cheese, originally made by monks in the country's Jura mountains, is available to caterers. The cheese provides a creamy texture with a full rich flavour and is produced from cow's milk. The Cheese Cellar Company advises caterers to use a cheese cutter to create delicate floret shapes to boost the product's customer appeal. The company also suggests using the cheese as a garnish shaved over salads and matching with a glass of white burgundy wine. For more information contact the Cheese Cellar Company on 0845 241 0210. Kids' lunches are unhealthy' Children's packed lunches contain excessive levels of fat, salt and sugar, according to a Food Standards Agency (FSA) survey. Kids are snacking on foods containing double the recommended intake of saturated fat and sugar at lunch times. Lunchboxes are also rich in salty foods, according to the FSA findings. The survey, which looked at more than 688 home-prepared lunches found that 74% failed to meet Government nutritional standards set in 2001. Agency nutritionist Sam Church said: "Our survey findings revealed that children need to eat more starchy foods, such as bread, pasta, rice, fruit and vegetables, and dairy foods.