Tom Aikens: Food Spy

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After completing the Ballymaloe cookery course in Ireland in 2004, Arun Kapil joined Ballymaloe House as a chef. While there, he came up with the concept for a family business based in his native India, Green Saffron, a premium spice company importing the highest-quality whole spices. Arun's cousins source their spices directly from farms throughout India, selecting only the most zingy. They come to Britain in small, frequent shipments, and Arun then puts them together in traditional blends, accompanied by simple-tofollow, delicious recipes. The results are fresh, authentic and full of flavour (
www.greensaffron.com).

I have always been a big fan of bulthaup kitchens but their most recent launch is particularly impressive. The b2 collection is made up of three freestanding elements: a workbench for cooking and water points; a cabinet for crockery, utensils, spices and food; and an appliance cabinet. The idea behind the b2 is that it either conceals everything or, when you open it up, elegantly showcases everything needed for cooking and all within easy reach. Fantastic for busy home chefs - and it's stunning (www.bulthaup.com).

Eric and Hulya Rousseau opened their bakery and patisserie Belle ...poque on Newington Green in 2002. They make eight different types of bread daily, including five cereals, rye, baguette and pain de campagne, and the breads change four times a year, according to the season.

They also make brioches, pains au chocolat and croissants. They have now created a selection of puddings for Selfridges which will be available from February. They come in small shot glasses, in six different flavours: strawberry cheesecake, raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake, tiramisu, chocoframboise, passion fruit mousse and double chocolate tart. You can pick and choose the flavours to make up a pack of six - they are perfect for a dinner party (www.belleepoque.co.uk).