A FAMILY business had the chance to wow a renowned celebrity chef as part of a new TV series chronicling the food and “fascinating people” based along the River Thames.
Osborne Bros, a fishing company established in Leigh 140 years ago, will feature in a new documentary series starring award-winning chef Michel Roux.
“Roux Down the River” is airing every Thursday for the next month on Food Network and Discovery Plus, and the Leigh business will star in the final episode.
As part of the series, Roux visits restaurants along the River Thames to taste food and meet the people behind the businesses.
Manager Sally Osborne said: “We were lucky enough to be part of his journey down the Thames. It was a positive experience to be able to share our story.
“Michel was very easy going and relaxed. I chatted with him – he puts people at ease.”
However, this is not the first time Osborne’s has been in the limelight. It welcomed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak three weeks ago during his visit to the town following the discovery of rare shellfish.
Sally added: “My husband, Graham, chatted with Rishi Sunak, James Cleverly and Anna Firth. That sort of thing does attract a lot of attention, but we just take it in our stride.”
Osborne’s boasts a cafe which overlooks the estuary, making it a prime filming location.
“We’ve had many film crews come here over the years,” Sally added.
“We’ve welcomed the Hairy Bikers, Jamie Oliver, and Rick Stein, who’ve used our business as a backdrop. You can’t get a better view than ours.
“We’ve got a lot of heritage here in Leigh. Our name is synonymous with the Old Town.”
Paul Guinane, manager of the fishmongers’ shop, described the last few weeks as “a bit of a whirlwind” for the business.
“It’s all happened in a very short space of time. I was here while Michel Roux was filming. It was pretty cool.
“He was here for a few hours, and he had a crew of about eight people with him.”
“There aren’t many fishmongers and seafood halls in the area, so we’ve always got a lot going on.
“There’s nothing wrong with a bit of publicity.”
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