I WRITE with reference to your “Cooking with Mike” section, where, according to the introduction, supposed “top chef”, Mike Harrison, in between endless plugs about Zest, his new deli and cookery school, and the people that catered for his wedding, apparently “shares some of his most popular recipes”.

On Saturday, November 29, aforesaid plugs aside, almost an entire page was given over to a recipe involving two ingredients: four salmon steaks and a bottle of marinade, from a company owned by — you’ve guessed it — a couple of Mike’s mates! I am absolutely staggered that this could possibly be considered a “recipe”.

On Saturday, December 6, instructions for making a simple cherry cake were featured — along with a further shameless mention of Zest and some of his friends.

I would imagine that a seven-year-old could have knocked this cake up in no time.

I look forward to this page in the paper, but I am feeling distinctly underwhelmed by Mike Harrison and his childish, supposed “recipes”.

Am I the only one irritated by the lack of any decent culinary input here?

Come on The Bolton News — if you are going to feature a chef, at least give the people of Bolton some credit for being able to do more than slop a bottle of liquid over a piece of salmon.

Melissa James, A very disgruntled home cook, Bolton