James Martin joins Virgin Trains as Executive Chef

British chef and TV presenter, James Martin, is set to partner with Virgin Trains as part of the train operator’s continued transformation of the East Coast services.

James has created a new range of specially created seasonal menus which will be served to First Class customers this May. The train operator also promises to roll out some 'exciting changes' in Autumn.

James said: “Virgin Trains came to me with a genuine vision and passion for improving the experience they deliver to their customers and – as a frequent Virgin Trains traveller – I shared their belief that the food on offer could have a real impact on customers’ experience as a whole.

“I see this partnership as a real opportunity to open people’s eyes to the great food they could enjoy as they speed up the iconic East Coast line – and I feel the new menus we’re cooking up together will make it a truly enjoyable experience.”

The new seasonal menus will showcase fresh, local flavours. Breakfast, casual dining and, on selected services, evening meals are all set to be reinvigorated by James’ distinctive flair. For breakfast, James has created an exclusive range of jams produced by Yorkshire based The Fruity Kitchen.

In addition, he has introduced a premium Black Pudding which will be served alongside sausages, bacon and eggs, while casual dining features the chef’s signature golden sultana sauce as an accompaniment to sausage rolls. Evening diners will be able to feast on sumptuous lemon and herb roasted chicken, as well as a new chicken curry dish created in the chef’s development kitchen.

Alison Watson, Customer Experience Director at Virgin Trains on the East Coast, added: “This is another step in Virgin Trains’ journey of improving every element of our customers’ experience when they travel with us. Our new First Class carriages are rolling out on a weekly basis now, we are upgrading our First Class lounges for customers, and we have a totally new fleet of trains in the pipeline, too.

“However, we are also focusing on getting the experience right for our customers today, and a revitalised menu is another important element of that. We’re confident the menu James is designing with our team will be the finest dining any UK train operator can boast and will be another step in making our customers’ journeys even better.”

The partnership is part of the train service's £140m revamp to their East Coast route starting next month which will include a major fleet revamp, smarter stations and exciting new routes. It will also include 42 additional services (22,000 extra seats) per week between Edinburgh and London with new Azuma trains being built by Hitachi for 2018.