Home
Travel
Food
Europe
Caribbean
Devon Cornwall & Somerset
Books
Drink
Hotels
Walks
Podcasts
Switzerland
Travelling Friends
About
Contact
2T1A9157-3.jpg

Welcome to my food and travel website

Martin Hesp

Martin Hesp: Food and Travel Writer & Journalist
Discover Travel Tales and Culinary Delights from Around the World
Making-Do During a Pandemic
Jan 29

Jan 29 Making-Do During a Pandemic

Martin Hesp
Food

Experimenting with recipes and food during a pandemic lockdown… Why not? You havn’t much choice if you’re only shopping for essentials once every two weeks

Japanese Food
Jan 29

Jan 29 Japanese Food

Martin Hesp
Food, Travel

Martin Hesp explores Japanese food while visiting Hokkaido and Tokyo

Chefs: Mitch Tonks, Seahorse, Dartmouth and Rockfish at numerous seaside locations
Jan 28

Jan 28 Chefs: Mitch Tonks, Seahorse, Dartmouth and Rockfish at numerous seaside locations

Martin Hesp
Food, Devon Cornwall & Somerset

Continuing our series on top West Country chefs we revisit Mitch Tonks, the charming and brilliant chef with an international reputation for his seafood

Chefs: Ross Sloan, Landed, Porthleven, Cornwall
Jan 28

Jan 28 Chefs: Ross Sloan, Landed, Porthleven, Cornwall

Martin Hesp
Food, Secret Cornwall, Devon Cornwall & Somerset

In the second of our special articles on West Country chefs we meet Ross Sloan who now runs a remarkable ‘shell and fish takeaway’ in Porthleven in Cornwall. At the time of writing the article he was head chef at a rather lovely hotel nearby….

Chefs: Greg Milne, Head Chef at St Michael's Mount
Jan 26

Jan 26 Chefs: Greg Milne, Head Chef at St Michael's Mount

Martin Hesp
Travel, Food, Secret Cornwall, Devon Cornwall & Somerset

Time to give a shout-out to all those talented chefs out there who aren’t working at present because of the lockdown - here’s an article about the brilliant Greg Milne, head chef at St Michael’s Mount

Making Your own Butter, Better
Jan 23

Jan 23 Making Your own Butter, Better

Martin Hesp
Food

You can buy some very, very good butter from the supermarket - Trewithen Dairy’s being among the best - but every once in a while if you’ve time, why not have a go at making a pat of butter?

A Devon Food Safari
Jan 23

Jan 23 A Devon Food Safari

Martin Hesp
Drink, Food, Travel, Devon Cornwall & Somerset

A West Country food writer embarks on a journey of food and drink discovery around a rural part of West Devon and unearths all manner of delights

Bob Bell Continues His Reflections on the Hot Little Mama Tour of the USA 1981
Jan 23

Jan 23 Bob Bell Continues His Reflections on the Hot Little Mama Tour of the USA 1981

Martin Hesp
Travelling Friends

Bob Bell continues his remarkable reflections of the Roomful of Blues Hot Little Mama Tour of 1981 when the band travelled the length and breadth of North America playing gigs at towns and cities large and small. In this episode Bob remembers characters such as Freddie Cisneros and long nights down by the bayou

Keeping Up With Rick Stein 2 - Philip Warren & Son
Jan 22

Jan 22 Keeping Up With Rick Stein 2 - Philip Warren & Son

Martin Hesp
Food, Secret Cornwall, Devon Cornwall & Somerset

Journalist Martin Hesp looks back at articles he has written about Cornish food producers who have recently featured on Rick Stein’s series about Cornwall - in this piece he travels to Launceston to visit Philip Warren & Son in their ‘shrine of good meat’

Keeping Up With Rick Stein 1 - Cornish Potato Vodka
Jan 22

Jan 22 Keeping Up With Rick Stein 1 - Cornish Potato Vodka

Martin Hesp
Travel, Food, Secret Cornwall, Devon Cornwall & Somerset

We visit the Cornish potato vodka makers - just like Rick Stein does in his latest TV series

Load More

Subscribe

Get updates on my travels.

Thank you!

Martin Hesp: Award-Winning Food and Travel Writer

Welcome to the digital home of my culinary and travel explorations. As a journalist and author with over 20 years of experience—including my extensive work with the Western Morning News and Western Daily Press and my "Hesp Out West" series—I have dedicated my career to uncovering the stories that make a place truly special. From the rugged coastlines of Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset to the hidden culinary gems of the Caribbean and Europe, this site is a collection of my journeys and a guide for fellow travellers.

On these pages, you will find a curated selection of travel tales, detailed hotel reviews, and local food guides. I am particularly passionate about the heritage of the South West of England, covering everything from the best post-Christmas walks in the West Country to the rise of artisanal food producers in our region. As a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers, I strive to provide high-quality, independent journalism that offers a deep sense of place through long-form storytelling and photography.

Whether you are seeking inspiration for a weekend hotel stay in Switzerland, a challenging hike through a National Trust estate, or a deep dive into local beer and drink culture, my goal is to provide insights you won't find in a standard brochure. Thank you for joining me on this adventure through the world of food and travel.

Home
Travel
Featured Travel
Food
Caribbean
Drink
Europe
Walks
Devon, Cornwall & Somerset
Hotels
Switzerland
About
Travelling Friends