CELEBRITY chef Stacie Stewart has explained the reasons why she believes buying local produce is vital.

The former MasterChef contestant talked to isleofman.com about the issue at the Isle of Man Food and Drink Festival at the Nunnery, Douglas, earlier today.

When asked about sourcing local produce she said: "I think it's really important - you need to support your local area and you also need to support local providers.

"You don't want to be going to a supermarket and buying (meat). There is no passion in it, there is no history.

"You walk into a supermarket and pick a piece of beef up, you don't where that beef has come from, you don't know the name of the bull that was killed.

"But if you go to your local butcher they can literally tell you about the animal's life, what it ate, how it was slaughted and how it's been hung and there is a history and involvement in food and it gives you a real connection to food which I think is very very important."

Photo by John Gregory