BOLTON TV cook Debbie Halls Evans is teaming up with the American winner of The Taste to create pop-up restaurants across the globe — including one in Bolton.

The mum-of-four, who won the UK version of the Channel 4 cookery show, has just returned from the United States after teaming up with Louise Leonard to launch the restaurants in Los Angeles and New York.

The pair, who will go under the name Cross Pond Sessions, plan to do the same next spring, but this time in the UK, with dates in Bolton, Manchester, London and Edinburgh.

No venues are confirmed as yet, but Debbie hopes that the Bolton date in particular will be somewhere extra special.

She said: "Louise and I got on like a house on fire despite only meeting for the first time when I went over to the States. She's just like me in that she loves food, and her knowledge of cooking is amazing.

"It was such a fantastic experience to cook in America with her. We cooked on the famous LA River where they filmed the Grease drag race and also in Industry City in New York. Both events were sold out.

"During both pop ups we had food coming out all the time and we worked really well together. So we thought why don't we set up a business together? So next year we're looking at her coming over here to do four dates, including one in Bolton of course.

"Then I'll be going back over to the US to do more over there, and Louise is going to join me on my Bolton FM show once a month from over there. I can't wait."

As well as the transatlantic pop-ups, Debbie will be cooking for patrons at Bolton Lads and Girls Club on Wednesday to celebrate their 125th anniversary.

After winning the Taste, Mrs Halls-Evans said: “It seems so surreal that I can finally talk about it after such a long time.

“I was nearly in tears when Pierre Koffmann said he loved my dish. Just knowing that I would be cooking in the final was unbelievable. Then to win the final challenge — I was gobsmacked. "

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