Novelist Somerset Maugham is reputed to have said that the only way to eat well in England is to have breakfast three times a day. I am not sure I could go that far, but one excellent ‘full English’ cooked from local ingredients by a Michelin-starred chef is certainly a great way to begin the day.

I was lucky enough to be invited to a breakfast networking session at The Nut Tree Inn, at Murcott, organised by the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Food Group, to celebrate National Farmhouse Breakfast Week and chef-proprietor Michael North’s superb cooking. The Nut Tree is a traditional 15th-century inn that comes complete with a thatched roof and its own duck pond. I must admit being somewhat surprised to note that a duck house had been placed on the pond since my last visit, but that’s another story.

Mike was awarded a Michelin star in January 2009, and he and his wife Imogen gained the Newcomer of the Year Award from the Caterer and Hotelkeeper magazine last July. Michael was at one time in charge of the kithcen at The Goose, in Britwell Salome, where, aged 24, he became one of the youngest chefs to receive a Michelin star.

He admitted that he didn’t normally cook breakfasts – lunches and dinners are his thing, but using his exceptional cooking skills and local ingredients donated by member producers of the food group, he came up with an exceptional spread.

The toasted brioche and toast was particularly tasty, owing to the fact that all the bread served at this lovely old inn is cooked on site from Matthew’s flour.

Succulent smoked salmon came next, topped with a perfectly poached free-range egg. Michael accepts that salmon is not local, but he buys organic Scottish salmon and smokes it on site, which accounts for its exceptional flavour.

The sausages, served with bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes, were made by Mr Flinn, from Horton-cum-Studley, from pork produced at Beckley. Mike and Imogen usually serve pork they have reared on land next to the pub, but they had none available the day we called. Had we stayed for lunch we could have sampled dishes created from their own Dexter cattle, which are known for their rich flavour.

Other things on the breakfast menu included yoghurts from Tim’s Dairy at Little Chalfont and a delicious range of apple juices from Waterperry Gardens.

Tamara Schiopu, the director of the BBO Food Group, said that the group was expanding its membership, to include chefs, restaurateurs and others in the catering community. She told her breakfast audience: “We support the business development of everyone working in the food industry, from farmers and growers through to chefs, caterers and cookery schools.”

She said that membership gave chefs the chance to meet producers and source high quality, local seasonal produce as well as to promote their menus more widely.

Tamara said she was proud of the way the group had helped promote local produce.

She said: “While our farmers do an excellent job of producing seasonal products, it’s unreasonable to assume they have marketing skills, which is where we come in.”

Apart from staging networking breakfasts, the group organises chefs’ tours that offer chefs a chance to meet the producers on their farms and see how animals are raised. These usually include a slap-up pub lunch that celebrates seasonal and local produce. They have been a great success, providing chefs with new seasonal menu ideas.

Tamara organises Meet the Buyer events, too, which offer people a chance to sample local food. Such initiatives are backed up by a food guide, which is published annually, featuring local producers and listing farmers’ markets in the BBO area.

Susie Hunt, of Waterperry Gardens, agreed that breakfast meetings were a great idea. In fact, she thought there should be more of them. She and colleague Chris Lanczak both enjoyed the chance to showcase their juices and meet caterers and chefs who might be tempted to use them.

She said: “You just never know what a meeting like this can lead to, and staging it early in the morning means that the meeting doesn’t interfere too much with the working day.”

Like many of the guests, Susie agreed with the nutritional experts who consider breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as it aids concentration and the metabolism. But as the food we eat is about taste, too, she was not alone in congratulating Michael North on an exceptional breakfast that tasted absolutely fantastic.

Tamara is inviting chefs and caterers to consider joining the BBO Food Group. She can be contacted by phoning 01865 810148 or by emailing info@local-food.net For more information about the group you can go to www.local-food.net