A NEWPORT pastry chef is inspiring local children with her Michelin star experience.

Beverly Reed, 44, of Bassaleg, was made redundant in 2001 but used it as a catalyst to start her own business.

Now Ms Reed, who has worked in Michelin-star restaurants all over Europe, runs her own business and is passing on her experience and skills to children and cooking enthusiasts.

Ms Reed set up Creative Food from her Newport home in 2001 with the help of grants from Venture Wales.

She did a start up course providing her with the basic business know-how, was assigned a mentor and received grants towards starting up and developing a website.

Since then her business has taken off and she now shows off her handmade chocolates and patisserie at the farmers markets in Usk and Abergavenny.

During her career, Ms Reed had worked as a patissier at Claridges in London and had spells at Michelin starred restaurants Château de Montreuil in France, Stuckis and Der Walserhof in Switzerland and L’Ortolan near Reading, before working at Thayer's Ice Cream where she was made redundant in 2001.

She also provides food consultancy work and has worked for companies such as Clark's Foods in Newport.

Ms Reed, who is also mum to six-year-old daughter Eva, said: "It's not easy in a recession. I've changed the business to meet the demands in the current climate so I now make smaller items such as biscuits, fudge and turkish delight at more affordable prices than some of the desserts I create.

Ms Reed also teaches cookery classes at Brynglas House in Newport and goes into local schools to talk about entrepreneurship as part of the dynamo project run by the Welsh Government.