A NEW startup in York will open it's doors today with the Lord Mayor cutting the ribbon.

Stoots Kitchen, owned by Kath Cox, have been supplying food products to local deli, Costello's good food shop, since June, when she bought her first sausage stuffer.

Stoots was set up in Kath's own kitchen at her home on Cherry Street.

She has been making sausages and cheese which she sells to the deli to then be sold onto consumers. However, she has now decided she would like to expand the business and begin to sell her products to restaurants.

Describing her products, Kath said: "We have had some fantastic feedback - people seem to love the taste of the food."

Kath has begun by producing sausages and cheese, both of which are plant based, gluten-free and handmade.

The cheese is nut-based and is made from cashew nuts, which are fermented with a pro-biotic to ensure the cheese remains healthy.

The sausages are mainly rice based and also include veg, which is all sourced locally from Brunswick nursery.

Kath said: "They do such a good job up at Brunswick, so I saw it suitable to help them by using their products.

"I chose to make plant based food products as I feel that they are much more relevant these days.

"I am hoping to promote a flexitarian message, which involves a mostly vegetarian diet with an occasional intake of meat."

The Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Janet Looker, will cut the ribbon at the first Stoots Kitchen on bank holiday Monday.

Kath explained how she was "flattered" that the Lord Mayor was attending to open the kitchen. She said: "It will probably be the smallest venue she will ever open."

If you wish to attend the Stoots Kitchen opening event, you must first register at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stoots-kitchen-launch-event-tickets-68407515721