The chefs are taking their cooking to the high seas as they sail down the coasts of Northern Ireland and Scotland in a new cooking series - Paul And Nick's Big Food Trip, which starts on Easter Monday at 8pm.

The chefs and best friends will be setting sail for a new town in each programme along the Ulster or Scottish coastline.

The towns visited are Glenarm, Downpatrick, Bushmills, Donaghadee, Kilkeel and Armoy in Northern Ireland, and Portpatrick and Ardrossan in Scotland.

There the chefs have just one day to create, prepare and serve a delicious three course meal, which uses the very best in local produce and best encapsulates that town's people and their unique geography and history.

During the trip, they also find out more about their Ulster-Scots roots.

Paul Rankin said: "Throughout the series we talk to local people at each port we visit - from the local historians to the ordinary folk in the pub, the farmers, butchers and fishermen who all provide us with the best local ingredients for our recipes.

Our culinary creations offer modern twists on simple classic dishes that have been enjoyed by folks for centuries.

Paul Rankin

Nick Nairn said: "With the produce and tips we get from the locals we have to decide on three courses to cook and this is not always an easy decision as we like to debate our ideas which can sometimes be a heated affair."

Michael Wilson, Managing Director, UTV said: "This promises to be a fantastic cooking series for UTV this Spring, with Paul and Nick creating simple and delicious recipes which can easily be made at home by our viewers.

"Each episode sees the award winning chefs stop off at a new port; from Glenarm to Portpatrick the best friends explore their shared Ulster-Scots heritage and create a unique culinary experience for our viewers."

David Cumming, Executive Producer at Waddell Media, also praised the great chemistry between the two chefs.

"They are two top chefs at the top of their game who have been great friends for many years - in fact Paul was best man at Nick's wedding!"

At the programme launch on Thursday local journalists, including UTV's Marc Mallett and Business Editor Jamie Delargy, were treated to a culinary master-class.

They also tried to recreate one of the 24 recipes which will be featured on the show.

Exclusive videos of the chefs in action are available at www.u.tv/bigfoodtrip, with step by step guides on how to cook all the recipes in the series, allowing viewers to recreate the dishes at home.

The eight-part series was part funded by the Northern Ireland Screen Ulster-Scots Fund and is sponsored by Irwin's Bakery.