TV chef Rick Stein is to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Brighton.
The award is for his significant national contribution to the hospitality industry and local food production.
It will be made at the university's graduation ceremony on February 10.
Mr Stein will attend the ceremony and officially open the new culinary arts studio at the university's School of Service Management in Eastbourne on the same day.
He has been advising the school on its future academic development and the new studio.
His support for local produce and the development of rural communities is in harmony with the school's research into rural tourism, healthy lifestyle tourism and the small business clusters of local food producers.
The university's senior lecturer and chef Ken Woodward wants the new studio to develop a facility which will encompass teaching, learning and research.
The studio is both a kitchen and a restaurant, which is open to the public on a limited basis.
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