HUSBAND and wife chefs Paul and Lynne Barnard cook for hundreds of people every day - but at home it is often beans on toast on the menu.

The culinary couple both work for Blackburn Council as chefs so there is never a problem finding anyone to do the cooking at their Rishton home.

But while they may spend all day cooking great meals for everyone else, they rarely cook fancy meals when they get home. Paul, 36, said: "People sometimes think that because we are both chefs always eat posh meals at home. We eat healthily, using a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables, but we are more likely to have beans on toast instead of anything complicated."

Paul is chef manager at Blakey's cafe bar, in Blackburn, dealing with all the catering for King George's Hall, while Lynne, 35, is catering supervisor for Blackburn Council's staff restaurant.

Both recognise the importance of healthy eating and have helped their respective departments win prestigious Heartbeat healthy eating awards.

This means they must both be well-versed in all the latest food regulations as well as serving up a proportion of healthy low-fat meals.

But that isn't a problem for the enthusiastic pair, who both enjoy their jobs. Paul said: "I have been at Blakey's for about seven years but I had been in catering for a long time before that. When I started at Blakey's there was just me but now there are three other chefs.

It has expanded a lot and there is more scope for trying out new and different things.

"Recently I had the opportunity to put kangaroo on the menu, which I really enjoyed.

"It went down really well with everyone who tried it.

"People are getting more interested in food all the time and they are more willing to try new things out."

And he modestly added: "Blakey's is really popular but it is not down to any one person.

"Every meal we serve is a team effort."

Lynne has been working in the staff restaurant for over eight years.

And after starting as an assistant she has been promoted to supervisor. She is responsible for serving up tasty and healthy lunches and snacks.

She said: "It is a good job.

"I enjoy seeing people eating what I have made."

So who does the cooking at home?

"We split the cooking," said Lynne.

"It works out really well and we are both good at different things."

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