Celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson has apologised to readers of an organic food magazine after advocating the use of a toxic plant in recipes.
Worrall Thompson, who was interviewed for the August edition of Healthy & Organic Living magazine, recommended using the plant henbane in salads.
But the magazine was forced to issue a warning on its website after it emerged the plant is poisonous if eaten and has the potential to cause hallucinations and drowsiness, or even the loss of consciousness in greater quantities.
Speaking to the BBC earlier today, Worral Thompson said he had confused the plant with the weed fat hen, and called the situation a "bit embarrassing".
The chef and restaurateur, who ranks number 59 on Restaurant magazine`s R100 list, was speaking to Healthy & Organic Living about his love of British organic food.
"I’m very passionate about organics. I’ve been organic, as much as possible, for the last 14 years. In the restaurants, we pride ourselves on serving the best of British food, organic and simply prepared. We grow our own fruits, vegetables and herbs, without chemicals, hand-picked and driven within hours to the restaurant," he told the magazine`s Beth Wicks.