Anthony Carroll, from Tiptoe Farm, was unveiled as a member of the potato ambassador team at a media launch event in London.

At the event, leading dietician Sian Porter spoke about the health benefits of potatoes before Sanjay Dwivedi, star of Iron Chef UK, demonstrated three simple potato recipes.

The growers then led a 'potato masterclass', giving national media and bloggers the chance to see for themselves how versatile and easy potatoes really are by cooking a delicious potato supper for themselves.

Anthony, a director of Carrolls Heritage Potatoes, said: "I'm delighted to be part of the team.

"It is really important that we all take responsibility for the future and work together to ensure that potatoes continue to enjoy healthy demand.

"Simple health messages and recipe ideas that we've learnt from Sanjay and Sian are easy to pass on and if they make more people think differently about potatoes then it is certainly worthwhile."

New Potato Council research identified that one in ten adults didn't think that potatoes contained any vitamins or nutrients, while just a quarter identified all the nutrients they contain.

In fact, potatoes contain many vital nutrients including vitamin C - 15 per cent of our vitamin C intake comes from them - vitamins B1 and B6, and folate.

The potato ambassadors will be involved in all aspects of Potato Council marketing activity; talking to media, attending shows and engaging with consumers directly be it online, on their farm or in shopping centres.

They will also play an integral role in the Potato Council's schools project, 'Grow Your Own Potatoes', educating youngsters about how potatoes grow.

The Carroll family have farmed at Tiptoe since the 1930's where they found a passion for growing, cooking and eating unusual varieties of potatoes that offer great taste and quality.

Anthony and his wife, Lucy, now grow over 20 different varieties of potato including Sharpe's Express 1900, Red Duke of York and Epicure.
The farm was voted Britain's most beautiful in 2006 and the site is now a LEAF mark demonstration farm, showing environmentally friendly and sustainable farming practices to others.