REKNOWNED for its fresh brownies and special chilli jam, a cafe in Frome will celebrate its first birthday in April.

Leah Mercer opened Divas next door to Black Swan Arts a year ago.

She jumped at the chance of running a cafe when the lease came up and gutted the place to transform it into a stylish and contemporary retreat with bold wallpaper, wooden tables and chairs, artwork by local artists and photographers, and a smart counter full of goodies.

Her mum picked the name when she started her outside catering company Dining Divas a year before taking on the cafe.

You might not see Leah much, as she busies away behind the scenes out back in the kitchen, almost single-handedly cooking tasty and wholesome food while the rest of her team waits at tables and sees to customers.

People of Frome may be more used to seeing Leah's beaming face behind a huge dish of paella at the Frome Festival Food Feast.

Along with the gleaming counter full of delectable treats, food arrives to tables beautifully presented from the kitchen.

Hot favourites are the brownies and the famous Divas burger.

The menu is a mix of traditional English, Italian, and Asian food from mussels to creamy chicken tarragon pie and boeuf bourbuignon.

A simple bowl of soup will have a touch of something special, and sandwiches are far more interesting than your standard doorstep, with Italian foccacia stuffed with a range of different fillings on the menu.

Leah's mix of different cultures and flavours reflects her culinary training.

She first got into cooking when she did a Thai cookery course while travelling in Chang Mai, northern Thailand in 2003.

She followed this with training at the prestigious Grange Cookery School at nearby Whatley, and then spent a season in the Swiss mountains spending a few months cooking for skiers in chalets at Zermatt.

Back in Somerset, she cheffed at La Strada in Frome for a year in 2005 before branching out on her own, catering for dinner parties, weddings, and other functions.

"There's always Asian food on the menu," says Leah. "The Thai fishcakes are popular. I've always liked cooking and sort of fell into it."

As the cafe is a central part of Frome's community, Leah makes sure she gets involved in the vibrant town life.

This summer she will be holding a big barbecue in Divas courtyard during the festival weekend.

She buys her fruit and vegetables from George Brown of Trowbridge, dry goods from the Fairtrade and organic food co-operative Essential Trading at Bristol, and the free range meat is from Frome's Cayford family butchers.

This Saturday, Leah and her team are celebrating Mother's Day at Divas with lunches and lots of cake before they cook for their own mums on Sunday.

On the menu will be goats cheese and roasted vegetable salad drizzled with pesto dressing, authentic Thai fishcakes served with Aioli and seasonal salads, smoked salmon and creamy scrambled eggs on granary toast, Divas pavlova with fresh cream and berries, Divas famous chocolate brownies, and bread and butter chocolate pudding.

For more information, visit www.diningdivas.co.uk or phone 01373 451410.

Rosanna Holmes