Favourite Chef?

FrenchMaid_2

Delia Smith - any recipe from her first time will work!

Jamie Oliver - his Jamie at Home book is a delight

Nigel Slater - lovely food - he cooks from his heart

Nigella - I love her cakes for special occassion

Mary Berry - I love her cakes for any occassion

Sophie Grigson - her vegetables book is brilliant

Elizabeth David - I love her food and I could just read her book like novels

Rose Elliot - Veggie Goddess

moanymoany

Does anyone remember Graham Kerr the Aussie guy. I remember watching him make a white sauce which when he poured it out had dirty great lumps in it!

I remember seeing a clip of Fanny Craddock making doughnuts. After the programme the presenter said

'And if you want your doughnuts to look like fannys...'

Huge snorts of laughter from behind the scenes.

I love watching Rick Stein. When he goes on his travels he doesn't have to have all the limelight, he is prepared to let someone else take centre stage. Miss Chalky :sad:

The_Eye_Of_Sauron

Surprised no one has mentioned Lindsay Bareham

kunekune

I missed a few pages, so hopefully this is my first posting on this thread!

My favourites, though they aren't really all 'chefs' are:

Nigel Slater
Jane Grigson (I have bought her veg and fruit books twice, cos they wore out)
Rose Elliott (love The Bean Book); and
Australian Women's Weekly

The last one is odd, but I have never had a duff recipe at all, so whoever really writes them, they deserve praise.

EssexHebridean

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Ok - from the point of view of the recipe books which have the most stains on them then (as everyone knows that the accumulation of food on a recipe book increases in direct proportion with the usefullness of the recipes therein!)

If I'm cooking fish then Rick Stein's Seafood book is the one I always turn to - the step by step instructions for dealing with various different types of fish & seafood are invaluable.

First port of call for anything meat related is Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's "River Cottage meat" - another one of those recipe books which is a good read in its own right.

For almost anything else, the first stop is always "An A-Z of AWT" by Antony Worrall Thompson. Not only a good range of recipe ideas but also handy hints for how to adapt things from those recipes.

I have no books by Delia, and don't like watching her either. From a visual point of view, can I place a vote for Phil Vickery please?!

ilovetea

James Martin

Hi, My favs are The Hairy Bikers,not so much for the cooking,more the comedy value.
James Martin.Who needs reasons,just send im round to my place;) .
Gordon Ramsey,because he cooks proper food with decent sized portions!

ilovetea x

lindadykes

Nigel Slater

Never seen Nigel Slater on TV but have a number of his books and just love his writing style and his recipes always turn out well and inspire spin offs - def my current fave.

Love Hugh, his enthusiasm and integrity always please.

Used to hate Jamie with a passion, but have warmed to him as I love his fling it together style and have come to respect his integrity in trying to change the way we look at food.

A few years ago loved the books Ainsley wrote, but some of the recipes just don't work - maybe that's just me though!!!

Can't stand Delia - her recipes just don't work for me.

When younger and money was much tighter my bible was Shirley Goode's books, also found Jocasta Innes quite followable.

Whitefiver

Rachel Allen ( but not necessarily for her food!) :o

Regards,

White

Olliebeak

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

I love to watch Gordon, Hugh and James Martin on TV - but not sure it's anything to do with their recipes:o.

I didn't have cookery lessons at all at school (Latin, Eng Lit, Chemistry and Calculus - but no Cookery/Dom.Sc.!) - so had to try to remember from watching my nan as a child and what I picked up from working in various restaurant kitchens before I got married. My 'cookery bible' was Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management and Cookery (late60's/early70's version). I loved the way she explained various cuts of meat and what they were best for. Then she gave 'basic recipes' and followed them with 'variations'. I no longer have that particular book (ex-OH got custody of it !) and am shocked at how much her books fetch on amazon nowadays :eek:.

MrsE_2

Jamie Oliver

MimiF wrote: »

Hello All,

Was thinking last night as I did a Delia recipe which chef is your favourite and which is your least favourite? I don't mean celebrity / personality wise (although that can be a factor) but who do you always go back to for consistently good meals, easy to follow instructions etc?

I've always found Delia a bit annoying / patronising however all the recipes I have from her are wonderful and when followed the results are always excellent.

I also love Jamie Olivers chuck it all in style and Nigella, although I don't use her recipes as much but those I do use are great and very straightforward.

MimiF

Shall we do a poll:j :j :j :j :j :j :j :j :j