How to do Christmas like a pro: 32 chefs share their top tips for a seamless celebration
As the holiday crescendo approaches, we asked 32 tops chefs to unveil their secrets to pulling off a seamless and delectable Christmas celebration.
From Thomas Piat’s meticulous approach to sauce preparation for the perfect Christmas Davy gravy and Tommy Banks’ savvy advice on hassle-free dinners, to Peter Sanchez-Iglesias praising Heston Blumenthal’s shop-bought Christmas puddings and Joel Breakwell lifting the curtain on his speciality veggie stock, the expertise is as varied as the chefs themselves.
Whether you’re seeking the perfect roast turkey, innovative starters or imaginative ways to revamp leftovers, this compilation should serve as your culinary compass.
Prep to get ahead
Thomas Piat, executive chef at Searcys, London
“Sauces are the most important thing to prep ahead of Christmas Day. Traditional gravy, when done properly, can take a few days to prep, from boiling the bones to adding the vegetables and filtrating it all. You can also brine the chicken in advance to enhance moistness and flavour. I like to use a mix of spices and honey for a golden and crispy skin result.”
Tommy Banks, chef and owner of The Black Swan, Roots and The Abbey Inn, York
“To ensure a hassle-free Christmas dinner, Banks recommends getting as much preparation done in advance as possible. Try, for example, prepping your roast potatoes in the lead up to Christmas: “Boil your potatoes and dip them in duck fat.” Then all you need to do is roast them in the oven on the big day!”
Will Bowlby, co-founder and head chef at Kricket, London
“Save time in the kitchen this Christmas by preparing as much as you can ahead of the big day. My Christmas pudding kulfi is not just delicious; it can also be made in advance and stored in the freezer. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to repurpose leftover Christmas pudding in those days between Christmas and New Year. The process is simple: reduce milk, milk powder and cream in a pan until it reduces by half and starts to caramelise. Then fold through crumbled Christmas pudding. Finally, take off the heat to cool and freeze
