Brian Turner on getting it perfect
What's Ready Steady Cook and Masterchef celebrity Brian Turner really like? Daniel Culpan finds out.
Brian Turner is one of Britain’s best-loved chefs, known to many through his appearances on Ready Steady Cook and MasterChef. With the start of his new TV cook-off show Perfect (on the Good Food Channel at 7pm on Mondays - Wednesdays), lovefood.com caught up with him to talk about roast beef, feel-good food – and having Thatcher round for dinner.
How did you become a chef?
My father went away to fight in the Second Wold War and so as a boy I went to work at the local transport cafe to earn some pocket money. In other words, at the age of 5, I was injected with lard in my veins instead of blood! Then at grammar school I studied domestic science and later went on to catering college and down to London. There were no celebrity chefs at the time, as it was more about cooking than cheffing, but there were big names like Silvano Trompetto, executive chef at the Savoy for many years, whom I admired.
What are your favourite dishes?
It all depends on season, mood and who you’re cooking for. At the moment we have asparagus and spring lamb in season. In the winter we have great beef for pies and braising, and berries and potatoes. Cooking is all about knowing what’s good, eating well and being proud of food. But I do love offal – sweetbreads, kidney, liver.
How do you run your kitchen?
Being in the hospitality industry, it’s all about the feelgood factor. There has to be a fun element to it all. However, discipline is also needed. If you’re working with people who are passionate about food then they should be on the same wavelength – it should be enjoyable! Michel Bourdin, the Connaught’s legendary head chef, said: “We are makers of happiness”. But you can’t make people happy with constant striving and pushing. There has to be a balance.
What’s the biggest food trend we should take note of?
Fashions change and trends are very short-lived. I think it’s more important to favour local produce and seasons and being sensible. Of course it’s difficult to get fresh seafood in central London or lemons and pineapples, but it’s about buying at the right time. Value for money and affordable food is also important. If we could teach young people how to make preserves and stews in bulk that can be frozen and re-used we’d make great progress in good quality, affordable food.
Are there any over-hyped food fads we should avoid?
They don’t enter my radar. If something’s going to be here in a week and then disappear it’s really not worth bothering with. Market forces will determine supply and demand, but it is cause for concern that the three Michelin star ranking may not last much longer because people can’t afford it. We should avoid fads and stick with value for money.
What do you love most about cooking?
It can be fairly instant gratification: watching people’s faces as the food arrives in front of them and seeing the satisfaction matching the anticipation. I’ve just opened a new family restaurant in Butlins where we serve proper burger steaks – the kids just love it. It’s a great feeling.
If you could host your dream dinner party who would you invite and what would you cook?
I’d invite Morecambe and Wise, Margaret Thatcher – she’s a great hero of mine – the cricketer Ian Botham and rugby player Lawrence Dallaglio: all champions and great believers in England and the UK. I’d also invite my good friend Richard Shepherd, owner of Langan’s Brasserie, as he always has great stories to tell.
I’d serve mussels and scallops off Scotland and the Norfolk Coast to start, followed by an adventurous main like roast sweetbreads with a large rib of beef with Yorkshire puddings and all the trimmings. I wouldn’t have dessert, but opt for cheese: Stinking Bishop, Wensleydale and Gruyere, with a nice Armagnac to finish.
What impact do you think TV chefs like yourself have had on the nation’s cooking habits?
Initially we had a great impact – the egos hadn’t kicked in yet, and chefs were still making food that was realistic: inspirational, easy to understand, appealing. People could actually make what they were shown. Now things have become too clever: dishes that people have never seen before but also aren’t too keen to taste. Unfortunately we don’t teach young people in school about food anymore, but they have to get that somewhere.
What drew you to the new show Perfect?
I really enjoy doing TV and thought it was a clever concept: creating a classic, simple and ultimate variation on a particular dish, which is then judged by an outside panel, revealing all the techniques and recipe tips along the way. I teamed up with Mark Sargeant to do roast beef with balsamic tomatoes and potatoes and also veal glazed with honey, mustard and soy sauce. It’s all about adapting classic dishes while still following the rules.
There’s a competitive culture in modern cooking. As a MasterChef judge, how does it feel to be on the receiving end of criticism?
I don’t relish criticism at all – I take it badly even when it’s constructive! But destructive criticism is not worth getting involved with, so I avoid it. People like feedback, but it should be positive – it should be about improvement and education and getting better. There really is no point in belittling people and dragging them down.
What’s your favourite piece of kitchen equipment?
I use a very big, very thick, round chopping board that I take with me everywhere. It’s very sound, secure and solid: great for chopping and preparing.
Finally, do you have any tips for lovefood.com readers?
Always try to educate yourself and advance your repertoire – but don’t extend yourself too much. It’s better to cook one simple, effective dish than three or four bad ones. It’s a bit like being an orchestral conductor: rehearse all the parts often enough and put them together well and you’ll create beautiful music. If you get it right, it’s perfect.
Perfect is on the Good Food Channel, Monday to Wednesday, at 7pm.
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