How do chefs spend Christmas Day?
For most of us, Christmas Day is a whirlwind of family, food and presents. Here's what top chefs do.
"Well I'm normally working on Christmas lunch but can always relax in the afternoon, get absolutely stuffed and have a few drinks. In fact one Christmas I had a few too many with an old friend and we decided to smoke some Davidus Cigars we had been given. I lit the cigars on the hob, put the ceramic lid down and forgot to turn the hob off and the whole thing blew up!" says Simon Rogan, head chef of L’ enclume in Cumbria.
Put your feet up
Not all chefs work on Christmas Day. Bruno Loubet, the man behind the stove at Bistrot Bruno Loubet, says "I usually open the presents with the family in the morning, then eat my way through the day, with lots of naps in between!" Tom Aikens meanwhile keeps things cheery by “making a delicious mulled wine to drink through the day and then a big pot of truffle risotto to scoff down in the evening!"
Mission control
Chefs like to be in control, no matter what kitchen they’re in. “What usually happens at Christmas is that I say I'm not going to cook this year, but somehow always end up in the kitchen cooking. I don't really mind though because that means I don't do the washing up!” says Nathan Outlaw. It’s a sentiment echoed by Andy Nixon, head chef at Nino’s restaurant in Newcastle. “I try to stop myself from telling everyone how to cook the Christmas dinner properly! It's hard to switch off.”
Traditional
Jocelyn Herland, head chef at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, likes to keep things traditional, and offers us a quick recipe. "I try to keep Christmas dinner quite traditional but with the Capon 'Jaune des Landes' or a delicious farmhouse chicken instead of turkey. A nice Christmassy way to cook it is to prepare a stuffing of one spoon of chopped, cooked mushrooms (cep, chantrelles or ‘horn of plenty’ all work), one spoon of softened butter and one spoon of almond powder. I just put it under the skin of the chicken and pop it in the oven."
He goes on: "We like to keep an old tradition from my grandfather – offering an orange to everyone and placing it under the tree. It reminds us of back when it was a luxury to have an orange for Christmas and how lucky we are today to enjoy so much fantastic food and gifts."
Nice and early
Mark Poynton, chef patron of the award-winning Alimentum restaurant in Cambridge and holder of a Michelin star, starts early on Christmas day. "'Christmas Day is the one time if the year that I actually cook at home!" he said. "I usually get up pretty early (before my missus and little son Ray wake up) and start to prep my 2 bone rib of beef. It's a day of indulgence for us, so I stuff the rib with winter truffle and slowly roast it for five hours using the dripping to roast my potatoes and make my truffle jus to go with it."
He adds: "By this time Michelle and Ray will be awake to open the presents and have some breakfast with some nice champagne (milk for the little man), and then we relax and enjoy the family time."
How do you spend your Christmas Day? Slaving away over a hot stove to feed the 5,000? Just the two of you? Or do you eat out? Let us know in the Comments box below.
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