2 weeks ago
5
Great British Menu star Tom Kerridge has confessed the major mishaps that have taken place in his kitchen in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk.
The BBC star confessed that the infamous "three second rule does actually apply in my house", meaning that he's been known to serve up food after it tumbled to the floor - as long as he picked it up fast. He told us: "If my son is running around and then he gets post or something and he drops his food on the floor, that is definitely getting eaten before we leave the house!
"We haven't got time to make anything else. If he drops it on the floor, he's having it for breakfast! The three second rule applies." The notorious food hygiene rule is an urban myth suggesting that it's safe to eat food that's landed on a surface in your home provided that you rescue it within three seconds.
However, New York University microbiologist Philip Tierno has dismissed the myth, saying that studies prove dangerous bacteria can instantly invade food, even if it's picked up immediately. These include salmonella and e.coli, which can cause painful stomach cramps.
However, the three-second rule is common among Brits, and Tom finds it a valuable time-saving strategy - especially when he's caring for his nine-year-old son Acey, whom he sometimes doesn't get to see for four days running due to his schedule. He also discussed another bad habit, "double dipping spoons", which he vows doesn't happen in a professional setting due to stringent chefs' "muscle memory" - but can sometimes happen at home.
Much to his relief, Christmas Day is normally hassle-free - an occasion which sees him proudly cook up a succulent turkey on a barbecue.
However, at other times of the year, he's often happy to sit back and let others handle the cooking, as he admits that, in comparison to his work as a chef, he doesn't get the same "buzz" from cooking at home.
His comments come after research for kitchen worktop company NEFF revealed that one in five young Brits would rather face an infuriating traffic jam than host a meal.
Other blunders that people admit to making include cooking with food that’s past its sell-by date, tasting food directly from the cooking spoon before putting it back into the pot and scraping off layers of a dish to conceal that they've accidentally burnt it.
Though Tom has never passed off ready meals as his own creations, he does have one confession to make.
He previously "stole" his mum's beef bolognese recipe, but joked that she is now able to take credit for his chef success.
Instead of feeling stressed about occasional mishaps at home, Tom has enthused: "I think it’s brilliant to see that so many of us share the same kitchen quirks and mishaps - whether it’s dropping food on the floor or ‘borrowing’ a family recipe... those little imperfections make it special."
NEFF aims to "inspire home cooks to bring out their creativity in the kitchen" through a series of products including advanced cooktops and to "make cooking a pleasure – and hosting a breeze".
For more information, please visit www.neff-home.com.
English (US) ·