Chef Tom's top 6 recipes that you can whip up during lockdown

Cooking can be that part of the day when you steal a little bit of ‘you time’. And to help you find your inner culinary master we spoke to Tom, Kitchen Skills Trainer at Nicholson’s. Tom decided to start a YouTube channel during the first lockdown to share some of his favourite recipes with our teams and keep spirits high. Tom started his chef career in 2006, before joining us as a Kitchen Manager at All Bar One six years ago. During this time he’s worked in various roles and has had the opportunity to work across 10 of the 13 different brands at M&B. He’s shared his top 6 recipes that you can whip up at home and the great news is that you don’t need to have worked in a chef job for years to make these meals a success.

Chilli con carne

We’ve got to spill the beans on this one – that’s right, time to get cooking with kidney beans.This one is a classic and when it’s done right it’s the ultimate comfort food dinner. The best part about a chilli con carne is that you’ll only need one pan so you’re not left with a sink full of washing up.

Fajitas

Here’s another recipe to spice things up a little. Fajitas are one of the easiest meals to whip up and when made with fresh ingredients it’s really cheap too. If you’re feeling fancy and want to make your seasoning from scratch it actually only takes a minute. But if your spice rack is still at a novice stage then you can pick up a pack of seasoning and you’ve got all the flavoured mixed up for you. This one’s proof that you don’t have to have a kitchen career behind you to serve up dishes packed with flavour.

Stir Fry

We’re taking you to another corner of the globe with one of the quickest and tastiest dishes – the stir fry. For your protein, you can pick between chicken, beef or tofu and as for the veg here’s your chance to get in as many as possible. Choose from peppers, mushrooms, sugar snap peas, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli and baby corn. And you know that famous phrase – wok hard, play hard.

Flattened fillet steak

Now you’re looking to impress with your cooking skills you’ll want a recipe that is easy to follow but will show that you know your way around a kitchen - enter the flattened fillet steak. Chef Tom serves his up with a rocket and parmesan salad and his top tip is to open the steak from the vacuumed packet around 20-30 minutes before cooking to let the meat breathe. You’ll be grilled with happiness after this meal!

Pitta bread pizza

Chef jobs teach you how to make a lot from a little and that definitely true with this recipe. All you need is to grill your pita bread, make a quick tomato base and top it with your favourites foods and any leftovers. Five minutes under the grill and they are good to go. With no dough to roll out, you could say this recipe isn’t kneady at all.

Spiced roasted butternut squash

Looking for a warm and hearty dish? This soup is rich, creamy and packed full of goodness. And any head chef worth their salt would know that it’s got to be served it up with a side of crusty bread. Whichever is your bread of choice – sourdough, ciabatta or a classic roll - just make sure you soak up every last drop of this super soup.

Got a taste for more…

These are some of our favourite recipes from Tom’s Teas YouTube channel and they’re definitely a feast for the eyes and the stomach. Perhaps you’re just discovering your passion for cooking and want some easy but delicious recipes. In that case, why not feed that curiosity and find out whether you could be a chef.