Up your ‘at home’ culinary game with our top tips

During lockdown, when people had more time on their hands and were re-discovering their homes, the number of searches for online recipes increased by 2500%  with banana bread and carrot cake enjoying new resurgences as Britain got baking.

So, if your appetite for cooking at home was well and truly whetted, or if you’re hoping to whip up some tasty treats for the family as the nights draw in, we’ve put together a little guidance to get you from novice to quite simply fantastic.

1. Do some research

The internet is a great forum for finding recipes to suit your tastes, and your capabilities. BBC Good Food, is a wonderful source and categorises its recipes so you can choose one that will be ideal for you to tackle. With everything from hearty family casseroles, to dinner party delights that are sure to impress guests (remember the rule of 6 though), it’s a great platform to find new challenges and some super tasty dishes. Many celebrity chefs also have their recipes online too – check out Jamie Oliver,  Gordon Ramsay and Gino D’Acampo  - for lots of tasty inspiration including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.

2. Be prepared

It is worth deciding on a dish that you want to try and making sure you have all the necessary ingredients and equipment before you decide to click on the cooker. If you’re not one for having a fully stocked larder with every herb and spice going, make sure you choose a recipe that has minimal, and perhaps only the most common, so that you’re not purchasing ingredients that will just go to waste.   Also, if you need any specialist equipment such as a slow cooker, or perhaps a large mixer, you may want to rethink your recipe choice to avoid having to make a costly investment, or perhaps you could find another way round it with a little creative thinking.

3. Keep it simple

Sometimes, the simplest dishes are the most delicious and, if you are short on time, money or inclination, then there are lots of super easy dishes that are still healthy and cost effective. This recipe site from Australia has some great meals that don’t have to cost the earth, are time efficient and still taste and look fantastic.

4. Presentation is key

 No matter how easy or complicated the dish that you make, presentation is key to making it a real success. It has long been acknowledged that people ‘eat with their eyes’ so if it looks good people are more inclined to like the taste too. Choose your crockery well – the shape of your plate can have a real impact as can the colour, although if you’re keen on portion control make sure you choose the right colour as some have been proven to make you eat more!

5. Create the right ambience

Eating at a table rather than in front of the TV, eating together wherever possible, and taking the time to really enjoy food is one of life’s great social experiences. It has been proven to improve mental health and wellbeing so it’s not just about the physical heath aspects of enjoying a fresh, home cooked meal that is important. Taking time to set a table, even if it’s just family teatime, can make a real impact. And, if it’s a dinner that you have taken extra time over either for yourself, your family, friends or guests, dressing a table with glasses, napkins, and floral accessories can make a real difference to how your guests enjoy the whole experience, not just the delicious food.

6. Dinner party dynamics

In addition to setting the table, hosting a successful dinner party is all about keeping it simple. Choose a recipe that is within your capabilities but that can look amazing through innovative presentation. Perhaps a theme could run through the dishes -  Mexican, Italian and good old British cuisine are all great themes that cover lots of different types of food, tastes and many can be found that are impressive, tasty but don’t necessitate giving up your entire Saturday to the kitchen in preparation.

7. Give it a go

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is to give it a go. Following recipes from reputable sites often leads to success providing you measure and follow the instructions. Then, as your culinary confidence grows, you can begin to experiment a little more and extend your range of go to dishes so that every night can be a restaurant night in your home. Who needs to eat out when you can create such delicious dishes at home?