Berry at home on the range
MARY Berry says her new TV home cookery competition will be miles away from MasterChef’s fiddly food.
Britain’s Best Home Cook will feature adventurous but achievable classics for people to copy at home – without a drizzle or a jus among them.
Mary says: “We don’t want fancy food or complicated stuff, no trickles of glaze or lots of piping, just simple, well-cooked food with a great style.
“There’s no froth. We just want to have gorgeous recipes that the family are going to love.”
That’s not to say that Mary and fellow judges Dan Doherty and Chris Bavin don’t want to see people experimenting with flavours and textures.
She says: “We’re looking for someone who makes the most of wonderful British ingredients with variations on the classics.”
Mary, 83, and with more than 50 years of cooking experience behind her, says she still learned from the 10 “wonderful” contestants, aged 27 to 59. During filming the cooks lived together and one was so overwhelmed by Mary’s presence she couldn’t help crying.
Eat Well for Less host Chris says the 10 developed “real friendship” but had to park it once the competition heated up.
Chef Dan, who runs London’s posh Duck & Waffle, reckons home cooking has “more worth” than restaurant cooking.
He says: “To nourish your family is an emotional thing.”
In the BBC1 eight-parter, starting on May 3, the 10 strive to make their best spag bol, fish pie or hollandaise sauce, then are given an ingredient and must invent a recipe on the spot. An elimination round involves a detailed recipe and not a lot of time.
Whoever fares worst is sent home but Claudia Winkleman is on hand to mop up the tears.
She says: “My job is to look after them. I tickle them sometimes and tell jokes.” Nice.