Learning to cook from the TV
Popular Instagram cook Chris Baber talks about his debut book
Growing up in the northeast of England, Chris Baber was always obsessed with food – but he never thought he’d actually be able to make it into a career. “I’m not from a massive foodie family,” he admits. “We had good, home-cooked food, but by no means was it MasterChef – it was spag bol, cottage pie, roast dinners – the classics.”
Baber has fond memories of food, particularly going to his granddad’s house on the weekends. He recalls being in the kitchen with him – “and I guarantee there’d be music, he’d be having a good time cooking, dancing, enjoying it. I could see he enjoyed the process, and I loved being part of that. I could see how much satisfaction he got from serving us as a family,” Baber adds.
But his food education didn’t come from his family. As Baber explains: “I was self-taught, through what I was gathering on TV – I’d come in from school and watch stuff like Ready Steady Cook, I was obsessed with cookery shows. I’d see things and after watching, go in the kitchen and experiment” – and this “naturally evolved” into Baber learning how to cook.
A long-time fan of cooking shows, Baber soon found himself on one – BBC One’s Yes Chef, which he won in 2016. He calls it a “surreal” experience – and one that was very far from his life back in Hexham, Northumberland – but adds that “once I got started, it was like I finally found what it is I love to do”.
This is when his life completely changed. His food hero, Atul Kochhar, was a judge on the show, and invited Baber to come to London and work in the kitchen of his Michelin-starred restaurant, Benares. Looking back now, he says it was “absolutely bonkers, but the most incredible experience”.
And as a home cook, it was a real trial by fire. “I’ve probably never worked so hard, but I’ve also probably never learned so much in such a short space of time,” Baber admits.
His future wasn’t to be in professional kitchens, however. Instead, Baber wanted to translate what he learned into simple tips and tricks for people at home – and that’s what he’s done in his debut cookbook, Easy.
Throughout the book, you’ll find the odd recipe from the northeast of England, such as singing hinnies (pan-fried scones), or panacalty (a type of corned beef pie).
“It was really important to me – first of all, because it tastes delicious and it’s easy to make,” Baber explains. “There’s so much food out there, and we’re lucky enough to have access to the most amazing ingredients from around the world, which is fantastic. But I also think there are some recipes like panacalty – it’s a northeast delicacy – if people aren’t making it, I feel like some of these recipes can eventually die out.
“It’s something I grew up with and I’ve got great memories eating it,” he adds. “And I’ve got an opportunity here to share it with people who aren’t just in the northeast, and shed new light on it as a dish.”
Easy by Chris Bab er is published l by Ebury Press, priced £16.99. Available now.