Brian Turner CBE is the godfather of Ready, Steady, Cook.

He appeared in the first episode in 1994 and, along with Anthony Worrell Thompson, even helped choose Fern Britton as the host.

The Yorkshireman has been awarded Michelin stars and trained a list of top name chefs.

Here the godfather gives some fatherly cooking guidance to Vibe as he prepares to head onto the road for the Ready, Steady, Cook Live tour.

Do you have a top tip for people cooking at home?

Keep it simple, don’t do too much and if you are cooking for a dinner party, practice.

What ingredient do you love at the moment?

I think we are very fortunate in this day and age that there’s a lot more focus on seasons. Asparagus is just coming in and can be really nice with a bit of fresh salmon. When the season is there, it is what’s good and what the right price is.

What advice do you have for people coming home from a long day at work, for what to prepare for dinner?

It is all about planning. I don’t see any reason why on a Sunday evening you can’t sit down the husband, the wife, the kids and say: ‘Right, where are we this week? When are we going to eat? When are we going to sit down together.”

Perhaps if you do that on a Saturday morning, make the list and go shopping. There’s no reason why you can’t make a shepherd’s pie, or two. Stick them in the freezer. Correct use of the freezer, I think is fine.

Plan leftovers as well – you can have stuff leftover for lunch the next day, stuff left over for whatever you want to make.

It’s obvious really – use your head a little bit. That’s what people forget – you don’t have to do it when you get home, you can do it this morning or yesterday.

Do you have a kitchen tool or gadget you can’t live without?

I have a big chopping board which is about five inches deep and eighteen inches long. I feel safe when I have got it. I can chop on it, I can cut on it, I can slice on it as long as I keep it clean, which I do.

For me, that’s what I love. If I’m going demonstrating I put it in the car and take it with me. Everything comes back to one spot. Everything comes back to my chopping board.


Brian was talking to News Shopper to promote Ready, Steady, Cook Live comes to The Churchill Theatre in Bromley on Sunday, October 27. Go to atgtickets.com/Bromley for information.