Restaurants are closed – but Manchester chefs are teaching us to cook at home

Restaurants are closed, schools are closed, and we’re all spending most of our time in the house. There’s no doubt we’ll all be relying on home cooking more than ever over the coming weeks.

If you’d like a few tips on what to make with store cupboard ingredients, or are looking to get the kids involved in helping in the kitchen, some Manchester chefs are stepping in to help.

Italian favourites Salvi’s are running a series of masterclasses live online, with one at midday today run by owner Maurizio and young Sienna focusing on helping children make fresh pasta.

The video will be permanently available if you miss it live.

https://twitter.com/SalvisMcr/status/1242104981941075969

It follows a class earlier this week teaching pasta e fagioli, a traditional Italian soup made with pasta and beans.

You can join in the fun on Facebook Live at midday, and look for more classes coming soon.

Michelin starred Tom Kerridge, who runs the kitchen at Manchester’s Bull and Bear as well as his Marlow restaurants, has also promised to help with store cupboard recipe ideas soon.

Guys! If you’re stuck for things to cook at home, I’m gonna start cooking random things from my/your cupboards and post them very soon….. in the meantime please please please follow @BootstrapCook for loads of AMAZING food ideas!!

— Tom Kerridge (@ChefTomKerridge) March 23, 2020

Or if your family is missing fast food following the closure of McDonald’s and the like, then MasterChef champion Simon Wood is here to help.

Following recipes for easy-to-make flatbreads and hummous, the chef has now unveiled a special homemade version of the nation’s favourite Big Mac sauce.

Called Manchester Massive Mac Sauce, Simon’s version is packed full of essential cupboard ingredients, and can easily be whipped up at home with minimal effort for maximum impact.

If you’d like step-by-step guidance, you can check out the video on Instagram, or the recipe is below if you fancy trying it yourself.

Simon Wood’s Manchester Massive Mac Sauce

Ingredients:

200g ketchup

400g mayonnaise

30g Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon paprika (optional, if you have it)

½ teaspoon onion powder (optional, if you have it)

1 shallot, finely diced

1 gherkin, finely diced

Black pepper

Sea salt

Method:

Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.