Season 2

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When Candice takes the time to cook, it has to be something really delicious. She ‘punctuated the moment’ of her British Book Awards win by putting her phone on flight mode, cooking salmon and broccoli for dinner and brewing a turmeric tea. If you’d like to make something equally wholesome, Alison suggests trying this teriyaki salmon with Tenderstem broccoli. Candice’s dad is a great cook: she has happy memories of his incredible pork, chicken and rice. If you’re inspired to cook up a similar warming one-pot, Alison suggests trying this recipe for rice & peas from one of our Partners, Emma.

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“Cashews are my thing - they’re so delicious,” says Candice. They’re her go-to tasty, filling and nutritious snack when she’s immersed in writing. 

Cashew nuts

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Cerys loves real, sustainable food – she doesn’t eat meat, so she cooks hearty, filling dishes using vegetables and pulses. This recipe for puy lentils with roasted baby top carrots fits the bill: made with plenty of herbs and veg, it packs a big flavour punch. And if Cerys’s description of dhal has inspired you to dig out your spice box, try this red lentil dhal with garlicky spinach and basmati rice. 

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“I always carry fresh chillies in my handbag,” says Cerys. “They add heat and crunch to bland aeroplane food.”

Fresh chillies

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For Tamal, food is the perfect way to wind down: every Sunday he gathers his ingredients, turns on the radio and bakes. If you'd like to do the same, Alison recommends making your own bread – Martha Collison’s recipe for cheese & Marmite monkey bread requires plenty of meditative kneading. And if, like Tamal, you’d like to create the perfect macarons, try the Waitrose Cookery School’s peanut butter and raspberry version of the French classic. 

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“I add lemon juice to everything,” says Tamal. “As a child, when we had an Indian meal, we’d always have a slice of lemon as a condiment – and I’d eat everybody’s.”

Lemons

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One of Minette’s first childhood food memories was making ‘a big mess with chocolate and cornflakes’. If your children would love to do the same, Alison recommends this recipe for chocolate nests. These days, Minette’s busy life as a farmer calls for healthy dinners she knows her family will enjoy – and she always tries to incorporate lots of whole foods and vegetables, along with sustainable meat and dairy. If you’d like to add more veg to a family favourite, Alison suggests trying this lasagne – the recipe includes mushrooms and carrots along with British Aberdeen Angus beef mince. 

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“I’ve always got garlic, I use it on a daily basis,” says Minette. “I’ll often marinate beef or lamb and turn them into tagines.”

Garlic

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Johanna loves the Hungarian food her grandmother used to cook – but also enjoys the fresh food of her Australian childhood. If you’d like to try a lighter version of a Hungarian classic, Alison recommends this beetroot goulash: it has the smoky paprika flavour of the original, but is meat-free. Pizza is also a favourite, but Johanna always has it with greens or a salad. This tomato pesto pizza will satisfy your pizza craving but is topped with plenty of green leaves, too. And if, like Johanna, you love muffins, try these blueberry, lemon and poppy seed ones: they're full of juicy, zesty flavour. 

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“I love butter on toast,” says Johanna. “It’s such a comforting taste for me.”

Butter

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Tom started baking young as something to do during the summer holidays, and the first thing he made was a Victoria sponge. For novices, Alison recommends this classic Victoria sponge recipe by Martha Collison, using Essential Waitrose ingredients. If you share Tom's love of roast chicken – this traybake of thighs, orzo and minted peas updates a classic dish. A bacon butty is the go-to dish when Tom's dad is in the kitchen. This weekend brunch recipe pulls out all the stops with free range smoked rashers, fried egg, sourdough bread and spicy tomato butter.

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Jimi suggests that Tom starts building his spice collection with pul biber, also known as Aleppo pepper. "That sounds fun," says Tom, "I like how things become flavours du jour."

Cooks' Ingredients Peppery Pul Biber

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Heston’s well known for pairing unusual flavours – crab ice cream’s a regular on the menu at his Berkshire restaurant, the Fat Duck. Alison recommends trying his recipe for bacon and banana cookies – the flavours may sound like a strange combination, but really work. If Heston’s description of his Heston from Waitrose Beef Burgers made your mouth water – they’re minced so the grain runs in the same direction for maximum tenderness  – try making his ultimate cheeseburgers. 

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Heston often adds a spoonful of Dijon mustard and a shake of white wine vinegar to his cooking: “They make a big difference to many dishes.”

Dijon mustard

White wine vinegar

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Adrienne strives for balance in her diet: lots of different flavours, colours and textures. Alison thinks she’d enjoy this rainbow salad with a soy, ginger and orange dressing – it has plenty of vibrant veg, sesame seeds for crunch and sriracha for a spicy kick. At home, Adrienne often makes ‘green spaghetti’ for her son to up his veg intake. If you’d like to do the same, try this recipe for spaghetti with pea pesto. As well as peas, it packs in flavour with garlic, basil and chilli. And if you’re tempted by Adrienne’s description of her super-simple banana cake, try the recipe. 

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A sure-fire favourite of Adrienne’s son is pasta. “I get him involved with cooking”, she says. “If I’m making a pasta bake I’ll ask him to wash the tomatoes and he’ll eat one – it’s a great way to get him to try new things.”

Pasta

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Dev taught himself to cook while at university – he loved simple Italian dishes, such as this classic carbonara. At the same time he was busy working early mornings at Radio 1, so needed dinners that would last in the fridge for a few days. A favourite was spicy sweet potato soup – Alison recommends trying this one.

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Various bottles of sriracha are always in Dev’s kitchen. “I’ve added it to bolognese and ragù before,” he says. 

Sriracha hot chilli sauce

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While travelling around the countries of the Levant gathering stories and inspiration for Chasing Smoke, Sarit and Itamar loved cooking over flames, outside in the fresh air. If you’d like to make some Middle Eastern-inspired food at your next outdoor gathering, try their tahini barbecue lamb chops – and watch Sarit and Itamar make them in our video. Although she’s now more often found behind the grill, Sarit started her cooking career as a pastry chef. Alison recommends trying Sarit and Itamar’s pistachio and ricotta baklava: with its ricotta filling and drizzle of honey syrup it’s a really indulgent treat.

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Sarit and Itamar love miso in everything from chicken to cookies. “It’s one of my favourite ingredients for home cooking,” says Sarit. “It adds such a depth of flavour.”

Miso