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Every week we interview top chefs from around the UK, hearing about their cheap food hacks, views on the industry and more. This week, we speak to Chris Shaw, head chef at Toklas restaurant on the Strand in London…
My favourite restaurant chain is… Pizza Express! I haven’t been for a while, but I’ve got a lot of love for it and so many fond memories there. It’s the smell that gets you, of the freshly baked dough balls – so nostalgic. I usually get an American Hot style pizza. It’s such a safe haven – it’s cheap, cheerful and basically everyone who grew up in London spend their childhood at Pizza Express.
My favourite supermarket product is… Maggi liquid seasoning, which you can get from pretty much any major retailer. I put it on everything – some fried rice, a few poached eggs or even in the base of a really good sauce just to lift it a bit.
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My go-to simple recipe to cook at home is… a puttanesca. I always have those ingredients at home, so normally I don’t even need to go to the supermarket. You can just raid your cupboard – find a nice tin of anchovies, a jar of capers and some tinned tomatoes. If you’ve got parmesan rinds left over and some parsley in the fridge, you can bring it all together quite quickly. That’s what I tend to eat in when I get back late from work for a snack.
My favourite cheap place to eat where I live is… Dom’s Subs for a £10 sandwich. I think they’ve got a few now but I go to the one on Hackney Road. It’s such good value, anywhere between £9 and £14, but these things are absolutely massive, filled up right to the brim. I usually get something like The Grapes, a super spicy sub filled with Thai ground chicken, gem lettuce and some of their house-made mayo, then all the pickles, chillies and crispy shallots you need.
If I say come round for dinner… I’m the one looking after you and wanting to be hospitable, so if you turn up empty-handed that’s all okay with me… Food is always…
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