10 Tips From Pros: What You Can Learn From James Cochran

The Great British Menu finalist shares some easy ways to up your cooking game

- James Cochran

1 If you love baking, it’s worth getting a tabletop mixer. There are some things you can do by hand, but for more involved baking, such as brioche, bun dough or Italian meringue, you’ll get the best results with a mixer.

2 Jerk seasoning is a lot more versatile than people think. It’s only associated with chicken, but I add it to fish dishes, season cooked new potatoes, whisk it into mayonnaise, toss into vegetables before roasting, or season a yogurt or buttermilk brine. It has so much depth of flavour that it can lift most ingredients.

3 For the best fish pie use a stock made from milk, fish bones and seafood shells to make the sauce. I grew up in Whitstable in Kent, which is famous for its seafood, and I trained in Wheeler’s restaurant, famous for its fish pie.