Life's a picnic

With picnic season fast approaching, it's time to elevate your alfresco feast to Michelin-star levels of deliciousness. Here, Paul Henderson asks a selection of the finest chefs to open up their picnic baskets and share some of their top tips for culinary success

- Annabelle King

Don't sweat the small stuff

'Beware of residual heat. If you have made sausage rolls, little pies or even toasted sandwiches, remember to let them cool completely before wrapping them up and packing them into your hamper. If you don't, condensation will form and everything will end up limp and squidgy.'

Tom Kerridge, chef-owner of The Hand And Flowers, Berkshire (www.tomkerridge.com)

Sachet! Shantay!

'Whenever you see the opportunity to do so, get hold of sachets. Tomato sauce, brown sauce, mayonnaise, mustard, salad cream. Before you know it, you'll have amassed an arsenal of condiments to enhance any picnic.'

George Egg, chef, Snack Hacker and influencer (www.georgeegg.com)

Talking Italian

‘I love taking bitesize cacio e pepe arancini to a picnic. These filling appetisers pack a punch and no extra seasoning or sauce is needed on site. The arancini recipe is versatile too, so you can tweak it for the season —asparagus arancini in spring or fresh pea arancini in summer, simply delicious.’

Emily Roux, owner of Caractère restaurant,  London W11 (www.caractererestaurant. com)

When life gives you lemons…

‘My picnic essential is a lemon. Most things can be brought to life with a squeeze of citrus. Also, I love a classic potato salad—mix good waxy potatoes with red onion and loads of chives, then in a separate jar take a nice creamy tangy dressing and mix it all together just before you’re ready to eat.’ 

Tom Booton, head chef at The Grill by Tom Booton at The Dorchester, London W1 (www.dorchestercollection.com)