In the kitchen with: Alexandra Dudley
We're thrilled to be welcoming food writer and cook Alexandra Dudley to the school for a live demo of recipes from her debut cookbook 'Cooking Made Simple'. We caught up with her to find out her journey, inspiration and everything in between.
Book a place for her demo on Wednesday 1st April at 6.30pm here.
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What motivated you to pursue a career in cooking, and how did your journey lead you to start food writing, hosting supper clubs and writing cookbooks?
I fell in love with restaurants at a young age. I was captivated by the theatre of it all and how a delicious meal at a buzzing restaurant could change a person’s entire mood. My mother is a very good cook but she is an excellent host and I watched first-hand how even home cooking could lift peoples spirits. It was natural that cooking became my love language and I started catering in my late teens before launching my own snack company in my early twenties. Whilst I loved the fast pace of running a business, I knew that what I really wanted to do was to write about food so begun pitching endlessly to publications until I secured my first recipe column at Town & Country. That led to more writing and securing a column at Sheerluxe. The older I have become, the more I am convinced that the best food is home-cooked food. My cooking is simple and I tend to prefer uncomplicated cooking over fancy Michelin style but I strongly believe that a handful of herbs or drizzle of your best olive oil can take a dish from fine to excellent!
Who has been your biggest inspiration or influence in your cooking journey?
Whenever I’ve felt a bit stuck or lacking in inspiration I fall back on my cookbooks. Skye Gyngell’s A Year In My Kitchen is perhaps the one that has inspired me most of all. I love the way she lets the ingredients lead without unnecessary fuss and it is what I think creates the best sort of cooking.
Could you share a specific dish that holds a special place in your heart?
There is a recipe for a prawn saganaki in the book which is inspired by the prawn saganaki they serve at my favourite restaurant on the Greek Island of Spetses. The island is perhaps my favourite place in the world and whenever I cook that recipe I am reminded of summers gone by spent there are the joy that came with them. Prawn Saganaki is a classic Greek dish made my simmering prawns in a rich tomato sauce with feta and usually a good dose of ouzo. It is so full of flavour, even thinking about it transports me to those sun-dappled island lunches.
Can you share some insights into your favourite ingredients, and how they influence your cooking?
I think that if you’ve got good olive oil, sea salt and fresh lemons you can make almost anything taste better. I also believe in having a well-stocked spice cupboard and love using whole spices in dressings and sauces as they bring so much flavour as well as crunch. One ingredient I use a lot and encourage others to do so are pink peppercorns. They have a slightly more citrusy kick than black peppercorns and are somewhat less aggressive so you can use them more liberally. I use them on everything from chicken to peaches and love their perky pink too.
How do you stay inspired and creative with your cooking, for example travel, eating out, social media?
I get a lot of inspiration from eating out. I love keeping up to date with new openings and exciting restaurants in London. We are so lucky to have so many brilliant options in this city. But I also love just reminding myself what’s in season as this is usually what sparks me to create something new.
Do you have a signature dish or favourite go-to recipe to cook at home?
I love a good one tray dish and there is a recipe for a spatchcock chicken on herby rice. It’s full of aromatics and as it cooks the fat from the chicken sinks into the rice giving it so much flavour. It’s one that works really well both for a weeknight supper or entertaining. Minimal effort and maximum flavour which is my favourite way to cook.
See my full recipe here!
In your experience, what are some common misconceptions people have about creating food content for social media, and how do you dispel that. What is most challenging and most rewarding about food writing and creating food content online.
That it’s quick or easy. The cooking is usually the easiest part, but the editing can take forever. I think people often think that talking to camera comes naturally to most people too. Perhaps it does for some, but I usually have about 20 videos I have to go through before I find a version of myself that is least embarrassing. I think my favourite part of creating food content online is the writing. I love the space and freedom within my substack newsletter to go a little deeper into the story or inspiration behind a recipe.
What are some fundamental skills you believe every home cook should master?
I think the most important thing is to trust yoru gut. You can follow the exact timings of a recipe and it can turn out slightly different. No one knows your kitchen better than you. You know if your oven runs hot or if the flame on your hob is a little weaker on one side. The recipe may say turn the chicken after 5 minutes but you might see that it needs a little more. Trust your instincts. You are in charge!
What would you say are your top 5 essential pieces of equipment that every home cook should have in their kitchen you can't live without, and why?
1. A good frying pan. I love the hexclad ones. They are nonstick but have a very clever hexagonal metal ridged design which means you can use metal in them too.
2. A good cast iron pan. I have the shallow Le Creuset casserole dish and use it for everything from risottos and brothy bean dishes to gratins and even crumbles. I love that it can go from the hob to the oven and even straight from the kitchen to the table. Cast iron retains heat so well which measn everything stays nice and warm too.
3. A good small serrated knife. The Victorinox ones are the best. They are the best knives for slicing tomatoes or citrus too.
4. A micro plane grater. For garlic, lemon, nutmeg, ginger. I must use mine daily.
5. A good set of tongs.