After falling in love with cookery thanks to watching his grandmother (or 'Mama' as he called her) making scones as a child, Thomas Curtis was destined to be a chef. A big fan of Marco Pierre White and Anthony Bourdain, at the age of just 25 he became head chef of his family pub. Here, he showcased a style of cooking that played on the creature comforts of classic British food and paired them with a desire to do something different. From British staples like fish and chips and toad in the hole to more intricate dishes such as blue cheese bonbons with apple and thyme dipping sauce and Earl Grey pannacotta with lavender shortbread, he demonstrated a unique grasp of flavour. Here, as a tribute to his ever-supportive late father, Thomas puts his favourite recipes into print. These are dishes anyone can cook; you won't need to source all manner of hard-to-locate ingredients or complicated equipment. What you will need is a love of good food, big flavours and the desire to become a better cook. The result? Some of the tastiest dishes you'll ever make and a rekindled love for the hearty British food that 'Mama' used to make.
