‘Cooking offers solace'

John Torode on why we need comfort food and a daily dose of This Morning to lift our spirits during lockdown

- Rebecca Fletcher

John Torode is on fine form when TV Times calls him at his west London home one warm, sunny Mayday. ‘I should be putting grass seed on my lawn right now but I’m sat on my sofa with a cuppa,’ he says. ‘I thought it’d be nicer to connect and chat instead.’

Keeping us all connected in the middle of lockdown is something John’s particularly good at.

As one of the regular chefs on ITV’s award-winning magazine show This Morning, his live cookery segments with hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby always include a big dollop of fun, food and laughter – which is just what the nation needs in the current climate.

‘I think shows like This Morning are incredibly important right now,’ says John, 54. ‘In unsettling times, everyone craves the familiar. If you’re used to turning on the TV at 10am and seeing Phil and Holly, you still want to do that. It’s one of life’s little anchors, which gives you normality, a sense of security.

‘And you know with This Morning there’s always going to be some laughter and something going wrong. The show lightens the day and we all need that at the moment.’

We couldn’t agree more! Here, MasterChef judge John, who also hosts ITV’s John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen with his wife Lisa Faulkner, shares his tips for making cooking during lockdown fun…

How do you see your role as a TV chef during lockdown?