No one wants to spend Christmas Day stuck in the kitchen while everyone else is unwrapping presents or relaxing by the fire. Tom Childs, head chef at Kerridge’s in London, advises tackling the festive feast like a commercial kitchen. “It’s all in the preparation,” he said. Getting organised early can mean a more relaxed holiday.
This year, chefs are sharing simple tips that aim to ease the pressure on home cooks. One approach is to make and freeze components ahead of time. Deeply flavoured gravy, for instance, can be prepared days or weeks in advance and stored in the freezer. Reheating it on the big day saves precious time and fridge space.
Flavoured butters have also emerged as a go-to solution for upgrading meats that tend to dry out. A compound butter infused with herbs or spices adds moisture and an extra punch of flavour when melted over turkey or roast beef. These butters can be mixed and stored in the fridge or freezer, ready to melt at a moment’s notice.
Preserves offer another way to stretch festive flavours beyond the main meal. Chefs recommend making chutneys or marmalades now to brighten up leftovers or sandwiches in the days after Christmas. These preserves don’t demand much work but can transform simple dishes into something a little more special.
Desserts have not been overlooked in this wave of advance prep. Lightweight puddings that can be made early and refrigerated or frozen mean cooks don’t face a last-minute rush trying to assemble complex sweets. These puddings can also cater to different tastes, accommodating family members who might prefer something less heavy after a large meal.
The challenge during the holiday is often limited kitchen and fridge space. Preparing in stages allows cooks to spread the workload over days and frees up room on the big day. It also enables better use of fresh ingredients before they go off. Childs’s advice to “get organised like a commercial kitchen” means planning what to make, when to make it, and where to store it.
Even with a stocked larder, it pays to keep some flexibility. Unexpected guests or changes in menu preference can throw plans off course. Having a freezer stocked with prepared stocks, gravies, and flavoured butters allows cooks to adapt quickly without stress.
Making time to test these recipes now means the festive day itself can be about enjoying company rather than cooking under pressure. Childs’s approach reflects a professional kitchen mentality applied to the home, where efficiency and calm take precedence.
This year’s Christmas cooking advice comes at a time when many households expect to host larger or more frequent gatherings. Having these simple prep hacks can help keep the kitchen calm and the food flowing, whatever the scale of the celebration.
According to The Guardian.
