Have fun at home with celebrity chefs who are also on lockdown
Top chefs like Dan Hong, stuck at home just like us, have taken to social media to share tips and tricks even the humble home cook can apply to dinnertime.
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A fridge full of random ingredients, kids bouncing off the walls and the eternal question of what’s for dinner.
It’s an experience many Australians could relate to – even before social distancing.
Now though, it’s something that even our most famous chefs are experiencing.
With their dining rooms closed and their kitchens limited to, at most, takeaway, chefs have turned to the internet to fill their time, connect with diners, and share a recipe or two.
And for those who have made brushing up their cooking skills a lockdown resolution, there’s never been a better time to have a broadband connection with a new wave of DIY cooking shows coming online from chefs in Australia and around the world.
One of the pioneers of this new style of online cooking is Dan Hong, executive chef at popular Merivale establishments Mr Wong, Ms G’s, and The Establishment and with a fanbase that is nationwide.
Unable to serve customers at his restaurants due to social distancing rules, Hong found himself – like so many of us – spending most of his days in the apartment he shares with his wife, Rara, and three children aged 7, 5, and 2.
“It’s really ghetto, the way we do it,” Hong laughs, noting that Rara’s camera skills have improved markedly since the first video.
“I just join all the videos together, I just have to make sure they’re under 15 minutes” to fit on Instagram, says Hong.
“It’s ridiculous how viral the things have gone, the prawn toast in particular.”
The ethic – and the appeal – of Hong’s videos is their chaotic, DIY nature, and the fact that none of them rely on any fancy ingredients.
Rather than selecting truffles or exotic seafoods, Hong says he decides what he is going to cook on the fly using what he’s got in the cupboards or fridge at the moment.
Throwing out the names of ingredients he has in his kitchen, Hong says he pretty much free associates his way to inspiration: “I’ve got steaks, I’ve got noodles, here’s some rice, so maybe I’ll do a little fried rice … seriously, these things are super on the fly.”
The point, he says, is that it should be accessible for home cooks, who he says should never stop tasting as they cook – and think about suing seasonings beyond just salt and pepper.
“Fish sauce and oyster sauce”, advises Hong, “that’s how I get maximum flavour”.
Meanwhile, for those who want to try a more hands-on experience, many restaurants are offering pre-prepared meal kits with elements of their dishes ready to go and be assembled by diners at home.
LEARN FROM THE BEST
Dan Hong – @hongsta_gram – No frills, fun, gonzo cooking in an apartment kitchen, everything from prawn toast to Asian steak tartare to mini cheeseburgers (in the video above).
Thomas Keller – @chefthomaskeller – The star American chef (French Laundry, Per Se) is recording a series of cooking videos so calm they’re almost meditative.
The episode on vinaigrette is a masterclass in simplicity that will teach even experienced cooks a thing or too.
Massimo Bottura – @massimobottura – One of the world’s greatest chefs, Bottura is in lockdown in Italy and is making manic videos for pizza, gelato, and leftover pasta. With an occasional De Niro impression thrown in.
Merivale at Home is an at-home dining service that delivers menu, drink and produce boxes straight to the door. Orders can be made here.