Eight surprising food combinations that really do work

Telegraph

03-06-2025

Once upon a time, sweet-and-salty was about as wild as flavour combinations got. But our palates have come a long way. Scientists now know flavour isn't just about taste. It's shaped by texture, temperature, memory and even expectation. Which might explain why TikTok is full of people dropping jalapeños into sauvignon blanc.
I'm partial to a spicy margarita, so I gave the fiery wine trend a go and I loved the mild, tingly chilli edge in every mouthful. Dua Lipa also approves of a chilli-spiked drink: the singer-songwriter's cocktail of Diet Coke, pickle juice and jalapenos went viral recently.
Other surprising flavour combinations work beautifully, too, so we asked our favourite chefs to recommend the 'odd' pairings they love. Some you might adore already, others might seem a fad too far – but if you're game to try them, you'll be in for a treat.
Miso paste and sugar
Funky fermented Japanese miso paste famously adds depth to savoury dishes but is a revelation in sweet things, too. 'Miso is naturally sweet and rich in umami,' explains Neil Campbell, executive chef at Ottolenghi Restaurants. 'Pairing miso and sugar together smooths out its harsh sweetness, enhancing the complex sweet-savoury sensation.'
Campbell uses a touch of miso to make rich fudge for his restaurants, as well as in praline, a hard caramel that he crumbles and sprinkles over grilled leeks, each enhancing the other's flavours.
How to try it
Bake Liam Charles's sweet and umami-rich milk chocolate biscuit bar with miso caramel.
Chilli and chocolate
Chocolate and chilli parked in the same bowl dates back millennia in Mexico: the fruity heat of chillies complements the bitter richness of chocolate perfectly. Mexican chef Santiago Lastra adores the combination, which features in an iced dessert at his London restaurant, Fonda. 'The combination of high-quality chocolate sorbet with the smoky aromas and depth of spice coming from the smoked chillies draws attention to this unusual combination,' he says. 'It's a next-level, indulgent dessert.'
How to try it
Use a pinch of chilli powder in Georgina Hayden's spiced dark chocolate and chilli tart.
Avocado and matcha
This odd couple is served with tuna tartare at abc kitchens at The Emory, the newest restaurant by French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. 'Though the pairing may seem unlikely,' he admits, 'the earthy, slightly bitter notes of matcha beautifully contrast with the creamy richness of avocado, creating a complex yet balanced flavour profile.'
It also offers a double dose of healthy: matcha, a form of green tea, is high in antioxidants, while avocado is brimming with healthy fats.
How to try it
Embrace this nourishing and unusual duo by adding a scoopful of matcha powder and the flesh of half a ripe avocado to your favourite smoothie
Strawberries and balsamic vinegar
This duo hails from Italy, the home of balsamic vinegar. 'The combination works well because the natural sweetness of the strawberries is cut through by the acidity of the balsamic,' says Robert Homer, head chef of London's Story Cellar restaurant. The syrupy vinegar also provides lovely textural contrast with the juicy strawberry flesh. For an extra flourish, Homer suggests adding basil leaves. 'It adds a floral hint in the back of the palate. Delicious.'
How to try it
In a salad of burrata with balsamic strawberries, basil and mint
Sweetcorn and coffee
These sweet and bitter flavours are contented bedfellows according to Jesse Wells, head chef at The Larderhouse in Bournemouth. He teams ice cream made from sweetcorn juice with coffee-infused oil. 'The roasted coffee oil provides hazelnut notes and bitterness plus a real savoury note that just works against the sweetness,' he says.
How to try it
Try whipping butter with a splash of very strong cold espresso and serve with corn on the cob, ideally roasted on the barbecue in the husk for smoky notes.
Ice cream and olive oil
Dua Lipa is also fond, apparently, of olive oil and vanilla ice cream and here she's spot on. Fruity, grassy extra-virgin olive oil poured over vanilla (or chocolate) ice cream enhances its sweetness and adds an extra layer of flavour, says Helen Graves, author of BBQ Days BBQ Nights (Hardie Grant, £22). 'There's also something pleasurable about combining two different types of fat in this way,' says Graves. 'The cold vanilla ice cream mixing with the velvety, tongue-coating oil full of grassy, peppery notes sounds odd, but it's a very luxurious experience,' she says.
How to try it
Follow Graves' recipe for burnt meringue, vanilla ice cream and olive oil, a dish she makes to 'blow people's minds'
Cauliflower and maple syrup
Huh? But also, yum. Jack Chapman, head chef at The Bath Arms in Horningsham, serves deep-fried 'popcorn' cauliflower with a chilli-spiked maple syrup sauce. 'Pairing maple syrup with cauliflower really elevates the earthiness of this vegetable,' he explains. 'It's a great flavour combination and a different take on a classic sweet and sour.'
How to try it
To make Chapman's sauce, combine cider vinegar, sriracha and maple syrup in a pan and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened. Whisk in butter (it can be vegan if you like) and season to taste before serving with roast or deep-fried cauliflower florets.
And a festive idea to bank...
Mince pies and cheese
Eccles cakes are traditionally served with a chunk of Lancashire cheese – another pairing Wells loves, but in a different form. 'The intensely sweet mincemeat and pastry work incredibly well with the sharp savoury cheese. It's brilliant at Christmas, late at night, when you're standing at the fridge and probably shouldn't eat any more.'
How to try it
Save this seasonal treat for wintry days. 'Grab a mince pie, take the lid off, stick a lump of strong cheddar inside and go for it,' says Wells.
Weird food combos we'd sooner skip
The social media trends that should never have seen the light of day...
Bananas dipped in tomato ketchup
Supposedly favoured by Beyoncé, but too saccharine for our taste.
Peanut butter and jam sandwiches with Wotsits
Hollywood actor Channing Tatum purportedly stuffs his PBJ sandwiches with Cheetos (the American equivalent of our cheesy puffs), turning an already questionable combination into a dusty monstrosity.
Sausages and Nutella
Peperami dunked into the chocolate hazelnut spread then washed down with a glass of milk is a TikTok favourite for its marriage of spice, sweetness and cool creaminess. A UPF too far.
Mayonnaise and Oreos
Mayo replaces the buttercream filling in the biscuits. The colour might be right but the tang of the condiment is all wrong.
Pickles and peanut butter