Latest news with #DeanBanks
The Herald Scotland
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
How chefs can use TikTok and Instagram to their advantage
It's such a valuable tool for marketing and spotting food trends. You used to have to use magazines or adverts for that, but now there's a vast range of platforms from TikTok to Instagram and Facebook providing new avenues for getting word of your business out there. We have marketing teams in our group who help to develop ideas for content, but because my name is front and centre throughout the overall brand, it's really important for me to use that opportunity to show people who I am. It's an independent family business, so I love getting my son, Francisco, or nieces and nephews involved where I can. It's also great to take people along on foraging trips so that they can see the quality of the produce we're using in our kitchens. Aside from that, I personally really enjoy using social media and find that I learn from it. I follow many different chefs and find new techniques online rather than turning to cookery books. It's a great tool for self-development. It also means that sometimes I'll spot a trend which we can replicate within our business. A great example of that is food trucks. In recent years, with businesses like SpudBros running live streams while they're working, people have become a lot more interested in that kind of cooking and what goes on behind the scenes. That's how the idea to open the Lobster Shack at our Dune restaurant in St Andrews came about last June. We realised that people were interested in these cool wee pop-up places, or might not want to spend the money on coming in for a sit-down meal, so we started selling lobster rolls to go. This meant that they could try some of our fantastic, fresh seafood in a much more affordable and relaxed way. Read more: But it is hard to predict what the next big trend will. They always seem to come out of nowhere. Just look at how popular tinned fish has become these days because of people rating different types or comparing packaging on social media. As a chef, I'm really happy to see that happening because these wee tins are such a great ingredient to cook with. Everyone knows about tinned tuna, or maybe they've had a bad experience with a tin of mackerel, but there's such a lot of variety out there. My favourite is tinned mussels in smoked paprika. It's absolutely to die for. And, with the summer season coming up, a tin of sardines is a great thing to have handy for chucking in your picnic basket. Here's hoping the next trend will be fresh lobster rolls for the summer! You can keep up with Dean Banks on Instagram at @chefdeanbanks
The Herald Scotland
28-04-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
A top chef's kitchen hacks to improve your home cooking
Pictured: Chef Dean Banks shares his top tips for cooking at home (Image: Supplied) Invest in the basics An essential in my kitchen at home is a thick wooden chopping board which lives on my counter. You don't want to be using an awful glass one or plastic, which risks getting microplastics into your food. It doesn't have to be wildly expensive, just get yourself down to TK Maxx, you'll likely find one for less than £15. Another thing you should be thinking about is having at least one good-quality knife in your drawer. I like the Victorinox brand, which is quite easy to find and really versatile. You can use them for anything from veg to meat and fish. I can cook with any sort of pot or pan in any kitchen, that doesn't bother me. It's the basic utensils for cutting and prepping that make a difference. Set yourself up with a good board and knife, and you're pretty much good to go. Spice it up Quite often, when I go to visit older friends and family and take a look through their spice rack, I'll find jars that are at least 10 to 20 years old. They sit there looking nice, but no one actually touches them. One of the most valuable things you can do to improve your cooking is to learn a little more about the spices you're using and how to get more out of them. Smoked paprika in particular is a favourite of mine. I use it on almost everything. Have a quick Google and find out how to put together spice mixes. Then, when you next stock up on spices, spend a quick five minutes weighing them out and combining them in a jar to sit next to your stove. Moroccan spice, Chinese spice or jerk seasoning are all good ones to start with. It encourages you to get more creative with your cooking. I really enjoy a wee dash of Moroccan spice on my eggs in the morning to spice things up, for example. Keep these dairy products in the fridge I like to keep a bit of natural yoghurt or creme fraiche in my fridge, not for eating on its own, but for using alongside my pre-prepared spices. Rub a few spoonfuls onto chicken, lamb or beef and then the spices will stick to it much better before pan frying or roasting. Little things like that add so much flavour. Never skip this important step This might sound like a really obvious one, but it is so important to preheat your oven. A lot of people will skip that step and whack their food in straight away. Even if you're cooking a cheap supermarket pizza, it will taste so much better if the oven has been allowed to get super hot first. Pictured: Homemade vinaigrettes are an easy way to spruce up side dishes (Image: Supplied) Fresh is best I know it seems a lot easier to pick up a plastic bottle of pre-made salad dressing or vinaigrette from the shop as we head into BBQ season, but I promise you, making your own will make such a huge difference. Vinaigrettes, in particular, are really easy to make. Just one part vinegar, three parts oil and then whatever your favourite herbs or seasonings are. A squeeze of mustard, some honey, whatever you like. Just stick it all into a jar and give it a shake. Build a collection of kitchen staples It probably sounds like it will be really expensive to invest in all of these new ingredients, but it's something you can build up slowly. When you do your weekly shop, consider buying something new, like a nice apple cider vinegar or a new spice to experiment with. A homemade fajita mix ends up costing about a tenth of the price and can be made exactly how you like it when you have all the right bits in. You don't have to rely on pre-made packets! Read more: Clean as you go Another thing I think makes me far more productive in my home kitchen is making sure to clean as I go. Once you're done with that lovely wooden chopping board, give it a wipe and get it back on the counter. Finished with that bowl? Get it in the dishwasher straight away. Especially when you're cooking for other people, a messy kitchen soon becomes really stressful. Keep things clean and clear, stick some music on and make sure you're actually enjoying what you're doing. Get yourself this nifty piece of kit One of my absolute kitchen essentials is a julienne peeler, which you'll find for around £3 on Amazon. It peels veggies on one side, and the other slices them into really thin strips that are perfect for things like coleslaw. Cabbage, carrot, onion, courgette, it's all so much easier to prep with this wee thing. It's also far more budget-friendly than the electric processors or chopping gadgets you see advertised on TV. Think ahead with yellow sticker buys Even though my wife and I like to plan ahead for a week of cooking, we're a sucker for yellow sticker deals. If you see something in the reduced section that you think you can stretch a few meals out of, just go ahead and pick it up. Get the slow cooker out at home and turn it into a stew that can be frozen for a rainy day. Don't miss out on a bargain!
