Tom Cook - Executive Head Chef, Smith & Wollensky

Temperature Measurement, Travel and the Perfect Steak!

We talk to Smith & Wollensky’s Executive Head Chef, Tom Cook about temperature measurement, travel and the perfect steak. In June 2015 Smith & Wollensky opened their first restaurant outside of the US – located in the landmark Adelphi Building in London. Their steaks are USDA Prime, dry-aged and butchered on-site, making them the only steakhouse in London which offers a cut of meat that combines all three. Tom Cook has been a chef for over 22 years, working alongside some greats such as Gary Rhodes, Michel Roux Jr, Eric Chavot, Daniel Clifford and Tom Aikens. Cook is now Executive Head Chef at Smith & Wollensky. We caught up with Tom to talk about how important the right cooking temperature is when producing the perfect steak every time …     What’s your earliest food memory? I’d say cooking with my … Read more

Regularly check your refrigerator, fridge or freezer

The truth about your refrigerator and freezer

Have you heard any of these snippets of advice about refrigerators and freezers? A refrigerators is more cost efficient when it’s full. Your refrigerator is much warmer at the top and colder at the bottom. When the seal on your refrigerator begins to decay you should replace the appliance. Which of these are true and how should you use your appliance to get the best, safest and most cost-effective performance? Let’s take a look. A refrigerator is more cost effective when it is full This commonly held view comes from one of two ideas. The first is that the air inside your appliance needs to be cooled by the compressor to attain the correct temperature. The more air, the more the compressor needs to work. Alternatively, that, solid objects, once cooled to the correct temperature take longer to warm up … Read more

Festive Safety Tips

Festive Safety Tips from Comark Instruments

Ho Ho Ho….It’s that time of year when everybody is getting into the festive and holiday Christmas spirit. Gathering with family & friends, exchanging gifts and enjoying the feast.  Food poisoning isn’t on anyone’s Christmas list, so make sure you only give people what they want this year – i.e. not food-poisoning! We’ve done all the hard work for you and put together some canny little Festive Safety Tips for you to follow   Keep things clean: Wash hands before and after handling any food. Wet or damp hands can spread bugs between food and surfaces! Wash all surfaces (cutting boards, dishes, utensils and countertops) before and after preparing each food item. Wash dishcloths and tea towels regularly, and let them dry before you use them again. Dirty, damp cloths are the perfect place for germs to spread. Don’t wash raw … Read more