Most of us love watching Bake Off and MasterChef, but when it comes to our own kitchens, confidence crumbles.
A new survey has found that 87% of Brits admit there are recipes they’re too scared to try at home. At the top of the list is the notoriously tricky soufflé, with 36% saying it’s just too risky to attempt.
Also on the list of “fear foods” are filo pastry (33%), béarnaise sauce (29%) and Beef Wellington (27%). Even the humble Yorkshire pudding terrifies 26% of home cooks, while the same number won’t attempt rolling sushi.
French food tops the list of fears
The research showed that seven in ten Brits find French classics intimidating, while two-thirds say French cuisine is the hardest to cook. Only 14% will make it outside of a special occasion, though 67% see it as the most indulgent and sophisticated cuisine.
The study was carried out by Mindful Chef to mark the launch of its new partnership with Côte Brasserie. The collaboration offers French-inspired recipes designed to be simple to recreate at home.
Jesse Kempner, Head of Food at Mindful Chef, commented: “It’s clear from the research that there are some dishes that we’re intimidated to cook. It shouldn’t matter if you feel confident or not rustling up one – or even all – of the dishes on the list – the point is, your confidence shouldn’t feel like a barrier to creativity in the kitchen.
“We appreciate that some classics can be a real effort midweek, and that’s exactly why we’ve partnered with Côte – to give these French favourites a healthy twist and make them simple to enjoy, any day of the week.”
We fake it too
Despite all this fear, four in ten Brits admit they’ve passed off a fancy takeaway as their own cooking.
Sheffield came out as home to the boldest cooks, with 21% there saying they can tackle any dish. Meanwhile, Manchester and Cardiff lead as foodie capitals, with 47% of residents proudly calling themselves foodies.
The Top 25 Dishes Brits Are Too Scared to CookSoufflé – 36%
Filo pastry – 33%
Béarnaise sauce – 29%
Beef Wellington – 27%
Yorkshire puddings – 26%
Sushi – 26%
Beef Bourguignon – 25%
Dauphinoise potatoes – 24%
Boulangère potatoes – 24%
Vietnamese pho – 22%
Salmon en-croute – 22%
Puff pastry – 22%
Chocolate fondant – 21%
Sourdough bread – 21%
Hollandaise sauce – 20%
Risotto – 19%
Consommé – 18%
Homemade tagliatelle – 17%
Pavlova – 17%
Indian curry from scratch – 16%
Thai curry from scratch – 16%
Fondant potato – 16%
Dining and Cooking