Tom Kerridge's Fresh Start

Tom Kerridge’s Six Step Plan transforming the eating habits of families is nearing the half-way mark. Tom’s eight families are now cooking home-cooked meals, and have learnt how to plan ahead to save time and money.

Now it’s time for the third step. Tom wants to get everyone in the family helping out in the kitchen, not just one designated cook.

Tom believes that whatever our age or experience, we’ll have a healthier relationship with food if we do some cooking. To prove you’re never too young to start, he makes a family-favourite with his three year-old son Acey. Together they make filo pastry triangles with feta cheese and greens, a dish inspired by memories of holidays in Greece.

Tom hears from 41 year-old civil servant Payal from the Roy Choudhury Family.  As mum to 10 year-old Nihirika and seven year-old Krish, Payal cooks for her family when she gets home from work - and would love a night off.  Tom drops round to the family home to teach Payal’s daughter Nihirika how to cook one of his easy and delicious recipes: Asian-style glazed chicken thighs. Payal hopes that sharing cooking duties will catch on for the family and take their food transformation to the next level.

Meanwhile Becky from the Thomas family is also in need of Tom’s help. She and her husband Mark, both aged 32, work - but it’s Becky who’s the cook in their house. Tom teaches Mark how to cook a delicious butternut squash pasta bake. It goes down well with the young family and Mark is proud of his achievements. Becky thinks that seeing both mum and dad cooking will set a good example for their five year-old twin boys Charlie and Jack, and their two year-old daughter Holly.

Inspired by Tom’s recipes, one young member of Tom’s gang decides to spend a week of her holidays at a cookery school for kids. Eight year-old Sophia Ruff-Brooks makes fresh pasta with basil and lemon sauce. Before Tom’s experiment began, Sophia didn’t cook and was scared of trying new foods and flavours.

Tom wants to keep showing his Fresh Start families new and exciting recipes, and introduces a twist on the British classic sausage roll, adding lentils, courgettes and carrots. He also makes chicken quesadillas by combining chipotle chicken, kidney beans, sweet corn and cheese, all sandwiched between two crispy tortilla wraps.

At the end of Step Three, Tom invites his gang of eight families over for home-made pizza and salad to celebrate the families’ achievements at the half-way mark. Nearly everyone is cooking at home now which means it’s time for the second half of his plan, taking things to the next level.

Tom encourages his gang to cook even more healthy recipes, including more fruit and vegetables. He challenges everyone to start taking more regular exercise, so that they can become the healthier and fitter families they all want to be.

Pictured: The Roy Choudhury family

Publicity contact: CT & MF