How do TV cooks stay so clean whilst cooking?

Keith Floyd did get drunker as the more he cooked.

I think timing is about experience with a recipe, if you know what you're doing it's quicker than if you have to keep stopping to read the recipe. Also things like oven timings can be difficult as every oven's different, if you watch something like Bake Off, you'll see people making things they've practised being over or underbaked just because the oven's are diferent.

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I think the most reliable recipes are those by Delia Smith, I've never had one of hers go wrong, I've had a couple I don't like, but thats down to personal taste as much as anything else.

I know what you mean Marianne, I don't think a lot of these chefs are used to cooking in a normal kitchen without an army of other chefs doing all the prep and having really good stocks and stuff on hand. A stock can make or break a dish, especially something like risotto.

All the magic of TV! They either had multiple takes, or they removed those apron smears in the editing room! You gotta remember that they can make anything look perfect on TV, even if it actually isn't lol!

I remember watching the Flloyd re-runs on Saturday morning kitchen, and he used to wipe his hands on his apron didn't he and get progressively more drunk as he cooked? 

Do you also find it takes minimum twice as long to follow a recipe as the time it states? That is my biggest annoyance!

Iain said:

as these skills grow

I think at 72 I've reached the end of my growth . At least I have no partner to clear the mess or get annoyed about it!  I think I might buy a hazard suit instead of an apron!

TheCatWoman said:

I've cooked a few recipe's from chef's cookbooks and I've found a few of them underwhelming or they don't work

I'm sorry to say, that I'm pleased about that! It's hard to believe everything they make is seemingly delicious!

They probably change apron or whites between takes.

But there are some really annoying people who seem to be able to do really messy tasks without getting messy themselves, others like you and I seem to end up wearing half our dinner before we even sit at the table.

I've cooked a few recipe's from chef's cookbooks and I've found a few of them underwhelming or they don't work, some of them I can see from reading the recipe that they're not going to work or will lack flavour.

Marianne72 said:

And why, after all this hard work, am I not smiling, and most things never taste wonderful as apparently they do for every TV cook? 

I think there is a psychological element in this where the effort you put into the food loads it with a duty or return - ie you worked damn hard on it and it better taste awesome but it just tastes nice.

If someone else made it for you then there is also a psychological element of emotion since they took the time and effort to make it for you and that makes it taste better in different ways in the pleasure centre of your brain.

Marianne72 said:

Even if I had an evening gown, as does Nigella, to cook in, it would be covered in flour, eggs and detritus by the time I'd finished.

I wonder how many takes, session chefs and cleanup sessions are involved in these scenes. They want it to look effortless and perfect because it helps sell the series, the books that follow and the celebrity status of the cook. A lie if you will, but one the public want.

All that said, with practice comes less likelihood of making a mess. You learn how to throw the flour in a way not to get it everywhere, how to crack an egg and not have it dripping snotty mess all the way to th bin, how to put in just enough effort to chop the onion using only the wrist action etc - and as these skills grow you make less mess.

My advice is to embrace the chaos as every error is a lesson that you grow from. That and if you are cooking then make your partner agree to clean up and do the dishes as their part of the deal ...