A Michelin-starred chef has shared the £1.18 kitchen staple he swears by to give dishes an instant boost of flavour. Phil Kearsey, executive chef at Morston Hall Hotel and former head at London's longest-standing Michelin-starred restaurant Pied à Terre, says one inexpensive ingredient can make a surprisingly big difference to everything from sauces to dressings.
The £1.18 ingredient that elevates dishes
You may already have a bottle tucked away in your cupboard, since Kearsey's go-to is sherry vinegar, which he says brings layers of flavour to dishes without the need for expensive ingredients. Made in Cádiz, Spain, sherry vinegar has a distinctive depth and complexity, which Kearsey says is an easy way to introduce more balance to food.
Speaking to Sky News, the chef said: "My secret ingredient I love and use all the time is sherry vinegar. It adds so many layers of flavour in a sauce, a puree or a dressing. I can drink the stuff!"
Why sherry vinegar stands out
Although sherry vinegar and red wine vinegar can work in similar ways, they have noticeably different flavour profiles. Sherry vinegar tends to be softer and slightly sweeter, with more complex notes, while red wine vinegar usually delivers a sharper, fruitier acidity. It is relatively inexpensive too, sold for £1.18 in Asda.
For Kearsey, however, vinegar isn't simply about adding a sharp note. He believes home cooks should think of acidity as another form of seasoning, alongside salt and pepper. He went on: "Acidity is a seasoning! Just like salt and pepper, citrus or vinegar can take a simple thing to another dimension."
Spanish roots and a chef's warning
The ingredient behind Kearsey's recommendation has strong Spanish roots, generally produced around Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María — three locations that make up the area known as the "sherry triangle".
The chef also turned his attention to another common feature of modern food presentation - micro herbs. While they can make a plate look polished, Kearsey warned against adding them simply for style over substance. The head chef succinctly said: "Yes, it looks lovely on Instagram but if it adds nothing to the dish get it out of there!"
