Tom Kerridge, the two-Michelin-starred chef from Marlow, Buckinghamshire, is set to front a new ITV1 series titled 'Tom Kerridge Cooks Spain', airing from Thursday, July 24 at 8.30 pm. The show follows Kerridge on a road trip across Spain, celebrating local produce and traditional cooking methods.
Kerridge, who owns several pubs and hosts multiple podcasts, told us the series is a 'simple celebration of beautiful Spanish produce'. He travels in a 1980s Mercedes food truck, visiting farmers and food producers to learn about their craft. 'We ask them, “What is it that you do that’s magic?” Then I use that special ingredient in a recipe and cook it from the truck, usually in their fields,' he explained.
The journey takes him from the rough northern coast to a garlic farm in central Spain, where temperatures reached 40 degrees. Highlights include Jerez in Andalusia, known for its sherry vinegars, and the rice fields of the Ebro Delta in Catalonia, which supply rice for paella. Kerridge also visits anchovy fishermen and prepares dishes such as anchovy toasts with crispy tempura anchovies, a pork chop and white-bean stew, and a rice dish inspired by paella.
For home cooks, Kerridge recommends anchovy toasts as a starter, a paella for the main course, and a citrus cake or roasted peaches with meringues for dessert. He praises Spanish ingredients like smoked paprika, chorizo, and sun-ripened vegetables. The chef expressed interest in taking the show to other countries, including Italy, Portugal, or Germany, and is also preparing for the 21st series of 'Great British Menu'.
