A 92-year-old great-grandfather has become an unlikely social media sensation, captivating millions with his timeless cooking wisdom and heartwarming kitchen demonstrations.
From the 1930s to TikTok Stardom
Joe Allington, known affectionately as Grandad Joe to his more than nine million followers, has been cooking since the 1930s. The nonagenarian found fame during the Covid-19 lockdown and continues to entertain audiences with his retro recipes and practical kitchen advice.
His content features British classic staples that "keep things simple", including bread pudding and beef dripping chips. What makes his approach particularly endearing is his admission that he never measures ingredients, instead relying on intuition honed over nearly a century of cooking.
The Golden Rule: Cooking From the Heart
In a recent video shared on his @grandadjoe1933 profile, the TikTok star revealed his most fundamental kitchen principle. "I've been cooking since the 1930s, and I've never used scales," he explained. "Everything I make is measured from the heart."
The video featured his daughter Wendy challenging him to recreate a viral chicken recipe using his new Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Steam Airfryer. The innovative appliance allowed him to air fry chicken in one drawer while steaming mixed vegetables to perfection in the other.
Time-Tested Kitchen Wisdom
Beyond his intuitive measuring approach, Grandad Joe shared the essential rules that have guided his cooking for more than 80 years.
Steam, don't boil: "My mother always said boiling 'beats the life out of food.' Steaming keeps the flavour and the goodness in." He notes that while his family used to steam in a basket over boiling water, modern appliances like his steam air fryer make the process much simpler.
Cook with real fats: He advocates for using lard or dripping for achieving that unbeatable crunch and taste in roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings.
Make friends with your leftovers: "In my day, nothing was wasted." He explains how yesterday's roast becomes today's cottage pie or Bubble and Squeak, and how scraps of vegetables can create a hearty soup.
Waste nothing: Drawing from experience during rationing years, he emphasizes making the most of everything - saving drippings and lard in jars, transforming stale bread into pudding, and stretching leftover meat into hash.
Keep it simple: His philosophy centers on not fussing too much and trusting one's instincts in the kitchen.
Reflecting on how cooking has evolved, the 92-year-old remarked: "I've learned that old-fashioned ways never really go out of style, there's just a few more buttons to press!"
The Philips air fryer he demonstrated includes practical features like an in-built steam cleaning function that loosens grime and grease at the push of a button, addressing a common issue with traditional air fryers where grease tends to build up over time.
