French Chef Manon Lagrève Reveals Culinary Secrets and British Food Critiques
In an exclusive interview for Metro's What’s Cooking series, Manon Lagrève, a French baker and cookbook author now based in London, opens up about her kitchen essentials, surprising snack habits, and candid opinions on British cuisine. With over 711,000 Instagram followers and a quarter-finalist spot on the Great British Bake Off in 2018, Lagrève has built a thriving career, recently launching her own coffee business, Café Manon.
Unconventional Tastes and Childhood Memories
Lagrève's most unhinged snack obsession? Pork brains on toast, a dish from her childhood in France. "My mum used to buy pork brains from the butcher, and we’d eat them for dinner," she recalls. "It sounds strange, but it’s actually delicious. You just boil the brain in vinegar, smash it, and then put it on toast with some butter." For nostalgic comfort, she turns to gâteau au yaourt, the first cake she ever made with her mother, now a staple in her cookbooks and a tradition she shares with her own children.
Controversial Views on British Sunday Roasts
After 15 years in the UK, Lagrève still struggles with certain British food traditions. "I remember coming here and having Sunday lunch for the first time, and people had this weird green sauce and jam with the meat," she says, referring to mint sauce and cranberry sauce. "I still don’t get why they’re served with roasts. I don’t like it." This frank critique highlights cultural differences in culinary preferences, sparking debate among food enthusiasts.
Kitchen Staples and Supermarket Habits
In her fridge, French salted butter is a non-negotiable item, ordered twice weekly from Ocado. Her freezer often holds raclette cheese, imported from France by her mother. For entertaining, she keeps Champagne on hand for impromptu gatherings, with rosé as a backup. While she splurges on high-quality whole foods, she opts for own-brand eggs, noting that nutritionally, all eggs are similar, a tip from her parents who run an egg farm.
Behind the Scenes of Great British Bake Off
Lagrève shares insider secrets from her time on the Great British Bake Off. "You know when they ask if we’ve practiced the bakes? I was just making these recipes up and hoping for the best," she admits. Many contestants, including herself, balanced full-time jobs with filming, leading to extreme exhaustion. "It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I would get back to work on Monday, and I could not stand." Despite the challenges, the experience honed her skills as a recipe developer.
London Dining Favorites and Food Aversions
When not cooking French cuisine at home, Lagrève enjoys diverse London eateries. Her current favorites include Maroush for Lebanese food, Taro for bento boxes, and Bombay Bicycle for paneer masala. She also praises Crispin at Studio Voltaire and Café François in Borough Market. However, she avoids spicy foods, believing they overpower flavors. "I can eat mustard, it’s like an infant’s kick, but I don’t like chilli, it just tastes spicy."
Recent Culinary Creations
Lately, Lagrève has been preparing quick midweek dinners using spelt pasta from Northern Pasta Co., paired with homemade tomato sauce and roasted vegetables. This easy dish caters to her family's digestion needs while maintaining her commitment to wholesome ingredients.
