Each week we ask top chefs to take part in our Cheap Eats feature. Today we speak to Chris Cleghorn, from one Michelin-starred The Olive Tree in Bath, who picks his favourite budget-friendly meals out in Somerset and Wiltshire.
Hi Chris, what is your go-to cheap eat to cook at home when you have a night in?
Depending on the time of year, I don’t think you can ever go wrong with a great salad.
My favourite quick whip-together tends to be chicken rolled in corn flakes, with goats cheese, pear, hazelnuts, roasted broccoli, gem lettuce and mustard and honey dressing.
Method
1. Cut the chicken breast into long thin strips, about 2cm thick.
2. Lightly coat in the flour and dust off the excess.
3. Dip into some egg mixture and then straight into broken corn flakes.
4. Place on to greaseproof paper on a flat tray and cook in a pre-heated oven at 220C until cooked.
For the honey and mustard dressing, this can be batch made and stored in the fridge for a week. Here’s how I make it…
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 200ml olive oil
- Pinch of sea salt
What are your favourite places around Bath to get a meal for two for less than £40?
Choux Box Patisserie in Bath – we enjoy walking down to their Entry Hill Cafe on a Sunday morning for coffee and a choux bun. My favourite is hard to choose, but if I had to pick one, it would be the classic lemon meringue pie.
But don’t miss out on their weekly special choux bun, which is generally showstopping.
At Entry Hill you can also enjoy savoury choux buns, my personal favourite being potato, bacon and maple.
Alternatively, we also go to and enjoy their wares at Alexandra Park on a Sunday morning. Here you get the stunning views over Bath.
Hartley Farm Shop, Bradford on Avon – just a 15-minute drive from Bath takes us to Hartley Farm shop in Bradford on Avon.
Having two young boys, this place is a huge hit and everything is in one place.
They have lovingly created the Barn, where you can enjoy eat-in food.
For breakfast, my favourite is French toast brioche, apple compote, bacon and maple syrup. I recommend paying the extra £2 and adding the fried egg and jalapeño.
For lunch, they use their own beef to make their Herd to Beat Burger – Hartley beef patty, tomato, lettuce, burger sauce, brioche bun, fries and house slaw.
Alongside is their farm shop selling local produce, with a play area for kids and an old family tractor.
Landrace Bakery, Bath – Landrace Bakery represents for me what artisan produces are all about.
Their amazing skill stands out – breads and fresh-made patisserie using the best ingredients. It is worth going as a quick stop for the takeaway pastries. My personal favourite is their cinnamon bun. But get there early to ensure they still have them – they are that good.
You can also enjoy a light brunch eating a selection of small plates, which will keep you within the budget. Additionally, adding a large plate to the selection works best for dinner, but this will send you over the £40.
But it’s certainly worth splashing out as you can watch your food be prepared by the small team of chefs. Their cheddar curd fritters are worth the stop!
How did you get into cheffing?
Since I was young, I have always wanted to be a chef. I loved food and was always interested in watching cookery programmes and learning more about food.
I was never great at school but loved art and cookery. After doing work experience in a kitchen, it clarified this was what I wanted to do.
I did day release at college, while working my way up to a local two-rosette restaurant.
At the age of 18, I did a stagiaire (internship) at a three Michelin-starred restaurant. This was an eye-opening experience, but I loved every minute of it.
I’d never seen such attention to detail, the thought process of the dish and the quality of products. I didn’t have the confidence at the time to work there, but it set me on a path.
I went on learning under some amazing chefs over the next 10 years, learning my graft and learning about business, before becoming a head chef myself.
We’ve spoken to lots of top chefs – check out their cheap eats from around the country here…
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