James Morton on his sourdough bread obsession, the vegetable he can’t stand, and the power of Irn-Bru

Doctor and former Bake Off contestant James Morton specialises in fermented foods like sourdough bread, so it’s no surprise homemade loaves featured heavily when we quizzed him on his favourite eats – and the dishes he’d rather avoid.

Here’s what happened when the Scottish chef answered our culinary quickfire questions…

The one dish you can’t get right in the kitchen… Celery. I really don’t like celery and I don’t understand how to make it.

Your favourite store cupboard essential is… Peanut butter. Tons and tons and tons of peanut butter for spreading on bread.

The kitchen utensil you can’t live without is… You get them from Ikea, those really flat whisks that always scrape to the bottom of a pan – you can never ruin a mayonnaise or creme patissiere [with] one of those flat twists, then you can whisk and scrape the pan at the same time.

Your takeout of choice is… There is an awesome burger shop in Glasgow called El Perro Negro, it won the UK’s best burger [in 2019]. It does the most amazing burger, with bone marrow and truffle mayo and onions and a blue cheese sauce.

Your favourite late-night snack is… Sourdough bread with butter and Marmite.

The ultimate childhood dinner you always remember is… Fish, mash and beans. So breaded haddock, fried, with mash and a side of Heinz Baked Beans.

How do you like your eggs? Scrambled with smoked salmon and avocado on buttered sourdough, with sriracha.

What did you eat last night? I was working last night. I literally ran home, got two slices of pain de campagne, toasted with beans and cheese, and then was back out to work.

To cure a hangover your go-to is… Full fat Irn-Bru. If you’re not from Scotland maybe you don’t understand, but it’s the ultimate hangover cure.

You just can’t stomach… Celery. Raw celery. And I’m not a huge fan of fennel either, though I’ve come to like it fermented.