Claire Thomson and her Everhot

She’s also the star of many of our Everhot Videos demonstrating a wealth of recipes designed specifically for the Everhot.

She’s also the star of many of our Everhot Videos demonstrating a wealth of recipes designed specifically for the Everhot. Although she’s often cooking in our Showroom in Gloucestershire, we thought we would pop to her house to find out about what she loves to cook for her family and where her inspiration comes from.

Claire Thomson cooking on her Mustard Yellow Everhot 90i in her kitchen. Photography credit Matt Austin.

Can you tell us a little about who you are in the cookery world, you have a lot of hats! 

“I’m first and foremost a chef who turned to food writing when my children came along. My plan was always to write about food for a living, but I wanted to earn my stripes in a kitchen to begin with.”

What brought you to food and cooking? What do you enjoy about it?

“I simply love the creativity of cooking and the fact that there will always be someone in the world who can teach you a new trick, technique or recipe. With food and cooking, you can never ever say you know everything.”

What is the meaning behind your Instagram handle 5 O’clock Apron – and the title of your first cookery book.

“I am a chef. I am used to wearing an apron in a professional kitchen. But with the arrival of motherhood came a very different time to be stood there in my apron, busy in my home kitchen cooking for the kids and my family. I found I was always putting on my apron at 5pm or thereabouts and getting busy in the kitchen. It’s stuck, and safe to say, 5pm or thereabouts is usually when I start thinking about what to cook for the kids’ tea.”

On your Instagram channel you cook a lot of vegetarian food – are you a vegetarian or do you just prefer cooking vegetarian food? Do you enjoy cooking meat?

“I mostly cook vegetarian food midweek, vegi food is just quicker and easier to cook. I also happen to think it’s how we should eat meat if we are going to eat it at all, little and the best quality my budget can afford – rather than as a daily habit. I do eat meat, perhaps once a week, a chicken for example and make sure every single bit of it is put to use the following days with the carcass stripped for another meal and a stock made from the bones.”

Which Everhot do you have and what’s behind this decision? Was it hard to pick the colour?

“Yellow was a no brainer, I love the pop of sunshine it gives to my kitchen, especially on a gloomy winter’s day. We have a 90cm.”

Why did you want an Everhot?

“It looks beautiful and is tremendous to cook with.”

How did your cooking style change when you welcomed your Everhot? Have you had to adapt?

“I’m a chef, I’ve never been one to follow recipes exactly. I think it’s far better to ask yourself when cooking – is it ready? Does it taste good?”

Do your children enjoy cooking with you on the Everhot?

“Always. I have my children cooking with me frequently in the kitchen at home, it is the only way they can gain confidence and skill.”

What is your favourite family meal to cook on the Everhot?

“I write cookery books for a living there is no favourite, I cook all the time. I love the romance of baking, putting attention and care into something as a treat for Sunday lunch or making a week’s worth of packed lunches.”

What’s your favourite function on the Everhot?

“The solid top is fun to cook directly on, I also think the grill is super powerful. My kids are forever making toasties using the simmer plate – using the lid as a ginormous panini machine, the options are endless!”

Can you tell us anything about your next cookery book? What can we expect next from you?

“Vegetarian home cookery and it is going to be a whopper! But before I finish writing that, there’s a one pan chicken cookbook for all kinds of speedy effortless dishes.”

Have you made any mistakes on the Everhot and managed to ruin any meals?!

“Nope, I am a chef after all!”

Claire’s Mustard Yellow Everhot 90i in her kitchen. Photography credit Matt Austin.