Flavour Heroes

Who’s the author? Between writing a monthly column for Olive Magazine and clocking up the occasional guest slot on their Olive podcast, Gurdeep Loyal writes about food and travel for publications are varied as Suitcase, The Guardian, Observer Food Monthly and The New York Times. His debut cookbook Mother Tongue: Flavours of a Second Generation scooped the prestigious Jane Grigson Trust Award for new food and drink writers in 2021.

In addition to his work as a writer, Gurdeep has made on-screen appearances for Rick Stein’s Food Stories, Nadiya’s Simple Spices, and the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen. He has also consulted for brands including Marks & Spencer, Harrods and Innocent Drinks on culinary trends.

What’s it about? With Flavour Heroes, Gurdeep has created a new collection of 90 delicious recipes centred around 15 pantry essentials: harissa, pecorino Romano, gochujang, Thai green paste, yuzu koshō, tamarind, mango chutney, chipotle paste, toasted sesame oil, miso, ’nduja, Calabrian chilli paste, dark roasted peanut butter, instant espresso powder and dark maple syrup.

Each chapter, dedicated to one of the 15 hero ingredients, explores smart and innovative ways to create sweet and savoury dishes that you’ll be desperate to add to your cooking repertoire.

Recipes we love: Nacho Cauliflower Cheese, Sticky Lemongrass-Miso Lamb Ribs, and Treacle-Mocha Brownies.

Perfect for: All cooks – new and experienced – in search of practical new ways to elevate their cooking and amplify the flavours of their favourite pantry essentials.