Life’s a picnic

With picnic season fast approaching, it’s time to elevate your alfresco feast to Michelin-star levels of deliciousness. Here, Paul Henderson asks a selection of the finest chefs to open up their picnic baskets and share some of their top tips for culinary success

Don’t sweat the small stuff

‘Beware of residual heat. If you have made sausage rolls, little pies or even toasted sandwiches, remember to let them cool completely before wrapping them up and packing them into your hamper. If you don’t, condensation will form and everything will end up limp and squidgy.’

Tom Kerridge, chef owner of The Hand And Flowers, Berkshire (www.tomkerridge.com)

Sachet! Shantay!

‘Whenever you see the opportunity to do so, get hold of sachets. Tomato sauce, brown sauce, mayonnaise, mustard, salad cream. Before you know it, you’ll have amassed an arsenal of condiments to enhance any picnic.’ George Egg, chef, Snack Hacker and influencer (www.georgeegg.com)

Talking Italian

‘I love taking bitesize cacio e pepe arancini to a picnic. These filling appetisers pack a punch and no extra seasoning or sauce is needed on site. The arancini recipe is versatile too, so you can tweak it for the season —asparagus arancini in spring or fresh pea arancini in summer, simply delicious.’

Emily Roux, owner of Caractère restaurant, London W11 (www.caractererestaurant.com)

When life gives you lemons…

‘My picnic essential is a lemon. Most things can be brought to life with a squeeze of citrus. Also, I love a classic potato salad—mix good waxy potatoes with red onion and loads of chives, then in a separate jar take a nice creamy tangy dressing and mix it all together just before you’re ready to eat.’

Tom Booton, head chef at The Grill by Tom Booton at The Dorchester, London W1 (www.dorchestercollection.com)

A cold cut above

‘My advice is to theme a picnic around charcuterie. There are so many traditional cured meats to choose from, but I’d recommend a few Spanish ones, such as Ibérico bellota ham, Salchichón and chorizo, alongside some nice aged manchego, with a few walnuts and an ice-cold Estrella Damm. Or head to Italy for inspiration and pick out salami, prosciutto, bresaola and speck, served up with olives and fresh bread.’

Mark Birchall, chef patron at Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms, Aughton, Lancashire (www.moorhall.com)

Prepare for a heatwave

‘Crispy chilli oil is my secret weapon for pimping anything up. Use it as a drizzle, a dip or to add a bit of spice to picnic staples, such as a humble Scotch egg. Homemade is always tastier, but, if you’re tight on time, Lao Gan Ma is a great option, too.’

Rick Toogood, chef owner of Prawn On The Lawn, London N1 and Padstow, Cornwall (www.prawnonthelawn.com)

Box clever

‘It’s all about simplicity and a good-quality cool box. My wife, Emma, bought me a Yeti recently (https://uk.yeti.com) and I use it constantly. When it comes to what to pack, I’d suggest a Ploughman’s. It’s perfect for grazing, easily transported and one of my all-time favourites.’

Paul Ainsworth, chef patron at Number 6 in Padstow, Cornwall (www.paul-ainsworth.co.uk)

Pork life

‘I like a really nice jamón Ibérico. It’s always inside my picnic basket because it’s a ham that gets better when it gets warmer, so, if it’s sitting out and you don’t eat it all in one go, you can continue picking at it and it’s not going to dry out.’

Adam Handling, chef owner of the Adam Handling Restaurant Group (www.adamhandling.co.uk)

Super soup

‘Rather than default to sandwiches, grab yourself a flask and fill it with either a Spanish

gazpacho or a hot soup (depending on the British picnic weather).

You can serve either with a loaf of crusty bread or crunchy breadsticks.’

Adam Smith, executive chef at Coworth Park, Berkshire (www.dorchestercollection.com/ascot/coworth-park)

Freezy does it

‘Always freeze your soft drinks in bottles (water, juice, anything flat), so they act as a cool pack, as well as a drink. I make my sandwiches using baguettes instead of sliced bread, they’re crispier and sturdier on the outside, so the sandwiches don’t go mushy and are less prone to getting squished.’ Sally Abé, chef at The Pem, London SW1 (www.thepemrestaurant.com)

Save the dayo with homemade mayo

‘When it comes to planning a picnic, don’t be afraid to keep things simple. Supermarkets have really upped their game in recent years, so check out their pork pies and Scotch eggs. One thing that will elevate your spread, however, is homemade aioli or mayonnaise —trust me, it’ll be worth the extra effort.’

Richard Corrigan, chef patron at Corrigan’s and Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill, London W1 (www.corrigansmayfair.co.uk)

Eat your containers

‘My top tip is taking food that is in a pastry vessel. Don’t just think sausage rolls. There is a mass of different pastries and pies from around the world. I love to make fatayer, which are seen all over the Levant. I fill mine with the traditional spinach, pomegranate molasses and pine nuts.’

Ayesha Kalaji, chef owner of Queen of Cups, Glastonbury, Somerset (www.queenofcups.co.uk)

Get in a pickle

‘Definitely go big on anything pickled. Onions, carrots, red onions, beetroot— whatever happens to be in season. That flavour is the essence of a good picnic and they go with anything. Keep your pickles in small Kilner jars, which will keep them fresh and your cool box clean.’

Tommy Banks, owner and head chef of The Black Swan at Oldstead, North Yorkshire (www.blackswanoldstead.co.uk)

It’s a steel

‘We all love a seaside picnic, so make sure you pack smart, set a theme and go with enamelware, as it is stylish, light and stackable (www.falconenamelware.com). The pieces also have a certain vintage charm.’

Emily Scott, author of ‘My Kitchen Journal’ (www.emilyscottfood.substack.com)

The beautiful brine

‘Keep your olive brine for dressing. Grab a jar of your favourite olives (mine are the Guindilla chilli-laced ones by Perelló) and use the brine to pour over a niçoise or tomato and shallot salad.’

Olly Oakley, head chef of The Harcourt Arms, Witney, and The Plough at Kelmscott, both Oxfordshire (www.theharcourtarms.com, www.theploughinnkelmscott.com)

You’ve got to roll with it

‘Make your own sausage rolls and get creative with the fillings, such as lamb and harissa or pork and black pudding. They transport well and, if you put a layer of onion chutney at the bottom of the pastry, it keeps them moist.’

Joshua Hunter, chef owner at Hawthorn restaurant, Richmond, London TW9 (www.hawthornrestaurant.co.uk)

Slap that asp

‘For an easy win, I always opt for some simple asparagus. You can blanch it briefly and then plunge it into ice water, which keeps it super crisp. I like to mix up a herb vinaigrette in a jar and bring that along to dip the spears into.’

Sam White, executive chef at 45 Jermyn St, London W1 (www.45jermynst.com)

Just desserts

‘It’s always nice to finish a picnic with something sweet and you can’t go wrong with a strawberry and meringue pudding. First, put the strawberries in a container and mix with sugar, lemon juice and mint. Allow the mixture to macerate for a few hours to create a delicious syrup. In separate containers, bring meringue and custard. Finally, assemble everything together, with the syrup drizzled on top.’

Antonio ‘Lello’ Favuzzi, head chef at Belvedere Restaurant, London W8 (www.belvedererestaurant.co.uk)