Cook a meal quicker than the time it takes to order a takeaway

BaZmO*

Why do all these celebrity chefs insist on saying this in their shows all the time?

I understand the principle behind saying it but it's an absolute lie. They fail to include the time it takes to go shopping, prepare all the ingredients and then the ultimate killer, CLEANING UP into their timing of dishes.

Now don't get me wrong I love cooking and there are plenty of dishes that I cook that don't take long to do but I never fool myself into thinking that it wouldn't be quicker to nip across the road and get a Chinese takeaway.

Anyway, end of rant. Just something that annoys me when watching cookery shows.

subway

they generall do include prep time, i thought that was what cooking was.
and maybe becasue its not a show about going to the shops or cleaning up ?

BaZmO*

subway wrote:

they generall do include prep time,

No they don't, well at least not the ones I watch. Gordon Ramsey is always doing it on his show.

subway wrote:

and maybe becasue its not a show about going to the shops or cleaning up ?

You're missing the point. The point I'm making is that they always say after they've prepared the meal, "Hey presto, quicker than getting a takeaway!!" which it obviously isn't.

rubadub

Yeah, on ready steady cook they say GO- the oven is at temp, and kettle is boiling right off, but it would be boring if you had to wait for it. On other programs all the stuff is laid out ready to go which can take ages.

They fail to include the time it takes to go shopping, prepare all the ingredients and then the ultimate killer, CLEANING UP into their timing of dishes.

Well. there is the time to go to the takeaway, or wait for it to be delivered or prepared in the place. Think the point is really just that cooking food does not have to take ages and people do have a choice other than a takeaway.

I cook dishes extremely quickly, eat from the pan and have it rinsed clean, I can prepare, cook and clean up a meal in 10mins- if ingredients are all there in the fridge.

What annoys me most is the rare or expensive ingredients they sometimes use, especially when they do not give an alternative.

Minder

I take your point - but shows like F Word are comparing the prep time to cook a fresh meal against the time it takes to order and have delivered a takeaway.

The common complaint is that I don't have time to cook as if cooking a meal takes hours. The busy executive shown in these programmes doesn't want to be eating dinner at ten o clock at night. So the alternative is takeaway.

A young lady at work appeared on the F Word recently with her husband. They were both working and would tuck into an M&S ready salad with a bottle of wine after a busy day. Ramsay showed him five easy meals. None of which took more than 1/2 hour to prep & cook. Portrayed as the busy executive, she took some stick considering the office is empty of all staff except the security guard come 5.30pm.

Unless you eat your takeaway from the box, with a plastic fork and drink from a paper cup, there will be some element of tidy up to do.

dudara

Minder wrote:

I take your point - but shows like F Word are comparing the prep time to cook a fresh meal against the time it takes to order and have delivered a takeaway.

But simple meals can take less than a takeaway, even including prep time.

Smellyirishman

dudara wrote:

But simple meals can take less than a takeaway, even including prep time.

You'll never beat the effort and personal time-saving though.

1. Call chipper.
2. Order.
3. Do what you want while it arrives.

Yes, in the time it takes from putting in your order to receiving your food you could have something else cooked, but it will have taken you more of your personal time to do so.

Now, I'm not saying this excuses such behavior, but the OP is right, the chefs are lying out their derrières.

Carawaystick

I think the "Til it arrives" can be longer than the time to prepare and cook a hot dinner though. It depends on your circumstances.
like
"Jaysus man I'm staaarvin. where's the chinese menu til I see what I want."
Ring, hold, order, correct mistakes, order wait 25 mins, pass out with the hunger


or
"Jaysus man I'm staaarvin." open fridge, take out ingredients, cook, eat put stuff in dishwasher, answer door, call collapsed housemate to pay for chinese

BaZmO*

Minder wrote:

Unless you eat your takeaway from the box, with a plastic fork and drink from a paper cup, there will be some element of tidy up to do.

A plate a knife and a fork compared to the same as well as pots and pans and and a chopping board and cleaning down a work surface? Not really the same.

Carawaystick wrote:

or
"Jaysus man I'm staaarvin." open fridge, take out ingredients, cook, eat put stuff in dishwasher, answer door, call collapsed housemate to pay for chinese

But that's assuming that you have the ingredients in your fridge already.

Minder

Can I make a meal with ingredients from my fridge or store cupboard quicker than I can order and recieve a takeaway?

Absolutely!

I choose to because I take pleasure from cooking, from knowing what ingredients I am eating. I can satisfy my hunger quicker than the local pizza seller.

Yes, I have had to shop for food, yes, I will have to clean up after my meal - but I cook & eat because I enjoy food, not because I need it to live. I could save myself a bunch of minutes by eating takeaway, but I like food too much to bother.

BaZmO* - you are correct, celeb chefs are not giving the full facts, but if they did maybe people would decide there is no point in watching - cooking takes too long:D