My food hell as a French cook? The weird condiment Brits put on their Sunday roast

Manon let us snoop through her kitchen (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams)

Welcome back to What’s Cooking, Metro’s food series, taking a peek inside the nation’s kitchens.

This week, we’re at home with Manon Lagrève, snooping through the baker and cookbook author’s cupboards, fridge, and freezer.

Originally from France, Manon now lives in London with her family and creates content online, showing off her fabulous food.

If you’re not one of her 711,000 Instagram followers, you’ll likely recognise the 34-year-old from her time on the Great British Bake Off. She made it all the way to the quarter-finals in 2018 before being sent home.

But narrowly missing out on being crowned Bake Off champion hasn’t stopped her – she’s thriving. Most recently, the mum-of-two launched her own coffee business, Café Manon, with two half-caff coffee blends, designed to deliver full-bodied flavour.

Keep reading to learn some sneaky Bake Off secrets, Manon’s most unhinged snack obsessions, and her money-saving hack when buying eggs at the supermarket.

The former Bake Off star now creates cooking and baking content online, writes cookbooks, and has launched her own coffee brand (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams)

First, tell us a secret. What’s the most unhinged thing you like to eat?

My mum used to buy pork brains from the butcher, and we’d eat them for dinner. It sounds strange, but it’s actually delicious. You just boil the brain in vinegar, smash it and then put it on toast with some butter. 

Which dish instantly transports you back to your childhood?

Gâteau au yaourt, which is the first cake I ever made with my mum, so it’s very nostalgic for me. Now I make it with my kids, and it’s in my cookbooks too. 

It’s really easy to make; every kid in France knows how to bake one.

It’s just yoghurt, eggs, sugar, baking powder, and oil, and then my sister and I used to melt dark chocolate with salted butter to put on top, but you could use whatever you like.

The 34-year-old always has a stocked store cupboard (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams)

Do you have any controversial opinions on British food?

I remember coming here and having Sunday lunch for the first time, and people had this weird green sauce and jam with the meat. After 15 years living in the UK, I still don’t get why mint sauce and cranberry sauce are served with roasts. I don’t like it.

Name one thing that’s always in your fridge?

It’s so basic, but French salted butter. 

I probably order 500g of butter twice a week from Ocado, as M&S does a really great French butter.  

Manon always has salted butter in the fridge and French cheese in her freezer (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams)

What about the freezer?

There’s often some raclette cheese in the freezer, which I get my mum to bring me when she comes to visit from France.

And in your store cupboard?

I always keep a bottle of Champagne on hand in case friends drop by unexpectedly, so I can make an easy, last-minute aperitivo. And if for some reason there’s no Champagne, there’s always rosé, my favourite is Maison Mirabeau Pure.

Manon always keeps some Champagne at home (Credits: Justin Griffiths-Williams)

Is there anything you can’t stop yourself from splurging on at the supermarket?

I splurge on any kind of whole food. Food is the most important part of my life, and it’s so important for our bodies, so I always buy the best I can afford, and I’m lucky to be able to do that. 

What do you always get the own-brand version of?

Eggs. My parents have an egg farm, and they sell their own brand, but they also have supermarkets that send them egg cartons, and they just fill them with the eggs, so often it’s just all the same thing, and nutritionally speaking, all eggs are the same anyway. 

Manon doesn’t buy expensive branded eggs (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams)

Can you share any secrets from the Great British Bake Off?

You know when they ask if we’ve practiced the bakes?  I was just making these recipes up and hoping for the best. They were lucky if I ever managed to test out a recipe once before making it in the tent, on camera.

A lot of people don’t realise that a lot of the contestants are still working full-time while on the show. A few people did quit their jobs, but I was a full-time project manager for IT at the time, and I’d work a full week and then travel and film Bake Off all weekend. 

I did Bake Off for myself, because I love to bake, but it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I would get back to work on Monday, and I could not stand. It was exhausting both physically and mentally, especially as you’re putting your heart on a platter for Paul Hollywood to rip it to shreds. 

It was a big learning curve, but good practice to become a recipe developer, that’s for sure.

When you’re not cooking, where do you love to eat in London?

As I mostly cook French food at home, it’s quite nice to have a bit of variation, and some of my favourites at the moment are Maroush for Lebanese food, bento boxes from Taro, which are delicious, and paneer masala from Bombay Bicycle.

I also love Crispin at Studio Voltaire, and Café François in Borough Market – they do a great roasted chicken and chips.

Manon shares a look at her cooking online (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams)

Is there anything you won’t eat?

I’m not really a fan of spice. To me, it just kills all of the flavours of food. I can eat mustard, it’s like an infant’s kick, but I don’t like chilli, it just tastes spicy.

And finally… what’s been cooking lately?

I usually have spelt pasta from Northern Pasta Co. in the cupboard, as it’s easy on the family’s digestion. I use it to make a quick midweek dinner, adding some homemade tomato sauce and roasted vegetables.

Want to take part in What’s Cooking and let Metro raid your kitchen at home? Email [email protected] 

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