The Drunken Chef UK

The Drunken Chef UK I love cooking, baking and a good gin. I'll share these dishes I love to make accompanied by a big glass of something.

I'll also share dishes from eateries I have visited. I enjoy food photography and styling so all pics are taken by yours truly.

06/09/2026

Chicken Shawarma 🌯

I’ve been getting to know , a brilliant family-run business started by mum and son Shashi & Sanjay. I love how they’ve followed their passion for food and grown it into the business it is today, with cookbooks, TV, Dragons’ Den and multiple Great Taste Awards. ❤️

I chose three blends to try: Shawarma, Smoky Chipotle BBQ & Baharat, but the Shawarma was the one I wanted to create with!

I made my own chicken shawarma with charred chicken thighs, then loaded it into flatbreads with fries, pickles and lots of homemade toum. Garlic lovers, this one’s for you! 🧄

Have you tried Spice Kitchen? Which blend would you pick?

[gifted]

23/08/2026

NEW VIETNAMESE IN SOUTHSEA 🇻🇳

has only been open for around two weeks and I’ve already been twice… because I genuinely loved it that much! 🫶🏻

My first visit took me straight back to Vietnam with how fresh, colourful and full of flavour everything was, so I had to come back and this time I brought my parents along too… and they approved! 🙌

The restaurant is gorgeous too. Sleek, bright, modern and beautifully finished, with lots of Hanoi-inspired touches that make you feel like you’ve stepped somewhere a little different from Southsea.

And the team are SO lovely. Rachel and the team, including Myra, were so welcoming, attentive and happy to chat through the menu.

We tried so much across both visits:

🌿 Summer tofu spring rolls £9.50
🌿 Betel leaf with grilled pork & beef £10.50
🥭 Veggie mango & papaya salad £10
🍜 Chicken Pho £14
🔥 Special hot stone Pho £21
🥩 Shaking Beef £17.50
🐷 Braised pork in coconut water £15.50
☕️ Vietnamese drip coffee £4.90
🍊 Hanoi Citrus £4.90
🌅 Saigon Sunset £6.50
🍺 Saigon b**r £5

The hot stone Pho was a serious meal and absolutely packed with flavour, while the betel leaf was a first for me and I loved it!

And if you fancy trying it for yourself, they’re currently offering 20% off all meals until 3rd September.

📍 119 Elm Grove, Southsea, PO5 1LH

20/08/2026

Our first time at and what a lovely day we had! 🌞

and I jumped on the train and headed over for a day of food, drinks and sunshine, and I’m so glad we did.

It was busy but never felt crowded, the space was really well laid out and there was plenty of shade from the trees which was very welcome!

We tried SO many things, picked up some sausage rolls, pasties, found some gorgeous spirits and saw a few familiar faces from other festivals and events around Portsmouth too, including , and

I really loved how much it supports local and independent food and drink makers. There were a few stalls from further afield too, but everything still had that local independent business feel.

Such a lovely atmosphere with good food, conversation’s, drinks, music and plenty of people enjoying themselves. Definitely one I’d go back to.

We paid for our own tickets and just fancied making the most of the sunshine with one last festival day out!

Already looking forward to next year… see you in 2027! 🍸

If you’re planning your food festival visits for 2027, I’d definitely add this one to the list! 👌

26/07/2026

Welcome to the Smokehouse Roadtrip! 🔥 Four BBQ flavour kits, four tasty recipes… let the BBQ series begin! 🤩

Scroll through the next four reels to see which recipes I created with each flavour kit 😍👩‍🍳

Which flavour would you try first? 👇

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25/07/2026

BBQ season is here, and these Mexican Smoky Ancho Chicken Skewers were too good and a must to shout about! 🔥

One thing I really like about the flavour kits is that they come with easy-to-follow recipe cards and perfectly measured flavour pots, so there’s no faffing about measuring spices or buying loads of ingredients you’ll probably only use once. It makes cooking really simple, saves time and still gives you loads of flavour.

I did put my own twist on this one though! I swapped the pineapple for chorizo (because… chorizo is 😍) and as I’ve never been a coriander fan, I used fresh parsley instead.

Ingredients
• 4 chicken thighs, cut into chunks
• 1 red pepper, cut into chunks
• ½ red onion and 1-2 tomatoes chopped for the salsa
• 2 limes
• SimplyCook Mexican Smoky Ancho Flavour Kit
• Chorizo (my swap instead of pineapple)
• Fresh parsley (my swap instead of coriander)

Method

- Coat the chicken with the Ancho Chilli BBQ Rub.
- Thread the chicken, chorizo, pepper and onion onto skewers.
- Air fry at 180°C for 12-15( minutes.
- Finely chop the remaining onion and tonato and mix with the Smoky Pickle Mix, the juice of 1 lime and chopped parsley to make a fresh salsa.
-Turn the skewers, brush over the Smoky Chilli Glaze and cook for a further 2 minutes, until cooked through.
-Serve with the salsa and lime wedges.

Would you keep the pineapple or are you team chorizo like me? 😍

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25/07/2026

You can’t beat a good homemade burger! 🍔🔥

These Texas Fire & Smoke BBQ Beef Burgers were so easy to make and full of smoky BBQ flavour!

One thing I really like about the flavour kits is that they come with easy-to-follow recipe cards and perfectly measured flavour pots. No faffing about measuring spices or buying loads of different ingredients, just everything you need to make a really tasty meal.

Ingredients

• 500g Beef mince
• 4 Burger buns
• 1/2 Red onion
• Baby gem lettuce
• Cheese slices
• Tomato
• SimplyCook Texas Fire & Smoke BBQ flavour kit

Method

-Mix the beef with the seasoning from the flavour kit and shape into burger patties.
-Slice the red onion and make the quick pickled onions following the recipe card.
-Cook the burgers until browned and cooked through.
-Brush over the BBQ glaze and cook for another couple of minutes until sticky and glazed.
-Build your burger with the baby gem lettuce, tomato, cheese, pickled onions and burger sauce.

This one was so easy to throw together and definitely one I’ll be making again! 🍔🔥

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24/07/2026

This Kansas Sweet ‘n’ Sticky BBQ Cauliflower was so easy to make and packed with smoky, sticky flavour. It’s the meat-free option from the Simplycook.Com Smokehouse BBQ flavour kit.

One thing I really like about the SimplyCook flavour kits is that they come with easy-to-follow recipe cards and perfectly measured flavour pots. No faffing about measuring spices or buying loads of different ingredients, just simple cooking with loads of flavour.

Ingredients
• 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 60g mayonnaise
• ½ lemon, juiced
• A pinch of sugar (optional)
• SimplyCook Kansas Sweet ‘n’ Sticky BBQ Flavour Kit

Method

-Toss the cauliflower florets with the Mustard Seed BBQ Rub and the oil until evenly coated.
-Air fry at 180°C for around 15 minutes, shaking halfway, until tender with crispy edges.
-Brush over the Kansas Sweet ‘n’ Sticky Glaze and cook for another 2–3 minutes until sticky and caramelised.
-Mix the mayonnaise with the dill mix, juice of half a lemon and a pinch of sugar to make the picklenaise.
-Serve the cauliflower with the picklenaise and enjoy!

I’d happily make this one again as a side for a BBQ… or just eat the whole bowl myself! 😅

[AD] Simplycook.com

24/07/2026

These Canadian BBQ Glazed Hot Dogs were so quick to make and so tasty! 🌭🔥

I really enjoyed making these and loved how much flavour was packed into such a simple recipe.

One thing I like about the Simplycook.com flavour kits is that they come with easy-to-follow recipe cards and perfectly measured flavour pots. It means no faffing about measuring spices or buying loads of different ingredients, making it really easy to cook something full of flavour.

I did have one little moment though… I completely forgot to add the cornichons. They still made it onto the hot dogs… and yes, I may have had a cheeky sip of the pickle juice too! 🥒🤣

Ingredients
• 6 hot dog buns
• 6 pork sausages
• 2 brown onions
• Cornichons
• 1 tbsp apple c***r vinegar
• SimplyCook Canadian Maple & Oak BBQ Flavour Kit

Method

-Mix the Burnt Sugar BBQ Seasoning with the apple c***r vinegar and mayonnaise, then stir through the chopped cornichons to make the campfire mayo.
-Slice the onions and cook until soft, then stir through the Maple & Miso Sauce until sticky and caramelised.
-Air fry the sausages at 180°C for 12 minutes, turning halfway.
-Brush over the Bourbon Style BBQ Glaze and cook for a further 2 minutes until sticky and glazed.
-Load the buns with the sausages, caramelised onions, campfire mayo and cornichons, then serve and enjoy.

Would you give these a try? 😍

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12/07/2026

Fine dining in the clouds… there really is something quite special about enjoying dinner 105 metres above Portsmouth with beautiful, clear views across the Solent.

During June, to celebrate English W**e Week, we headed up for a five-course dinner, with each course paired with a different w**e from **es.

As the sun began to set and the city lights appeared below us, we enjoyed:

🐚 Seared Scallop
Parsnip & White Chocolate Purée | Lemon Oil
Paired with Hattingley Valley Classic Reserve NV

🐟 Hot Smoked Trout Rillette
Pickled Cucumber
Paired with Hattingley Valley Blanc de Blancs

🍲 Tuscan-Style Stew
Polenta Slices | Fennel Salad
Paired with Hattingley Valley King’s Cuvée

🥩 Pepper Crusted Venison
Pomme Fondant | Red W**e Sauce
Paired with Hattingley Valley Rosé

🍓 Strawberry Mille-feuille
Elderflower Custard | Strawberry and Basil Salsa
Paired with Hattingley Valley Entice

The whole evening felt elegant but wonderfully relaxed, with live music, beautiful food, English w**e and those incredible views high above the city.

Perfect for celebrating something special, a memorable date night, or simply because sometimes it’s good to dress up and treat yourself.

Keep an eye out for future fine dining events at Spinnaker Tower. This is definitely an experience worth adding to your list.

📍 Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth

**eWeek

11/07/2026

Lymington Seafood Festival 2026 🦞☀️

Along with , we spent the first day of Lymington Seafood Festival soaking up the sunshine, seafood and drinks!

We travelled in by train and walked through the pretty coastal town of Lymington to the festival site, only around 10 minutes from the station. With the sunshine and relaxed market town vibes, it felt like we were abroad! ☀️

Here are just some of the amazing vendors we came across:

🦞 .claws – Probably one of the most unique food setups I’ve seen! A boat transformed into their kitchen, where they cook and serve up fresh lobster and fries.

🥂 **es – My favourite English sparkling w**e and love to catch up with Bex and the team!

🍸 – Created by Mat from his love of foraging. As a MasterChef winner, he certainly knows how to create some incredible flavours, and these liqueurs taste amazing!

🍅 – Vodka made from milk! They also make a mean Bloody Mary, which of course was a must for me!

🌭 – One of the many non-seafood options at the festival and one of my favourites for Korean dishes and corn dogs!

🐟 – Bringing the smoky goodness with their smoked mackerel.

🍸 – A New Forest distillery and a new gin discovery for me! Loved meeting the team, and I definitely need to book one of their gin-making classes soon!

🦪 Coral Bay Seafoods – A local seafood team you’ll find at Lymington Market and, of course, oysters were tried

👜 - Their tote bag designs are so fun, brought one for myself!

Such a lovely day filled with sunshine, seafood, drinks, live music and discovering some brilliant independent producers.

The festival is back tomorrow and a few tickets left, so there’s still time to join the fun! ☀️🐟🦞

What would you have tried first? 👀

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