App review: Great British Chefs
Published on February 22, 2013
Throughout this week we will be reviewing interesting mobile apps for food lovers as part of National App Week. No, we didn’t know App Week existed until yesterday, either – but apparently Britain is considered to be the world’s best when it comes to app development, so that’s a good enough reason for us.
Here, Michael Banks of tech company Corporate Group takes us through Great British Chefs for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad…
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What does it do?
The Great British Chefs app boasts three key ingredients: 12 chefs, 180 recipes and 15 Michelin stars. Each chef presents three full menus with five courses each. There are 180 recipes in total, with photos, ingredients lists, cooking times, wine recommendations and step by step instructions. The 15 michelin stars are the combined accolades of the contributing chefs, including: Tom Aikens, Francis Atkins, Pascal Aussignac, Sean Hope (of Great Food Club restaurants The Olive Branch and The Red Lion Inn) Daniel Clifford, Simon Hulston, Nuno Mendes, Nathan Outlaw, Shaun Rankin, James Sommerin, Agnar Sverrisson, Marcus Wareing and Martin Wishart. Phew.
What’s good about it?
An advantage over hard copy cookbooks is that the app provides video explanations for when the recipes get to a particularly tricky stage. Special versions are available for summer time and Christmas, too. If you need fresh inspiration and the confidence to execute a great new menu, all the ideas and advice are right her in one app.
What’s bad about it?
It’s very difficult to find anything bad about this app, other than that it’s not available on Android devices, so it’s no wonder Great British Chefs is hailed as one of the best cookery apps available, even the presentation is impeccable. It’s worth noting, though, that this is an app for those who are semi-serious about cooking; it’s not a quick meal guide, and a fondness for pigs’ cheeks and fish with faces would be an advantage.
Verdict:
There are no ‘celebrity chefs’ here, just the best in the profession. If you’re planning a dinner party, the menu plans complete with wine recommendations will save you trawling through endless cookbooks and agonising over course combinations, not to mention the hours you could waste procrastinating in the wine aisle of your local supermarket. With this app you can be absolutely confident that, so long as you follow the methods correctly, your guests will be impressed.
Score: 5/5
Great British Chefs is available for £4.99 on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Download it here.
