James Martin, the acclaimed chef and proud Yorkshireman, has stirred controversy with his distinctive advice on perfecting Yorkshire puddings—specifically his grandmother’s recipe, which calls for an unusually high number of eggs. His comments came after he critiqued fellow chef Tom Kerridge’s method of making the classic British dish.
Born in Malton, Yorkshire, James refined his culinary talents in France at the Hostellerie De Plaisance and later worked at a three Michelin-star restaurant before becoming pastry chef at the Chewton Glen Hotel. Since the 1990s, he has become a familiar face on television, with appearances on Ready Steady Cook, The Big Breakfast, and a decade-long tenure hosting BBC’s Saturday Kitchen.
In a 2014 chat on Michael Parkinson’s show, James took aim at Tom Kerridge’s Yorkshire pudding technique while listening in on Tom’s radio discussion about consomme and Yorkshire puddings with Chris Evans. Amused but increasingly frustrated, James lamented the absence of a truly Yorkshire perspective on the dish and called in to share his grandmother’s “best Yorkshire pudding” recipe.
READ MORE: M48 Severn Bridge LIVE: Serious Crash Closes Road as Emergency Services Respond
READ MORE: Restaurant Issues Apology After AI Post Falsely Announces Rival’s Closure
The “controversial” tip? Using eight eggs per batch—alongside 8 ounces of flour and a pint of full-fat milk—far more than many traditional recipes. Martin insists the flour and eggs must be whisked together by hand, arguing that electric mixers toughen up gluten and stop puddings from rising properly. Only after whisking by hand does he add the milk, blending the batter smoothly before resting it overnight in the fridge.
James also stresses the importance of using beef dripping in the baking tins for authentic flavour and texture, rejecting alternatives like duck or goose fat. He reveals a key “golden rule” of opening the oven door just for two seconds after 20 minutes of baking, to release steam without disturbing the rising batter.
Complementing the Yorkshire puddings, Martin prefers a rich onion gravy for his roast dinners, often softening onions slowly and repurposing any leftover gravy into a warming soup.
Fans can catch James Martin live this morning on “James Martin’s Saturday Morning” at 9:30 am, where he will be joined by actor Nigel Havers and renowned chefs including Tom Aikens, Sabrina Gidda, and Atul Kochhar.