Too many cooks: how top chefs handle festive food feuds at Christmas

The annual TV Christmas adverts paint an idyllic scene of festive family joy and happiness but, in reality, it’s not always plain sailing. Romy is a former IndyEats recipe columnist and is publishing her third cookbook next year open image in gallery Romy has been banned from cooking roast potatoes by her children “I’ve been banned from cooking roast potatoes my way. “We’re at my sister’s this year though, so I’ll definitely be the one walking in the kitchen asking for a wifi password, 10 minutes before lunch.” Roberta Hall McCarron: Why you should trust a chef’s timings Chef and owner of The Little Chartroom and Eleanore, both in Edinburgh “Last year, my daughter was still quite young so I didn’t do much of the cooking, but I did lay down the law on the length of time that the turkey should be cooked for. Then potatoes go into the hot oil, keep them on a high temperature, then at the very last minute, when they’re nice and crispy and golden, I’ll put crushed garlic, thyme and bay leaf and mix them up.” open image in gallery Tom says it’s his way or the highway Tom Cenci: You’ll get what you’re given Executive chef of Nessa, Yasmina and 1 Warwick, all in London “When it comes to trimmings, everyone wants something different as they’ve all got their own idea of what a traditional Christmas dinner should be. But when I’m hosting it’s my way, and if I go to someone else’s and they’re cooking, I hate getting roped into cooking there.” Douglas McMaster: No booze before yorkshires open image in gallery Douglas will do anything to protect his yorkshire puddings Chef, author and presenter, Douglas is the chef-owner of Michelin green-stared Silo in London, the world’s first zero-waste restaurant “My family has a rule now – no drinking before the Yorkshire puddings are on the table.