Live webchat with new TV chef Rachel Khoo 19 March 1-2pm

Merci beaucoup for having me, it was great fun. I hope you all tune in tonight, 8.30pm BBC2.

Or cook something from my lovely cookbook (which I illustrated too - I'm very proud!).

floatingvoter

Do you prefer cooking main courses or puddings - and if you wanted to make someone think you were a great cook (!) which would you concentrate on?

It would depend who I was cooking for! When I cooked for guests in my restaurant I found women preferred lighter dishes and men preferred heavier, protein-based menu. There is some truth in cliches...

Desserts and patisserie is always easier to transport and to impress people with.

hyper

I'm very much looking forward to the programme tonight. How were you discovered? Did the book come first, or the TV series, or the restaurant?

September 2010 I emailed my favourite publishers and asked for a meeting. I then got a meeting with Penguin and they loved my idea and offered me a book deal.

After the book deal I met up with lots of production companies and picked out one which suited me best - Plum pictures, a small independent production company. We filmed a taster, approached the networks, BBC loved it, commissioned a pilot, which we filmed this summer and then they gave a green light for the series in November 2011.

We finished filming 3 weeks ago, so it's been an insane 18 months! Restaurant came when I signed the book deal. I thought that there was no way I could eat 120 recipes on my own, so I thought why not open a restaurant in my 21 square metre apartment? A table for two.

And here I am!

crosspatch

I read in the papers over the weekend that you ran your restaurant with only two gas rings - is that right? Is the television show filmed in your real kitchen, or on a set?

Yes, Tv show is also in my kitchen. It was a challenge to squeeze a TV crew into my kitchen. Yes - 2 rings and a mini toaster oven!

Hope you tune in tonight!

GrannyBusy

Hi Rachel
Any great cheats you'd like to share?

My top tip for working in a small kitchen (might not be a cheat) is being organised and working tidily!

I do have a cheat when I roll out pastry, I roll it our between two sheets of baking paper, and that way you don't have to clean any flour away from the surface. That way if the pastry gets too soft and starts melting, you can slide it into the fridge for 5 minutes.

When you want to fill a piping bag, you take a jug or large jar and you fold the ends of the piping bag over the edge so that it opens up the piping bag. That way you have two hands to scrape the mix in. No juggling piping bags and bowl.

Lots of other little tips in the book.

Joan

Do you agree that the French way of always sitting at a table to eat, and generally only eating at meal times, is much healthier than the 'grazing' that is so common in the English speaking world?

It depends what you're grazing on!

When I worked in the UK, I often grazed on not-so-healthy snacks. I think there's something to be said for sitting down and having a proper meal. It's about taking time to eat and not rushing. There's nothing worse than eating on the go.

Mamie

In your reply to Carol you said that you use double cream! Can you buy that in Paris? Here in Normandy we can get creme crue and creme fraiche and a sort of sterilized whipping cream. I find that none of them behave the same way as double cream. Please tell us what you use - this is probably one of the most common questions on ex-pat forums.

When I was testing recipes for the cookbook, I used 'Creme entiere', which is sterilised whipping cream, with a red lid. It's the closest to double cream. For the recipes I've done it doesn't make that much of a difference. I think the cream is better in the UK - apart from the creme fraiche!

trustywif

Mr Trusty has recently taken up cooking very enthusiastically, but he is very keen on frying things or cooking them in oil in the oven. Can you suggest any ways of deflecting him into healthier ways of cooking?

You could steam or poach them? Or use an oil drizzler (on the top of the bottle) - that way, Mr Trusty will naturally use less (hopefully!).

I think it's always good to go heavy with the herbs to boost the flavour. A non-stick pan is better, so you don't need so much oil to cook your dishes.

I've got a recipe for Trout in a parcel (or en papillote) in the book - which goes in the oven, but you wrap up the fish in a paper parcel with a lemon marinade. by cooking it in a parcel, the fish will stay moist, and you don't need a lot of oil.

Mamie

We have lived in France for some years and during that time have become increasingly disappointed by the range and quality of food on offer in restaurants. Given that things may be different in Paris and large cities, would you agree that in general French cuisine has got stuck in a time-warp and is more in need of a complete (as the French would say) "re-looking" rather than just updating with a modern twist.

Yes, I agree. Paris is a very vibrant city and therefore I think the quality is a lot better than the rest of France, as there is a demand for it. Parisians love to eat out and discover "the next big thing". There are a lot of small restaurants with young chefs updating French food.

My way of updating French food has been very popular with the French press and the French. The book is even being translated into French by one of the biggest publishers in France. It's ironic that an English girl is telling French how to update their food!

openmind

Have you got any tips for pastry? Mine seems to have got very heavy recently, although I haven't changed my method. What is the key to keeping it light and yet easy to handle?

And do you use only butter?

By the way, it's hard to say without knowing your recipe and seeing your technique!

openmind

Have you got any tips for pastry? Mine seems to have got very heavy recently, although I haven't changed my method. What is the key to keeping it light and yet easy to handle?

And do you use only butter?

I only use butter, I would never ever use margarine ! The key is not overworking your dough, using minimal water to bind it. My shortcrust pastry is just plain flour, butter, egg yolk, salt and sugar and a tiny bit of water if needed. I find cold hands and a cold work surface, and also letting the dough rest, really help. I've got more tips in my book!