BBC Great British Menu star anc celebrity chef, Tom Kerridge has shared his simple method for poaching eggs, revealing the exact time it takes to get the ‘perfect’ result
Tom Kerridge has showcased his egg-spertise (stock)(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
If you’re aiming to create the “perfect” poached egg, Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge has outlined his straightforward technique guaranteed to deliver a delicious breakfast. “One of the most-asked questions is, ‘What is the meaning of life?’,” the 53-year old began in a TikTok video. “The second most-asked question is, ‘How do I poach an egg?'”
Tom, who runs The Hand & Flowers pub in Marlow, Buckinghamshire – the first and only pub in the UK to achieve two Michelin stars – went on to show how it’s accomplished using “nice, fresh eggs”.
The chef began by bringing water to a simmer in a pan, before adding a splash of vinegar to his egg cups. “Stir the water until it forms sort of a vortex as it rolls and rolls,” he instructed.
Tom then cracked the eggs into the cups, before placing them into the centre of the pan. “I’m just going to leave them there to gently poach,” he continued.
But the crucial question remains: for how long?
“The eggs have been sat in here for around three minutes now – and at this point we pull them out, [add a] pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper – and there you have it, the perfect poached eggs,” he declared.
Tom’s video prompted some confusion, with several TikTok users querying why vinegar was necessary. “You can skip the vinegar if you’d like, but it might take an extra minute or two to cook!” he explained in response.
Last month, the Great British Menu star revealed the one type of dish you’d never find served at any of his establishments, regardless of how fashionable it might be elsewhere.
“What is the one ingredient that will never enter your kitchen?” he was questioned by a TikTok follower.
Tom responded: “Do you know what? There’s quite a lot of exotic-style meats, you know. Things like ostrich or crocodile or – it’s just nothing that would ever, ever, ever make an appearance on our menus.”
Tom qualified as a chef and gained expertise in professional kitchens before progressing into senior positions. In 2005, he established his reputation through The Hand & Flowers, transforming it into a haven for ambitious, ingredient-focused cuisine.
Beyond managing restaurants, he’s emerged as a familiar media personality through cookbooks and television appearances, which helped popularise his “posh pub grub” approach.
He notably delivered the main course on series five and six of Great British Menu – and has subsequently returned as a judge on the well-loved BBC television show.
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