The family man and TV presenter shares why you shouldn’t rush to serve up on the big day
For many in the UK, Christmas dinner is one of the year’s most anticipated meals, but it also brings a unique kind of pressure.
From sourcing the perfect turkey to coordinating sides, drinks and desserts, planning the festive feast can feel overwhelming. The expectation to deliver a flawless, memorable meal for everyone can certainly suck the fun out of the day if you are in charge of cooking.
Celebrity chef and dad of six Gordon Ramsay knows all about hosting incredible family dinners on Christmas Day. Luckily for us, he has some sage advice to help make it feel more fun and less stressful.
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In a TikTok video shared by The Jonathon Ross Show (@jrossshow) in the run-up to last year’s festive frolics, the chef shared his “top tips to make sure Christmas Day goes down as a success” with over 1.2 million followers.
He said: “Stop worrying about calling lunch too early. Push it back to 3 or 4 o’clock. That way you don’t stress out and you get to enjoy it as well.”
Eating Christmas dinner later in the day allows families to enjoy a more leisurely Christmas morning, enjoy a good breakfast and build up an appetite for the main event. It means even the family chef should have plenty of time to focus on opening gifts or attending church services before settling down for the feast.
By the afternoon, the main meal feels more like a grand, celebratory finale to the day, and it provides plenty of time for preparation without the rush. Plus, eating later allows for indulgence without worrying about hunger striking again later in the day.
In the short video, the cooking connoisseur also urges home cooks to call on the rest of the family for assistance in the run up to the main meal.
He said: “The day before on Christmas Eve, get all the family, uncles, aunties and grandmas to help with peeling the veg. Part cook the veg.
“Everyone worries about that turkey. Honestly, first thing about 5.30 or six o’clock in the morning, put the Turkey in the oven on low, then get yourself back to bed for a few hours.
“Get yourself a plan with an A, B, C, D, outlining what to do at each hour of the day before lunch is served.”
