LOOK WHO IS JOINING US IN 2025 AT

The Cook’s Companion with

YOUR HOST

Ellen Manning

Ellen Manning is a journalist and food writer, food judge and award-winning blogger. She writes on food and drink for publications for national newspapers and magazines and also writes the award-winning food and travel blog Eat with Ellen.

Ellen is a longstanding judge on the Great Taste Awards, Regional Chair for the Class Bar Awards and has also judged previously on the National Fish & Chip Awards and the Quality Food Awards.

Atul Kochhar
Clare Andrews
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Glynn Purnell
Kate Quilton
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Molly Robbins
Molly Robbins
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Richard Bertinet
Richard Bertinet
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The Happy Pear
The Happy Pear
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Clare Andrews

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Clare Andrews, was gifted an air fryer early in the lockdowns of 2020. Unsure of what to make (other than chips!) keen home cook Clare started exploring the possibilities of her air fryer. She began sharing her quick and delicious recipes on Instagram, soon amassing a dedicated following looking to share her expertise. She now has more than 110k followers on Instagram, and her first book The Ultimate Air Fryer Cookbook is a number 1 Sunday Times bestseller.

Clare, has co-presented five Channel 5 air fryer cooking shows, alongside Alexis Conran. Clare has also appeared on C5 and ITV news and numerous BBC National Radio shows. Clare has partnered with leading brands including Robert Dyas, Tesco, Nestle, Hello Fresh, Ocado and Ninja. Clare frequently contributes to leading publications including The Guardian, The Times, The Sun, The Telegraph, The Mirror and OK Magazine.

Clare’s third cookbook was released in November 2024, The Ultimate Air Fryer Cookbook: One-basket Meals. With a fourth book currently in the making!

Kate Quilton

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Kate Quilton is widely recognised as the presenter of Food Unwrapped, a role she has held since 2012. Her TV career began while she was still a student, landing her first reporting job at ITV West. Between university lectures, Kate would rush out to film segments on the local football team. After graduating, she spent a year presenting a live science show for young audiences as part of the Faraday Lectures for the Institute of Engineering and Technology. Kate then transitioned to broadcast journalism with the BBC in Somerset, where she immersed herself in the world of farming and culinary delights.

Molly Robbins

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Molly Robbins, also known as Molly Makes Cakes, has been a cake artist for 12years. Trained as a special effects artist, Molly is known for creating impressive 3D illusion cakes, from hyper realistic food to life-size animals, and best known as the star of Channel 4 and Netflix series Extreme Cake Makers. With a life-long career, Michael has built his reputation on a highly personal and distinctive Of all the events Molly is involved in, CarFest is her absolute favourite. ‘’The sheer scale of the festival, alongside the variety of activities and special guests, is so impressive and enjoyable. And the fact it raises so much money for charities is just the icing on the cake!’’

Richard Bertinet

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Richard Bertinet, a master baker, trained in Brittany, France, and has been based in England since 1988. With over 30 years of experience, he founded The Bertinet Kitchen cookery school in Bath in 2005, attracting students from around the globe. Richard has been named BBC Food Champion of the Year and is an Academian of The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. He has authored six award-winning cookbooks, including Dough, Crust, and Crumb. In 2008, Richard launched The Bertinet Bakery, the UK’s first national artisan bakery. He sold it to The Bread Factory in 2019 and now focuses on his new project, Bertinet at Home. 

The Happy Pear

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In 2004 at the age of 24, Dave and Steve started The Happy Pear, a fruit and veg shop, to try to create a happier, healthier world and build community. It's gone from the two lads to a team of almost 100, the business turning over €10 million in 2019. The Happy Pear now has 70 vegan food products in nearly 1,000 stores in Ireland, a cafe, a farm, coffee roastery, and a sourdough bakery. They've sold over half a million cookbooks (6 number one bestsellers) and have a suit of online health and lifestyle courses, and recipes, in which they partnered with plant-based doctors and experts from across the globe, having helped over 120,000 people through these courses from 120 different countries. Now all these courses can be found on their app!

Atul Kochhar
Clare Andrews
READ BIO
Glynn Purnell
Kate Quilton
READ BIO

Clare Andrews

CLOSE

Clare Andrews, was gifted an air fryer early in the lockdowns of 2020. Unsure of what to make (other than chips!) keen home cook Clare started exploring the possibilities of her air fryer. She began sharing her quick and delicious recipes on Instagram, soon amassing a dedicated following looking to share her expertise. She now has more than 110k followers on Instagram, and her first book The Ultimate Air Fryer Cookbook is a number 1 Sunday Times bestseller.

Clare, has co-presented five Channel 5 air fryer cooking shows, alongside Alexis Conran. Clare has also appeared on C5 and ITV news and numerous BBC National Radio shows. Clare has partnered with leading brands including Robert Dyas, Tesco, Nestle, Hello Fresh, Ocado and Ninja. Clare frequently contributes to leading publications including The Guardian, The Times, The Sun, The Telegraph, The Mirror and OK Magazine.

Clare’s third cookbook was released in November 2024, The Ultimate Air Fryer Cookbook: One-basket Meals. With a fourth book currently in the making!

Kate Quilton

CLOSE

Kate Quilton is widely recognised as the presenter of Food Unwrapped, a role she has held since 2012. Her TV career began while she was still a student, landing her first reporting job at ITV West. Between university lectures, Kate would rush out to film segments on the local football team. After graduating, she spent a year presenting a live science show for young audiences as part of the Faraday Lectures for the Institute of Engineering and Technology. Kate then transitioned to broadcast journalism with the BBC in Somerset, where she immersed herself in the world of farming and culinary delights.

Molly Robbins
Molly Robbins
READ BIO
Richard Bertinet
Richard Bertinet
READ BIO

Molly Robbins

CLOSE

Molly Robbins, also known as Molly Makes Cakes, has been a cake artist for 12years. Trained as a special effects artist, Molly is known for creating impressive 3D illusion cakes, from hyper realistic food to life-size animals, and best known as the star of Channel 4 and Netflix series Extreme Cake Makers. With a life-long career, Michael has built his reputation on a highly personal and distinctive Of all the events Molly is involved in, CarFest is her absolute favourite. ‘’The sheer scale of the festival, alongside the variety of activities and special guests, is so impressive and enjoyable. And the fact it raises so much money for charities is just the icing on the cake!’’

Richard Bertine

CLOSE

Richard Bertinet, a master baker, trained in Brittany, France, and has been based in England since 1988. With over 30 years of experience, he founded The Bertinet Kitchen cookery school in Bath in 2005, attracting students from around the globe. Richard has been named BBC Food Champion of the Year and is an Academian of The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. He has authored six award-winning cookbooks, including Dough, Crust, and Crumb. In 2008, Richard launched The Bertinet Bakery, the UK’s first national artisan bakery. He sold it to The Bread Factory in 2019 and now focuses on his new project, Bertinet at Home. 

The Happy Pear
The Happy Pear
READ BIO

The Happy Pear

CLOSE

In 2004 at the age of 24, Dave and Steve started The Happy Pear, a fruit and veg shop, to try to create a happier, healthier world and build community. It's gone from the two lads to a team of almost 100, the business turning over €10 million in 2019. The Happy Pear now has 70 vegan food products in nearly 1,000 stores in Ireland, a cafe, a farm, coffee roastery, and a sourdough bakery. They've sold over half a million cookbooks (6 number one bestsellers) and have a suit of online health and lifestyle courses, and recipes, in which they partnered with plant-based doctors and experts from across the globe, having helped over 120,000 people through these courses from 120 different countries. Now all these courses can be found on their app!

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