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Air fryers sparked a heated debate among culinary enthusiasts and professionals alike, with their convenience winning over many home cooks but leaving some chefs cold.
Celebrity chef James Martin is one of the high-profile critics who openly slammed the gadgets. During his appearance at the BBC Good Food Show, he didn’t mince words, declaring to the crowd: “I don’t use an air fryer. In my opinion they should be banned.”
Meanwhile, esteemed food critic Jay Rayner didn’t hold back after giving an air fryer a whirl, lambasting the device by saying: “It does not fry. It doesn’t even come close to mimicking the glorious impact of placing foods in a pan of tumbling, boiling golden fat.”
However, when we put the question to Michelin-trained chef Poppy O’Toole, her response was refreshingly positive. She’s firmly on the side of team air fryer, despite the disdain from some of her peers.
While air fryers may get snubbed by seasoned chefs, they’ve found a place in the hearts (and kitchens) of everyday cooks. For novices, these appliances can demystify the art of cooking, offering a straightforward route to tasty meals with just a few button presses.
Poppy points out for beginners, traditional ovens can seem “intimidating”, which is why air fryers are embraced as “such a useful tool in the kitchen”. Knowing where to start is often the hardest part for newcomers.
She suggests kicking things off with something like McCain’s five-minute air fryer chips, praising them for being “convenient”. From there, Poppy encourages budding chefs to “build upon that” and expand their air fryer repertoire.
Poppy extolled the virtues of kitchen gadgets for budding chefs, suggesting that slow cookers and air fryers are particularly user-friendly. “not intimidating” at all, these devices allow you to “throw it all in” and trust the process, she advised.
As your culinary skills flourish from mastering simple dishes, Poppy believes such appliances can boost your kitchen confidence. “Then, your confidence grows as you make more food if you start with the basics and work your way up using those tools that are making cooking easier. It’s just less intimidating”, she explained.
She hailed air fryers as a game-changer in the kitchen, describing them as “revolutionary” and “brilliant”. Poppy enthused about their simplicity: “It’s just a drawer,” and due to its compact size, “because it’s so small and contained it’s just easier”.
For those keen to try out an air fryer, a Ninja model with dual compartments is available directly from the website for £149, or one can snag it from Amazon at an identical price point.