Chef Michel Roux Jr shares his Christmas dinner tip for a calm kitchen

last updated 19 April 2022

Christmas might be a smaller affair for many households this year, but getting the Christmas dinner out on the table in time can be stressful whether you're feeding two or six. Luckily Michelin starred chef Michel Roux Jr has a Christmas dinner tip to help the day go off without a hitch.

Michel Roux Jr shared his top tip with Ideal Home for how to stay organised on the big day. And make sure the turkey or nut roast lands on the table without a hitch.

room with photoframe on wall and dining table with white plates and glasses

'Get organised. Make the menu plan and plan your table dressing and settings well in advance - then stick to it!' says the Michelin starred chef.

But, as anyone who has watched The Great British Bake Off or Masterchef can attest, however much you plan and prepare, things can still get out of hand when cooking is involved.

However, the key to not getting overwhelmed in your kitchen could all be a matter of where you store your ingredients. 'Put all the ingredients you need for the day in one place so it's to hand,' suggests Michel Roux Jr.

'The deep drawer organisers and floor-to-ceiling convoy larders in the Roux Kitchens collection – my kitchen collection with Moores – are perfect for this type of Christmas day organisation!'

room with white walls and wooden shelves with glass jars and bottles

We'd suggest clearing off a shelf in a cupboard for all the dry ingredients. And a shelf in the fridge for everything that needs to be kept cool overnight.

To avoid a day slaving over a chopping board and measuring out ingredients, do all this the night before and store the prepped ingredients in containers. This will make it easier to house them all in the same area and give you one less job to do.

It is also a good idea to get all your utensils ready to go, and in there place. 'Make sure your pots, pans and utensils are ‘mise en place’ (in its place!) before you get started,' says Michel. 'Investing in drawer dividers and other storage solutions can really make all the difference when it comes to not getting flustered on the big day.'

wooden divider box with steel forks spoons and knives

You can pick up clever dividers from the Roux Kitchens collection in collaboration with Moores. Alternatively, those on a budget can get creative with old containers and even magazine racks. It might sound strange but they are perfect for keeping saucepans in order.

Heed Michel Roux Jr's advice and you'll get dinner on the table this Christmas without breaking a sweat.

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Christmas

Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women's weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend.