Rick Stein's Thermochef Measuring Fork

“If you saw me barrelling around in my van recently, cooking in beautiful locations around Spain, you might think that cookery gadgets are peripheral to what I do. And in a sense, that’s true, because I always feel TV has to be very natural. But being a restaurateur is different to making TV.

There is so much more emphasis on a high level of consistency, which is why we use a lot of digital meat thermometers in my kitchens. We use them to confirm a piece of meat is cooked, rather than how well done it is. Of course, those who remember the clip of me using a mandolin might surmise that gadgets and I got off on the wrong foot. That’s not the case — I’ve even got an iPad.”

Rick Stein is demonstrating at the BBC Good Food Show Winter, until 27 November at the Birmingham NEC

(Images: Rex Features)