SURREY / AGILITYPR.NEWS / November 17, 2025 / - culinary expert Renu Ballantine shares how preparation, simplicity, and a few smart hacks are the secret to Yuletide success -

As the festive season approaches, Renu Ballantine (Chef Renu B) has unveiled her golden rules for a calm Christmas kitchen.

Renu, who has created tailored dining experiences for clients from London to Miami, specialises in simplifying complex culinary techniques to create dishes that are elegant, approachable, and packed with flavour. Her top tips provide the tricks of the trade that will help eliminate the panic and guesswork of festive cooking[i].

Chef Renu B’s recipe for stress-free Christmas cooking: 

1. Keep the Main Event Simple (but cook it perfectly)

When it comes to the Christmas main course, whether it’s turkey, beef, goose, or a plant-based protein, simplicity and good execution are key. Ensure perfect results by using the following techniques:

• Before cooking, bring your meat/poultry to room temperature: remove your main protein from the fridge 30-45 minutes before roasting (do not leave it out for longer than 90 minutes). The larger the joint or bird, the longer it will take. 

• Invest in a digital thermometer: Do not rely on guesswork when deciding when your meat or poultry is cooked. Renu recommends the Babacom Dual Probe Meat Thermometer to monitor internal temperatures. Probe the protein where it cooks last (the middle of the joint or bird) with your digital thermometer. This will ensure your meat/poultry is neither undercooked nor overcooked. Here is a good guide to cooking temperatures:

https://www.souschef.co.uk/blogs/the-bureau-of-taste/meat-temperatures-the-quick-guide

• Rest generously: Remove the meat/poultry when it’s around 85-90% cooked and then rest it, covered with foil, for half the time you cooked it for (yes, really!). Poultry needs to reach an internal temperature of above 74 °C, which means removing it when the thickest part of the leg reaches approximately 67.5°C. It will continue to cook after you remove it from the oven. Rest birds upside down, so the juices flow back in for extra succulence.

2. Have Fun with the Sides

Butter, herbs, spices, garlic, or cheese are your friends and can add a quick and easy freshness or richness to simple steamed veggies or sides.

• Roast potatoes: add peeled garlic during the last 20 minutes of cooking, and a rosemary sprig, 10 minutes before finishing.

• Carrots: add a mixture of melted butter, maple syrup, and a little salt for the last five minutes of cooking. If you are steaming, mix through before serving.

• Finish parsnips with thyme for a fresh, bright note; again, throw in at the last minute just before serving.

• Stir Parmesan or Gruyère into mashed potatoes for extra depth and flavour.

3. Keep the Pudding Simple

Choose desserts that can be made in advance, such as a tiramisu. It improves overnight and is hugely versatile with lots of combinations; Irish Cream or pistachio are great for a festive twist.

Here’s a simplified, but full-flavour version: https://www.chefrenub.com/recipes

4. Prep Your Table and Serving Items Early

Avoid last-minute stress and scrambling by setting the dining table and laying out serving utensils and dishes, complete with labels, the day before. For the serving dishes, the labels are especially convenient if someone offers to help; they’ll know exactly what goes where and which dish goes with which serving implement, without needing to ask you while you are in the midst of final preparation. Post-it notes or masking tape are great for this.

5. Be Smart with Special Diets

Catering for guests with special dietary requirements doesn’t have to mean doubling the workload or having entirely separate menus. With a few smart substitutions, everyone can enjoy the same dishes, and your job will be a lot easier.

• Vegan: Use a high-quality plant-based butter such as Flora Plant in mash and on vegetables. It’s rich and creamy, and most guests won’t notice the difference.

• Dairy-free: Swap in Nush Dairy-Free Creamy Almond M•lk Spread for appetisers. “Nush works perfectly with smoked salmon for a starter or with figs on blinis as a canapé,” says Renu. For desserts, the chef recommends Oatly Whippable Creamy Oat: “It tastes great, is easy to whip up, and doesn’t break the bank.” 

• Gluten-free: The classic roast dinner is gluten-friendly with a few easy tweaks. Use cornflour instead of flour to thicken gravy, choose gluten-free bread for bread sauce, and look for ready-made gluten-free Yorkshire puddings in the freezer section of larger supermarkets.

“Preparing a Christmas meal shouldn’t overwhelm you. With the right tricks up your sleeve, a few hacks and some dedicated planning, a calm and confident festive kitchen is within anyone’s reach,” said Renu Ballantine. “It’s about working smarter, not harder, so you can free up more time to relax and actually enjoy Christmas with friends and family.”

To find out more about Chef Renu B and for more food and cooking inspiration, visit https://www.chefrenub.com/ and @Chefrenub on Instagram.

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[i] Renu Ballantine is not affiliated with any of the products mentioned in this release and has not received compensation for these endorsements. Her recommendations are based solely on personal experience.