9 Chefs Share Their Favourite Weekend Breakfasts

“I like to keep breakfast simple, so my favourite dish is sourdough toast with Seville orange marmalade and a small bowl of top-quality yoghurt with honey drizzled over. Once or twice a year I’ll treat myself to a cooked breakfast with the works: great-quality sausages, bacon and eggs with all the extras and a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. I like to buy produce from &Feast in Barnes which has a great selection of farm shop products, coffee and juices. That said, I still think Gail’s does a cracking breakfast, especially as I have a sweet tooth, as does Birley Bakery in Chelsea.”

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“One of my favourite breakfast dishes is French toast. It’s a great way to use up leftover bread – especially if there’s any panettone left from Christmas. I like to soak a few slices of brioche in about 200ml of milk until it absorbs a generous amount of liquid. After letting it drain for a minute, spread a thin layer of sugar on one surface of the bread and place it sugar-side down on a hot pan with a knob of butter to help form a layer of caramel. Add another coat of sugar on top, flip the bread and caramelise the other side. I then like to layer it with a homemade praline, orange slices, candied nuts, whipped cream and whatever fruit is in season. 

“When I’m not in the kitchen, I’ll go to Juliet’s Quality Food in Tooting for brunch. It has a simple selection of dishes, and the quality of ingredients is excellent. For pastries, I like Kayu Bakehouse – its croissant and pain au chocolat are very good. As for bread, my favourite bakery is Aux Pains de Papy in King’s Cross – the soft dough instantly transports me to the south of France.”

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“I love a Spanish omelette with a spicy twist. Alongside egg, onion and diced potato I like to add fresh ginger, turmeric, garam masala, red chilli powder, smoked paprika, fresh coriander and tomato. Roughly dice the potatoes and fry in a knob of butter or ghee on a medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, beat a few eggs in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. When the potatoes are nearly cooked, add a roughly chopped onion and cook until soft. Remove from the heat and spoon the mix into the eggs alongside the chillies and spices. Pour the mixture into a lined dish and bake for around 12-15 minutes at 170°C fan. During the summer months, I’ll pair it with a ginger, orange, honey, and lemon infusion, but the winter months call for masala chai – a must-have for our family weekend breakfast. I usually buy ingredients from Borough Market or Whole Foods Market, and stock up on pastries from St John Bakery in Covent Garden.” 

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“I love a bit of spice in my breakfast and my go-to is huevos rancheros – spicy Mexican eggs with corn tortillas, topped with a bit of sour cream and avocado. Cook down a large onion in a hot pan before adding whatever filling you like – red kidney beans or whatever pulse you prefer. Stir through garlic, ground cumin, chilli powder and oregano, and cook down, then crack in however many eggs you like. Serve with a squeeze of lime juice and chopped fresh coriander. It’s my absolute favourite and goes perfectly with a black coffee, lime cordial or a punchy Bloody Mary – the combination of chilli and lime really kickstarts the weekend.”

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“Weekends with my family are all about homemade masala tea and freshly squeezed orange juice. I also like to make aloo paratha filled with a spiced potato filling. I make my own paratha, but you can buy them from most supermarkets. To make the stuffing (this recipe makes four), mix 3 potatoes – skinned, boiled and grated – with 1 tsp of chopped ginger, 2 chopped green chillies, 2 chopped medium onions, 2 tbsp of freshly chopped coriander, ½ tsp of coriander seeds, ¼ tsp of carom seeds, 1 tsp of chilli powder and ½ tsp of cumin powder. Ensure all the ingredients are well combined and place a ball-sized portion of the aloo stuffing in the centre of each paratha. Bring the edges of the dough to the centre, pleating as you go. Cook both sides on a hot pan for about a minute, until cooked and golden. Serve with butter, yogurt, or pickle. 

“I buy produce from Borough Market or various independent sellers in Southall as these have the best produce. I prefer home-cooked breakfasts with my family, but I’m a sucker for a cinnamon roll from Gail’s.”

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“My go-to weekend dish is spicy Bombay scrambled eggs, which is a real crowd-pleaser if you’re making a big batch for guests. To serve 4 to 6, heat a glug of oil in a large pan and add ½ tsp of cumin seeds and let them crackle. Then add 1 medium onion, finely chopped, and sauté on medium heat, stirring constantly until golden brown. Add 1 tbsp of finely chopped ginger and 2 finely chopped green chillies and stir for a minute, then add a good pinch of salt, 1 tsp of ground turmeric, and ½ tsp of red chilli powder, stirring quickly and continuously to prevent the dry spices from burning. Finish by stirring through a large chopped deseeded tomato and some chopped coriander. Serve with buttered toast. Alternatively, my favourite brunch spot is The Hill Station on Telegraph Hill in south-east London, and I always end up at Blackbird Bakery in Peckham Rye for coffee and pastries.”

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“My favourite dish is sourdough French toast with maple syrup, but if I’m extra hungry I’ll have a soft-boiled egg on the side. To make fluffy French toast for one, mix together 2 eggs, 50ml of milk, 1 tbsp of honey, a pinch of cinnamon and salt, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Dip 2 slices of sourdough in the mix and shallow-fry the toast in a hot non-stick pan with a knob of butter. I’ll usually visit Borough Market to stock up on ingredients at the weekend, including a bottle or two of cloudy apple juice. Elsewhere, French café Colbert in Chelsea serves an excellent breakfast.”

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“Simple is best, so my go-to dish is scrambled eggs on sourdough with lots of black pepper. I like to cook down a few Clarence Court eggs on a low heat with a big knob of All Things Butter. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to use unsalted butter in your cooking which allows you to dictate the salt level. Keep working the eggs until you get the consistency you like, before adding a good pinch of salt and black pepper. At the weekend I usually pop into Flying Horse for a flat white and visit Golborne Deli & Wine Store for ingredients. Otherwise, Kuro Eatery is my favourite brunch spot when I’m not at home, and Layla Bakery has the best selection of pastries – providing the queue isn't too long…”

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