10?’s with Instagram chef, influencer and presenter, What Willy Cook

I think that subconsciously I was influenced by Big Cook Little Cook when I used to do all the green screen stuff. It started out lo-fi because I didn’t really know how to edit at all so I was sort of just teaching myself and if I couldn’t do something I’d just Google it and watch a YouTube video. The more I learned how to do things, the less I fancied trying to make the videos look fancier. I think it works how it is. Word Art is funny although I’ve not really been using it as much recently!

I didn’t really know I needed it either! They reached out about me hosting a food-based baseball show a couple of years ago and I thought it would be a good idea to test out my presenting abilities at the time – which was really why I went for it. I didn’t know anything about baseball then! I know a bit more now and I suppose that makes me a better fit than I was when we started working together.

For me the most important things when partnering up with a brand is really whether it’s a product that I actually use/consume or would use, or whether it‘s an opportunity for me to learn and improve on presenting and things like that. For example I love Hellman‘s mayo so when they reached out I was like GO ON THEN. Jameson whiskey is a brand that I work with a lot and I also drink it so it doesn‘t feel too gratuitous. I‘ve rejected Heinz several times as I refuse to promote their mayo. I don‘t like it.

XO Shiitake Mushroom Sauce. THIS. It’s honestly wild.

Hot oil noodles are always good. Get those packet udon noodles and loosen them up with boiling water. Heat up a good load of neutral oil, maybe like four tablespoons worth. Grate garlic and ginger into a bowl, some salt and pepper, MSG, maybe some chilli, peanuts, coriander etc. Anything you like really and then pour the hot oil all over those things and mix with the noodles.

This recipe is also great if you replace the hot oil with a load of peanut butter (crunchy obviously) and some boiling water to loosen it up.

I absolutely hate baked beans but I’ve recently eaten them a couple of times so I think my hatred is a bit unjustified these days.

However I hear it is quite controversial to say that I massively prefer spaghetti hoops to baked beans.

I went to Dublin recently and hadn’t really drunk much Guinness before that. Big fan of it now but I’d say people probably take it a bit too seriously. It’s never going to be as good anywhere else as it is in Ireland is it? Haven’t found my spot for the best of a bad bunch Guinnesses yet.

Loads more food and maybe a book. I’d like to present a TV show if it was possible and I want to break the world record for most crisps eaten ever.

A really fucking extravagant meal out with my mates with loads of wine and cocktails. In tuxedos.

Well usually me and my editor Alex sit down and think up stuff we hate and love about food and things surrounding food and then just pick one and decide to write a song about it. It never really takes that long to do the lyrics especially if it’s a parody of another already written song.

It can take a full morning or so to write something from scratch but we both really enjoy it so it’s become something that doesn‘t take too long! We have been known to write and record two songs in a day!

Swerve Gordon. Marry Jamie. Kiss Ainsley.