Keep Calm and Carry on Cooking – Research from Samsung Reveals that 2020 is the Year that Brits have Taken to the Kitchen

• Almost half (47%) of Brits agree that they are currently cooking more than usual, with 49% baking more cakes
• When it comes to cuisines, Brits still favour home comforts with 66% saying that they are cooking more traditional recipes
• The poll reveals that the oven is the hottest hero in town, with 62% of the nation believing that this appliance is the star of their kitchen
• Three quarters (75%) of those cooking more hope to keep it up in the future
• Bake-off winner David Atherton shares his thoughts on why more of us are turning to cooking and the reasons he considers it so cathartic

London, UK – 25^th May 2020 –Samsung Electronics UK Ltd. today released new research that shows how Brits have become a budding nation of amateur chefs in recent weeks.

The poll of 1,500 UK adults shows how cooking has risen in popularity, with nearly half of respondents (49%) saying that they are currently cooking more than usual. From batch cooking and basic baking through to not-so-perfect puddings, Brits are upping the ante in the kitchen and experimenting more with new recipes. Cakes top the list of foods that Brits are experimenting with (47%), followed by main meals (42%) with puddings and desserts coming in third at 29% – and when it comes to these main meals Brits are really mixing it up!

According to the research the nation has been cooking a variety of different dishes in recent weeks. While British food is still often the order of the day with 66% saying that they are cooking more traditional recipes, 53% are also cooking more Italian food and 32% more Indian. The top five cuisines are then completed by Chinese (27%) and Mediterranean (23%). But just why are we getting more creative in the kitchen?

“I think that cooking and baking is something that lots of people want to do more of, but it is difficult to find the time. In recent weeks that has clearly changed, so I’m not surprised that people are doing more of it,” explains Bake Off star and 2019 winner David Atherton. “Cooking is also a fantastic thing to turn to when you need a distraction, whether it’s an elaborate cake or flavoursome meal, because the art of cooking can be totally absorbing. Personally, I find it helps me to escape from reality and get some much-needed headspace. It’s also something you can get really creative with, plus it has a tangible result – when your food comes out the oven you get a real sense of achievement, as though you’ve done something productive with your time. The best bit by far is that you can then reward yourself by eating your creation!”

It’s clear that many Brits are also recognising the benefits of keeping calm and cooking on, with three quarters saying that they hope to continue cooking more in future.

The growing phenomenon is only serving to reinforce that the kitchen really is the heart of the home, with almost 3 in 5 Brits agreeing that they believe this to be true. Similarly, 62% agree that the oven specifically is the hero of the kitchen, making it by default, the unsung hero of the home!

Food is also helping to bring the household together during these times, with 48% of multiple person households saying that they are sitting down to eat together more often. But while they may be eating at the same time, they are not necessarily eating the same meals. In fact, 30% are cooking more than one main meal a day to cater to different taste preferences, while 20% are cooking more than one main meal due to having different dietary requirements within their household. Fortunately, with appliances such as the Samsung Dual Cook Flex™ oven, this needn’t present too much of a problem.

“People often want to cook more than one thing at a time, whether that’s multiple courses, different meals due to taste preferences or dietary requirements, or because they are batch cooking multiple meals at one time,” explains Ruth Storey, Head of Marketing, Home Appliances, Samsung Electronics UK Ltd. “That’s why Samsung has developed its Dual Cook Flex™ range which gives you the ultimate flexibility in the kitchen. Offering the opportunity to divide the oven into two, so you can steam your fish or bake your cake all in the same oven at the same time, with no transfer of odours or tastes.”

Top 5 cuisines that Brits are cooking more of

1. English
2. Italian
3. Indian
4. Chinese
5. Mediterranean