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

Nick Bevan, Head of Product Management at Samsung UK accepts Which? Award

Following a range of new product launches over the last year, 78% of Samsung home appliances have been rated as Best Buys and we’ve produced the top-scoring fridge and fridge-freezer that the world-renowned awards body has tested. Samsung is dedicated to providing innovative home appliances that bring kitchens to life and give consumers real benefits they can experience every day, which is demonstrated through this consumer voted award.

Robert King, Consumer Electronics Vice President at Samsung UK said “We are extremely proud to win this award from such a prestigious organisation as Which?. We have a passion for creating products that consumers love and make an actual difference to their lives, so to be recognised for that is an honour.”

Family Hub in 2018 offers a wide range of smart features that allow consumers to do what they could not do before. These include syncing up food storage with meal preparation, keeping family members better connected and organized, and providing enhanced entertainment. Family Hub is also more intuitive and intelligent with the addition of Bixby voice control and its integration with Samsung’s SmartThings IoT ecosystem.

“Since Family Hub’s introduction in 2016, consumers have embraced it as their home’s digital command center to help manage food, family and fun. We’ve been listening closely to current users and created a new Family Hub that’s even smarter and more advanced than before,” said John Herrington, Senior Vice President, General Manager of Home Appliances, Samsung Electronics America. “The integration of Bixby and SmartThings into the Family Hub is bringing a new level of intelligent connectivity into the room where people spend the most time:  the kitchen.”

Simplifying Life with Connected Home Control

 The new Family Hub works with the SmartThings ecosystem, allowing users to control and monitor their connected home from the Family Hub screen. The SmartThings app seamlessly connects the Family Hub with hundreds of Samsung and third party compatible connected devices. So now, in addition to seeing what’s inside their fridge from the grocery store or leaving a note on the White Board to remind the kids to clean their rooms after school, users can do countless other things without ever leaving the kitchen. These include seeing who is at the front door with the ring doorbell, adjusting the thermostat, checking on a sleeping baby in the next room, and more, right from the refrigerator screen.

Enhancing Food Management

Family Hub helps consumers manage food, with the View Inside app that enables users to see inside the fridge from anywhere. New for 2018, Meal Planner takes food management to a more personalised level by providing recipes for the family based on food preferences, dietary restrictions and food expirations dates. Family Hub also saves time and money with a new Deals app that gives users the ability to find great bargains and save them directly to the Shopping List or loyalty card.

Strengthening Family Connections

The new Family Hub keeps the family more closely connected and organized, with the customised ability to share calendars, photos and notes. With Bixby, Family Hub can also recognise individual voices and provide personalised information based on preferences. Ask “Hi Bixby, what’s new today?” and it will provide a read out of the news, weather and calendar updates specifically tailored to the user.

Creating New Ways to Have Fun at Home

 With innovative TV and music options, the original Family Hub transformed the kitchen into an area for socialising with family and friends. Users can access millions of songs through various music streaming platforms and live radio apps, and mirror their Samsung Smart TV[1]. The new Family Hub also features AKG Premium Quality Sound Speaker for sound that is deep in bass and rich in mid-range[2]. Additionally, users can now stream content from their smartphone to the Family Hub refrigerator.

Expanded Range of Content

Samsung is expanding the Family Hub’s range of content with new collaborations with leading companies like HomeAdvisor, Pinterest, The Weather Company and Buzzfeed’s Tasty. Samsung also continues to collaborate with key partners including all recipes, ring, and Grubhub to further refine and enhance the kitchen experience and promote smart lifestyle choices.

Samsung will expand the platform to four new 4D FDR models, bringing the total to 14[3]. This will ensure that there is a Family Hub configuration to meet the needs of all consumers.

The new Family Hub will be available this spring. For more information about Samsung Home Appliances, please visit https://news.samsung.com/uk/

[1] Available with the 6400 series or 2015 TV models and above
[2] Available with the premium 4-door Flex model, UK launch date TBC
[3] Three models currently available in UK

Images shown are for representation purposes only and the Family Hub may be available in different product finishes depending on location. Some features shown are specific to certain location and may require separate subscriptions