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Metro
3 days ago
- General
- Metro
I never thought I had a sweet tooth — until I became a firefighter
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Welcome back to What's Cooking, Metro's food series where we find out exactly what's going on behind the scenes in the nation's kitchens. This week, we're shaking things up, as we're not in someone's home, we're at Dockhead Fire Station in Bermondsey to meet Ben Wiles. Ben, 37, is a former chef, who switched gears after the pandemic and now works as a firefighter in London, putting out blazes, rescuing cats from trees and cooking two meals a day for his colleagues. The dad-of-one has been working at the station for a year and says food has been his 'medicine' for some of the more traumatic aspects of the job. 'I've seen some eye-opening things,' he says. If you've ever wondered what sneaky snacks firefighters keep stashed away in fire engines or what a typical day on the job looks like, you're going to want to keep on reading, as we've got the answers. We turn up each morning and do a roll call, which is essentially reporting for duty. We'll work out what we're doing for the day, test the equipment, test the truck and our breathing apparatus, carry out any maintenance and then get out in the yard to do some drills. This will take us to breakfast, so I'll pop upstairs and prep something for us all to eat, assuming we don't have an incident to go to. We'll spend half an hour chatting, laughing, eating and having a cup of tea, which is a real highlight of the day, then off we go. We could be training, going to the gym, getting out into the community, doing fire safety checks with businesses or responding to incidents. On a quiet day there might be two or three incidents, but sometimes there's as many as 15. There are definitely some biscuits snuck away inside of the truck. It's impossible to avoid cakes and biscuits at the station, they're everywhere. People are always baking things and bringing them in. Even the healthiest people here, you'll catch them eating cake. I didn't think I had a sweet tooth before starting this job,but it turns out I do. I just have the self-control not to buy all of the things. The only time I ever get put off food is if we've been under severe heat stress, which is the equivalent to getting sunburn and not wanting food for a while. But in terms of what I see on the job, I think food is my medicine for that. When we're putting out a fire we can get seriously dehydrated – the gear keeps the heat out, but it also keeps the heat in, so you get warmer and warmer. When I go home, I'll be craving something salty, so I'm all over a cacio e pepe. I always have the ingredients part-cooked and ready to go. Ever since university I've loved frozen IKEA meatballs with Bisto gravy. That's my guilty pleasure, and I've extended it now to my little boy. Don't knock it. Anchovies. Those are always in my cupboard so I can make a quick pasta sauce. I just mix them with capers, maybe a little bit of stock and some Parmesan butter. I also always have gherkins in the cupboard to have with a sandwich. I love a cheese toastie with mustard, pickles and some onion. They're also really good with any kind of meat, or just eaten straight out of the jar as is. Some people might keep them in the fridge, and if I were in a restaurant it'd be the fridge, but I don't have space for that. Parmesan has to be in the fridge. Can't get my late-night cacio e pepe without it, can I? The IKEA meatballs, of course, but also ice lollies. I have an ice lolly every day and my boy loves them too. We always have Del Monte Orange Juice ones in the freezer, and some raspberry ones from Aldi which are unbelievable. The station freezer is also full of lollies and ice creams – they're a great way to cool off in our line of work. Salt. You've got to have good salt. It's not very expensive, but I always buy either Maldon or Cornish Sea Salt. You can really taste the difference, it's significant. There are a lot of things that I don't splurge on that I probably should, but the one that'll hurt a lot of people's feelings is olive oil. I buy cold pressed rapeseed oil at a third of the price, mainly because supermarket olive oil is incredibly expensive and never that delicious. I'd rather wait for friends and family to go on holiday in Europe and come home with a pretty bottle of good stuff. Clean your fridge. Taking a minute to keep your fridge clean will help food last so much longer. The way you store things, and the habitat you store them in matters. Any moisture when you have a leaking fridge, or anything like that, will cause your food to spoil very quickly. It's maybe a bit boring, but when I discovered how much longer food could actually last, it blew my mind. You can cook so much more and it'll save you money too. I'm usually cooking for between eight and 11 people and I make breakfast and dinner. We all chip in about £45 each a month and I budget that, plan the meals and order all the food for delivery. We work a shift pattern of two days and two nights, so I try to do something seasonal and healthy one day, and then let everyone indulge themselves on the other. For breakfast I'll make something like porridge, or maybe a full English. More Trending Recently we've had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, which is a favourite. Everyone also loves Sloppy Joes and Taco Tuesday. For that I'll make pork carnitas, various salsas… the full works. I still like to go back to my restaurant roots with a bit of flamboyance and get a bit creative – it makes me feel good. If we're on call outs, there isn't always time for cooking, so I basically try to make meals with slow-cooked meat or mince so I can minimise the spoilage if we have to drop everything and go. We don't want anything going to waste. View More » Want to take part in What's Cooking and let Metro raid your kitchen at home? Email Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Huge fire rips through warehouse with smoke seen for miles across south London MORE: Smoke seen across London skyline after fire breaks out in block of flats MORE: Supermarket own-brand ketchup voted just as good as Heinz — and it's 70% cheaper Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
Wales Online
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Liam Gallagher's terrifying hammer incident that sparked major U-turn and Oasis success
Liam Gallagher's terrifying hammer incident that sparked major U-turn and Oasis success Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher initially wasn't a fan of music before a terrifying incident changed his ways, as he recalls in a new interview Liam Gallagher addressed being hit with a hammer in his younger years Oasis brothers Noel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher have opened up about an unfortunate incident that led to their success. The siblings are currently back on tour for the first time in 16 years, after finally putting their differences aside. Following two sold-out nights at Cardiff's Principality Stadium, the pair will return to their roots in Manchester next week. Ahead of their comeback, the brothers opened up about a terrifying incident involving Liam, which sparked a whole new love for music for him. Liam recalled being hit over the head with a hammer during a fight, which left him in hospital with his "head bashed up". "Until then I was just into football, smoking weed [and] getting into [scraps]. I wasn't into guitars at all," the 52-year-old revealed. Before this incident, Liam thought music in general "was for weirdos". Article continues below Shortly after he came out of hospital however, he went from hating Madonna's Like A Virgin to calling it "a f*****g tune". Oasis was formed back in 1991 Liam then grew to like the Stone Roses and slowly adapted to loving music after all. "It was like the Bisto kid. Got a whiff of the Roses and that was that. The rest is history," he added to The Times. In the same interview, his older brother Noel, 58, said of seeing a change in Liam: 'Somebody hammered the music into him, he's got a lot to answer for. I've got the perfect alibi, so it's nowt to do with me.' Liam went on to form Oasis in 1991 at the age of 19, alongside guitarist Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, bass player Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan, and drummer Tony McCarroll. Noel joined the band at a later date, after working as a roadie and technician for the band Inspiral Carpets. The group then went on to release their debut album Definitely Maybe in 1994, which went straight to number one in the UK charts. According to the follow-up album titled (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, is the band's biggest-selling album with 22 million copies sold worldwide. Brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher are finally back together after 16 years Their most successful single is the much-loved Wonderwall, which has sold over million copies worldwide, and surpassed 1.5 billion streams on Spotify as of 2024. Oasis officially split in 2009 when Noel quit the group, following a backstage fallout in Paris. In a statement at the time, he said: "It's with some sadness and great relief… I quit Oasis tonight. "People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer." From that moment on, the pair went their separate ways both musically and personally. Noel formed the group Flying Birds, while Liam created Beady Eye. Article continues below Following years of fans' calls for a reunion, they finally buried the hatchet and announced a reunion tour in August 2024. The pair are expected to bring in a staggering £400 million from their tour, which is a combination of tickets sales, merchandise, and other related revenue. Oasis' next stop is at Manchester's Heaton Park on July 11th, 12th, 16th, 19th, and 20th.
Scottish Sun
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I tried UK's wackiest ice cream flavours from pickled onion to Bisto – the crazy £4.50 winner surprised me
How does Sriracha ice cream sound? I SCREAM! I tried UK's wackiest ice cream flavours from pickled onion to Bisto – the crazy £4.50 winner surprised me WHATEVER will Mr Whippy say? To compete, he may need to stick more than a 99 Flake in his cone. An ice-cream parlour in posh Knightsbridge, Central London has come up with some very crazy flavours, ranging from, er, Twiglets, to Bisto and Irn-Bru. 11 Alexander McLeod has tested some of the craziest ice cream flavours Credit: Ian Whittaker Summer pop-up The Ice Cream Project is the idea of eccentric fashion designer Anya Hindmarch, as Waitrose recently revealed Gen Z enjoy a twist of baked beans, soya sauce or cheese in their tubs. She bills her ices, at £4.50 a scoop, as 'a celebration of Britain's kitchen cupboard culture'. But do we likey-lick? Alexander McLeod, right, tries Anya's ice creams and gives his verdicts and marks out of ten . . . read more on TASTE TESTS CRUSH IT I tested budget slushie makers vs £350 Ninja – and a £10 dupe works just as well Jacob's Twiglets 11 The Jacob's Twiglets ice cream has a Marmite tang Credit: Peter Jordan MALTY, yeasty and spiked with a Marmite tang. It's also smooth, which feels strange given how much your brain expects crunch. Oddly, I quite liked it. Rating: 7/10 Punters divided over Scots takeaways loaded ice cream fries Quaker Oats 11 The Quaker Oats offering tasted bland Credit: Peter Jordan SWEET, toasted oat flavour was bland and packed all the joy of a cold bowl of porridge. This ice cream has a velvety vanilla base but is a little coarse. Rating: 5/10 Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil 11 The extra virgin olive oil version was Alexander's favourite Credit: Peter Jordan CREAMY base has fruity richness of quality olive oil. Gentle peppery taste lingers to keep you interested. Smooth and balanced. Rating: 8/10 Bisto Gravy 11 The Bisto ice cream nearly works as a treat Credit: Peter Jordan SUBTLE gravy flavour brings roast-dinner warmth but frozen into a silky, scoopable form that nearly works. Shows even Bisto can be made posh. Rating: 6/10 Romney's Kendal Mint Cake 11 The Romney's Kendal Mint Cake version captures its mint sweetness Credit: Peter Jordan AS snow-white as the original slab, this captures that sharp mint sweetness. Refreshing palate- cleanser. Rating: 7/10 Flying Goose Sriracha 11 The Sriracha flavour is bold and strange but not entirely unlikeable Credit: Peter Jordan IT'S Sriracha from the first icy hit – tangy, garlicky, with a slow-building heat that creeps up on you. Bold and strange but not entirely unlikeable. Rating: 6/10 Garner's Pickled Onion 11 The Garner's Pickled Onion flavour tastes more like a dare than dessert Credit: Peter Jordan NORMALLY, when you smell a dish from across the room, it's a good sign. Not here. Vinegary, briny punch feels more like a dare than dessert. Rating: 2/10 Ovaltine 11 The Ovaltine ice cream is really quite nice Credit: Peter Jordan MALTED warmth comforts like a favourite jumper. Balances the sweetness and slight earthiness well, and is really quite nice. Rating: 7/10 Irn-Bru 11 The Irn-Bru flavour looks and tastes just like the drink Credit: Peter Jordan BRIGHT orange and proudly so, this sorbet looks and tastes just like the drink. Fizzy on the tongue, and very sweet. Perfect for a hot summer day. Rating: 6/10 McVitie Club Orange 11 The Club Orange version includes crushed-biscuit pieces for a nice crunch Credit: Peter Jordan NOSTALGIC mix of milk chocolate and zesty orange. The crushed-biscuit pieces provide enjoyable texture and crunch. Rating: 8/10 Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
Powys County Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Premier Foods reveals rising profits amid stronger Mr Kipling sales
Mr Kipling maker Premier Foods has revealed stronger-than-expected profits as sales of sweet snacks increased. The group said it benefited from strong shopper demand for its premium branded products despite pressure of consumers finances. Premier Foods, which also owns Ambrosia and Bisto, reported that overall revenues grew by 3.5% to £1.15 billion for the year to March 29, compared with a year earlier. It said this was buoyed by a 5.2% rise in all revenues across its branded business. The group's branded sweet treats business, which includes Mr Kipling and licenced Cadbury products, saw revenues grow by 7.3% for the period. Sales of Mr Kipling's Signature premium ranges were particularly strong, with the group highlighting a 78% jump in sales of its brownie bites while its 'best ever' mince pies saw revenues double. The company's separate grocery arm, which includes Batchelors and Sharwoods, saw branded revenues grow by 4.5% for the year. However, the company saw a slump in revenues from its non-branded division after it left the frozen pizza base market and shut its Leicestershire factory last year, which had 57 workers. Premier Foods also hailed strong performances from recently acquired brands The Spice Tailor and Fuel10K. The business told shareholders that trading profits grew by 6% to £187.7 million, ahead of market expectations. Alex Whitehouse, chief executive officer, said: 'The business has delivered another strong year, with branded revenue growth up 5.2%, exceeding £1 billion, and driven by particularly good volumes which resulted in us taking further market share. 'With this strong branded performance, trading profit grew 6% compared to last year, exceeding our previously raised expectations. 'Our premiumisation strategy continues to be highly relevant, reflecting the trend for consumers to trade up and treat themselves to ranges such as our Ambrosia Deluxe and Mr Kipling Signature Bites, both of which delivered very strong revenue growth this year.'
Rhyl Journal
15-05-2025
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
Premier Foods reveals rising profits amid stronger Mr Kipling sales
The group said it benefited from strong shopper demand for its premium branded products despite pressure of consumers finances. Premier Foods, which also owns Ambrosia and Bisto, reported that overall revenues grew by 3.5% to £1.15 billion for the year to March 29, compared with a year earlier. It said this was buoyed by a 5.2% rise in all revenues across its branded business. The group's branded sweet treats business, which includes Mr Kipling and licenced Cadbury products, saw revenues grow by 7.3% for the period. Sales of Mr Kipling's Signature premium ranges were particularly strong, with the group highlighting a 78% jump in sales of its brownie bites while its 'best ever' mince pies saw revenues double. The company's separate grocery arm, which includes Batchelors and Sharwoods, saw branded revenues grow by 4.5% for the year. However, the company saw a slump in revenues from its non-branded division after it left the frozen pizza base market and shut its Leicestershire factory last year, which had 57 workers. Premier Foods also hailed strong performances from recently acquired brands The Spice Tailor and Fuel10K. The business told shareholders that trading profits grew by 6% to £187.7 million, ahead of market expectations. Alex Whitehouse, chief executive officer, said: 'The business has delivered another strong year, with branded revenue growth up 5.2%, exceeding £1 billion, and driven by particularly good volumes which resulted in us taking further market share. 'With this strong branded performance, trading profit grew 6% compared to last year, exceeding our previously raised expectations. 'Our premiumisation strategy continues to be highly relevant, reflecting the trend for consumers to trade up and treat themselves to ranges such as our Ambrosia Deluxe and Mr Kipling Signature Bites, both of which delivered very strong revenue growth this year.' However, shares in the business were flat at 199.6p on Thursday morning.
