Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge has defended his £87 steak dinners amid the cost of living crisis.
Defending his pricey menu items, Tom said he shouldn't be 'punished' for making good money.
We'd argue no steak should cost most than a week's shopping, but who are we to judge?
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Tom, runs six restaurants across London, Manchester, and Buckinghamshire - he currently has three Michelin stars.
The accomplished chef has previously come under scrutiny for charging £87 for a plate of steak and chips at his Hand & Flowers pub in Buckinghamshire.
But, he says that those prices are in part down to rising food costs.
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"The price of butter has gone up from £23 a box to almost £70. A drum of vegetable oil is now nearly £50, that’s a 200 percent rise," he told The Times.
He is also estimated to have lost out on £4-5 million during the pandemic.
Still, as the cost of living crisis finishes many businesses off, Tom says that he 'relish[es] the challenge' of keeping his restaurants afloat in trying times.
And the chef sees no reason why he can't charge astronomical prices for his food.
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He said: "A hundred percent it makes me angry there are more food banks than branches of McDonald’s in this country.
"But I also think: never punish people who are making good money, who’ve achieved a great lifestyle.
"You don’t help to feed children by making successful people ashamed because I am one of those people."
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Still, people online weren't convinced, with some taking to Twitter to air their frustrations.
One user wrote: "'Pub.' No 'pub' charges 87 quid for a steak. How much are his crisps, a fiver?"
While another, skeptical user, said: "All depends on how they make their good money. If it's by profiteering off the backs of the general public, then I will attempt to shame them."
However, Tom insists that he's just providing good quality food for the price it's worth.
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He continued: "I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you want to ride in a Bentley, it costs money.
"If you’re on a budget there’s an intensely farmed Ford Focus available round the corner and that’s fine by me."
We're not sure why he's bashing everyone's favourite first car, but we get his point.
Still, that doesn't mean that Tom isn't dedicated to helping people. He added: "We can all do things to help like donating to a food bank or giving cash.
"Personally I think it’s better for me and Marcus to put 52 budget-friendly recipes on social media, which will help feed a lot of hungry kids, rather than, say, just giving away £50,000."
In fact, Tom is so committed to this endeavour that he's about to release a book called Real Life Recipes full of accessible meal ideas.
Topics: News, Food And Drink, UK News
Shola Lee