Let’s get one thing straight: when it comes to breakfast, we Brits do it better than anyone—yes, even the French. Sure, you might hold a flaky Parisian croissant in high regard, but can it stand up to the belly busting, hangover curing glory of beans, bangers, bacon, and eggs? I think not. You see, for me as a British breakfast chef I feel deeply connected to firing up the grill ready to cook a full English.
The smell of frying bacon fires up memories that stir back to the souls of my anglo saxon ancestors. After decades of living abroad, every time I’ve found myself back on British soil after years abroad, my first order of business isn’t a pint at the pub or a fancy meal out. No, I’m heading straight to an East London greasy spoon for a proper fry-up, or commandeering a family member’s kitchen, filling the air with the intoxicating aroma of sizzling bacon and freshly brewed tea. The Brits are the undisputed champions of breakfast, and I won’t hear otherwise.
But here’s the kicker: despite this mastery, the breakfast chef is often treated like the red-headed stepchild of the culinary world—ignored, undervalued, and underpaid. Yet, it’s these unsung heroes who keep the tradition alive, who bring us the real taste of Britain every morning.
This summer, after a 14-year hiatus from the kitchen, I found myself back behind the grill, working with a team of chefs at a chain of breakfast cafés on England’s south coast. And let me tell you, these chefs are warriors. They’re up before the crack of dawn, firing up their grills, scalding their fingers, and churning out plate after plate of breakfast perfection while the rest of the world is still tucked up in bed. This billet-doux is for them—for all the chefs out there who know that the key to a great day starts with the first bite of a proper breakfast.
Chef, you know as well as I do that us Brits have the best breakfast in the world. It’s your skill, your patience, and your bloody-minded persistence that make sure it stays that way. Keep fighting the good fight.
Now, let’s talk eggs—because if you think cooking a perfect egg is child’s play, you’ve never stood in a breakfast chef’s shoes. The way an egg is cooked tells you everything you need to know about a chef’s skill. Whether it’s a poached egg with a yolk that oozes just right, or a perfectly textured and seasoned scramble. The British breakfast chef must master the art of cooking eggs to perfection. Eggs are unforgiving; they require precision, attention to detail, and timing. Screw it up, and there’s no hiding it.
And there’s something else—a British breakfast isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience, a memory waiting to be made. Picture it: a family, fresh off the train (or plane) their first time in britain or just a new town, their faces glowing from the cold breeze and inevitable drizzle, tucking into their first ever full English. Those kids, with their ketchup-streaked grins, are going to remember that breakfast long after the sand has been washed away. They’ll carry those memories back home, whether that’s just down the road or across the channel, or to the other side of the panet and every time they think of Britain, they’ll think of that perfect, hearty breakfast.
And why wouldn’t they? The Great British Breakfast has roots deeper than you’d imagine. We’re talking Anglo-Saxon deep—back to the days when a hearty breakfast was the fuel needed for a day of hard graft. And as you stand there in your whites, chef, sweating over a hot grill at some seaside café, you’re not just cooking breakfast. You’re carrying on a tradition, one that’s been passed down through the ages, from the fields to the café.
Isabella Beeton had it right back in 1861 when she wrote about a “breakfast for a large family”—bacon and eggs, the very essence of a full English. But what Beeton didn’t mention is the sheer satisfaction, the gut-level pleasure, that comes from tucking into a proper fry-up after a night on the tiles, or a morning swim in the freezing British sea.
So, Chef, remember this: you might not have Michelin stars, but you’ve got something better. You’ve got the power to create memories that’ll stick with people long after they’ve left your café. You’re not just cooking food; you’re cooking experiences, crafting moments that people will carry with them wherever they go.
Here’s to you—the British breakfast chefs who make it all happen. Keep the flame alive, and keep those eggs perfect. Long may you reign.
1 thought on “My Billet-Doux to the Great British Breakfast Chefs”