Let’s cut to the chase. The pain is unbearable and the details of last night, assuming you’ve been to bed, of course, are more than a little hazy. Beyond any doubt, you will need something restorative to return you to the land of the living, but what conceivable kitchen fix could make the difference? Forget the tried, but tired, and true cliché of the bacon sandwich and put your faith in the various pick-me-ups of London’s top chefs, who have, in a true act of human kindness, shared with us their remedies to dispel even the worst hangover. From the virtuous to the verging on alcoholic, here are six surefire solutions to your first (and worst) headache of the year.

“Hair of the dog in the form of a delicious gin and tonic always does the trick,” says Mr Simon Rogan, the man behind Aulis in London and two-Michelin-starred L’Enclume in the Lake District, adding that, for a complete recovery, nothing beats a burger. “When I have the chance, I make my own using fresh crusty bread and beef mince from my local butcher and packed with salad, gherkins and always mayo. If I’m feeling lazy, then plan B is a Big Mac.”

With a nod to his Mexican origins, Mr Santiago Lastra, whose soon-to-open restaurant Kol is one of 2020’s most hyped launches, swears by a traditional stew from the state of Jalisco. “Birria is a stew made out of lamb or goat, marinated in a chili and tomato sauce and slow cooked, then steamed inside agave leaves,” he says. “The meat is pulled and mixed with a sauce made with sesame and different chillies and served with fresh tortillas, onion and oregano. I would eat birria with a cold beer after going out the day before. Its spicy and healthy richness brings you back to life straightaway.”

Jumping in the sea is the best hangover cure, according to Ms Margot Henderson, co-founder of Rochelle Canteen. A dousing with a bucket of ice-cold water comes a close second. Not convinced? Ms Henderson also recommends a cocktail recipe that’s served her family well over the years. “We also swear by a Doctor Henderson, which is one part crème de menthe, two parts Fernet-Branca, poured over crushed ice,” she says. “My darling father-in-law, Brian Henderson, invented it. It’s superb.”

“Hot sauce on everything” is Ms Meriel Armitage’s swift response when asked of her perfect hangover cure. “It’s addictive and assaults your taste buds – in a good way – and always makes me feel better as it takes your mind off your heavy head.” The founder of The Spread Eagle, London’s first vegan pub, recommends drizzling generously over homemade wedges, cut with their skins on, coated in salt and smoked paprika and baked with half olive and half vegetable oil and plenty of garlic cloves.

Heading up the kitchen of Shoreditch’s new wild-food hotspot Wilder, it’s perhaps no surprise that Mr Richard McLellan looks to nature for his ideal hangover remedy. “A nettle, kale and russet apple smoothie might sound puritanical, but it’s very effective,” he says. “Gathering the nettles gets you out in the fresh air and the only work needed is to blanche the nettle leaves quickly to take the sting out before blending the ingredients. Nettle and kale are full of nutrients while russet apples, which are perfectly in season at this time of year, are slightly sweeter, which balances well with the other ingredients.”

For Mr Ben Tish, the founder of Sicilian-inspired Norma in Fitzrovia, a time-honoured hangover cure is a recipe he’s borrowed from his wife, which pairs carbs with plenty of melted cheese. “I like to cook a type of Welsh rarebit,” he says. “It’s easier than a regular one, so ideal when hungover. I grate strong cheddar with Parmesan and mix with yogurt, Dijon mustard, Tabasco and Worcester sauce. I season well and then grill on top of thick-cut white bread and top off with well-done grilled rashers of smoked streaky bacon from [London butcher] The Ginger Pig.”