A roast potato masterclass from Mr Tom De Keyser, chef at Michelin-starred pub The Coach.

The preparation of the humble potato is one of the most hotly debated elements of Christmas dinner. Should you par-boil? Does goose fat guarantee crispy edges? Maris pipers or King Edwards? And what’s the secret to that all-important golden-on-the-outside, fluffy-in-the-middle texture? To settle it once and for all, we turned to chef Mr Tom De Keyser, who shares below the recipe for his “killer roasties” as part of our series of chefs’ tips for the ultimate festive meal.

Mr De Keyser is the recently appointed head chef of The Coach, in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, part of the expanding restaurant group run by Messrs Tom Kerridge and Nick Beardshaw, which includes The Hand And Flowers and Kerridge’s Bar & Grill in the Corinthia Hotel, London. The Coach serves “ingredient-led, delicious small plates”, which elevate traditional pub classics – think rotisserie quail, crispy pig’s head with pickles, and chicken Kiev with cauliflower cheese – with masterful preparation and a close attention to local sourcing. This year, the pub was awarded its first Michelin star.

Mr De Keyser’s roast potato recipe has been honed during his time at The Coach, where he started as senior sous chef. “It’s been developed over time in our kitchen, with a little bit of inspiration from everyone’s mum’s home cooking,” he says. He suggests mashing a couple of par-boiled potatoes with some of their cooking liquor to create a starchy paste that is used to coat the remaining spuds before they’re roasted. “Some people drain their potatoes and then rough them up in the colander to create a crispy skin,” he says. “Rather than losing potato during that process, we decided to add a rough layer to give even more crunch.”

Mr De Keyser recommends maris pipers, because “they’re a nice floury potato and they’re readily available”, and a generous amount of salt to par-boil them. Once the potatoes are coated in their fluffy outer layer, they’re put in the freezer, while a tray of oil heats in the oven. “Steam-drying helps to release the excess moisture quicker, which means you won’t get soggy potatoes,” says Mr De Keyser. The sizzle you hear when the cold potatoes come into contact with the hot oil means they will be burnished golden-brown later. “If your freezer is full at Christmas, you could always put them outside the back door in the cold, like my mum did,” he says.

As well as his excellent roast potatoes, Mr De Keyser will be enjoying a traditional feast this Christmas. “We always stick to three courses: salmon, prawns and Marie Rose sauce with doorstop-thick brown bread and English butter; roast turkey with all the trimmings; and a Christmas pudding. Next to that, the De Keyser Crunchie pudding: Chantilly cream, frozen, crushed Crunchie bars and grated Dairy Milk chocolate on top.”

Does Mr De Keyser have any wise words to offer a cook tackling Christmas dinner this year? “Don’t stress, have a beer and listen to East 17’s ‘Stay Another Day’. Everything will work out in the end,” he says. With his Michelin star-worthy roast potato recipe, below, you’re already halfway there.

Serves 4

6-8 large maris piper potatoes 90g salt Good-quality vegetable oil, for roasting

Wash and peel the potatoes, then cut each one into three equal pieces.

Place the salt, 4 litres water and the cut potatoes in a pan and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and leave on this heat until the potatoes are just tender.

Once tender, remove the potatoes from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Take two of the potatoes pieces and mash with some of the cooking water to make a thin paste. Gently roll each potato through the paste, ensuring there is an even coating. Place in a freezer (or outside) for 20 minutes to steam dry.

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6. Add a good amount of vegetable oil to a large roasting tin. Place in the oven for a few minutes to warm through. Then carefully add the cooled potatoes to the hot fat and turn to coat. Roast for 25 minutes without disturbing.

Remove the roasting tin from the oven and turn the potatoes. Turn the oven up to 220°C/200°C fan/Gas 8 and roast for another 20-25 minutes, turning again halfway, until crisp and golden all over.

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