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Kitchen essentials: Easy entertaining

Entertaining at home has never been so popular, with more than three-quarters of us choosing hosting at home over dining out*. Whether you’re having friends over for dinner or getting the family together for a big Sunday roast, you want the occasion to be fuss-free and fun – as much as for you as for your guests. So, we’ve gathered our top cooking and hosting tips, as well as our favourite kitchen essentials to inspire you cook at home and help everything run smoothly. Happy hosting!


Size up

Feeding a crowd? It may sound obvious, but make sure you’ve got suitable cooking equipment to cater for your numbers. Whether you’re cooking up a chilli, a roast or a classic casserole, having the right size kit will ensure the food cooks evenly with less mess too. For dishes you can cook on the hob, this spacious Go Cook Eco 32cm Family Pan fits the bill. It’s dishwasher-safe, with comfy, soft-grip handles and here’s the eco bit: it’s made from 80% recycled aluminium, with a 20-year guarantee. There's a 18cm Saucepan in the same range, that's handy for prepping sauces, as well as frying pans and a stockpot. Roasting for a Sunday get-together, you’ll likely need a roomy roaster and you can’t go wrong with this reliable Go Cook Marble Large Roaster that has a premium marble-effect nonstick coating, making it easy to bake and clean. Prefer throwing everything in the same roasting tin? This Go Cook All in One Roaster is the perfect size (34cm), boasts deep sides and is hob-friendly – ideal for searing meat or making homemade gravy with roasting juices. And if you’re hosting a dinner party and want a good-looking stockpot you can bring to the table, this stylish Go Cook All in One Stockpot is just made for cooks. Use it on the hob, in the oven and pop it in the dishwasher afterwards. It comes with a steamer, if you’re looking to steam some veggies while hob-cooking, and an anti-bacterial bamboo spoon – two bonuses!

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Chop, chop

When you’re hosting and multitasking in the kitchen, having the right knife for the job is a game-changer. You’ll be able to chop, slice and dice more safely and precisely, saving time and stress. If you can, it’s worth investing in a high-performance knife or two, but you don’t need to spend a fortune. Unleash your inner cook with a chef’s knife – it's a great all-rounder for chopping, cutting and jointing. A good choice is the Go Cook Riveted Chef's Knife, made from high-quality German steel, with a tapered blade for superior cutting. All Go Cook knives in this collection come with a reassuring 20-year guarantee and are available in selected stores. Team with this beautiful Go Cook Acacia Herringbone Board, which provides a safe, sturdy surface for carving and can be used as an attractive serving platter at the table. And finally, remember to keep your knives sharp; blunt blades just won’t do. This Go Cook Soft Grip 3 Stage Knife Sharpener repairs nicks and dents, sharpens with precision and is easy to use.

Unleash your inner cook with a chef’s knife – it's a great all-rounder for chopping, cutting and jointing.

There’s a pan for that

A set of high-quality pans are kitchen essentials and invaluable for your cooking and hosting needs, from prepping festive sauces to cooking whole meals. There are so many types of pan available, we’d advise going for non-stick and dishwasher-safe and, if possible, a long product guarantee. Our pick of the pans is the Go Cook Heat Control range, with a clever cook’s feature: the handle turns red when the pan has heated up. The collection is suitable for all hobs, including induction and features a 16cm saucepan and 20cm saucepan, as well as a 24cm Frying Pan, 30cm Frying Pan, Stirfry Pan, Saute Pan and Grill Pan. All products here come with a lengthy 20-year guarantee. These pans don’t include lids, but if you’re in need, one total must-have is this space-saving Go Cook Multi Size Pan Lid, which adapts to fit 16cm, 18cm and 20cm pans – genius!

Up tools

A reliable kitchen utensil set is a cook’s best friend and kitchen gadget-lover or not, there’s no denying they can save time when you’re spinning a lot of plates! Starting with food prep, this Go Cook Duo Peeler, with a handy pointed tip for removing vegetable eyes and a soft-touch handle, is a joy to use, plus it comes with a five-year guarantee. As for utensils, the Go Cook Nylon range, including a solid spoon, slotted spoon, turner and masher, ticks every box. Combining good looks and practical features, such as soft-grip handles, this collection is heat resistant up to 200°C, suitable for use on non-stick surfaces and dishwasher-safe. Take the guesswork out of cooking a roast, especially if you’re cooking up a large joint or your Christmas turkey, with this Go Cook Digital Timer & Thermometer. The timer also comes in handy for many cooking tasks, from boiling an egg to baking a cake. And don't forget an oil baster for your roast meats, meaning you can say goodbye to grappling with a spoon to baste meat while holding a heavy roasting tin! This Go Cook Oil Baster has useful measurements and comes with a wire cleaning brush – you could even use it for adding syrup to cakes or separating eggs.

Top table

While hardworking and smart cookware is key for easy entertaining, don't overlook your table and servingware – with a few practical and stylish finishing touches, you can elevate the occasion from everyday to special, while also keeping stress levels low! These elegant and smooth-to-touch Go Cook Acacia Salt & Pepper Mills will see you through many a meal beyond hosting and they come with a five-year guarantee. When you're ready to serve up, we like this surface-protecting Tesco Stainless Steel Trivet that's the perfect compact size for dining tables and finally, this Go Cook Wing Corkscrew that makes lightwork of popping those corks. Now your at-home cooking mission is complete, it's time to sit down and enjoy the moment. As host, you deserve it!

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*statista.com/statistics/303776/trend-in-having-friends-over-instead-of-going-out-in-great-britain-uk/

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