Ready meals designed to be like home-cooked favourites

FOURTEEN years ago Edward Perry had the idea to create a frozen ready meal which resembled home cooking.

“By 1996, when I was 26, I had reached the conclusion that there had to be a better way of producing ready meals than the rubbish that was being offered by the supermarkets at the time,” he said.

He enlisted the help of friend and chef Dale Penfold and challenged him to come up with a selection of delicious meals for all occasion which could be frozen and then reheated at home.

They opened their first Cook shop in Farnham, Surrey, and after a few years of getting their business plan and food right the pair, with the help of Edward’s brother, James, have seen Cook go from strength to strength.

They have moved into a bigger kitchen and now have more than 45 shops, 300 farmshop customers, an online delivery business and over 400 employees.

The most recent Cook opened on Harrogate Road, Moortown, Leeds, last week.

The Leeds shop is a franchise, owned by Graham Harpur, who also manages the shop.

Graham said: “The team at Cook is passionate about making fantastic food that a really good cook might produce at home if only they had the time and we’re delighted to be opening a shop in Leeds.

“Our dishes deliver a depth of flavour far superior to what you find typically on the supermarket shelves.”

Graham, who has a background in hospitality and catering, first worked at the Cook shop in Harrogate before deciding to open his own shop in Moortown.

“Cook is still a family-run business which is really keen on being part of the community and that is important to me. I have been to the kitchen and seen the chefs at work. Everything which goes into the dishes is natural. There are no nasties – it is just like you would cook at home but without the hassle.”

Cook’s founding principle was to use exactly the same techniques and ingredients that a good domestic cook would use at home, so everything looks and tastes homemade. As proof of its handmade nature, the name of the individual chef who cooked each dish is printed on the packaging.

Because Cook’s food is blast frozen at –35°C all the nutrients and flavour are locked in so it tastes freshly made when it’s removed from the oven or microwave and all dishes can be cooked from frozen.

Graham opened on Friday and has been pleased by the response of the Leeds public.

“People seem a bit unsure at first but then leave with a full basket.”

There has been particular interest from people with allergies.

“We can put people’s allergies into our computer and then it generates their own personal list of dishes.”

Customers are able to taste some of the dishes before they buy and the Cook team is on hand to explain and give advice.

* www.cookfood.net