Food News, with Amanda Killelea

THE enthusiasm of the television chef seems to have rubbed off in most kitchens across East Lancashire.

People are following in the footsteps of Delia Smith and Ainsley Harriott and proving that we Northerners are one step ahead of the rest of the nation at our culinary capabilities.

Despite our hectic 21st century lifestyles, 69 per cent of us still manage to spend over 20 minutes a day slaving over a hot stove, with only four per cent choosing the easier ready meal option which takes an average of just 10 minutes to cook in the microwave.

This is no mean feat compared to the mere 32 per cent of people in the North East and 39 per cent in the West Midlands who said they would be prepared to spend 20 minutes cooking a meal.

And for those budding chefs who do take time to fill that empty hole, spaghetti bolognese comes out as the favourite midweek meal, with 48 per cent of those surveyed saying they had cooked it in the last three months.

Steak cropped up as the second most popular choice, followed closely by a beef curry and lamb stir-fry. But even though our television screens are full of modern day cooking programmes packed with quick and simple recipes, not one of them seems able to convince the rest of the younger generation about the importance of a hearty meal.

Even the tempting Jamie Oliver, star of The Naked Chef, doesn't seem to have been too successful at tickling the tastebuds of today's youth, with nearly a quarter of people aged between 16 and 34 never sitting down to an evening meal at home.

And those of you who think it is quicker to cook a frozen pizza than grill a steak are wrong. An amazing 42 per cent thought it took over 20 minutes to cook a beef steak when in fact it can be done in less than half that time.

And ladies, it's about time that our men proved their worth in the kitchen after a staggering 31 per cent of them dared to admit that they never prepare a meal during the week.