Chef Tom Kerridge has been slammed by Britons after unveiling his Christmas dinner kit to serve four at a steep price of £215 – but buyers will have to cook it themselves and purchase vegetables, potatoes and extras such as stuffing or gravy.
The TV chef has increased the price of his delivery box, which can only be delivered on the 22nd or 23rd December, by £20 on last year meaning the cost works out at an astonishing £53.75 per head.
But MailOnline has calculated families can build their own boxes with the same contents for almost a fifth of the price – for as little as £45, or just shy of £12 per head.
Mr Kerridge, who has appeared on popular cooking shows such as Masterchef, tells punters on his website: ‘All you need to do is add your own roast potatoes and vegetables to the mix. It’s that simple!’
But social media users have criticised the deal, saying with large families it would cost them more than £1,000 even without purchasing the necessary extras.
And for many UK residents the Kerridge box is not an option as it cannot be delivered to 19 different postal areas, and can only be sent to UK mainland addresses.
Mr Kerridge’s box contains a 30-day aged Hereford Beef Wellington with Duxelle and Herb Crepe, wrapped in an All Butter Puff Pastry, served with full-sized pigs in blankets and a red wine sauce.
It also offers dessert: sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and spiced brandy butter, with salted caramel fudge to finish.
Research by MailOnline has found that families can build their own Kerridge box with exactly the same contents for almost a fifth of the price.
Purchasing all the items to serve four people will cost just £45.65 at Asda, £64.90 from Tesco and £70.20 from Sainsbury’s.
By far the most expensive item is the beef wellington itself, costing £35 at Asda, £60 at Sainsbury’s and £54 at Tesco.
Per head, the meal will cost £11.41 at Asda, £16.23 at Tesco and £17.55 at Sainsbury’s – still less than a third of the chef’s offering.
The sticky toffee pudding will set buyers back by £4 to £5 while the pigs in blankets cost just £2.45 at Asda and £3 at Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
Red wine sauce to serve four varies from £1.70 to £2.20 across the supermarkets, while Asda’s salted caramel fudge is uncharacteristically more expensive at £2 compared to the other supermarkets’ £1.20.
Mr Kerridge said: ‘Step away from the traditional Turkey dinner and let me introduce the ultimate festive indulgence – my Beef Wellington Christmas Box.
‘Handmade, succulent, Beef Wellington, made with British Hereford Beef, wrapped in golden puff pastry. Served with a rich Red Wine Sauce and accompanied by Pigs in Blankets.
‘All you need to do is add your own roast potatoes and vegetables to the mix. It’s that simple! I’ve taken care of the rest, with everything prepared by my team of Chefs at Lush by Tom Kerridge.
‘Follow with a Sticky Toffee Pudding with Toffee Sauce and topped with the festive flavours of Christmas Spiced Butter. If you have any room left, to finish there’s creamy Salted Caramel Fudge.
‘With easy-to-follow cooking instructions and bonus recipes for the best crispy roasties and delicious Brussel sprouts, it’s a complete package, designed to make your Christmas dinner unforgettable.
‘Your box will also come with a special gift from myself and M&S.’
As well as the hefty price tag, some customers might find themselves missing out due to postcode restrictions.
The delivery box cannot be ordered to homes with postcodes for Kirkwall, Inverness, Perth, Aberdeen, Dundee, Kirkcaldy, Falkirk, parts of Paisley, Kilmarnock, Dumfries and Galloway, Galashiels, parts of Carlisle and Lancaster, Llandudno, Llandrindod Wells, Swansea (except the city itself), Telford, parts of Glasgow, and Shrewsbury.
Boxes must be ordered by Friday, December 15, and orders cannot be changed or cancelled after December 11.
Kerridge – who has three Michelin stars – runs eight restaurants including the Hand of Flowers and The Coach both in upmarket Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
Last month, he sparked a massive backlash after hiking the price of his posh fish and chips at Harrods by £2 to £37 – excluding any drinks or service charges.
The meal is made up of a battered fish and just eight chips – although Mr Kerridge rushed to the dish’s defence by pointing out it also comes with Matson curry sauce, tartare sauce and pease pudding.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
