Nathan Anthony's Viral Recipes Hit Print in New Irish News Column

Alternatives to classic oven and hob cooking have gained significant traction in recent years. From steamers and pressure cookers to slow cookers and, more recently, air fryers , more of us are seeking convenient, healthy and flavourful ways to prepare meals.

One person who’s mastered the art of these modern kitchen contraptions is Portadown man Nathan Anthony – best known for his viral food page Bored of Lunch.

With millions of followers and five cookbooks under his belt, he has become a go-to expert for quick and easy air fryer and slow cooker recipes which he’ll now be sharing with Irish News readers in his new column.

Originally working in telecoms, Nathan started experimenting with social media during the pandemic uploading his “lockdown lunches” alongside other simple dishes which made the most out of fresh, readily available ingredients.

“I remember the inspiration very clearly,” he recalls.

“It was during the pandemic when everyone was bulk buying tinned food, toilet roll and pasta.

“I noticed a distressed elderly gentleman in an empty tinned food aisle but the fresh food section was full and I thought to myself, ‘Why are people at home who can cook not cooking this?’”

More: Nathan Anthony’s honey and sriracha slow cooker chicken recipe

After spying a full parsnip bin in the supermarket, Nathan uploaded his first Instagram post detailing how to make a spiced parsnip soup in the slow cooker. From there he says his social media “exploded” resulting in him leaving his 9-5 job to pursue social media full time.

“I never wanted to give up my old job but it became too much to juggle to do both,” he says.

More: Cook Nathan Anthony’s top 5 air fryer hacks

Having become renowned for unique and inventive dishes like his slow cooker Marry Me Chicken (chicken breasts in a creamy sauce) and air fryer baked ‘crookie’ (a croissant and cookie hybrid), Nathan’s love for both appliances stems from his university days as they helped him to maintain a healthy diet while juggling a full workload.

However, he credits his passion for cooking to childhood memories of helping his mother and grandmother in the kitchen.

“I think my interest in cooking comes from growing up around the fantastic home cooks in my family,” says the 34-year-old, adding that many of his dishes are inspired by his travels. He is currently in Co Cork undertaking a 12-week cookery course at the renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School.

“That’s generally how I come up with new dishes – it’s a combination of trying new things, mixing recipes up to make them different, travelling and watching a lot of cookery shows – I also love a good food shop or farmers’ market.

“I’m here in Cork at the moment and the food is fantastic, I can’t wait to take some of that learning and infuse it into new recipes.”

He explains that a big part of the Bored of Lunch ethos is providing versatility and variety within easy, straightforward recipes, which is what he believes has helped his platform to grow.

“I think a big part of why my recipes are popular is because they are so accessible,” he says.

“They’re aimed at that 95% of the population who don’t want over-complicated cooking, new techniques or expensive ingredients.

“Keeping it simple so that any and all home cooks can give it a go is really important.

More: Nathan Anthony’s slow cooker red pepper bruschetta pasta

“I just want to make sure I give everyone who follows me the best content and the most delicious, simple recipes that I possibly can.”

This is also his attitude when it comes to cooking at home as he still uses both his air fryer and slow cooker regularly. If pushed to choose just one, he says he would opt for the latter...

“That’s like choosing a child - it’s impossible,” he laughs.

“But if I had to pick one it would probably be the slow cooker because it’s great for the days when I don’t have time to cook. It was also the first gadget I started posting food content with so I’ll always use it.”

In addition to amassing 3.9 million followers across his social media platforms and writing five number one bestselling slow cooker and air fryer inspired cookbooks, Nathan’s love of fuss-free cooking has also seen him regularly feature on ITV’s This Morning alongside presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard.

“I love going on the show,” says Nathan.

“The whole team behind the scenes have made a home cook from Ireland so welcome.”

However, despite his relaxed presence on both TV and social media, Nathan admits he is “not a born natural on camera”.

“If there was a manual or guide on how to transition from a career in telecoms to a home cook with millions watching you, I’d read it back to front,” he confesses.

“But I do love feeling uncomfortable, that’s how you know you’re learning or growing a new skill and it keeps things fresh.”

Continuing to embrace opportunities outside his comfort zone, Nathan’s new column in The Irish News will see him venture into print media, sharing exclusive, simple, flavour-packed recipes which reflect his signature style.

Promising to reveal all of his “top tips for airfryers and slowcookers”, Nathan says he’s looking forward to helping readers create “delicious food that makes you feel proud to set it on the table” - and without breaking the bank.

“I am absolutely buzzing to be part of the Irish News family,” he enthuses.

“It’s a paper my whole family read and I’ve grown up reading too. The food columns are always fantastic and what I’m drawn to so to be a part of it feels really special.”

When asked what advice he would give to budding home cooks, Nathan encourages people to be curious and experiment in the kitchen when and where they can.

More: Portadown cook takes on Ninja

“Don’t overthink it,” he says. “Take some of your favourite dishes and research three or four similar recipes to get a feel for how you can enhance it or try and make it your own.

“Think of food as a way to fill you full of goodness but save you money at the same time. Any recipe a professional chef has created or tested has been through trial and error, so try new things and change them as you go to suit you.

“Also, don’t be hard on yourself either - you aren’t a professional chef so simplify it as much as you need to.”

Nathan will be offering Irish News readers easy, efficient and down-to-earth recipes, tips and tricks in his new cookery column, starting Saturday June 14