Q&A with Tom Davis
Category: Press Pack ArticleCan you bake?
No. I’m not brilliant at baking. I don’t think I’m that bad a cook, but I wouldn’t put myself in the realms of a baker.
Describe your baking style in one word.
Bodge-it.
What’s your favourite baked good?
I’d probably have to go for a pastry.
You talk about food a lot in your podcast. Is it fair to say it plays a big part in your life?
It’s a massive part of my life. I love food. I think food is a great way of family and friends to create amazing moments. We eat together at weddings and celebrations, we break bread together at low moments, I think it’s a great way of bringing people together. Sitting with people and having a meal was the thing I missed most during the pandemic.
Do you cook much in everyday life?
Yeah, quite a lot. A little less, maybe, since our baby was born. Up until then, if I was at home, I’d usually cook dinner. That’s probably gone from five days a week to two. But I love cooking. I love doing a Sunday roast.
What’s been your biggest culinary triumph?
I did a three-cheese souffle way back when. Out of all the times I’ve tried it, I’ve only ever smashed it once – but what a feeling, brother!
And your biggest disaster?
Meringues, when I was practising for this. My meringue was terrible. All credit to anyone who can do a meringue. I love Bake Off, always have done, but when I found out I was going to have to make meringue, I considered pulling out.
What are the strengths and weaknesses you’ll bring with you into the tent?
I think the positivity of a fool is my strength, never knowing I’m beaten. My weakness would be messing about. I should probably take things more seriously, but I find there’s too much fun in having fun. So, concentration is probably my biggest weakness. And it turns out you need to concentrate when you’re cooking.
You recently made the decision to give up all forms of sugar. How did that work out for you?
Hmmm. Yeah, well, I think I lasted about a day and a half. It’s more difficult than you might think. It’s really difficult, especially when you’ve got a baby. But I was more successful with alcohol – I didn’t drink for six months. I’m proud of that.
In December you became a father for the first time. Has that changed the way you eat, or what you eat?
It’s an amazing thing, having a baby. We’re just starting to wean her now, so she’s having more broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato. My wife and I love travelling, we love food and going out for meals or cooking at home. I’m so excited to share all these food experiences with her.
What aspect of the show were you most nervous about?
I didn’t feel particularly nervous going into it, but the last 20 minutes of the showstopper was up there with the most anxious I’ve ever felt in my whole life. It’s mind-blowing how anxiety-inducing it is. But beforehand I was more excited about being here than anything else. I just wanted to make up the numbers and have some fun and raise money for an amazing cause. But as things go on, you don’t want to be the worst. And when we were cooking meringues – man, cooking meringues on a hot day is just not fair. I never thought I’d be sitting with Rose Matafeo, Jesy Nelson and David Schwimmer, with all four of us almost crying over our meringues.
What’s it like, walking into the tent for the first time?
I’ve been very blessed in my career to do a number of things that have just felt like ‘pinch yourself’ moments, and walking into the Bake Off tent to compete was one of them. It feels amazing. This afternoon we’ll be taking our showstoppers up to Prue and Paul to be judged, and it’s not lost on me how many incredible showstoppers I’ve seen on the show over the years. So, I’m really looking forward to having Prue and Paul tear mine to shreds.
What’s it like facing their judgement?
Well, Paul is a lovely man, but it feels like he’s constantly judging everything you’re doing. He’s got a way of looking at you that certain teachers had, and it’s very unnerving. Prue is the silent assassin – very lovely, very generous in her praise, but she had to walk away when I described to her what my showstopper was going to be.
Have you sought advice from anyone ahead of the show?
Not really, apart from my wife and my mum a little bit. I’ve watched the show so much over the years.
What would it mean to you to get a Hollywood handshake?
I’m at a place in this where if he can swallow just one thing that I’ve cooked, I’ll be happy. The handshake’s not going to happen, but if he can find something even vaguely palatable, I’ll walk away from the show happy.
Are you competitive? How badly do you want to win?
If I’m honest, yeah, I am competitive, but I’m also a realist. And there’s one person in particular here who’s incredible. I’d like to not finish bottom, and to do one decent bake, then I’ll be happy.
Why is Stand Up to Cancer important to you?
Over the last year, I’ve lost three family members to cancer, one of the most important people in my life has just been moved into a hospice this morning. And the work Stand Up to Cancer does is incredible. It’s such a devastating disease, it doesn’t just destroy the person with it, but everyone around them as well. The goal of having three-out-of-four people surviving cancer by 2044, I believe they said, things like that would be incredible. To have some sort of hope, and to make progress against cancer is a really important thing. To the loved ones that I’ve lost, and to the loved ones that have survived cancer and love this show, if I can make a complete idiot of myself making some baked goods, and raise some money, and get a conversation started, then that’s a very important thing.