Quiz show host Jeremy Clarkson has run a restaurant, now owns a pub, notoriously likes a hot steak dinner after work and raises sheep and pigs on his farm.
Yet, in November, he didn’t know the answer to this £32,000 meat-based question on his show, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Can you do better than him?
1. On a French menu, which term refers to food that has been cooked on skewers?
A. En brochette.
B. En Croute.
C. Sous-vide.
D. En papillote.
2. In October, Donald Trump made a presidential election campaign stop at a branch of McDonald’s in Philadelphia, cooking up fries and serving meals to the public. Why did he do this?
A. He refused to believe Kamala Harris’s claim that she worked in McDonald’s in the 1980s.
B. He refused to believe Hillary Clinton’s claim that she worked in McDonald’s in the 1970s.
C. He refused to believe Joe Biden’s claim that he worked in McDonald’s in the 1860s.
3. While we’re here, what is Trump’s go-to McDonald’s order?
A. 1 x Grilled Chicken Salad, no fries and a Medium Zero Sugar Coca Cola.
B. 2 x Big Macs, 2 x Fillet-O-Fish and a Large Chocolate Milkshake.
C. 1 x Big Tasty with Bacon, 1 x Cheese Mc Crispy, 1 x Carrot Sticks for Melania.
Now president elect Donald Trump serves fries at a McDonalds in Philadelphia on the campaign trail in October
4. The Dirty Martini craze gets down and even dirtier. It was the year of the Gilda Martini in 2023, which featured a cocktail stick stacked with an anchovy, an olive and some pickled chilli. Can you identify the new savoury Dirty Martini that became popular this year?
A. The Sarson’s Malt Vinegar Martini.
B. The Eamonn Holmes Martini (Extra Bitter).
C. The Feta-Brine Martini.
D. The Piccalilli Martini.
5. Match the celebrities to the following drinks brands:
Miraval Rose.
Papa Salt Gin.
Blackeye Gin.
Hawkstone Lager.
Prospero Tequila.
Heaven’s Door Tennessee Bourbon.
Mike Tindall.
Rita Ora.
Brad and Angelina.
Bob Dylan.
Margot Robbie.
Jeremy Clarkson.
6. A starter of Cornish lobster and quail eggs tartlet, followed by pheasant wrapped in cabbage with celeriac purée, potato gratin with Suffolk cheese, a truffle sauce and winter vegetables, and an an iced bombe with vanilla ice cream and plum sorbet for dessert. Where was this lavish meal served in December?
A. Round at Angela Rayner’s for Sunday lunch.
B. Buckingham Palace for the Qatari state banquet.
C. In a Netflix studio, cooked by the Duchess of Sussex.
D. BBC executive canteen.
7. What special treat did Waitrose introduce for dogs this year?
A. Paw-Som Slipper-Flavoured Chews (£4.70 Grab bag).
B. Paw-Som Mince Pies for Dogs (£3.20 for two).
C. Paw-Som Bone Broth (£2.20 for 500ml).
D. Paw-Som Kibble Mix Christmas Pudding (£5.50 each).
8. A new taste profile became hugely popular this summer, a craze that started with drizzling a product called Mike’s Hot Honey – honey infused with chilli peppers – on pizzas. What is the name of the new taste?
A. SourPower.
B. Unami Mammy.
C. Hot & Tart.
D. Swicy.
E. Big Sweetie.
9. ‘I’m not a sandwich person. I don’t think sandwiches are a real food, it’s what you have for breakfast. I will not touch bread if it is moist.’ Who said this?
A. Kermit.
B. Nigel Farage.
C. Kemi Badenoch.
D. Ed Balls.
E. Judi Dench.
10. In April, M&S launched a Posh Egg Mayo and Watercress sandwich. It was made with ‘fresh chives, free range eggs, enriched with salad cream’ and served on ‘nine grain bread’. But there was uproar about the price, which was reduced following protests. How much was it?
A. £6, reduced to £5.
B. £8.50, reduced to £8.
C. £3.99, reduced to £3.98.
D. £4, reduced to £3.50.
11. Elvis Presley, Paddington, Queen Elizabeth II, Bruce Springsteen, actress Keeley Hawes, Prince Harry and Frank Skinner all have a favourite sandwich. Can you match the name to the snack?
A. Roast chicken, cream cheese, lettuce, Branston Pickle and mayonnaise.
B. Marmalade.
C. Peanut butter, bacon and banana.
D. Jam Pennies.
E. Cheese and Brussels sprouts.
F. Peanut Butter and Jam.
G. Ham and cheese toastie with Dijon mustard.
12. In January, Brooklyn Beckham shared his ‘secret’ recipe for his family’s favourite breakfast sandwich. What was the dolt’s big mystery?
A. Brooklyn realised putting the bacon and egg between two slices of bread was the way forward.
B. Brooklyn realised that cooking the egg was also helpful.
C. Brooklyn realised that he could also make a sausage roll – by pushing it around the pan.
D. All of the above.
13. Who was the culinary genius Brooklyn credited with helping him create this fabulous dish?
A. Nanny Peggy.
B. Nanny McPhee.
C. Nana Mouskouri.
D. Nosferatu.
14. What is this (image below)?
A. A chocolate-flavoured postage stamp.
B. Sandwich spread at a Buckingham Palace garden party.
C. A portrait of King Charles made of toast and marmite, his favourite sandwich.
D. A portrait of King Charles made with coffee powder, to illustrate links to the Commonwealth.
15. In November, Greggs opened a pop-up champagne bar in Newcastle, selling posh versions of their pastry treats. Very nice, but can you match the oh-so-posh sauce to the correct bake?
Sausage Roll.
Vegan Sausage Roll.
Cheese & Onion Bake.
Steak Bake.
Chicken Bake.
Sausage Bean & Cheese Melt.
Bloody Mary Ketchup.
Katsu Curry Sauce and Pickled Cucumber.
Peppercorn Aioli.
Romesco Sauce & Almonds.
Harissa Coconut yoghurt.
Hot Honey Sauce.
16. In August, Heinz and Walkers crisps teamed up to release a limited-edition range of ‘mind-blowing’ flavours. What fresh hell is this? Spot the fake flavour on this list:
A. Roast Chicken and Mayo.
B. Spaghetti Hoop Soup.
C. Sausage Sarnie and Ketchup.
D. Cheese Toastie and Baked Beanz.
17. ‘We’re living in a world that is costing more,’ said Ruth Rogers recently. She owns London’s River Café restaurant, which serves Italian peasant food that no Italian peasant could ever afford. This year, Ruthie launched a subscription service for her pampered customers, selling produce curated by a sommelier and sourced from small-batch, sustainable farmers, preferably female. What is the product?
A. Prosecco.
B. Grappa.
C. Balsamic vinegar.
D. Virgin olive oil.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who revealed earlier this year that her favourite cocktail is a Venom, enjoys a drink in a beer garden in Stevenage
18. Appearing on This Morning, keen cook and occasional Prime Minister Keir Starmer revealed his signature dish. What is it?
A. White truffle Taglioni with a caviar crust.
B. A pasta bake layered with three-cheese sauce.
C. Three bird Turducken roast with buttered parsnips.
D. Cabinet Special – assorted boiled meat puddings served with cabbage.
19. The PM also revealed his favourite dish to eat. What is it?
A. Anything that’s free in the hospitality tent.
B. Backstage treats supplied by Taylor Swift.
C. Tandoori salmon.
D. Chocolate Chip On Shoulder, bubble and squeak.
20. Angela Rayner revealed that her favourite cocktail is a Venom – one part vodka, one part Southern Comfort, a bottle of Blue WKD alcopops, topped with orange juice and served in a pint glass. Classy! But where in Britain was this ferocious cocktail invented in 2008?
A. Manchester.
B. Ashton-under-Lyne.
C. Stockport.
D. London.
E. Glasgow.
21. Which of these foods did the Government put on their ‘potentially unhealthy’ list when introducing new restrictions to food advertising?
A. Crumpets.
B. Porridge.
C. Yoghurt.
D. Veggie wraps.
E. Muesli.
F. Muffins.
G. All of the above.
22. This month, the Cornish Company began selling a Christmas Lunch flavoured scone, a cheerful concoction of turkey, gravy and cranberry relish on a sage-and-onion scone. What was the reaction to this festive bake from the head of the Cornish Heritage Trust?
A. How lovely, I cannot wait to try it.
B. We love the new and daring in Cornwall.
C. Do not mess with a Cornish scone. It is jam first with clotted cream on top.
D. I very much doubt this will be welcomed down here.
Meghan Markle gets stuck in with food preparation at a community kitchen in London supporting those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire
23. A brand-new production of the musical Oliver! has just opened in London’s West End. In the song Food Glorious Food, Oliver and the poorhouse boys dream of delicious things – but which one of these dishes is not in the lyrics?
A. Pease pudding and saveloys.
B. Roly-poly and crinkle fries.
C. Hot sausage and mustard.
D. Cold jelly and custard.
E. A great big steak.
24. As we’re in a musical mood, how about a song before you go? Can you match the singer to these tasty tunes?
A. The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale.
B. Dom Perignon you bought it, no crowd of friends applauded.
C. You can almost taste the hot dogs and French fries they sell.
D. Where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies.
E. And stopped along the way to buy some Chinese food to go.
F. Put the lime in the coconut and drink them both together.
Abba. The Drifters. Taylor Swift. The Beatles. Chuck Berry. Harry Nilsson.
Answers:
1 A. 2 A. 3 B. 4 C. 5 Miraval Rose (Brad and Angelina); Papa Salt Gin (Margot Robbie); Blackeye Gin (Mike Tindall); Hawkstone Lager (Jeremy Clarkson); Prospero Tequila (Rita Ora); Heaven’s Door Tennessee Bourbon (Bob Dylan). 6 B. 7 B. 8 D – Swicy (Sweet and Spicy). 9 C. 10 A. 11 Marmalade (Paddington); Peanut butter, bacon & banana (Elvis); Jam Pennies (Queen Elizabeth II); Cheese and Brussels sprouts (Frank Skinner); Peanut butter and jam (Bruce Springsteen); Ham & cheese toastie with Dijon mustard (Prince Harry); Roast chicken, cream cheese, lettuce, Branston Pickle and mayonnaise (Keeley Hawes). 12 D. 13 A. 14 C. 15 Sausage Roll + Hot Honey Sauce; Vegan Sausage Roll + Harissa Coconut yoghurt; Cheese & Onion Bake + Romesco Sauce & Almonds; Steak Bake + Peppercorn Aioli; Chicken Bake + Katsu Curry Sauce and Pickled Cucumber; Sausage Bean & Cheese Melt + Bloody Mary Ketchup. 16 B. 17 D. 18 B. 19 C. 20 E. 21 G. 22 C and D. 23 B. 24 A. Chuck Berry (You Never Can Tell); B. Taylor Swift (Champagne Problems); C. The Drifters (Under The Boardwalk); D. The Beatles (Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds); E.Abba (The Day Before You Came); F. Harry Nilsson (Coconut).