Joseph Cooke, is a cook. who cooks same traditional recipe every day
Joseph Cooke is the fourth generation to carry on the family business — owner of F. Cooke, London’s oldest pie and mash shop.
Based in Hoxton Street for 29 years, it is a window on London’s history founded by his great-grandfather in 1862.
You can see his video on our UKChefs Youtube channel.
“I came to the business from school. It’s all have ever done. I carry on with the food we produce,” he explained. “It’s a very famous and it’s the most traditional food in this part of London, in this part of the world. It’s extremely important,” said Cooke.
Beef or vegetarian pies, mash potatoes and liquor (never gravy) — the recipe hasn’t changed for four generations. The pies are still made to the original recipe. The goal is to keep intact the tradition. Indeed, the parsley sauce is the most important ingredient. Predominant in the dish, it’s in this case a sauce made from eels boiled. “I have no idea why my great grandfather decided to put the parsley sauce with the meat pie, which is normally a fish sauce. Maybe he was drunk… who knows. But thank god it worked,” added the pie maker.
This traditional recipe of Pie & Mash was invented by is great grandfather.
Every single day, Cooke made more than one hundred pies. A lot of regulars come into the shop thanks to the word of mouth only. F. Cooke became a veritable institution in the East End of London and it doesn’t need to prove itself anymore. Ingredients represent all the recipe and Joe Cooke make a point of honour into finding the perfect products. “We produce everything from scratch, from the bottom up, from the flour… and we have fresh beef every week. I bought it myself,” said Cooke. This way, there can be no mistakes.
