Celebrity chef Iain ‘Huey’ Hewitson revealed his secret ingredient to guarantee perfect scrambled eggs every time – and he learned it from the late Bill Granger.
Hewitson was a fixture on Australian TV for decades thanks to his popular afternoon cooking shows – and now he’s made a surprise comeback to TikTok.
The chef said he always uses heavy cream in his egg batter and beats it with a fork instead of a whisk.
‘The best scrambled eggs I ever had were at café ‘bills’ [which was owned by] Bill Granger who is unfortunately no longer with us. He was a great chef…I saw his recipe for scrambled eggs and it had about three tons of cream in it,” he said in a video.
Melbourne-born chef Bill Granger was described by the New York Times as ‘Sydney’s egg master’ and is credited with making scrambled eggs ‘sexy’.
His cafe in Darlinghurst is known for its ‘perfected’ scrambled eggs which were described by one food critic as ‘light as an angel’s breath’.
Hewitson said: ‘I think the recipe contained equal amounts of cream and eggs, but I’m not going to do that. I like to add a good dollop of cream to my eggs before beating them with a fork.”
The chef advised against using a whisk because you want to keep some air in it.
Celebrity chef Iain ‘Huey’ Hewitson revealed his secret ingredient to ensure you make the perfect plate of scrambled eggs every time
Bill Granger was described by the New York Times as ‘Sydney’s egg master’
Hewitson then added half a tablespoon of butter to his pan and waited for it to melt before adding the eggs.
“We don’t make an omelet here, so every time it curdles, you bring the mixture to the center,” he said.
“The other thing is, don’t overcook them. People tend to overcook them until they are really hard. They will continue to cook when you remove them from the heat source, so turn off the heat slightly before you are done.’
Hewitson always adds a pinch of salt and a handful of chopped chives for color and freshness.
To plate the eggs, the chef spreads some bread and spreads goat cheese on top
Hewitson began hosting the series Healthy, Wealthy and Wise in 1992 and fronted the programs Huey’s Cooking Adventures (1997) and Huey’s Kitchen (2010).
Before serving, the chef spreads some bread and spreads goat cheese on top.
“My mother always spread Vegemite on toast before putting scrambled eggs on it,” Hewitson remembers.
Many younger Aussies have spoken of their joy at coming across Huey’s cooking videos online, saying they have ‘unlocked’ fond memories of watching him as children.
Hewitson began hosting the series Healthy, Wealthy and Wise in 1992 and subsequently fronted the programs Huey’s Cooking Adventures (1997) and Huey’s Kitchen (2010).
His last new cooking episode was broadcast for free in 2014.
Since receiving the proverbial pat on the back from commercial TV bosses, the Melbourne-based Kiwi chef has kept a low profile.
The 75-year-old previously told FEMAIL he felt “humbled” by the instant success, adding that his philosophy on TikTok is no different than when he was on TV: inspiring others and teaching them how to cook.