From an unusual family tradition to his controversial Christmas drink, Cornwall’s Rick Stein left his fellow radio guests stunned with his surprising admissions
Samantha Masters Content Editor
13:29, 28 Nov 2025
Rick Stein left guests stunned with his family tradition (Image: BBC)
Rick Stein left BBC Radio 2’s Scott Mills, and his guests, shocked this morning after revealing his family’s “dangerous” Christmas tradition. In a conversation about putting up the Christmas tree, the chef explained how things are very different now compared to when he grew up in the 1950s.
Speaking to Scott, Maisie Adam, and Rag’n’Bone Man live on air, Rick said his parents used to put real candles on their festive tree.
The 78-year-old explained: “It’s interesting actually, one of the things when I was little, we didn’t have electric candles on the Christmas tree, right, because it was in the 50s.
“Other people didn’t, maybe they were around, but my father was of German origin, although he was born in England, so he had real candles.”
To check she had heard him correctly, Maisie replied: “On the tree?”, to which he confirmed.
Aware of the danger it could cause, Scott went on to jokingly warn listeners: “Please don’t try that at home, it was the 50s.”
Still in shock, Maisie continued to question him. “Real candles on a pine tree? That’s an absolute recipe for disaster,” she added.
Rick Stein also shocked fellow guests with his go-to drink admission (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Rick continued: “The point was, me and my sister Henrietta, we just weren’t allowed to see the tree until everything had been put on there and the lit candles, and then we were allowed into the room and the effect on us was just mesmeric.”
After Maisie suggested it could’ve sparked a forest fire, Rick replied: “It could’ve been, but they were only on for 20 minutes, somebody was keeping an eye on them.”
Later, the chef stunned his fellow guests further by revealing that his go-to Christmas drink is a Negroni.
Rick claimed that the drink was much loved by chefs and, during social occasions, would be served in a “big jar.”
“One of those big glass jars with a little tap underneath,” he explained. “So you don’t have to wait while the cocktail maker makes it, so it’s there.”
In response, Scott quipped: “It’s genuinely dangerous around Rick Stein, if it’s not candles, forest fires, there’s like free-pouring of Negroni!”
Revealing another Christmas tradition, the chef admitted he loves going to the pub on the big day.
Scott Mills warned listeners not to follow Rick’s family’s tradition (Image: BBC)
While discussing his book Rick Stein’s Christmas, he said he wanted to be relatable by not just sharing recipes, but also the times “when things go wrong.”
“I always find it fascinating that chefs still have festive failures,” Scott admitted.
Rick replied: “I think in my case, I’m quite prone to accidents, but also, I guess one of the problems with my Christmas is, what I love on Christmas day is going to the pub just for an hour.
“But it slightly unhinges the rest of Christmas, and what is supposed to be a Christmas lunch ends up being served about half past three.
“The pub on Christmas Day, everybody comes in and it’s just really special.”
