Join RATIONAL behind-the-pass as we get a rare window into the way Michelin‑starred chef Tom Barnes runs Skof, his acclaimed Manchester restaurant that has been turning heads since it opened in 2024.
Fresh from retaining his Michelin star for 2026, Tom walks you through the precision and calm intensity that define his kitchen, showing how thoughtful systems, and the tools he trusts, support consistency without compromising creativity.
Follow Tom as he prepares his roasted duck with celeriac and fig leaf sauce, a dish built on a deeply flavoured stock cooked under pressure in the iVario Pro. “Cooking the duck stock under pressure gives us a fresher flavour and a much better yield,” he explains. “Before the iVario, we’d be watching pans all day.” The duck is then roasted in the iCombi Pro at 300°C with 5% humidity, achieving even caramelisation in just three minutes - one of the many small insights into how Skof delivers such unwavering consistency.
He then dives into a comforting yet technically intricate plate: confit King Edward potatoes with yellow split pea purée, roasted chicken skin and a light Isle of Mull cheddar sauce.
To create a flawless cheese infusion, Tom turns to gentle steaming in the iCombi Pro. “If you do this in a pan, it’s so easy to catch it and ruin the sauce,” he says. “With the iCombi, we can set it, leave it, and know it will be perfect every time.” Finished with laminated brioche and fermented onion top butter, the dish reflects the balance of warmth and precision that defines Skof.
“I’ve worked with the iCombi and iVario for years, they make our day‑to‑day life so much easier. I’d be lost without them,” he says.
