Nigella Lawson shares her four ‘edicts for an easier existence’

Nigella Lawson has shared her four ‘edicts for an easier existence’ which include applying dry shampoo before bed and not worrying about serving ‘piping hot’ food. 

In her final column for The Sunday Times Style magazine, the TV chef, 60, from London, revealed her guide to ‘the art of getting through life’ and ‘smoothing a path through every day’. 

Her tips include saying no immediately to something you don’t want to do, rather than delaying your response because you feel guilty.

She also advised not putting things off, especially when it comes to jobs like laundry.  

Introducing her list, the former journalist-turned-chef wrote: ‘The art of getting through life relies on smoothing a path through the everyday rather more than finding a solution to profound philosophical problems.’ 

First of all, Nigella urged readers not to feel guilty about giving a ‘quick no’ when asked to do something they don’t feel they can agree to. 

‘If… you delay replying because you feel guilty about not giving the response wanted and worried about disappointing people, stop it now,’ she advised.

‘It helps no one, least of all the supplicant who lives in deluded hope. So you must learn, in the words of the late, great Ed Victor, “to give the second-best answer: a quick no”.’

She recommended doing so ‘without prevarication or procrastination’ in order to give the person time to find someone else, and to prevent ‘becoming mired in anxiety’.

Next Nigella shared her secret to making unwashed hair look good, revealing the optimal time for using dry shampoo isn’t in the morning, but before you go to bed. 

She said leaving the product in overnight means it will have disappeared, ‘taking the grime and grease with it’.

Nigella added that she believes budget dry shampoo is just as good as high end products. 

Another tip was to stop fussing over the temperature of food, pointing out every dish does not need to be ‘piping hot’ for the meal to be enjoyable.

For the particularly tricky Sunday roasts and Christmas dinner, she said you only need to make sure the gravy is hot and the plates are warm. 

Lastly, Nigella advised always taking action ‘immediately’, whether it be to tackle a pile of washing or embarking on an exciting adventure.   

‘Do it now,’ she wrote. ‘That’s the most important advice I could ever give, and I’m unembarrassed to say I give it often.’  

Nigella is stepping away from her column because she is busy with new projects, and preparing for her on-screen comeback after three years away. 

The chef is working on a new series -Nigella: At My Table – a show packed full of recipes including her brandy salted caramel ice cream and sticky toffee pudding. 

Her new show is expected to be broadcast later this year to coincide with her latest book, Cook, Eat, Repeat, due out in October.

The programme will mark her return to the limelight for the first time since 2017 when she released her eleventh book, At My Table.

The cookery star, who is worth around £15 million, has spent lockdown in her £5 million central London home with her children Cosima, 26, and Bruno, 24, from her first marriage to author and journalist John Diamond, who died of cancer in 2001.  

While Nigella will be busy showing off her favourite recipes, lockdown didn’t stop her indulging in her favourite comfort foods, which she recently revealed on Twitter. 

The food writer responded to a social media trend where Twitter users revealed their top nostalgic dishes.

Plain bread and butter, trifle and a fish finger sandwich were included in the TV chef’s favourite treats.  

Food writer Jenny Linford started the trend after revealing she was cooking more comfort food in lockdown, with baked egg custard her number one choice. 

Quote tweeting Jenny, Nigella added: ‘Well, I take the view that all food is comfort food, but I get the point.

‘My #7favouritecomfortfoods are: 1. Steamed syrup sponge and custard 2. Colcannon 3. Trifle 4. My Mother’s Praised Chicken 5. Lasagne 6. Bread and butter 7. Fish finger sandwich.’