Ben, known as Spud Man, has shared a recipe and cooking tips ahead of Guy Fawkes Night on November 5, highlighting his signature baked potatoes accompanied by a slow-cooker sausage stew. The recipe is designed to serve two but can be easily scaled up for larger gatherings.

The dish features Spud Man baked potatoes filled with butter, salt, pepper, grated Cheddar cheese, and chopped flat-leaf parsley. The sausage stew involves pork sausages cooked with red onion, red pepper, carrots, garlic, and red chili, seasoned with smoked paprika, sugar, and tomato ketchup, then simmered with chopped tomatoes and chicken stock. The stew is thickened at the end with a cornflour slurry before being served over the baked potatoes.

Ben advises cooking the potatoes unwrapped at 220°C for about an hour and 20 minutes, noting that larger potatoes require additional time. In his professional setup, he uses an industrial potato oven operating at 300–350°C. He recommends testing for doneness by gently squeezing the potato.

Beyond cooking, Ben’s story reflects resilience. Despite managing complications related to kidney disease, he remains active and dedicated to his business, which is well-known at festivals and events. He balances his professional life with a large family, including children and step-children, and maintains a positive outlook.

Ben’s approach to baked potatoes emphasizes both simplicity and flavor, pairing classic ingredients with a hearty, spiced sausage stew. His latest cookbook, *Spud Man’s Spuds for All Seasons*, featuring 40 seasonal recipes, was recently published by HarperNorth.