I tried many potato recipes, but I wanted to learn from a professional. I went to a cooking class with Nanna Tate and chef Poppy Cooks.

Poppy Cooks is a famous food creator and Michelin-trained chef. She worked in many top kitchens before becoming popular on social media.

She has many followers because her recipes are easy to make and she gives good cooking tips.

The main dish we made was crispy smashed potatoes, which is all about the technique.

We cooled the potatoes before smashing them.

I learned that starting with a hot oven is very important. It helps the potatoes get crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

The ovens were set to 200°C, which is hotter than I usually use for potatoes. It made a big difference.

Another good tip was to put garlic oil on the potatoes before cooking. I made my own garlic oil by frying garlic in olive oil.

I used a lot of garlic, and it tasted great. The garlic oil also helps the potatoes get crisper and adds more flavor.

We turned the potatoes over after 20-30 minutes so they would brown evenly. It's a small step that makes a big difference.

The potatoes were all the same size, so they cooked perfectly.

The smashed potatoes were very tasty.

It's easier to smash the potatoes after they have cooled down. If you smash them right away, they might break apart too much.

We served the potatoes with whipped brie and a salad. They were very good together.

The combination of flavors was great, and I want to make it again for my family.

The chef's love for cooking and potatoes was inspiring. I left the class with many new ideas and a full notebook.

Sometimes, small changes like using a hotter oven, garlic oil, and not over-smashing the potatoes can make a big difference in how they turn out.