A Therfield pub is holding an online cooking demonstration so people can recreate their favourite dishes in their own kitchens.

Ivan Titmuss, landlord of The Fox and Duck, is using technology to keep in touch with his customers with live ‘cookalongs’ after closing the pub’s doors due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Ingredients for each Cookalong Live will be posted via The Fox and Duck’s social media accounts, and those taking part will be encouraged to post photos of their efforts.

Ivan hopes this will help turn the pub into a ‘virtual local’ while maintaining social distancing.

He said: “The Fox and the Duck is regarded by many as the heart and soul of the community, and I want that to continue during these current times.

“Eating out is a huge part of British culture and food is integral to so much of what we do. So while you cannot physically come in to order one of our dishes, what we can do is help you to recreate them at home.

“With people advised to stay at home and to limit the number of trips out for shopping, we’re purposely picking dishes with ingredients that are easily available. And we’ll be posting the food list online 14 days in advance to give people sufficient opportunity to source the ingredients, too.”

In the first Cookalong Live, in mid-April, Ivan will be making the pub’s signature Foxy Burger – a new experience for him as he does not usually work in the pub kitchen.

He said: “I’m not actually a chef so this is going to be as much a cookery lesson for me as it is anyone taking part!

“Luckily my head chef, Jarek, will be giving me masterclasses via video conferencing, so I’m hoping I’ll be able to pass on his magic in the kitchen.”

The pub usually holds a quiz on the first Sunday of every month, which Ivan will also recreate via Facebook Live.

Prior to its closure, The Fox and Duck offered NHS staff a 50 per cent discount on all food orders. The pub initially offered a takeaway service, but stopped on March 23 – the day of the lockdown – for the safety of customers and staff. In a statement on Facebook, Ivan thanked customers for their support.

To take part in the cookalong go to Facebook and search for @TheFoxAndDuck