The Guy Behind The Bacon

I’m Chris, videographer, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Don’t Go Bacon My Heart. Otherwise known as ‘The Guy Behind The Bacon’. Hi 🙂

Chris Collins, food blogger at Don't Go Bacon My Heart stood behind a kitchen counter with stove behind him in a white jumper

Don’t Go Bacon My Heart is a blog totally dedicated to comfort food.

It breaks my heart (excuse the pun) when I hear people say that cooking is boring or stressful, because I truly believe it doesn’t have to be. I’m a firm believer that food can be fun and bring endless amounts of joy and comfort. As such, I made it my mission to spread the love by creating hearty, comforting, flavour-loaded and approachable recipes that you’ll make time and time again.

A little about me…

I grew up in Weston-Super-Mare, a town in the South-West of England. I left for university at 18 to study psychology at Cardiff Uni, but if I’m honest, I had little intention of being a psychologist from the get-go. I was just absolutely dying to go to experience university life!

During uni, I spent a couple of Summers abroad working in the USA at Summer camps for kids with mental and physical special needs. It was incredibly demanding work, but it offered me a huge amount of life experience and left me with some of my most cherished memories.

photo of chris collins holding giant tortoise at Melbourne zoo

From there, and after graduating from uni with a degree I still didn’t want to use, I prolonged reality a little longer and travelled Australia for a couple of years where I worked at Melbourne Zoo! Fast forward to now, I live in Edinburgh and work full-time on Don’t Go Bacon My Heart (see, I knew I never needed that degree! )

So how did you end up here?

I don’t want to start with the cliche ‘I’ve always loved food’, but it really is true.

I was brought up on comfort food such as Cottage Pie and Lasagne and also loved cooking as a child. I had my very own kids cookbook which I’d use to make homemade pizzas and Victoria sponge cake. I studied D&T Food at school and spent many evenings after school creating various different pasta sauce combinations for dinner!

Strangely enough, I never saw food as a career. The idea of working in a kitchen made me sweat just thinking about it, and since I had no formal training my options were somewhat limited.

In 2015 it all changed for me. I had just graduated from university and was saving money to go to Australia. It’s funny, I guess you can pin everything down to a photo I uploaded to Instagram. It was just a photo of my incredibly average dinner that evening. I have it buried away on my private account still, but since you’re here, I’ll show you the photo in question

old picture of a dinner posted on Instragram

With 16 likes, at that moment I felt like a Michelin star chef destined to be a world-famous food blogger! But in all seriousness, that’s all it took. A little nudge from some friends gave me a tiny bit of confidence and I took it and ran with it. I kept posting my dinners and little by little, more and more people started to take notice.

From there, I made a separate Instagram dedicated to food. Mainly just to stop annoying my friends and family with my food photos. But also because I became obsessed with trying to create the most delicious and creative dinners I could. After that, I decided to create a blog so I could start writing up the recipes alongside the dinners I was posting.

Every minute of every day I spent thinking about my next recipe. Even as I travelled Australia I kept the blog going, uploading recipes where and when I could. Be it in a campervan in the outback or in an Airbnb kitchen, you’d find me working on the blog.

When I got back from Australia (with a degree I didn’t want to use and a prolonged crisis of not knowing what I was doing with my future) I knew if I was going to make something of the blog it had to be now. As such, I moved back in with my Dad, set up a very make-shift studio in his garage and spent hours upon hours desperately trying to turn the blog into a business. And, well, here we are!

In reality though I’m still uploading my dinners, still creating various different pasta sauce combinations and still beyond obsessed with all things food

Chris Collins, food blogger at Don't Go Bacon My Heart sat eating wings at a restaurant

What are you serving up on the blog?

I like to call the food I make ‘happy food’. You know, the food you really wanna eat. From Creamy Garlic Mushroom Chicken and Cottage Pie Baked Potatoes to Tomato Butter Pasta and Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, you name it, I’ll cook it. Hey, that’s a fun game!

You’ll find recipes that are often carby, always comforting but never trendy recipes that fall flat. I was brought up on hearty comfort food recipes that hit the spot every single time, and that’s exactly the kind of food I share!

With all recipes, I provide a quick step-by-step video and step-by-step photos. I also include detailed notes to help you get the best result possible. I test each recipe numerous times and never upload anything I haven’t personally tried, tested and loved myself!

Check out my recipes by Category and by Ingredient. There’s also a search bar at the right hand side of every page if you’re after something specific.

Comfy Cookbook

On 26th October 2023 I also had the absolute joy of releasing my debut cookbook ‘Comfy’. This book is a love letter to comfort food and contains a collection of my very best dinners for any occasion, any day of the week.

You can check out my info and order a copy right here: Comfy Cookbook.

comfy cookbook out now with orange background

Press

Okay, time for some trumpet blowing

Alongside winning in the culinary category at the UK Blog Awards in 2019, I’ve also been featured in the Vuelio Top 10 Food Blogs in both 2021 and 2022. I’ve had the opportunity to work with brands such as Iceland & Sainsbury’s and have also increased my profile state-side with features on Buzzfeed, Parade Magazine, RightThisMinute and Good Morning America.

culinary winner uk blog awards

Towards the end of 2019, I ended up stepping out from behind the blog and actually found myself on a TV show.

I’ve always said I’d never in a million years go on TV, but when the offer going on Netflix’s brand new show Crazy Delicious to serve food to Heston Blumenthal on a completely edible set was put in front of me, I couldn’t resist!

photo of crazy delicious judges and host
photo of chris, a contest from tv show Crazy Delicious

How can I get in touch?

You can find me on social media – Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest  | Twitter. Got a burning question? Checkout out my Contact page and drop me a message. Also, be sure to check out my FAQ Page!

Right, that’s all from me for now! I hope you stick around to find your new favourite meal and thanks so much for stopping by and making it this far!

See you again soon 🙂

Chris xx

Chris Collins, food blogger at Don't Go Bacon My Heart in white jumper eating a slice of garlic flatbread

(Love a sandwich? Check out my sandwich blog – Something About Sandwiches.)

Chris Collins, food blogger at Don't Go Bacon My Heart in white jumper eating a slice of garlic flatbread
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111 Comments

  1. Marios Andreou says:

    I would like to buy your book. How can i buy?
    i am from cyprus.
    Thanks

  2. Mark Worrall says:

    At long last! A proper cook book. Not one that’s telling you to use some latest fad of Bolivian farmed iguana milk or one that says you can only have 2 calories per serving! It’s ‘proper food’ (pardon the cliche) but it’s things my nippers would enjoy.

    Thankyou!

    1. Chris Collins says:

      Bolivian farmed iguana milk hahaha. That did make me chuckle! Thanks for the commment, Mark! All the best. C.

  3. Jim Meehan says:

    Nice one on the site Chris
    Found it when checking for correct flour to make flatbreads We love making them I’ll mix and my wife fries We use either 00 or plain white usually and go with the yoghurt and sea salt (we save the saxa for icy path or to ward the snails away from the climbing hydrangea – they keep well away!)
    All the best from Jim in Liverpool

    1. Chris Collins says:

      Thanks for stopping by, Jim! I imagine the sea salt works perfectly with the flatbreads! C.

  4. Judy says:

    Young man, I just found you on Pinterest! I will find you and follow you on FB! It’s exciting to be a foodie and follow your dream. Also, I love the name of your cookbook and will check it out too. Judy from Georgia, USA.

    1. Chris Collins says:

      Thanks so much, Judy! Hoping the book will be available in the US soon. Greetings from the UK! C.

  5. Ivone Pereira says:

    The recipes are wonderful. Thank you for the Portuguese piri-piri my heritage.,living in Glasgow.
    And very nice to meet the person behind the videos,amazing biography.
    I hope it continues. Good luck . you are doing an exceptional job xx

    1. Chris Collins says:

      Thank you so much for the kind words, Ivone! I’m in Edinburgh, so we’re essentially neighbours haha! Take care. C.

  6. Benita Rodrigues says:

    Hi Chris…
    Since trying out your recipes, I have literally erased all my repetitive meal recipes am and re-learning how to cook.
    Its so satisfying when a meal is raved about all through dinner..:)
    Just checking whether you have a Roast lamb recipe I can try out.
    Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.Regards Benita

    1. Chris Collins says:

      Thank you so much for the lovely comment, Benita! I actually don’t have a roast lamb recipe, but I’ll definitely stick it on the ‘to-cook’ list! C.

  7. Pamela Schoonover says:

    Hi my name is Pam and I love grilled cheese…
    I had a grilled cheese while on vacation to Lasen Volcanic National Park area. It was on brioche bread, Swiss, brie and blackberry jam. It was yummy..
    So, my question is, what type of Brie cheese do you use for the one you have listed with; cranberry sauce, brie, bacon and chilli pepper flakes?
    I have used the Creamy brie and it is ok, but, yes there is a but. Since it is Creamy it cooks differently..
    So which brie do you use…
    Thank you so much, I reay appreciate your help.
    Pam

    1. Chris Collins says:

      Hey Pamela! I do use a creamy brie because it melts so beautifully. If you were looking for the brie to be more firm I’d just fry it for a slightly shorter time. C.

  8. Judy Smart says:

    Morning Chris, I made your Mousakka last night, wow, my husband and friends said it was the best mousakka they had ever had. I have to say it was dam delicious. Thank you!

    1. Chris Collins says:

      So lovely to hear, Judy!! C.

  9. Christine Newman says:

    Looking up how to cook sweet potato chips, mine are always a disaster, I found your recipe. What can I say but wow, best ever I’ve made and best ever eaten. Endorsed by my family. Thank you.

    1. Chris Collins says:

      So great to hear, Christine! Thanks for the family endorsement! C.

  10. Barbara - Ellen Trewick says:

    Hi Chris
    I accidently deleted your recipe for skinless sausages..could you please send it to me again??