Soup is a true shapeshifter. What other food has the range of both Korean Jjamppong, a spicy, steaming broth brimming with seafood, and French Vichyssoise, a chilled, creamy potato and and leek number? They are found in every corner of the globe, take us from season to season (although it's hard to deny the lure of a steaming bowl when winter sets in) and allow us to make use of what's in season or leftover in the fridge.

It's probably not surprising that a concept as simple as soup - taken from the Latin word 'suppa', which means bread soaked in broth - has a pretty lengthy history. The first example of a soup bowl was discovered in a cave in China's Jiangxi Province and dates back to 20,000 BC. It was, thanks to scorch marks on the pottery, thought to have been used for hot soup; Neanderthals at the time are believed to have boiled bones to render fats that stopped protein poisoning, ultimately creating a simple drinkable broth. The Roman Empire had an impact on the travel of soup, bringing gazpacho to southern Spain, but over the centuries the practice of soup-making began to spread; we poured it over toasted bread at one point, invented the soup spoon and made our lives easier with canned varieties. 

Today, it's fair to say soup is everywhere, with recipes for the likes of ramen, pho, borscht and chowder becoming synonymous with their home countries and regions. Here, from hot to cold and hearty to light, we've taken a look at some of our chefs' top soup recipes.

Larkin Cen provides a broth packed with flavour in his hot and sour dashi ramen; it's full of fiery, tangy, uplifting flavour, thanks to the recipe's chilli-heavy broth, braised tofu and pickled shiitake mushrooms. It's vegan, but it'll become a regular recipe whether you're plant-based or not. You'll need to prepare the dashi a few days ahead of time to make sure it extracts all the deep, savoury flavours from the kombu and mushrooms, but the actual preparation of the dish is quick and simple.

Is there a more classic soup recipes than tomato? We think not. Michael Caines' recipe gives it a twist, using dehydrated tomatoes to intensify the flavour, adding a spicy kick with red chilli and serving it with a vibrant basil oil and drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Serve it with its perfect companion, an elevated cheese toastie, for a particularly hearty affair. 

Chicken soup is, as they say, good for the soul, and this version from Amy Elles certainly proves that point. This simple recipe turns a leftover roast chicken carcass into a hearty soup, which is served with buttery onions, chewy pearl barley, chopped boiled eggs, crispy bacon, tomatoes and plenty of fragrant fresh herbs. A brilliant way to make the most of a Sunday roast chicken.

This rye soup recipe from Kuba Winkowski takes a little while to prepare, but it's well worth the time to make sure you tease out all the flavour of the ingredients. The end result is a combination of rich stock and tangy, fermented rye. The dish is finished with aromatic dill and smoky potatoes which have been cooked in the embers of a barbecue. Kuba's recipes features beef tongue, but you can substitute this with sausages if you're struggling to get hold of it.

This Japanese dish by Tim Anderson can be ready in just thirty minutes, thanks to its use of frozen gyoza (though you can of course make your own if the mood strikes). A spicy gyoza nabe, it's the ideal winter warmer and is packed with red chilli, garlic, sesame and miso. Though it would most traditionally be cooked over a table-top stove in Japan, you can whip it up in the kitchen and keep it warm while you tuck in.

This vegan Jerusalem artichoke soup from Chantelle Nicholson brings a cheffy twist to a homely favourite. Served with roasted pears and a walnut granola, it's a comforting dinner if you're cooking a bowl for yourself, but would also make a brilliant addition to a dinner party menu. Better yet, it only takes forty minutes to make.

Kalguksu is a Korean dish of knife-cut noodles served with an aromatic broth. It's typically considered a seasonal food in Korea and is usually eaten in summer, but we think it's perfect all year round. Here, chef Joo Won uses seafood in his version and serves it with a  kimchi side salad, which he says is best eaten when fresh. If you'd like prefer to make a fermented kimchi, remove corn syrup from this recipe and leave it to ferment at room temperature for anything between one week and six months.

Steven Edwards' refreshing chilled beetroot soup combines the earthiness of its star vegetable with the richness of smoked eel, along with zesty orange and coriander. It would make a perfect starter or light lunch, though its beautiful hue sets it apart as a show-stopper if you're cooking for a crowd.

Tasty garnishes elevate Tom Booton's leek and potato soup from a humble classic to a restaurant quality dish. Smoked haddock is poached in milk, which is then used in the soup to give it extra depth of flavour, while he serves the finished dish with light and crispy potato doughnuts, which take a little bit of work but are well worth the effort.