I think it's nice to let people know that there is an invisible part of the world. I think there are many people now who are interested in the invisible world.
The most important thing for me is to walk the little alleys of the city, to find the little alcove where someone is cooking something, and just watch them do it. That's my idea of fun.
I'm a firm believer that the world should be your oyster when you're cooking. People should open themselves to other cuisines - there are a lot of hidden secrets all over the world.
Conflict is very much a state of mind. If you're not in that state of mind, it doesn't bother you.
A well-made salad must have a certain uniformity; it should make perfect sense for those ingredients to share a bowl.
Tossing doughnuts, fritters or fried dumplings in fennel sugar adds grown-up complexity without diminishing the indulgence factor.
As is always the way with pancakes, the first hotcake to come out of the pan will probably be a bit misshapen. Just scoff it, and carry on with the rest.
Small okra pods have a much more attractive texture than large ones, which, when cooked, can be gloopy, stringy and totally spoil a dish.
The differences between a tart, a pie and a quiche are a blur.
Healthy is in the eye of the beholder.
I don't do guilt. Whatever I do, I do it happily.
Lebanese mezze, Cantonese dim sum and Basque pinchos have all evolved over years and are designed to make sense together.
It's hard to beat the rough texture of steel-cut oats, with their slight resistance against the teeth.
The way to entice people into cooking is to cook delicious things.
Vegetarian and frugal it may be, but the chickpea is one of the most versatile ingredients you could keep in your cupboards.
Halva works brilliantly in ice-cream.
The moment to tell my barber I was gay just never came up.
The only way reliably to gauge the heat of any particular chilli is to cut it in half, so exposing the core and membranes, and to dab the cut surface on your tongue.
Speaking as someone who didn't go through the U.K. school system, with all the culinary baggage that entails, I am inordinately fond of custard in any shape or form.
Every era has its own list of ingredients that are considered exotic and then, 15 years later, they're not.
I can't stand recipes that don't have background.
