TWO THINGS I LOVE

 I can’t think of two topics that I enjoy more than those in this month’s theme, eating and exploring. So here is a peek at some of the gastronomic lessons and adventures I’ve enjoyed. Food has had a big part to play in my life – sharing it, learning about it, cooking, and discovering some of the most incredible restaurants and experiences in the world, which has included:

 A meal in Bergamo at Da Vittorio where brothers Enrico and Roberto Cerea are the chefs. At the end of one of the most amazing evenings, they came out to thank us for coming, gave us their cookbook, and asked if we would come and meet their mama, who was setting the table for the restaurant staff to sit down and eat roast rabbit at 11.30pm. I remember the smells, the sense of family and the cleanest, shiniest kitchen sinks I have ever seen.

Another discovery was ‘waiting plates’. I’d never heard of them, let alone had one presented to me. These are given to you when you choose to sit out a course, and instead of having nothing in front of you, a smart porcelain cloche comes out for the duration of that course (only in Paris).

Meals under the stars and amongst the olives in St Remy and Wanaka.

Baked Alaska in Alaska.

Tuna sashimi at the fish markets in Tokyo and blue cod cooked on a rusty old boat in Stewart Island.

A 60th birthday celebrated at the El Cellar de Can Roca in Girona – a one-off.

And finally, my mum’s cooking.

Food delivers a sensory experience, and for me, it’s also about nostalgia, a chance to remember moments in time that come together beautifully and that will stay with me always. I value that.