The Food Critic and the Flying Saucer

About a year after I had started in Richmond I was struggling a bit, so was very pleased to find out that the Good Food Guide had made me their London newcomer of the year. A Sunday paper got hold of this and had a little brainwave – publish a piece about me by both the GFG and their main competitor, which didn’t seem to know I was there (even thought I had told them twice). The first I knew about this was when I opened the paper and saw myself – enthusiastically reviewed by the GFG, harshly by the other guide. Indeed, it was the worst review I’ve ever received. That was a bit unnecessary, I thought – was this anything to do with professional pique? This certainly wasn’t the sort of review a business struggling to establish itself needed, particularly as I thought there hadn’t been much wrong with the food – I’d cooked it, after all.