Introduction

Food has always been a huge part of my life; important occasions were always marked with a feast of some sort. Whether it was a birthday, a funeral or a wedding, I looked forward to finding out what was on the menu more than I looked forward to the event itself. I suppose my now fully-fledged fascination for all things food-related essentially stems from that curiosity. This book chronicles my food journey thus far – how it started and what has shaped me into the chef I am today. It will take you through all the defining food stages of my life – from the very beginning, when all I knew was the food that my mother cooked; to my school days, when I was exposed to other foods and began to learn basic cooking skills; to the time I realised that food could be my profession; to the tastes I’ve experienced through travel; to the present day and what now defines my personal taste.