The secret is to make sure the business is running to perfection, with or without me.

Cooking today is far greater than it ever was, and more importantly, a chef's role today has changed dramatically over the last decade.

There's nothing new. I think that's the weird thing for me. Over the last couple of months, the keep-fit shows, and then at the end of it you get to lose weight and one of you is going to win a million dollars - that's not real. In many ways, even 10 years ago that wouldn't have worked.

Cooking is about passion, so it may look slightly temperamental in a way that it's too assertive to the naked eye.

I came up from a difficult background.

As a soccer player, I wanted an FA Cup winner's medal. As an actor you want an Oscar. As a chef it's three-Michelin's stars, there's no greater than that. So pushing yourself to the extreme creates a lot of pressure and a lot of excitement, and more importantly, it shows on the plate.

Cooking today is a young man's game, I don't give a bollocks what anyone says.