A lot of my reputation is a product of exaggeration and ignorance.

People who can give themselves every day. They're the people that I admire, they're real people.

Once you accept you are being judged by people who have less knowledge than yourself, then what's it worth?

Mother Nature is the true artist and our job as cooks is to allow her to shine.

I came from the old world of gastronomy. Many years ago I walked into the kitchens of the Hotel St George and I feel very fortunate that I worked for chefs that were behind their stoves. I saw that world of gastronomy. I can sit here today and say that I saw the golden age of gastronomy. It's gone, it's gone. It's never going to have that anymore, once the accountants get involved the romance fades. That's the reality.

Nine out of ten English chefs have their names on their chests. Who do they think they are? They're dreamers. They're jokes. Just ask yourself how many chefs in this country have Michelin stars and how many have their names on their jackets. We all wear blue aprons in my kitchen because we're all commis. We're all still learning.

Once you grow up and discover yourself as a human being you look at things for what they are.