I was a quiet teenager, introverted, full of angst.

I think we all live in a world that is so fast-paced, it's threatening and absolutely saturated with change and novelty and insecurity. Therefore, the ritual of cooking and feeding my family and friends, whoever drops in, is what makes me feel that I'm in a universe that is contained.

At some stages of your life you will deal with things and at others you are overwhelmed with misery and anxiety.

I was shy as a child. Now I'm not really shy any more, unless I'm with shy people. I find it contagious and I don't know what to say. But I don't think shyness is something one should feel apologetic about.

Sometimes it's good just to be seduced by the particular cheeses spread out in front of you on a cheese counter.

In fact I am quite snappy and irritable, and I don't know if I'd like to make myself worse in that respect.

Cooking is actually quite aggressive and controlling and sometimes, yes, there is an element of force-feeding going on.