Scandinavian-Danish cuisine was something quite rustic, mostly known for pastries and smorgasbord cuisine, which in itself has become a joke.

The drive for working comes from everyday moments - the thrill of experiencing a young cook succeeding in what they thought was an impossible job, as well as guests being happy. I also love the unknown - discovering new things and trying to make sense of them.

When you get close to the raw materials and taste them at the moment they let go of the soil, you learn to respect them.

Close interaction with farmers and scientists can expose the chef to new flavours that can be used to delight diners.

Chefs have a new opportunity - and perhaps even an obligation - to inform the public about what is good to eat, and why.

21 years ago when I started cooking, to be a cook meant that you were going to stay in the basement. Being a chef, you would never be on a book tour. You could never dream that 20 years later on you would be on a book tour. It wasn't a part of your dreams because it was just totally unrealistic. When did cooks - restaurant cooks, not cooks that have 15,000 television shows - when did cooks become part of pop culture the way they are?

I'm a bit of a glutton - I eat too much of all that is good to eat.