If you see how a plant grows and you taste it in situ you have a perfect example of how it should taste on the plate.

I would love to eat a really great burger, but it doesn't exist in our part of the world.

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

There's no media training. In cooking school, there's not even manager training. You learn the fundamentals of cooking. Everything else is learning by doing.

I've never had anything but the freedom to do what I wanted just as long as it made me happy.

I had turned down other head chef jobs. I didn't want to take over someone else's cuisine. I wanted to start from scratch.

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