The idea of holidaying with my friends in Ibiza or on the Costa del Sol ignited no sparks for this would be gastronome. The coves, hills and valleys of southern England were scoured, pausing only to taste the wares of local fishermen, bakers and butchers. Bliss.

My Dad was and still is a great lover of farm shops and roadside sellers - purchasing anything from fresh, still warm new laid eggs to homemade jams & marmalades, breads and seasonal vegetables. My home county of Essex overflows with such wonderful organic home-grown products. Many a happy hour have I spent picking the juiciest strawberries in the fields of Tiptree, the home of the world famous preserves.

My early working life comprised of many tasks, wood staining of clock housings, a stint with a television production company - which may I add was not as glamorous as it sounds. I also had a stint within the employ of a wholesale potato company at the old Spitalfields market in the east end of London, a most knowledgeable position of which I would have much use for in later life.