Amazingly, it has taken me some time to mention Alastair Little here. This book, ‘Keep It Simple: A Fresh Look at Classic Cooking’, is a firm favourite of mine and many good chefs — and quite rightly. It is a book which doesn’t mess about. It does exactly what you wish: it keeps it simple and classic, and it is the sort of food we all want to eat. There is a list of good ingredients to have at hand and then, with some good equipment, you can really go to town.

He had a Soho restaurant in London in the 80s and 90s, and it was where Mrs Chef and I went on a first or second date. I still remember fondly having lamb with tapenade and thinking this is just absolutely fabulous. He was self-taught and was one of the most interesting, innovative and exciting of the new generation of British chefs. I admired him a lot.

He appeared on television a fair amount and was a good teacher, running a cookery school in Italy. He was a much-admired chef and cook and is sadly no longer with us. But I will always say thank you to him, as he got us two young lovers together, sat us in the window eating good food in his brilliant restaurant.