Why do I love food?

My obsession with cookbooks, foodie mags, well pretty much any recipe is without doubt my strongest fetish.

I don’t mean the general housewife cookbooks, as I call them, publications - at the same time it doesn't have to be a fascination with the 7 step culinary extravaganza, although God they float my boat and get the juices flowing.

What turns me on is the picture, the ingredients list, I’m enchanted by every new recipe I’ve never heard of - which typically follows with research and a google session. I have to know everything!

It’s what I can do with the dish described that excites me. A trigger of thought floods my mind. Very rarely do I follow a recipe, it’s just the idea that gets the heart racing. To put your own mark on a recipe, idea, dish, is myself as a chef what it’s all about.

The mind starts flooding with flavours, textures, feel and taste and then there's the magical moment when I create and share. Yes it’s my thoughts, my mind moment but sharing is what it’s all about. From my home to the restaurant the expression on people’s faces when they indulge in my creation, my art, is euphoric.

Ok to explain a little further. What happens in my mind? I see a recipe for let’s say… Herb crusted lamb w/ crushed potatoes. Ingredients: lamb (obviously), crumbs, chives, potatoes, broad beans, cream and artichokes. Good, yep, fine. ‘Crusted lamb with crushed potatoes with broad beans and artichoke cream’ But why stop there, my mind sure doesn’t!

Lamb cutlets with a Rogan Josh onion jam pocket, crusted with cumin spiced pappadam’s served on a bed sag aloo

OR

Miso & citrus marinated lamb, oven baked in panko crust on a bed of soba noodle and wakame salad dressed with cucumber relish

OR

 4 pointer lamb rack, boned, pine wheeled with a porcini mushroom and spinach farce served on a risotto Milanese

And the list goes on!

The point is look outside the box and let the juices flow. Why just see that single dish when there are so many.

A combo you have had before, enjoyed, play with it. How can that be immersed into what you have just seen?

As you can imagine it takes me a while to read a cookbook, one with say 100 recipes, I see thousands and just love it. Have a go, find a recipe and change it to suit your taste, your theme, your cupboard, your mind. Whatever it is, try it.

Food just never stops giving!