‘One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.’ – Virginia woolf. As someone who has spent her whole life around food I couldn’t agree more. Food and eating together is wonderful. A kitchen table exploding with laughter and stories really is the best tonic. When I was running kitchens we always had team lunches where we could sit, chat and relax. Even now I love having a kitchen table full.
I also believe that food has the ability to break down boundaries and challenge perceptions. Clink has trained prisoners to cook and serve in restaurants based in prisons- the Cardiff one now has a Michelin star. A second chance is sometimes all that’s needed. As a self-confessed greedy person (who always needs to lose a stone) I love food and I always will do.