I think a lot of professional chefs have a slightly holy view of women who cook. I don't think you can tell the gender of a person through his or her cooking - except at home, because male home cooks tend to be more show-offy.

People of ten say to me, You don't wear your hair up. You haven't got a net. I cook for my children. I grew up eating my mother's hair, and I don't see why they can't grow up eating mine.

If you're on TV, you can't be surprised if someone talks about what you look like. I don't want to be the poster girl for anything in particular, but I don't equate thinness with healthiness, so I don't feel I have to defend having flesh on me. It's really, as the French say, everything in moderation - including moderation.

I eat healthily. It's just that I eat enough for five healthy people.

A [Christmas] stocking without a pomegranate is not worth talking about.

Diets are like boyfriends - it never works to go back to them.

I am not a chef. I am not even a trained or professional cook. My qualification is as an eater.