“Wow, My Dad was really brilliant,”

“So if you had a magic fork which meant you could do whatever you liked, what would you do?” I say to Elly.

We are eating supper together. Mick and Polly are at the hospital.

I have cut little pieces of lamb and potato and arranged it in a spiral around the plate. It looks really brilliant, not like a kiddy meal, but like a pretentious restaurant meal.

In my head I'm saying “The first time I really felt that I’d cooked was when I made the spiral lamb and potato for my daughter, I was just playing around really, but suddenly it all just clicked really, and here I am today, with 3 michelin stars for children’s food.”

I consider taking a photo of the plate so that in 20 years time Elly looks at it and says “Wow, My Dad was really brilliant,”

"Elly?" I say

"What?" says Elly.

"I said, if you had a magic fork which meant you could do whatever you liked, what would you do?” I say.

“I would get a new Dad,” says Elly.