"...In the countries I visit regularly - Britain, America, Germany, Australia, and the Netherlands - the impact of rising obesity levels and diet-related diseases are causing a terrible, unsustainable strain on health care and other social services. A lack of food knowledge and cooking skills, coupled with the rise of cheap, processed foods, is definitely to blame for this new epidemic.

"I'm also aware that global food production is having a huge impact on the environment. There will be many more people on the planet in 2036, and... not enough food to go around if we continue consuming and wasting food the way we have been. And, when you add over-farming and over-fishing and climate change to the mix, you have to wonder if many of today's ingredients will even be around 25 years from now.


"I'm convinced the best way to face the future and tackle these diet-related problems is to arm people with knowledge and skills. The more people understand food, the more likely they are to respect it. The beauty of knowing how to cook is that it makes you resilient, adaptable and resourceful, no matter what ingredients you have in front of you."