New Year

As we launch into 1997 we thought it might be fun to reveal some of our best-known chefs' New Year resolutions. We also asked them to come up with a toast for Hogmanay.

And, as we rocket towards the millennium, we challenged the chefs to list the items they'd put in a time capsule.

BRUCE WASS, CHEF-PROPRIETOR THACKERAY'S RESTAURANT, TUNBRIDGE WELLS, KENT - one of the Good Food Guide 1997's restaurants of the year.

Resolutions: "To try and delegate more so I can travel and do more food research. And I'm sure my dog would appreciate a few more walks."

Toast: "To honest cooks who enjoy giving pleasure to people while at the same time giving themselves as much pleasure as possible and who don't give a stuff about Michelin stars."

Time capsule: because standardisation is advancing rapidly…

• Salads and speciality veg from Frances Smith, Appledore Salads, Kent (tel: 01233 758201).

• Selection of unpasturised British and Irish cheeses, which equal anything from France.

• A wild salmon.

• Tub of unpasturised cream from White House Farm, Biddenden, Kent (tel: 01580 291289), because you can taste the farmyard in it.

• Some mis-shapen, fantastic tasting tomatoes.

SHAUN HILL, CHEF-PROPRIETOR, MERCHANT HOUSE, LUDLOW, SHROPSHIRE - winner of the 1993 Catey Chef award, and Caterer diary writer.

Resolution: "To be more tolerant of food fads."

Toast: "To absent friends - all those who got fed up with catering in the recession: it's time to come back."

Time capsule:

• Carton of low-fat yoghurt, because we live in an age obsessed with low fat.

• Cartwheel-sized plate with a tower of meat in the middle and little dots of brightly coloured vegetables around the outside.

• Electric blender.

• Sage and onion crème brûlée.

• One of those little chef's skull-caps.

Willi Elsener, Executive Chef, Dorchester, London - winner of the 1996 Catey Chef award.

Resolutions: "To cut the front hedge in the garden, which I promised my wife I'd do a year ago; and to maintain the tremendous business we did in 1996 and remain a leader in the field."

Toast: "To all my staff - thank you for all the hard work and dedication in maintaining the pride of the Dorchester."

Time capsule:

• Catey Chef award.

• My private collection of Bordeaux wine.

• A computer.

• Guides Culinaire d'Escoffier (so chefs never forget the basics of cooking).

• Directory of Practical Cooking by Joseph Farvre (all six volumes).

Toby Hill, Chef-Manager, Gordleton Mill Hotel, Lymington, Hants - the restaurant is another Good Food Guide 1997 restaurant of the year.

Resolutions: "To try to spend more time with my fiancée. To work on ways to correct things we've done wrong in 1996 - and beat my staff if they don't carry them out!"

Toast: "Thank you to my staff - for their dedication and commitment and their patience in putting up with my tantrums - and no, they can't have any more days off!"

Time capsule:

• Michelin guide.

• One of my menus.

• My Japanese mandolin.

• One of my new plates.

• Block of Valrohna chocolate.

Marjan Lesnik, chef consultant and chairman of the UK jury of the Prix Pierre Taittinger (PPT).

Resolutions: "To find a unique corkscrew that has not yet been discovered. And to get a UK winner of the PPT."

Toast: "To all chefs who are having a hard time - pull back a little and learn to relax."

Time capsule:

• Great Chefs of France by Quentin Crewe and Anthony Blake.

• A description of the endeavours and emotions of Michel Bourdin and his 21-year quest at the Connaught.

• A record of the state visit to Claridge's of King Hassan of Morocco in the late 1980s from the chef's viewpoint.

• My signature dish - pot-roasted fillet of lamb with minted celery sauce.

• Video of Taittinger 1993 final (Top Chef - Carlton TV).

Joyce Molyneaux, Chef-Proprietor, Carved Angel, Dartmouth, Devon - the restaurant holds three AA rosettes.

Resolution: "To improve, keeping in mind our aims to provide good food and a place for people to enjoy themselves."

Toast: "To love and friendship."

Time capsule:

• A sun-dried tomato.

• A burger.

• A set of calves' brains in black butter.

• A chargrill.

• The next Carved Angel cookbook!

Tony Heath, Chef-Proprietor, Let's Eat, Perth - another of the Good Food Guide 1997's restaurants of the year, holder of two AA rosettes.

Resolutions: "Not to release expletives every time a well-done fillet steak comes on order. When it does, not to take it out on my partner and the front of house staff. To be sweetness and light to everyone who works for me, especially the front of house staff. To try to speak to more customers - especially those who order very well done fillet steaks. And, to stop calling my colleagues ‘mate'."

Toast: "Here's to the front of house staff, who have to put up with so much, particularly from customers, but more so from me - what would we do without them!"

Time capsule:

• A hamburger.

• A video of Rick Stein's Taste of the Sea series (BBC TV).

• A very well done fillet steak.

Jean-Christophe Novelli, Chef-Proprietor, Maison Novelli, London - in summer 1996 Novelli left the kitchens of London's Four Seasons hotel to go it alone with his own restaurant, Maison Novelli.

Resolutions: "To make 1997 as successful as the last six months of 1996."

Toast: "Thank you to all the people who had faith in me, left good jobs, took the gamble and followed me to Maison Novelli."

Time capsule:

• Picture of Marco Pierre White opening Harvey's.

• The footballer, Johann Cruyff.

• Video of Only Fools and Horses.

• Princess Anne's hairbrush, which she left in the restaurant.

• Picture of my staff at the opening of Maison Novelli