Richard Bertinet

1. What is your favourite restaurant?

La Criée in Quiberon, Brittany

2. What is your favourite hotel?

The George, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight

3. What is your favourite food?

Seafood - all types of shellfish, especially crabs, and prawns

4. What is your favourite drink?

Good wine - especially Alsace and Muscadet

5. Are there any foods or ingredients you refuse to cook with? If so why?

Packet dried yeast - it couldn't make sawdust rise

6. What flavour combinations do you detest?

Cucumber and mint in a soup

7. What is the best film you have seen?

Schindler's List

8. What is your favourite book?

English Bread and Yeast Cookery by Elizabeth David

9. What sort of music do you like?

Various, depending on my mood - Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Queen - the list goes on!

10. What is your favourite prepared food product?

Flour

11. Which chefs do you most admire?

Jean-Christophe Novelli and Marco Pierre White. I like the way they think and I understand their philosophy in the kitchen

12. Which person do you aspire to be like?

Eric Cantona - I like his charisma

13. Who would be in your ultimate "fantasy brigade"?

Dean Brettschreider from New Zealand. We worked together in a small bakery in Beaulieu, Hampshire - he is a bloody good baker. And Emily Green for her passion for food and bread

14. Describe yourself in five words

Moody, couple of stone overweight

15. How often do you cook for yourself at home and what sort of dishes do you cook?

As often as I can, especially for friends and relatives. I like simple dishes - lots of fish, bread and wine

16. Cast away on a desert island what luxury would you take and why?

My fishing gear. I would hope to catch all types of fish. I go fishing as often as possible

17. Do you have a soul mate?

My girlfriend, Della. She's my best pal

18. Reveal something personal about yourself

I hate to be late