"Cookery isn't much different from chemistry: recipes are oddly similar to formulas. Also, I had an older sister who made sure I did not grow into one of those useless males who treat the kitchen like a cinema vampire would a dawn-lit window," he says, setting aside the butter and lifting the saucepan by the handle, tilting it to let the butter swirl slowly across the surface.

"Scrambled eggs with sliced truffles. Rich as you can get, but a treat at this cold time of the year. I'll slice the truffles, if you'd care to scramble the eggs?"