dishes TO TRY BEFORE YOU DIE

Risotto with white truffle at Enoteca Pinchiorri

One of the best meals I've ever had was at Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence. I loved how chef Annie Féolde blended the three‑star style of cooking with the simplicity of Italian cuisine.

The experience was outstanding: not just the elegance of Annie's cooking but also the wine pairings, which were absolutely brilliant. For me, food without wine is only half the story and at Enoteca Pinchiorri they did the whole ensemble with style. It's hard to choose a single standout dish but the risotto with Italian white truffle was amazing.

Bouillabaisse in Marseille

Another dish to try before you die is a bouillabaisse in the South of France. Provence has an incredible tradition of creating really good bouillabaisse. While there are many different versions to be found, if you can experience a good one on the coast it's a must.

Gordon Ramsay's tarte tatin

It's tough to choose a dessert, but my favourite –other than apple crumble – is a good tarte tatin with a fantastic vanilla ice cream. It's not a recipe chefs make in restaurants much anymore, but one of the best I've ever had was at my friend Gordon Ramsay's restaurant Aubergine in London.

Tasting menu at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons

A visit to Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire should be on everyone's bucket list. I remember my first experience there as a young chef: I had the tartare salmon with cucumber and caviar, the charlotte of aubergine with lamb, and the café crème soufflé.

In many ways there wouldn't be a Lympstone Manor without it because it's what inspired me to cook at that level.

Fried snapper with chilli

In total contrast, my final dish ties into my love of Thai food. I had this in a restaurant outside Brisbane where the cooking is, of course, very Asian, given its location. In the past I didn't cope well with the heat of chilli but that fish – with its salt, lime and chilli – was delicious and extremely memorable.

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