Tonight I am cooking supper in the mountains for the 10 friends I am skiing with.  I am finding it a little daunting not least that I have no where  to prep in my apartment, they are 2 villages away so I have to carry the ingredients on the ski bus to their village and then walk 15 mins up hill to the chalet.  Ridiculously I am feeling a degree of pressure that I can produce something a little more than edible! It turns out my old friends who have four girls have adopted four boys who are all very keen on good food and seem to know every London restaurant, chef, genuinely passionate and interested I just hope this isn’t too dull and disappointing!

Busy decanting the contents of the heavy packaging into ‘stolen’ bags from the supermarket veg counter it felt carryable. Earlier in the week my fellow skiers said they felt daunted cooking for me and yet here am I feeling the same. None of us should ever worry, the fact is it is such a pleasure to cook and be cooked for.  A friend of mine has pinned on her fridge ‘tFee says the food is incidental! After telling me how much pressure having me to dinner added which made me feel a little sad (or rather worried she might stop asking me), I had responded with the words now donning her fridge door.

The truth is I am possibly the easiest person to cook for as is anyone who understands and appreciates how much time, thought and expense goes into cooking even the simplest of meals.  It is,  of course, madness for me to suggest that  the food is a side kick, trivial in any way.  But, it is equally wrong not to see friends for supper because of the food hassle,  Personally, i would be so happy with a glass of wine, bag of crisps and love an evening catching up than have friends worry about creating a meal. The key is to keep dishes straightforward.  One pot/tray dishes work so well alongside a salad, some good bread, butter, olive oil.  I frequently grab one of our ready made meals which are great and save a huge amount of time, washing up. They really are very good, the chefs in the production kitchen have been working hard and will continue to do so in order to nail the recipes.  There are no hidden ingredients, no emulsifiers, no rubbish, all good stuff.  Its been a challenge and will continue to be keeping up with the relentless price rises in every single corner of the business but we are determined to give the best possible value we can without losing any of the quality or quantity.

I don't cook enough anymore but as my supper in the mountains reminded me as I breathlessly (that hill was steep) unpacked the ingredients from my backpack (well actually Hal’s, thank you Halley) something inside ignited and I just started to feel real happiness and joy chopping, chatting, working it out as I went along. Joined by visitors to the kitchen and supported by one lovely helper, sous chef, Boniface (thank you!). Few things are more satisfying than being able to make supper for our wonderful friends, family, sometimes people we have never met.  Seeing everyone sitting enjoying the food, the banter, the wine, the whole darn thing can never ever be underestimated and it is without doubt the thing that has always kept me going enabling these moments, whether in a tent for 180 people you really don't know or a family Christmas, it amounts to the same thing,

So, please! plan a supper, keep it something you love to eat, can manage in the time you have, ideally nothing very last minute, make sure you are with your mates, not slaving over the stove with them somewhere else.  Its not a restaurant but your home, light a candle, grab some flowers from t he garden or hedgerow, small bits of care that mean so much. Embrace the surprises and mishaps along the way, no one will mind in the slightest, in fact quite the opposite, it will make them feel more confident to do the same knowing it is ok to not be perfect.