True characters

Ken Hom, TV chef and cook book author

People often ask if I am Chinese . . .I was born of Chinese parents in the States.

I live . . .between Paris and Bangkok.

I studied . . .history of art, and my favourite artists are Bonnard, Henri Rousseau, Picasso, Braque, Da Vinci, and all the unknown sculptors of the French cathedrals.

Lots of successful chefs seem to be artistic, with strong interests in the fields of visual arts, photography and design . . .because we are a passionate lot and we see beauty in the preparation and presentation of food. After all, food is art.

I didn't train to be a professional chef . . .but I got great training working in my uncle's restaurant at an early age.

Chefs I admire are . . .Delia Smith, Alain Ducasse, Joel Robuchon, Charlie Trotter, Alice Waters, Rick Stein, James Martin, Jamie Olivier, Claude Troisgros.

If I weren't doing what I do now . . .I'd probably be a dancer or singer.

Apart from Chinese food, I like to eat . . .all types as long as it is cooked with love. I like fish and chips, Irish stew. The food I cook the most other than Chinese is Thai, French and Italian.

I play music in the kitchen when I cook . . .always, everything from classical, to Cantonese and Chinese pop, Chinese and Italian opera, French, Italian, Thai.

Famous people I've cooked for include . . .Tina Turner, for whom I cooked Peking duck; Cherie and Tony Blair (crispy duck), and Elton John (crispy pork belly).

My dream dinner party guests would be . . .Nelson Mandela, Zhou Enlai, Charles de Gaulle. I'd serve them Peking duck.

When people ask me about my most memorable meal, I find it hard to answer, I have eaten so many, however . . .in Rio recently I had the most wonderful langoustine rolled in polenta and cooked perfectly. I loved the sweet taste of the shellfish and the crunch of the cornmeal. It was heavenly.

I like to travel . . .especially in China, Thailand and Brazil. I am in the process of filming a series on food in China.

My guilty pleasure is . . .Crisps.

People might not know that . . .I have a wicked sense of humour.

In conversation with Marie-Claire Digby