Personal Statement
As a young film editor with an ambition to make documentaries, I fancied an adventure - and went to Japan - a decision which would shape my whole life.
Living in Tokyo I started working for Fryman Film Productions, making documentaries about Japanese life and culture. And of course every day I had to eat. Discovering Japanese food became my next adventure - and the inspiration for my first, award-winning, documentary.
Japan: Food For The Spirit shows the importance of traditional food and its relationship to nature in Japanese culture, and was broadcast all over the world.
My fascination undimmed, I continued to learn more about Japanese food by eating in tiny neighbourhood izakayas, preparing food with my Japanese friends, and visiting local markets. I also became interested in the relationship between food and spirituality, and studied shojin ryori, Zen Vegetarian Cuisine, at a Buddhist temple. I began visiting a Buddhist priest friend and his wife, Hitomi, and cooked with her at weekends. In the spring I picked wild herbs from the hedgerows, and in autumn gathered ginkgo nuts from the 400-year-old tree in the temple grounds. Encouraged by Hitomi, I set up classes to teach Zen vegetarian cooking, to both westerners and Japanese.
I also continued making documentaries, including an international co-production with NHK, (Japanese Public Broadcasting) about how the changing Japanese diet is affecting the nation’s health.
On my return to Britain, after teaching and demonstrating Japanese cooking some more, what I really wanted was to write it all down. And so I did.
My award-winning book Food of Japan was published by Grub Street in the year 2000, a tangible result of all the enjoyment I had had learning about Japanese food over many years.
I now teach, write and broadcast about food . I am particularly interested in traditional and artisan foods, and indigenous drinks.
Continuing my passion for film making and communication, I am currently developing a series of instructional DVDs on cuisines of the world, and a documentary on Cork in Portugal. I am looking for sponsors for these projects. If you are interested, please contact me via the link on the left.
I am a member of the Guild of Food Writers (formerly on the committee), Society of Authors, Royal Commonwealth Society, and Membership Secretary of the London Press Club.
