THE HEART OF MY HOME

Smart cabinetry and sleek worktops are lovely, but it’s the personal touches and magical moments that make a kitchen special, as these TV cooks reveal

Food writer, presenter and author, Rachel is best known for her book, The Little Paris Kitchen, which was made into a BBC TV series

What do you love most about your kitchen?

My kitchen – in all its plucky pea-green glory – is a symbol of my hard work. To me, it’s not just a room, but a triumphant outcome. It’s also a hub for creativity. Working in the food industry, your kitchen becomes your office – I hold events in it, and occasionally other chefs and food writers use it too. But at the end of the day, when the worktops are clean again and everyone has left, it’s still a very personal space.

Tell us about the things that give your kitchen heart…

There’s a special corner – my favourite in the room – with shelving displaying all my nick-nacks and souvenirs from my travels. I have treasures from markets and carboot sales, and more personal pieces from Sweden, Paris and Japan. I love to curate it, so I’ll often change how things are positioned depending on how I feel. It gives me simple, unadulterated pleasure.

And your favourite time of day there?

I truly treasure a few stolen moments each morning, when I come into my kitchen, turn on the radio and boil the kettle. That time, when you’re gearing up for the day ahead, but it’s still quiet and peaceful, is important to me. No matter how bad the day before was, in that moment it all ceases to exist. The slate’s wiped clean and there are always plenty more eggs in the fridge!