To celebrate Diana’s birthday on the 24th April we have kept up the tradition and we did a little Q&A so you can get to know The Avenue Queen a little better.

Q: What is your favourite restaurant in London?  

Zuma – because the fish is so fresh, the flavours are so clean and the food is just so pure (no stodge). The Montrachet compliments the fresh flavours and slips down all too well. Always has a buzz and the staff know everything about the menu and how it is prepared and cooked.

Q: What is your favourite thing to cook?

Anything quick and delicious.

Q: How does it feel to work alongside your family every day?

I honestly cannot believe how lucky I am – it really is every parents dream!

Q: What is an unwritten rule in The Avenue HQ?

No wastage!

Q: If you were hosting a dinner party at The Avenue which 3 celebs (dead or alive) would you invite?  

Gordon Ramsey – I imagine he would be fun, flirty, honest and of course not bad eye candy!

Michael Roux – He is a great storyteller and has so much history in the food industry, which is so interesting. He tells you exactly how it is, which I love and I think he would be a great addition to my dinner party.

Tom Kerridge – He is a really lovely guy and cooks a different type of cuisine to Gordon and Michael. I have met him a number of times and I just love how down-to-earth and hardworking he is, whilst still saying it exactly how it is!  He really is good value and most importantly good fun.

They are all very different characters but all honest and most importantly, brilliant chefs … what an evening we would have! Gordon, Michael, and Tom … if you are reading this drop me an email and let’s get this in the diary post corona.

Q: What is your favourite type of cuisine to cook and eat?

A good English Roast with my Roast Potatoes, lots of Gravy and Tenderstem Broccoli. Pudding has to be Apple Crumble and Custard..yum yum!

Q: Top 5 classes to teach at The Avenue?

The Week Courses – I love to see a person come in and know very little/nothing about food or cooking, to leave on the Friday after 1-2 weeks in the kitchen, being able to cook proper, delicious, well-seasoned food with good presentation and without a recipe due to their new understanding of cooking. It honestly gives me so much satisfaction and pleasure it’s not true!

Beef Wellington Class – Everyone seems nervous to cook a fillet in pastry (very expensive to get wrong!!) and to see them cut their parcel open and see their faces of complete delight gives me great pleasure. They all realise that it’s totally delicious and easy to prepare and cook and can cook it at home from now on.

Ravioli – Pasta Workshop – Amazingly fun and relaxed class. It’s a sharing process of making the pasta and rolling and stuffing between two people. I always love hearing that they can’t believe that making pasta could be so much fun. It’s seriously delicious and I will never get bored of it.

Sushi and Cocktails – Everyone is always ready to party on this course. Drinks are flowing, music beating and mats are rolling. How could one not love teaching this class.

Proper Puddings Class – I’m addicted to puddings and can never get enough of them as generally I won’t have time, but with this class, I can have a blowout!!

Q. Favourite thing you have cooked during isolation

We had a big delivery from New England Seafood, which is owned by a friend of mine and he sent a tonne of delicious fish hence the fish dishes overload:
Black Cod (Nobu style), BBQ Tuna with Mango Salsa, big huge fat Prawns with Grapefruit Salsa….meat wise did Sous Vide Belly of Pork (24 hrs at 64C) with very crispy crackling!!

I love baking, so I have been making sourdough, Dianas Bread and lots of Apple Crumble (Click here to check out our IGTV to see how Diana makes it) and Custard (my favourite!!). I have also made a really delicious fig Sticky Toffee Pudding and a load of salty stuff using quinoa and roasted little peppers!!

Q. What do you miss most about The Avenue Whilst we are closed?

Not seeing my family.

Final Question and most importantly … 😉

Q: Would you rather have chopsticks for fingernails or frying pans for feet.

Chopsticks definitely – I need to exercise and with frying pans as feet that would be difficult. Chopsticks will slow me down in hoofing my food down so quickly every time!!

 

We hope you had a brilliant birthday Diana – you are a true culinary queen. Here’s to another year of Avenue magic and fun!