Absolutely there is a connection between food and love. I always say when there's love in my heart or I'm feeling particularly good the food comes out that much better. And so I think Valentine's Day is a special day.

It does kids no favors and sets them up for a potential lifetime of poor health and social embarrassment to excuse them from family meals of real food. Everyone benefits from healthy eating but it is particularly crucial at the beginning of life.

I think what I do differently from a lot of TV chefs is that I break down barriers and make fine food more accessible to the regular person who might be intimidated. I try hard particularly with wine to make it not intimidating. It's sort of a teaching job.

I have been particularly struck with the overwhelming evidence which is given as to the fitness of the natives of India for high offices and employments.

My expertise was in public finance particularly corporate taxation since I had worked at the US Treasury.

If the markets had behaved badly that would obviously add to people's sense of alarm... but there has been a lot of reassurance coming particularly in the way the Brits handled all this. There seems to be no great fear that something like that is going to happen here.

I've always been part of comedy. One of the things about our family was that if we were reasonably funny with each other particularly my two brothers and myself when my father was upset with something you'd want to make sure in some way you made him laugh. Because when he didn't laugh you were in trouble!

I am a big fan of smelly cheeses but the rest of the family don't seem to be particularly keen on them.

A lot of what I'm obsessed with is the relationship and the dynamics between people and the family particularly brothers and their father.

It's true Christmas can feel like a lot of work particularly for mothers. But when you look back on all the Christmases in your life you'll find you've created family traditions and lasting memories. Those memories good and bad are really what help to keep a family together over the long haul.