Her interests include cooking, socialising and food shopping in farmers' markets.

Are you a cook?
I love to cook, I find it an escape from the pressures of work - but I don't bake. Baking is a chemical process which needs precision, whereas I like to be a bit more adventurous in the kitchen!

Any cooking tips?
Invest in a good, sharp chef's knife. It needn't cost a great deal but it's an essential piece of equipment. You're more likely to have an accident with a blunt knife than a sharp one.

What's your favourite dish?
Anything Italian. I recently went on a cooking and wine tasting holiday to northern Italy and it was a combination of the simplicity and quality of the food (locally sourced) which impressed me most.

And a drink to go with it?
If you can, drink the wines or beers which are local to where you are eating - the locals will drink what compliments their own cuisine. At the moment my favorite tipples are either an ice cold Fino sherry or a rich, plumy Merlot.

Your favourite restaurant in the Sheffield area?
With the Italian theme, it's got to be Nonna's in Ecclesall Road for the great food and the 'people watching'.

And pub?
Ye Olde Mustard Pot at Midhopestones, which is especially cosy in the winter.

What's the worst meal you've ever had?
I can't go into detail, but it was recent, in Sheffield city centre and a national chain. Never again.

And the best?
Lunch in Milan next to the Grand Canal – again, a simple pasta and seafood dish, but it was the atmosphere of the restaurant, the market taking place on the banks nd great company which made it a meal to remember.

Your favourite TV cook?
Nigel Slater

What do you think of Sheffield as a place to eat out?
It is so much better now than when I first arrived nine years ago. The development of Leopold Square has meant there's now a decent choice in town rather than having to drive out to Ecclesall Road.