A former pastry chef, she has also worked in food manufacturing, research, retail and training. Niki lives in Eckington with her husband, two children, cat Lil and rabbit Hazelnut.

Are you a cook?
Yes, with my background I do love to cook, mainly for family and friends – and I really love baking.

Any cooking tips?
Use recipe books as a guideline only (except for baking). If you're missing an ingredient, don't be afraid to experiment – what's the worst that can happen and it might turn out great…

What's your favourite dish?
I love just about all food but I try to eat in season so at the moment British asparagus with a free-range poached egg is pretty hard to beat. Christmas dinner is another favourite, with all the extras like creamed celeriac, red cabbage and Mayan Gold roasties.

And a drink to go with it?
I love bubbles; a glass of chilled Prosecco is always good or, on holiday, a caipirinha cocktail.

Your favourite restaurant in the Sheffield area?
I couldn't possibly choose, they're all great! Recently I've enjoyed a great sweet potato and coconut curry lunch at Fusion organic café; watching the teppanyaki chefs at WasabiSabi; a perfect late Sunday dinner at the Inn at Troway; party tapas at Platillos; beautifully grilled mackerel at Nonna's… all fabulous.

And pub?
Due to a young family I've missed out on pubs in recent years but there's some fantastic pub food around which definitely needs trying out, along with the local beers.

What's the worst meal you've ever had?
A last-minute all-inclusive holiday a couple of years ago. We watched them set out breakfast after dinner on the first night – including milk, yoghurts, cheese and ham! We moved to another hotel for the rest of our stay.

And the best?
My wedding breakfast at Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey (I was the head pastry chef there at the time), attended by lots of cheffy friends and cooked by Ian McAndrew – except the dessert which I prepared! We also had a fabulous meal at the Fat Duck in Bray very shortly after it had opened; not quite so outrageous then but memorable all the same.

Your favourite TV cook?
I've really enjoyed watching Marco on this year's Hell's Kitchen. Some of his comments are priceless – "a tree without roots is just a piece of wood" – and a great line in headgear!

What do you think of Sheffield as a place to eat out?
A fabulously diverse and multicultural restaurant scene; something for everyone. Go out and enjoy it!

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