A vegetarian, she lives in Abbeyfield with husband Lee.


Are you a cook?
I love cooking. When I have the space and time I love to create a tasty meal out of whatever we have in.

Any cooking tips?
Simply to enjoy your time in the kitchen; smell the aromas, fragrances and treat it as time for yourself.

What's your favourite dish?
I love eating interesting and nourishing hot breakfasts such as nasi lemak in Malaysia – fragrant coconut rice with hot fresh greens, spices and a fried egg. Breakfasts in China were also great for me, such as vegetable dumplings and hot steaming noodles with plenty of fresh greens.

And a drink to go with it?
It has to be green tea.

Your favourite restaurant in the Sheffield area?
The Wong Ting in Matilda Street and Dim Sum on a Sunday lunchtime: one of the rare times that you see Sheffield's Chinese community out in one place. The manager there kindly lent me a table for my exhibition Round Table Discussion on Climate Change last year.

And pub?
I've no particular favourite. But I do like ones that serve hot, home-cooked food, as I really hate pre-packaged – what I call plastic food.

What's the worst meal you've ever had?
It was in St Petersburg, Russia, in sub-zero temperatures. We managed to find a nice, warm restaurant where I ordered the only vegetarian dish on the menu. It was so disappointing when a bowl of hot pasta arrived with a lump of cold tinned cheese sauce on top.

And the best?
Definitely cycling around the Karst Mountains in Yangshou, Southern China. We climbed many steps to a rooftop restaurant. There we sat, facing a wonderful view of Moon Hill, eating delicious, freshly cooked soups and dishes made from the lush vegetation in the fields around us.

Your favourite TV cook?
No-one in particular comes to mind but I like those who show genuine passion for food – the ones who venture out to find the food where it grows naturally and is fresh.

And your opinion of Sheffield as a place to eat out?
Fairly good but I would like it to have a bit more pizzazz. I was on Wilmslow Road in Manchester recently and I just love the excitement around there.