Here are the 30 nuggets of wisdom for when you are entertaining (and even when you are cooking just for yourself).

1: Prepare all your ingredients in advance and have them ready to hand when you start cooking. Once you start cooking you don’t need chaos and distractions.

2: Don’t add too many ingredients, the fewer and the simpler the better. Three main flavors are enough for a single dish.

3: Never cook with wine you wouldn’t drink. If it’s corked, it’s corked. Throw it away.

4: Your hands are the most important tool in the kitchen. Use them in preference to a kitchen utensil whenever you can.

5: Buy the best ingredients and utensils you can afford. Good ingedients will improve your cooking. Good utensils will last a lifetime.

6: Always taste and test. Never serve something that you haven’t tasted, and be prepared to adjust the seasoning as required.

7: Clean up as you go. A chaotic kitchen will lead to chaotic results.

8: When entertaining, don’t use untested recipes. If you want to use a new recipe on your guests, test it out yourself first

9: A botched recipe is actually a great way to learn and do better next time. Just try to botch it when you’re cooking for yourself rather than when you have guests (see #8 above)!

10: Use a recipe as a guide, but make it your own. Don’t be afraid to vary the ingredients and cooking methods to suit yourself.

11: Always use a bigger bowl/pot/cutting board than you think you need.

12: Wherever possible, buy fresh, local produce. You’ll notice the difference in your results.

13: Invest in good knives and treat them well.

14: Trust your senses and your intuition. Don’t rely on a timer; learn to hear and smell the just-done sizzle. It will add to your joy of cooking.

15: Keep it simple. Don’t drown great food in unnecessary sauces (unless you screwed up and need to hide the evidence!)

16: Add spices sparingly. You can always add more, but you can never take away.

17: A little crystalised sea salt makes almost anything taste better — especially vegetables.

18: Always allow yourself extra time. Always.

19: Determine what time you want to serve your main dish, then take account of the timing of each dish and plan everything backwards from that.

20: If you are serving direct onto your guests’ plates, serve just enough of something to make people want more, not so much that their palate gets tired of it.

21: Bearing in mind #20 above, create a feeling of abundance so guests feel like they can indulge in seconds (make sure you’ve cooked enough!)

22: Cook with your guests’ tastes in mind and never serve something you would not eat yourself.

23: Stop fussing and start relaxing at least 15 minutes before people arrive.

24: Aim for a few dishes that don’t have to be served hot out of the oven, that can sit around for a while or be reheated.

25: Always keep a well-stocked bar and serve great wines.

26: Presentation is key; take the time to garnish and wipe the edges of the plates clean.

27: Make sure you have complementary colours in your dishes. Bland food will taste bland.

28: When serving always consider how your food will look on the plates and serving dishes that you want to use. The last thing you want is to have your cooking undermined by plates trying to steal the show.

29: Mise en place means “everything in its place.” Organize and arrange your ingredients where they are easily reached.

30: Never use full heat, except to boil water.