Choosing the degree I should study for at university was quite difficult for me as there were two careers that I found equally attractive: the law and catering. After much soul searching, I realised that whilst I could be a lawyer during the day and then enjoy cookery as a form of relaxation, the reverse was not true. Thus, I opted for a law degree and made food my number one hobby.

I have never regretted this decision. Working as a lawyer provided a good living and allowed me enough spare time to please myself by enjoying some very fine food at many superb restaurants. (1)___A life in catering would have meant that I would always have been working when my friends were playing and vice versa. Chefs have to arrive at their restaurant by mid-morning to prepare for lunch. They work all afternoon developing new recipes. Then, they must prepare for evening service probably crawling into bed in the small hours of the next morning feeling absolutely shattered! (2)___

Sharing my love of fine food with good friends in the relaxed atmosphere of my home has more than compensated for not owning a restaurant. Planning a meal for people I love is a great pleasure. How do I choose what to cook? Well, that depends very much on my friends. An important factor has to be catering for their own likes and dislikes and trying to avoid serving them the same dishes as last time they visited. (3)___I don’t claim to be anything other than an enthusiastic amateur but quite a few friends appear to be scared by the prospect of cooking for me.

The friends I like cooking for most of all are those who share the love of food as much as I do and who are quite happy to do the same for me, in grand style, when I pay them a return visit. (4)___

Generally, my cooking has become less complex over the years and I tend to find that the best way of deciding what to cook is to see what is available when I do the shopping. What I cook is controlled by what I have been able to buy. (5)___I might have had one or two vague ideas but, more often than not, I am scrabbling through pages of recipes trying to find something new to do with some scallops, a leg of lamb and raspberries. My store cupboard is pretty good and I can usually find all the spices I need, and boring stuff like flour, butter and so on. (6)___I strongly believe that if you have good ingredients you will be able to turn out something worth eating.

At the end of a meal the finest compliment I can be paid is that my friends aren’t afraid of gently nodding off. It shows that they feel satisfied, relaxed and happy!