I love all flavours. Between them are umami and acidity two flavour profiles that I really look for when creating dishes. However, what is most important for me is freshness. I grow all my own vegetables and you really can’t beat vegetables eaten seconds after being harvested. When I started growing them by myself I began to look at vegetables in a totally different way. A perfect carrot takes some beating. The carrot is not just a stock vegetable, for me its a dish on its own. I grow tiny carrots which are so sweet that I serve them raw to guests at their arrival. For me each variety has a different purpose: some are cooked slowly in butter, others are pickled, fermented, roasted, juiced or used for cocktails or cakes. I love their versatility but most of all I love their sweetness, aroma and crunch!

Tommy Banks, The Black Swan (Oldstead, UK)