Simple suppers; perhaps a concept which is easier said than done! We are constantly told about the health and taste benefits of trading in our quick-fix ready-meal routines and cooking from scratch. This is all plain sailing on a Saturday afternoon, when we might have hours to play with, but what about slap bang in the middle of a hectic working week? Between working, exercising, travelling and socialising, the window set aside for eating seems to shrink smaller and smaller by the day.

For some, the grab and go lifestyle is not considered a problem, it’s a choice to be enjoyed. But for me, with my love of cooking and nutrition, I’m in need of an alternative solution. With one too many Pret baguettes under my belt (literally!) it’s time to integrate my much loved hobby into the madness that is London life. So I’ve snapped up the opportunity to take the Simple Suppers course at Leiths and reconnect with my keen, but not so speedy, inner cook. The four-session course intends to equip us with the skills and recipes needed to create fresh, healthy, tasty meals in no more than 30 minutes. This is exactly what I need; skills, inspiration and speed!

I’m excited to master essential kitchen skills such as cooking a fillet of seabass to perfection, as well as to take the opportunity to get creative with a diverse range of new dishes. Being very much a self-taught home cook, I’m apprehensive about practising basic skills in professional culinary company, but I’m confident I’ll be sailing through them by the end. Stay tuned for my tale of week one!