Restaurant Michelle Obama out on the map

What's it like in your restaurant kitchen?

The Kitchen is really like a kitchen - bustling, busy, full of great smells and things to look at and always something emerging from the oven.

What is your favourite ingredient?

I'm very fond of vegetables, especially brassicas and fennel. They are so true. I'm very fond of watercress, which is tangly, delicate and peppery all at the same time. I like lemon peel and Italian parsley.

What is your most useful kitchen gadget?

We depend on our Magimix quite solidly for pestos, mayonnaise and dressings. I am very fond of the blitzer ("shjig shjigger" I call it - hand-held food processor). I love a good spatula for a no-nonsense scrape out of all the bits and a long, thin slicer is indispensable.

Who or what inspired your love for cooking?

I discovered that I could make people really happy with the food I made. That in itself continues to inspire me. It is a delicious circle. Touching people in this way and creating a quiet moment in which they enjoy something delicious is creative expression.

What's your signature dish?

The Love Sandwich.

What are your 'go-to' dishes that you make for your friends and family?

Fresh broccoli tagliatelli. I make it in three minutes flat. Really. My mother's tomato bredie or a perfect roast chicken.

What's the most popular dish at The Kitchen?

Plain grilled chicken, honey mustard sausages, our treats, almond croissants and black rice salad with sesame lime and coriander.

• The Kitchen is on 111 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock, Cape Town. Dudley's book 'A Week In The Kitchen' is published by Jacana Books and is available from Exclusive Books for R231

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