We sunk everything into it. It came close to going under several times.

What gets me excited is the original principle.

As we get older, we tend to become more risk averse because we tend to find reasons why things won't work. When you are a kid, you think everything is possible, and I think with creativity it is so important to keep that naivety.

Development is where my heart is focused because eating is the only thing that we do that involves all the senses. We eat with our eyes and our ears and our noses.

I haven't raised my voice for eight to 10 years in the kitchen. And I won't have anybody shouting. If I hear of anybody having a go at anyone else, they'll get disciplined.

I was born in the '60s and grew up in the '70s - not exactly the best decade for food in British history. It was horrendous. It was a time when, as a nation, we excelled in art and music and acting and photography and fashion - all creative skills... all apart from cooking.

This kitchen is completely calm. Some of the old-fashioned chefs - they become kings in their kitchen, they've got to be called chef. But I don't care if someone calls me chef or Heston, it really doesn't bother me.

We were saving, saving, saving then going to France and blowing the money eating. She was a nurse and had never experienced fine dining but she loved it, too. Our mates thought it absurd.

You think about some of the most memorable meals you've ever had; the food will be good but it will often be about locating a mental memory and taste is inexorably linked to all the other senses and memory, so ultimately it is all about taste.

And I like asking questions, to keep learning; people with big egos might not want to look unsure.

You need to do the work to bring the money in, but not compromise standards.

I have this desire to keep improving, so I find fault.

You know how sad your life is when you know the release date of DVDs.

A lot of country pubs will receive Michelin stars.

At home I've got 1,500 cook books and the spines have all gone, the pages are all torn - it's chaos.

Being branded number one restaurant in the world is actually very humbling.

But most is all to do with work. There are aspects of work that are enjoyable, that you could call a hobby.

I am not the world's most confident person.

I still love doing what I do, and I'm really lucky to get up in the morning and want to go to work.

I tend to take negative comments to heart.