Real Cooks

By Paul Fulford on Nov 11, 08 09:09 AM

Half way through yesterday, I thought: "Why am I doing this?" A little later that feeling grew even stronger.

In a moment of madness (or perhaps vanity), I agreed to take part in an ITV Central programme called Real Cooks.

The idea is simple enough: a non-professional cook prepares a meal in his/her own kitchen for a Michelin-starred chef who then passes judgment.

Blimey, it was pressured as I rustled up my version of a Christmas lunch in front of the crew and then served it up to Andy Waters, chef-patron at Edmunds in Brindleyplace.

The fact that I burned my parsnips didn't go unnoticed. Nor the fact that, as the Mail's restaurant critic, I'm always ready to express an opinion on other people's food.

You can see what Andy Waters thought of my efforts on December 18 at 7.30pm.

Don't laugh too loudly....