What do you think makes your restaurant so unique, why do you have such loyal customers?
The first thing is food, the second thing they feel home. I always tell my chef that if we can’t eat it, we do not serve it. You’ve got to have a conscience all the time when you cook for somebody, if you think the food is off or the butcher didn’t give you the right thing then don’t give it them. Whatever we eat is fresh, we make our own chilli sauce, we make our own green curry sauce. We make everything from fresh ingredients, we don’t buy paste. I’d rather lose the money, than lose my customer.

What’s been your greatest hurdle as a restaurant-owner? 
Years ago I became very ill from people smoking in the restaurant so I made it no smoking, and I almost went bankrupt. I had rows and rows with my husband about how we would survive because he thought smoking people have the most money so I said: “God will provide” and God has – there is now no smoking everywhere. Next I want the world to know that without MSG there is still Asian food, as you can see in my kitchen.

You created the menu for infamous London cocktail bar Mahiki, how was that experience?
I love Mahiki, I put a lot of heart into it. When you cook for a cocktail bar you have to use your brains, you have to consider what a cocktail needs to be eaten with, not what the price will be. I must know what is good for my customers. You’ve got to cook for real people, that’s what I cater for.

How would you describe your cooking style?
Simple, good and tasty. I’m influenced by my grandmother and use the roots of herbs as my weapon. We don’t give big portions because what we buy is expensive. So those who want a very big portion will be disappointed. People who come here know how to eat, they know a good small amount tastes better than a lot of average food. A very small drop of perfume with good grapes are better than a bottle of eau de cologne.

Do you have a food weakness?
I’m very strange, I like to deep fry things. It’s incredible, the way we cook and deep-fry is not oily – it’s how you cook it. I cook all the time, but I do love a piece of chocolate. A good piece of chocolate. Chocolate and fruits are comfort foods for me.  The English dessert is a killer – the trifles; the puddings; the crumbles and the cream; the strawberries and cream. I grow so many strawberries and cherries and fresh fruits.  I love the fruit in England; in July and August you get fig and cherries, then when September comes you get apples and pears.

Who would you say has been the biggest inspiration to you as a chef?
I always maintain that Delia Smith is my inspiration. I think she’s wonderful, she’s a sharing woman. But for the men, I think definitely my friend Marco [Pierre White].

Do you enjoy experimenting with recipes?
I’m a sucker for that. When I was younger and in the garden with my sister, I used to eat a lot of flowers, viella, pansies, marigold and lily of the valley. And my sister used to say: “Is this safe to eat?” and I’d reply: “When you see my face blow up like a ballooon pull me down!” That’s why I always enjoy the scientific way of cooking, I think Heston Blumenthal is a genius.

So would you advise our readers to be creative with herbs and different sauces?
Absolutely, everybody likes different tastes. Some people think coriander is off but look at the coriander root, it’s so wonderful. If you have some coriander root and you put it in a piece of chicken, and you put some soya sauce, and then you marinade it and then you barbecue it – it’s lovely. Eat not from your eyes, not from your nose, not from your mouth, from your inspiration.

What advice would you give budding chefs at home?
Try. Just look at others and get experience from others and be honest, give your time to your cooking.

What would you say was your greatest achievement as a chef?
That I had nothing and my dream came true, I have no education and I have had lots of sorrows but it’s been tremendous staying in this country, leaving home and having a mixed marriage of two different cultures. England gives so much I have achieved a lot in this country, buckets full.