"You need to have seen Brief Encounter many times - or else attended a very posh boarding school - to have any clear recollection of canteens quite as austerely English as Simpson's. Nostalgia is the stock in trade here, despite a few contemporary surprises such as the organic French wine or the veggie options on the menu that stick out like digital watches in a costume drama."

Review of Simpson's Tavern, Square Meal Guide, 2007

I've been reviewing restaurants and bars in London since 2000, and visiting and researching restaurants for guides in France and elsewhere for almost as long.

Over time, I've built up detailed knowledge of the areas I write about: which restaurants are hits and which are misses, which premises fail no matter who takes them on, and of the quirks and preferences of the diners on my patch.

My love of cooking means I'm always curious to know how something was done. Naturally, the travel writing dovetails neatly with my food writing, and I take an intense interest in the food and drink of the places I visit. Living in one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities - London - means I'm lucky enough to be exposed to a very wide range of cuisines.

For the last four years I have contributed the City North and City Central chapters to the respected London-based restaurant guide Square Meal.