Q&A: Rachel Khoo

"It happened because I got a book deal. I know from writing cookbooks that you have to test recipes and there is a lot of food waste, so I thought: 'Why don't I have people come round for lunch?'; that way I wouldn't waste any food and I'd get to meet new people. My apartment is not very big so I could only fit a table for two in. There's no point just telling the French that you can cook, the proof is in the pudding; if you bake them something delicious then you'll win them over."

"It was terrifying and exciting at the same time, because, obviously, you worry every month about paying the rent; but at the same time it's exhilarating, moving to a new country, all these exciting discoveries. It doesn't compare to my past nine-to-five job. Even though I have lived like a student for many years in Paris, my quality of life is so much better. You can't pay for an experience like that."

"Definitely. I'm always looking for a way to get some spice into my cooking but, generally, the French don't like spicy food. I think my heritage makes me very open to try things, taking on different flavours, mixing it all up. I find that exciting. I grew up in a household passionate about food. In Malaysia, whenever my relatives meet someone, they don't ask, 'How you are?', they ask, 'Have you eaten?' Food was always a big thing; we'd always have a family meal together every day. As a kid I did a lot of baking with my mum. With patisserie, unlike with cooking, you have to be very precise; you can't just add a bit of this and a bit of that, because your cake starts melting. There's a lot of technique involved, but you can still be creative. Because of my artistic background, when I have that freedom I tend to do things a little bit out of the box."

"Unfortunately not yet. If anybody would like to invite me, I'm certainly up for that! I'd love to try all the dim sum and I hear you have one of the cheapest Michelin-star restaurants. I eat my way around a city; I'd roll from one restaurant to the next."