MK: What is are your earliest and favourite food memories?
Neill: Hanging around the kitchen with my mom, while she cooked a beautiful meal for the family.

MK: What is your favourite food?
Neill: At the moment, I am really enjoying the availability of fresh fish and eating is in many different ways. Fish is an extremely versatile ingredient.

MK: What is the first thing you learnt to cook? 
Neill: Scrambled eggs with my sister – it was a great dish first time round!

MK: It’s been a pretty chilly winter so far… What’s the ultimate winter food indulgence?
Neill: A big bowl of buttery, smooth mash potatoes.

MK: Why did you step away from commercial cooking and become a private chef? 
Neill: I stepped away from commercial cooking to discover a new and constantly changing chef experience. You need to be flexible when cooking for different clients and you also get to be creative and cook what you like. In one sentence, I get to cook what I want, when I want and for who I want.

MK: What is the most important thing Gordon Ramsay said to you? And does he actually have that temper he is so well known for?
Neill: The most important message from Gordon was to keep your kitchen clean and keep your food simple, but tasty. Gordon is exactly the man he represents on TV: he is hard-working and always drives his team to achieve better and more.

MK: What is your biggest cooking fail?
Neill: Beef Wellington is my nemesis! You will never see me cook this dish for a client (willingly)…

MK: What is your favourite chocolate?
Neill: Valrhona [Ed’s note: I had to Google this…  It’s premium French chocolate from the small town of Tain-l’Hermitage in Hermitage]