Revelations: Ian Howard, Babylon at the Roof Gardens
Ian Howard, head chef, Babylon at the Roof Gardens, London
Which is your favourite restaurant?
Tickets in Barcelona
What's your favourite hotel? The Savoy, for its history and the link to Escoffier
What is your favourite drink?
Champagne
Which ingredient do you hate the most?
Are there any ingredients that you refuse to cook with? Sustainable fish is high on everyone's agenda, so things like bluefin tuna are an absolute no
What flavour combinations to do you detest?
Chocolate and mint is not one of my favourites
What do you always carry with you?
My iPhone - the notepad on my phone has so many recipes and ideas, I would be lost without it
How would you describe your desk?
Not used a great deal
Which person in catering have you most admired?
Marco Pierre White - when I first started training he was the man!
If not yourself, who would you rather have been?
Neil Armstrong
Describe your ultimate nightmare?
Fully-booked restaurant and the gas and electricity go off
When and where was your last holiday? Malaga, Spain, last summer
Tell us a secret… I once cooked for Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay and family for three Sundays in a row at the Belvedere restaurant
What irritates you most about the industry? The unpredictable hours
When did you last eat a hamburger?
A week ago
What's your favourite film?
Casino
What's your favourite book?
White Heat
What is your favourite prepared product?
Kromberg mayonnaise