Revelations: Peter Joseph, chef-patron, Kahani, London

What was your best subject at school?

Mathematics and science

What was your first job?

Room service waiter in a resort

What do you normally have for breakfast?

Mostly coffee and cornflakes

What do you do to relax?

I love to spend time with family, especially with my two-year-old daughter, and watching television comedy shows

Which is your favourite restaurant?

Michelin-starred Quilon in London. It serves coastal Indian food

What’s your favourite hotel?

Hotel Felix in Cambridge

What is your favourite drink?

Dalmore 12 Year Old with a cube of ice

What is your favourite food/cuisine?

Thai cuisine and its flavoursome curries

Which ingredient do you hate the most?

Mint leaves

Are there any foods that you refuse to cook with?

I hate to cook squid, because it becomes rubbery very quickly

What flavour combinations do you detest?

Rose and passion fruit

Which person in catering have you most admired?

Rajesh Suri, front of house personality, now owner of Grand Trunk Road in east London

Cast away on a desert island, what luxury would you take?

A large knife, a fishing net and a giant box of matches!

What daily newspaper/website do you read?

The Evening Standard

Describe your ultimate nightmare?

Cooking for top chefs in London

When and where was your last holiday?

I stayed in a heritage property in India with traditional food

What’s your favourite film?

Titanic

Who would play “you” in a film about your life?

Nicholas Hoult

Who would be in your “fantasy” brigade?

Nirmal Save of Gunpowder London, Sameer Taneja of Benares Mayfair and chef Gopalakrishnan of Hawkyns in Amersham. I have a big list in mind but I can’t mention everyone!