Neusa Neves at Arlington Artists using Makeup by Mario and Color Wow Hair. Photograph: Alex Lake/The Observer
I think I was born with a food brain. Just like someone like Jamie Oliver, someone like Nigel Slater, someone like Nigella. I’m not putting myself in the same company as them – they just popped into my head – but when I see a plate of food, when I take that first taste, there are thoughts and things happening because I’ve got this brain that is wired for food. But I’ve also honed that skill over years and years and years.
When I wrote my first cookbook, I’d just finished being a restaurant chef and I used to think: “How difficult can it be to make a bechamel on a Wednesday night?” So my books become simpler. And that’s not just because I’ve become lazier. I’ve got young children and the time I have to cook family meals is much shorter. I really want to make dinner times delicious but also really easy.
