Nikita Gulhane is the Spice Monkey. "Food is central to my life and has been the backbone of my career. I’ve worked for DEFRA on food policy issues as well as making documentaries and reporting on food for BBC Radio, including Radio 4’s ‘The Food Programme’

Of course nothing gives me greater pleasure than experiencing different food cultures. It’s a real doorway into meeting new people and understanding their way of life.

It’s been great to combine this interest with my passion for cooking. I spent many years working in Bistros and French restaurants and feeding some of the biggest names in rock and pop, from BB King to The Pogues, The Ramones to Simply Red. But it’s Indian food I always return to. Inspired by my mother, Spice Monkey is all about good home cooking, the way I learned from her."