A sprinkling of fresh chervil, or crushed fried chillis were the finishing touches to some of the dishes from Rod’s kitchen. Each day he sourced seasonal produce to accompany the vegetables from the garden. A gardener by trade, Rod discovered early in life that some of the most interesting things to grow were those that you could eat. Rod’s love of food and finely tuned taste buds came from his mother’s influence. She was an excellent cook, who was creative with a variety of dishes. He was galvanised into action when, as a teenager, she had a stint in hospital, and it became evident that his father’s culinary skills left much to be desired. Rod took over in the kitchen for a few weeks, and soon became proficient in the basics, in order for meals to be edible. At boarding school, he staged a food strike in protest at the dismal fare on offer. This basic grounding was consolidated by his extensive travels in his youth, as he discovered the tastes and flavours of Asia. Upon his return home he developed his cooking skills into an extensive repertoire of dishes from all corners of the globe. He enjoyed it so much he underwent a career change, and started up a catering company. After a few years, he decided the hours didn’t suit, so Rod returned to his original profession, in the horticulture field. He then combined cooking with gardening, growing an extensive range of herbs, vegetables and citrus trees. When not gardening, reading, walking his dog or fixing something, he was working out what could be interesting to eat. He enjoyed cooking up a storm for groups of friends, and liked to pick a nationality for the entire menu. Whether Italian, Moroccan, Indian, French, Indonesian or Vietnamese, Rod always created the little extras, such as his own harissa, chapattis or curry pastes. His cooking was characterised with the flavours of fresh herbs from his garden and freshly ground spices. He was indeed, a talent in the kitchen.