A whole host of wonderful food-related memories are invoked every time I cook. Whenever I put a particular combination of ingredients together in a pan or on a plate I remember something from the past – happy memories of family and friends, remembering where we were or what we were doing, remembering what we were talking or laughing about, or just appreciating the time we spent together – this is the best thing about food. The memories we have are just the surface though.

Most of the time the real story of a dish goes way back, and has been passed from person to person, and from generation to generation, until here we are sitting in front of the dish ourselves. How extraordinary is that?

In this book I want to convey how important memories are in cooking, how we are recreating and creating each time we cook a dish and add the ingredient of a certain memory. In fact, memories are essential ingredients in my cooking. The most precious memories stay with us throughout our lives – this brings immense happiness. It’s these most treasured and valuable memories that I strive to recreate at home, in my restaurants, and in my books.

I hope you can sense something of the tremendously happy memories behind the recipes in this book, and in turn that you’ll be able to create some special memories of your own – these are real treasures. JOSÉ PIZARRO