Every nation is justifiably proud of its culinary traditions. France, the home of "gastronomie", has a worldwide reputation for culinary excellence. Similarly, Italy is famous for quality food and drink and increasingly, the diverse flavours of Asian cuisine are winning plaudits from a global audience. British food and drink, on the other hand, have for decades been subject to negative connotations, despite the rise of award-winning British chefs and Michelin-starred restaurants, specialising in British recipes and ingredients.
Although there are historical reasons for this, including changes brought about by the industrial revolution, post-war rationing, 1970s kitsch and preferences for tinned and processed food over home-cooked, today’s reality is markedly different from the enduring global myth of impoverished British cuisine.
