Much like Otta I came from a typical old fashioned English family who'd only eat meat and two veg. "Don't want any of that foreign muck," my dad would say. Later on that would change though and they got a little more adventurous with their eating habits. I'd embarrass my mates after football training during the week. We'd end up in a curry house after the pub and I'd order a steak and chips, while they'd tucked into madras, vindaloo and for the show-offs a phal. Soon though, I'd gotten myself an outstanding girlfriend, who, looking back educated me in quite a lot of ways. One of our first dates was at The Star of India in West Norwood in the summer of '78 and insisted I eat a curry and suggested I try something mild to start with. Not wanting to disappoint her I had a chicken Korma, the mildest on the menu and found that I really enjoyed it. Within weeks I was eating vindaloo and loved it and I loved her too. Haven't looked back since, though the girlfriend is long gone I'm very grateful to her for setting me off on a path to trying other cuisine.