The first food I remember in life was Shredded Wheat. I always ate three of them, dry, without milk. Apparently when I came to my adoptive family at 18 months old I wouldn't go near milk. I still eat dried cereal today.
I remember having to see my social worker every week. She'd ask, "How are you Lorraine?" But I wasn't interested in talking, I just wanted to get to the part where she'd buy me a bun and I'd lick and nibble the icing off.
My adoptive mother worked nights, so I was a latch-key kid and cooked from the age of seven or eight. But it was really just heating up what she'd left in the fridge. French bread pizzas with oven chips, fish cakes with oven chips, everything was with chips.
The most influential cook has been my adoptive dad. He was a language teacher, travelled extensively and was passionate about food. But I'd never cooked side by side with him until recently, for my TV show. He made garlic potatoes, while I made burgers.

I was always, always eating and I'd spend all my pocket money on chocolate brownies. So people called me "hollow legs", because they couldn't understand where it went. Since I've become known for cooking on TV, some hecklers in the street – women – say, "You can't be eating that food!", which I think is interesting, because not only am I shown eating but I'm trying out seven or eight recipes a day. I'm a dustbin on set.
A school cookery teacher, who was beautiful like Marilyn Monroe, got us to bake raspberry buns. It's a strong memory because it was amazing to bring in raw ingredients and then see this magic happen.

My daughter, who's 15, gets lovely food. She loves truffles, fish and meat and says when it's not the best quality. I just cooked a meal with her over the net. She was in Ireland with her father and I helped her through a recipe virtually.

I love the TV, love the books, and I've got lots of ideas but they're not consolidated. I'm going with the flow. I'm taking the next month off, although I've just signed with Simon Fuller [creator of Pop Idol] and am meeting him in LA next week.

I'm not one for excessive use of adjectives when describing food. Sometimes it tastes so good that I have to do a dance, a little jig, and I think that says it all.