21 REASONS TO BE cheerful

This is Olive’s tribute to the fortitude, energy and ingenuity shown by the many individuals working hard in the world of food, against the odds, in what has been a troubled year.

1 Global talent

Immigration is essential to British food’s vibrancy, and kitchens offer vital work to many new arrivals. Stories like that of Modou Diagne, sleeping rough when he arrived from Senegal via Spain but this year named chef-owner at Glasgow’s 111 (111bymodou.co.uk), or refugee Imad Alarnab, who is working to open Soho’s part-crowdfunded Syrian Kitchen (imadssyriankitchen.co.uk), gladden Olive’s hearts. Hopefully yours, too.

2 Dream dishes

This year’s hot restaurant topics (household); Noto’s fried chicken katsu sando (); or Chuku’s caramel and peanut kuli-kuli-spiced chicken wings ()