As I arrived at JW Marriott Venice by private boat charter (the only way to travel if you ask me), I thought to myself 'This is the life.' Sadly, my daily commute normally consists of being squashed on the London Underground with a stranger's armpit in my face, but for a few glorious days, I was able to pretend that daily boat travel - and a seriou...

Once an ancient port city on the Silk Road, today, Macau remains a vibrant and prosperous cosmopolitan city bursting with influences from the Eastern and Western communities that have made it their home.While many cultures prevail in Macau, it's the Portugese who have most firmly put their stamp on this region. In the 1550s, Portugese settlers decl...

We've all heard about places in the world which have been victims of their own success - over development, pollution and pickpockets are just some of the things that seem to come hand in hand with popularity. When I was younger, it wouldn't have been enough to put me off, but with age has come discernment, and probably more than a healthy dose of j...

A beachy, buzzy oasis is probably the most apt description for Urban Beach, a quirky boutique hotel near Boscombe Beach in Bournemouth, which is the ideal place to hole up for a weekend beach escape.Urban Beach is proof that good things come in small packages. With only 12 rooms, it feels more like you're staying at a stylish mate's house, rather t...

What influences do you draw upon to fuel your creativity?I love being in a super relaxing spot, somewhere in nature when I'm creating food. I'm from Australia, so this would ideally be on a warm beach, but these are in short supply in the UK. I have a really nice spot near my house in Highgate Woods, where I like to sit to think about food and the ...

A visually stunning sub-tropical gem lapped by a steely blue Atlantic Ocean, Madeira is an alluring destination. An island textured by dramatic volcanic peaks and blankets of verdant woodland, this remote Portuguese outpost is closer to Morocco than to Lisbon. Benefitting from a mild-mannered climate, Madeira's agreeable disposition and picture-pos...