I came across a couple ofAnna’s recipes in Coco, asurvey of 100 of the bestcontemporary chefs. I wasintrigued by her NewZealand upbringing andDanish heritage and the factthat she had ended upworking in London with Peter Gordon,another New Zealander, who pioneeredfusion cuisine with a couple of incrediblyinnovative restaurants, The Providores andThe Sugar Club.

Three years ago, Annaopened her own restaurant, The ModernPantry, overlooking St John’s Square. Thecafe on the ground floor serves an eclecticbrunch menu, with dishes like ricotta,sweetcorn and coriander pancakes with avocadoand lime pickle puree, or theirsignature sugar-cured prawn omelette withsmoked chilli sambal. The recipes thatdelight me are the snacks and small platesthat can be eaten at the bar: baked ricottaand bee-pollen cakes with manuka honeyand lemon dressing, and feta, date andcurry leaf fritters. This style of eating isrightfully fashionable because it accommodatesa frantic, urban existence but delivershearty, traditional flavours like pigs cheeksbraised with cider, fennel and bay. Therestaurant upstairs serves more substantialdishes, like a coconut and pandan duck-legcurry.

Anna’s first cookbook, The ModernPantry, contains a wonderfully originalselection of recipes adapted for home usefrom her brilliant restaurant repertoire.