A FAMILIAR face from TV, Lesley Waters has appeared on shows like Ready, Steady, Cook and This Morning. A former head tutor at Leith’s School of Food and Wine, she is executive chef for the new Ready, Steady, Cook Live show which heads to Bromley in October. Here she reveals her kitchen advice for News Shopper readers.

Do you have a top tip for people cooking at home?

Keep it simple, use seasonal ingredients and have a passion for what you cook – enjoy it. Don’t do things that are too complicated. The more success you have, the more you’ll want to cook. Also don’t be frightened of making mistakes because sometimes they can work in your favour.

Do you have a favourite ingredient at the moment?

Beetroot! And I love asparagus. I love egg as well – one of my favourite dishes in the world is probably boiled egg and soldiers.

Do you have any advice for people coming home after a long day, for something they can make quickly?

I don’t think it gets much better than being able to knock up a really, really good omelette – a lovely cheese omelette, with a strong cheddar cheese, served with homemade chips in the oven and a nice, big, fresh salad. What a great meal.

Do you have a kitchen tool or gadget you can’t live without?

Sharp knives, and not a whole wallet of them. One or two great knives makes all the difference, and a couple of very, very good non-stick pans.

Lesley is executive chef on the new Ready, Steady, Cook Live tour which comes to The Churchill Theatre in Bromley on Sunday, October 27. Go to atgtickets.com/Bromley for information.