Valentina Harris attained two diplomas for teaching and cooking at the Scuola di Alta Cucina Cordon Bleu School in Rome in 1976. In 1984 she published Perfect Pasta (Shuckburgh Reynolds), which won an award for literature and gastronomy in Germany. Many other books followed, as well as a six-part BBC television series, Italian Regional Cookery, in 1990. Valentina regularly features on radio and television, writes for national newspapers and magazines, and acts as a consultant to supermarkets, food manufacturers and restaurants. She holds cooking courses in Sardinia, Sicily and Tuscany under the name 'Villa Valentina'. For more information about Valentina visit www.cucinavalentina.co.uk. Martin Brigdale has specialized in food photography for more than 20 years. He has photographed more than 50 cookbooks, including Korean Cooking (Aquamarine), which won Best Asian Cuisine Cookbook at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2006.