; “The past 15 years or so have been a noticeable period of improvement for food in England,” the English chef says, citing the trend in British cuisine for better ingredients, preparation and cooking methods, and more appealing presentation. Chefs such as Delia Smith, Nigel Slater, Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay made the public realise that cooking—and eating—didn’t have to be a boring thing. And now, most of the British public is familiar even with the extremes of Heston Blumenthal’s molecular gastronomy, a form of cooking that employs scientific methods to create the perfect dish.

 

    

 

    “It’s no longer the case that the common man in England is embarrassed to show he knows about food,” Tomes says.

 

   

 

    There was plenty of room for improvement. The problems with the nation’s cuisine can be traced back to the Second World War. Before the War, much of Britain’s food was imported and when German U-boats began attacking ships bringing food to the country, Britain went on rations （配给）.

 

   

 

    “As ration