Restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi shops at Cyberdog, flies solo at Master Wei and loves La Fromagerie's comté

Home is... Camden, since 2013.

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Where was your first flat in London?

It was in Hammersmith, along Milson Road. Not far from the Havelock Tavern... I used to go there an awful lot.

What was your first job?

I spent a quiet three months at the Capital, patiently whipping egg whites for the pastry chef. When I was finally moved to the cold-starter section, the reality of kitchen life settled in. On my first day, the sous-chef asked me to make a lobster bisque and an amuse-bouche. That night, I couldn't sleep at all, turning recipes over in my mind. By midday, exhaustion had taken over. I simply took my scooter, went home, and never returned.

Which shops do you rely on?

My favourite spots to pick up bread are Bread By Bike and Salvino (conveniently positioned on the way home from work). La Fromagerie in Highbury is essential for properly aged comté — their ageing room is a temple to proper cheese. Labour and Wait on Redchurch Street for beautiful, functional kitchen tools that make cooking much more pleasurable. Longdan is where I go for Asian ingredients — I can lose hours in their aisles. And Phoenicia, in Kentish Town, is my go-to for everything Middle Eastern.

What’s the best meal you’ve had in the capital?