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Go to www.spotator.com.com.com.com.com. Hello and welcome to Table Talk, the Spectator's Food and Drink

podcast. I'm Olivia Potts. And I'm Laura Prenderrendergast and today we're delighted to be joined by Lydia

Forte. Lydia is the group director of food and beverage at Rocco Forte hotels and is the daughter

of Sorocco Forte and niece of Olga Polizzi. Lydia joined the hotel group in 2014 and since then has

overseen the group's food and beverage offerings around the world.

She's opened many hotel bars and restaurants all with the aim that they will be as loved by locals

as they are by guests. Lydia, thank you so much for joining Table Talk. Thank you so much for

having me. It's so exciting to be on. Lydia, we always start this podcast in the same place.

We ask, what were your first memories of food?

Well, I'm sure everyone says the same thing.

It's hard to have a first memory because it always just seems to be such a present thing.

It's such an important thing.

I was told that age three I was found with my cousin under a coffee table

at Christmas celebration with my extended family having demolished the caviar canopays.

I think that's legend. Probably just sitting at home on my, on our kitchen counter watching my mum cook various things. I have

very specific memory of food at my dad's mother's house, both my grandparents' houses, but my

dad's mum's house where she would do these big family gatherings. And at Christmas time,

...