Being half–Italian and a (complete) foodie, I knew that when I had children I would want to instill in them a love of good food and the ritual of eating together. Well, here I am with a 3 year old who loves olives, garlic, capers and salami. Of course, he likes those Brit staples of chips and sausages too, but he has a well developed love of really flavoursome foods.

As soon as Jack showed interest in food when we started weaning I encouraged him to taste a bit of what we were eating too. Eating out has been a big part of developing his love of food and sharing the pleasure of eating together with him.

If you’re travelling to or from South London via Waterloo Station the revamped area around the Royal Festival Hall is a great place for a pit stop. Canteen is located round the back of the Festival Hall away from the melee of the riverside, which is a relief if you’ve spent the last few hours fighting your way through crowded streets with a buggy