Roast chicken to Heston is a family meal and thus holds special meaning for him. The first order of business is to taste test different varietals of chicken to see which is the best as a roast chicken ingredient. The winning bird takes him to Lyon, France, where roast chicken is part of the everyday culture. Eating roast chicken in France also brings him back to memories of childhood. In the four step process to make Heston's perfect roast chicken, he is always taking into consideration the problem of moist meat versus crispy skin, as moist meat is accomplished by cooking at low temperatures, whereas crispy skin is accomplished by cooking at high heat. The final touch in his chicken is injecting the bird with added flavor just before serving. With his roast chicken, Heston makes his traditional vegetable accompaniments of roast potatoes, sautéed carrots and broccoli.

• Heston Blumenthal