Hello and Welcome to Jessie and the Giant Plate!

I am the Jessie of the title, I'm a 20-something British girl, and I am more than a little bit obsessed with food.

I lived in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China from September 2007 to March 2010, and I am now living in North London, UK.

I write primarily (but not exclusively) about Chinese food, and the myriad ways in which culture interacts with what we eat.

I love chillies, durian fruit, and really good rice. I hate baked beans.

The name 'Jessie and the Giant Plate' was suggested by my friend Katy, in homage to Roald Dahl's book James and the Giant Peach - and, in her words, to reflect my insatiable appetite.