Christine Manfield is one of Australia's most celebrated chefs--a perfectionist inspired by strong flavors, and a writer whose successful books, Fire & Spice , Tasting India , Fire , Spice , Stir , Christine Manfield Originals , and Christine Manfield Desserts , have spiced up the lives of keen cooks everywhere. Her professional culinary life started in the mid-1980s and has culminated to date in three ground-breaking restaurants: Paramount in Sydney from 1993 to 2000, East@West in London from 2003 to early 2005, and now back in Sydney with Universal Restaurant, which continues to win accolades from critics and diners alike. An inveterate traveller, Christine continues to broaden her global food interests, working alongside respected chefs around the world and hosting gastronomic tours to exotic destinations including Morocco, India, Spain, and Turkey.