Jean-Christophe Novelli gets us in the mood

What meal wins you over every time?

Jean-Christophe Novelli: My lovely partner cooks me a sea bass with chorizo and sun dried tomatoes. She stole the recipe from my book actually!

You once told John McCririck he was a pig. Why?

Jean-Christophe Novelli: Because he is a pig! I don't like the way he speaks about his wife. I was watching Richard and Judy I just couldn't believe what was coming out of his mouth! So when he came onto Hell's Kitchen I told him he was a pig. Gary [Rhodes] and I never got on very well, and John tried to play us off against each other - hinting to both of us that he was going to choose us - but in the end it was the one thing that united us: thinking that John was a pig!

Did John have any defence to your attack?

Jean-Christophe Novelli: I don't give a toss about his defence! I wasn't listening to him. I said: 'I'm not going to cook for you' and told him to p*ss off. He thought I was joking, so I had to tell him to p*ss off again. He has no respect for his wife and without her he would be f*cked.

Moving on...has Celebrity X-factor helped your serenading skills?

Jean-Christophe Novelli: X-Factor was an intense experience. I had been in Dubai just before the first recording of the show, and my team had all been in weeks of singing tuition. I was scared of letting them down but we did well, it was a huge surprise! If there's one thing I learnt it was to expect the unexpected. But no, I don't sing to women. I am quite good with music but I would never do that to a woman.

There's a rumour going round that women used to flock to your Clerkenwell restaurant, just to catch a glimpse of you coming out of the kitchen

Jean-Christophe Novelli: Ha-ha! I would love to respond to that but I can't!