Emma Spitzer is superwoman. Not only did she get to the MasterChef final in 2015, but she is a mother to four primary school-age girls and runs a successful travel company. If that wasn’t enough, she has found the time to write a (very good) cookery book. We’re not worthy.

I was lucky enough to score an invitation to celebrate the launch of her book, charmingly titled Fress: Bold flavours from a Jewish kitchen. How could I not love it? It also has a rosy, pink cover, which most girls are going to fall in love with. They even made cute little cookies with the cover on it for which the portmanteau was a 'bookie'. 

The launch was at Borough Kitchen, my most favourite kitchen shop — other branches are in Hampstead and Chiswick — run by the charming and gorgeous Justin Kowbel and equally lovely business partner, David Caldana.

Two good reasons to travel east. And it was worth it because the lovely Spitzer had fried up cocktail-sized fish balls to feed us all with. Only a Jewish cookbook could launch with fish balls and fizz. It was perfect.

Spitzer’s publisher spoke and then the lady of the moment stood up to give her Oscar-winning speech, hauling her mother up to take a bow and giving full thanks to her family, publishing team and friends for getting her there.

It’s an excellent book, mixing Ashkenazi and Sephardi flavours — both of which are in Spitzer’s heritage — and giving them her own spin. Read in the JC's Seder magazine (out today - 7th April) about how I was treated to some of the dishes from the book when I visited her for last month for lunch . I’m looking forward to cooking up some of my own from the book and to the dinner she is curating at Zest at the end of this month.