IT'S not often that an evening slumped in front of the telly can change your life forever - but that's just what happened to Aaron Craze.

"If someone had told me when I was 15 that I would be where I am today I would have laughed my head off," he says.

The one-time carpet fitter was watching Jamie Oliver work his magic on TV one night when he had an epiphany and decided he wanted to become a chef.

Lucky break

He wasn't sure how to go about it, but his mother-in-law Dee knew he needed a lucky break and she sent off an application form for Aaron to join the trainees at Jamie's London restaurant, Fifteen, in 2003.

Getting accepted into the crew at Fifteen was just the start but the long hours, not to mention occasionally cleaning the kitchen tiles with a toothbrush as a punishment for being late, paid off.

He graduated from the chef training programme, had stints working at The Ivy and even returned to Fifteen as chef de partie. As his confidence grew, so did his thirst for greater challenges.

Gastropub

So in 2005 Aaron competed against other Fifteen students to win the keys to his very own gastropub, The Cock Inn at Braintree, Essex.

Running the small rural business was an even bigger challenge, but Aaron and wife Nicci received critical acclaim and an AA rosette for outstanding food and service.

The couple were forced to close the pub in January this year due to financial problems but Aaron has bounced back and has returned to Fifteen, where he will be helping to train the new intake of wannabe chefs.

He's also sharing what he's learned in the last five years in a new book, Aaron Cooks Italian. Like his mentor, Aaron is incredibly inspired by the Italian approach to food and wine - and says that northern Italy is not too different from England.

'Passionate'

"The weather is similar, the produce is much the same and even the landscape seems familiar, apart from the grapevines and olive trees that grow there. The real difference is that, unlike the Italians, we're slow to take advantage of all the wonderful fresh produce we grow here," he says.

"It was a revelation to see how passionate the Italians are about their food."

Aaron hopes his book, which features rustic, simple Italian recipes for pasta, risotto and gnocchi as well as a range of meat, poultry and fish dishes, and desserts, will inspire British cooks to get creative in the kitchen. Below are two of his favourites: Lemon Sole With Anchovy And Caper Butter Sauce and Chocolate Fondant Souffle.

Buon appetito!

Aaron Cooks Italian by Aaron Craze is published by Mitchell Beazley, priced £18.99.


Recipes...

LEMON SOLE WITH ANCHOVY AND CAPER BUTTER SAUCE

“There's no need to overcomplicate this dish: wonderfully fresh fish simply baked in the oven with butter, anchovies, capers and lemon is perfection on a plate. Lemon sole is one of the less expensive fine fish on the market and easy to get hold of all year round,” says Aaron.

(Serves 2)

2 lemon sole, about 400g (14oz) each
Salt and pepper
1 lemon, cut into 6 slices
Dressed salad, to serve
For the anchovy and caper butter sauce:
6 anchovy fillets
2tbsp capers
100g (3 1/2oz) unsalted butter, softened
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley

>  Rinse the fish in cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper. Place one fish on a chopping board. With a sharp pair of kitchen scissors, trim away the frill around the edge of the fish.
>  With a sharp knife, make a straight slit across the skin, a few millimetres from the tail fin on both sides of the fish. Starting on the dark-skin side, ease a finger under the slit to loosen a flap of skin large enough to grip firmly. Use a clean tea towel to hold the fish tail down and to grip the flap of skin tightly.
>  Slowly pull the skin towards the head. It should come away cleanly but, where it sticks, use fingers to release it to avoid tearing the fish. Do the same on the pale-skin side. Repeat for the second fish.
>  Alternatively, leave the skin on and make four slashes in the flesh. Season the lemon soles with salt and pepper and set aside.
>  Preheat the oven to 1800C/3500F/Gas mark 4.
>  Put all the ingredients for the anchovy and caper butter in a food processor and blitz until coarsely chopped.
>  Place the lemon soles on a large baking sheet and cover with the butter mixture. Lay three lemon slices along the back of each fish. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
>  Serve the lemon soles immediately with the melted butter sauce spooned over the top and a dressed salad on the side.

CHOCOLATE FONDANT-SOUFFLE

“Chocolate fondant is a favourite with the ladies: the perfect choice for any fella who wants to impress his missis,” says Aaron. He adds: “Watch out though - when you've cooked it once you'll be making it all the time! It's particularly good served with vanilla ice cream. Remember to butter the rim of the mould to enable the fondant to rise evenly.”

(Serves 6)

3tbsp cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting the moulds
100g (3 1/2oz) good-quality chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into small pieces
115g (4oz) unsalted butter
3 free-range eggs, separated into yolks and whites
140g (5oz) caster sugar
Icing sugar for dusting
Vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional)

>  Place 6 x 125ml (4fl oz) ovenproof moulds or cups in a refrigerator to cool. Preheat the oven to 2000C/4000F/Gas mark 6.
>  Put the cocoa, chocolate and 90g (31/4 oz) of the butter in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water.
>  While the chocolate is melting, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until runny. Have a clean bowl and a whisk ready to whisk the egg whites.
>  Stir the melted chocolate into the sweetened egg yolks. Set aside in a warm place.
>  Take the moulds out of the refrigerator. Melt the remaining butter and use a pastry brush to butter the insides of the moulds. Brush with straight strokes up the sides and over the rims. Dust the buttered moulds with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess on to a sheet of baking paper.
>  Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. When stiff enough, you should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the froth falling out. Whisk a spoonful of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then very gently fold in the rest.
>  Spoon the fluffy chocolate mixture into a large piping bag or a strong plastic sandwich bag with one corner cut off and fill the moulds. Scrape the tops level using the back of a knife, taking care not to rub off any butter from the rims.
>  Place the moulds on a baking sheet and bake until risen (about 10 minutes). Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately, with scoops of vanilla ice cream, if you like.