James Rich is a Somerset-born and bred, cider-maker's son, and his family has been making a living from apples for centuries. James grew up helping his dad at work: planting the orchards, pressing the apples to gather the juice, and even helping to clean the giant 5,700-litre (10,000-pint) oak vats that are used during the fermenting process. A passionate home cook, as a child James was encouraged to explore food and flavour in the kitchen by his grandmother, who showed him the basics and helped develop his cooking. He now divides his time between Somerset and living in London, working as a food writer and brand consultant.