Welcome to August’s issue

Late summer and it is barbecue time. We asked three renowned barbecue cooks to offer their advice for those of us cooking outdoors. Genevieve Taylor sets us on the right track with the best charcoal, Ana Ortiz gives us the secret to perfect timing and Helen Graves gets us to loosen up, relax and enjoy our time at the grill. We have recipes from them too, including sesame and chilli chicken thighs, aubergine with feta and harissa, and grilled mussels with lime-pickled onions. Add to that Genevieve’s gorgeous grilled peaches and we are set up for a very good time.
Many of those who provide us with our food do most of their work when we are asleep. Bakers, dairy workers, fishers and farmers often live a life whose working hours are almost the opposite of own. We speak to some of those who keep food on our tables by getting to work when the rest of us are just going to bed: a fisherman who takes his boat out in the dark; a cheesemaker at work by 3am; and a farmer who somehow manages to keep everything going 24/7. A peep into their lives but also, something of a tribute.
Our secret ingredient column continues with Monica Galetti and her love of fennel, which it turns out she often cooks with another secret ingredient and something I long to try. On the subject of ingredients, Jay Rayner has written his first cookbook, with many of the dishes inspired by his love of eating out. In his column this month he muses on what he has learned about recipe writing since embarking on Nights Out at Home.
As well as recipes for the barbecue, we also mark 30 years of St John, the acclaimed London restaurant and bakery, and look at the effect it has had on the food scene.