MASTER of Asian cooking, Ken Hom, stopped off in Melksham this week to give avid fans a flavour of his culinary skills with a special wok demonstration.

Mr Hom dished up some aromatic treats while signing his latest book at Leekes on Tuesday which was his first visit to Wiltshire.

“I was really excited because it is the first time I have been here and it is a good excuse for me to visit but also it’s nice to meet people from this area,” he added.

“Wiltshire is just beautiful.

“I think it is really important because a lot of people know me from watching me on the television but I don’t know them and it is a great opportunity for me to meet with the public because they actually help me a lot with their questions.”

Mr Hom first came onto the cooking scene in 1982 when he featured on BBC series Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery.

From this, he was at the forefront of helping to develop the flat-bottomed wok in the UK in 1986 and by 2005 one in seven people in Britain owned one of his technically-crafted woks.

At the demonstration, the 66-year-old was able to showcase just a few dishes from his much-loved book 100 quick stir-fry recipes – the popularity of which he didn't expect.

“All the recipes are like my babies and I think these are recipes from my experience from cooking for the last 51 years,” Mr Hom said.

“I think the best feedback for me is people who have come to see me at some places with their books from over 30 years ago and they come and say to me that the recipes work.

“I never imagined when I first did my series that I would be here now and it is a surprise and I think it one of these love affairs with this country who accepted me and embraced what I had to show and made it part of their lifestyle.

“I think it is very touching because they have given it to them children who have gone off to university and that is a really nice thing and it made me part of people’s families – well in their kitchen anyway.”

Mr Hom’s wok range, which is stocked at Leekes includes a practical everyday range which is aimed at cost-conscious cooks who want to explore Asian cooking as well as a performance range made from high quality materials with exceptional durability.