IT’S a frightening thought that our ability to cook could be lost within just two generations.

According to food expert Nicola Temple, the skill may die out because we Brits are losing interest. The writer told the Edinburgh International Science Festival that, although we declare ourselves too busy to cook from scratch, opting instead for takeaways, we’ve plenty of time to watch TV every day. She believes that, like sewing skills, cookery skills could soon be lost.

She points out that our national “obsession” with cookery shows and watching other people prepare food, did not prompt us to actually cook.