In April of 1974 Sile and I decided that we would head off to work in France for a time, I really wanted to add some French experience to my culinary CV and having at that stage worked in Ireland for a few years we wanted to experience “abroad” before we settled down.
Where to go or how to set about getting a job in a kitchen in France being a total mystery to us, I decided to write to the three cookery writers I revered to get some advice.
So the three culinary goddesses of that time; Elizabeth David, Margaret Costa and Theodora FitzGibbon were duly canvassed.
All, God Bless Them, replied.

Theodora’s answer was perhaps the most useful.
She suggested contacting Mme Graves in Ballyllickey House Hotel, who, as a member of the Relais de Campagne group, could put us in touch with their central office in Paris which might have an employment section.
We did, and they had and that was how we inded up working in the Chateau de Teildras in Anjou.
Margaret Costas advice was to look for a job with her husband in Laceys in London, this I also did, much later, and even ended up working there, if only for one night!
Elizabeth David’s advice, basically to contact my local catering college, was perhaps the least useful but her’s is the letter I treasure most.
That she took the time to write at all was very moving.
Here is her letter,which I still have (as indeed I still have the other two) and no, it is not for sale.