“The simple reason buffets light up a room is this: you are providing guests with a tiny dopamine shot from a point in life they were happiest; running into a brilliant birthday party aged five; their granny's Boxing Day open house; the best Eid get-together of their teen years.”

English columnist, broadcaster and author

Grace Dent is an English columnist, broadcaster, and author, known for her work as a restaurant critic. She has written about food and dining for major British newspapers and television. She is a restaurant critic for The Guardian and, from 2011 to 2017, wrote a restaurant column for the Evening Standard. Since 2025, she has co-presented the BBC series MasterChef.