The food critic for The Observer says the European nation [Spain] never fails to deliver on the food front. “Stop in any small town and you’ll find somewhere good to eat,” he says. “It doesn’t apply in France – France is gone in that regard, but Spain still has it.”

It’s the coastal city of Barcelona that he truly adores, but don’t ask him to name his favourite restaurant there. “I haven been to enough, but I do love that you can just pull up [to any eatery] in Barcelona and do very well,” he says.

Tokyo is also at the top of Rayner’s list when it comes to destinations delivering on the food front, while New York and San Francisco are among his other loved cities to explore.

When it comes to finding a restaurant to eat at in a new place, Rayner recommends avoiding TripAdvisor, as the reviews don’t have to be verified and can be fake, and instead suggests looking for newspaper articles and tips from well-regarded bloggers.

He also recommends making the most of your hotel’s concierge. “They’re more useful than people think,” he says.

If you arrive at a restaurant and are not sure whether to stay, Rayner says there’s one clear sign to run. “A badly written menu full of too many adjectives, similes and metaphors, like it’s a badly written romantic novel, and I know we’re in for hell,” he says.