THERE are good cooks and then there are inspiring, exceptional ones.

Gita Mistry falls into the latter category according to some of Britain's best known food and restaurant critics.

In their eyes Gita's food is "better than sex" – technically faultless, charming and triumphant. One of her biggest fans is celebrity chef James Martin who claims when it comes to cooking Gita is truly exceptional.

Gita met James when she bravely agreed to enter the lion's den and take part in the latest food programme on TV. Eating with the Enemy is an exciting new cookery competition, hosted by James, where fearless home cooks have to face the country's toughest and most feared food critics.

Thousands of amateur cooks applied to take part in the programme but only 30 got through the rigorous and gruelling selection process and Gita, who lives on the outskirts of Queensbury, was one of them. As it turned out Gita had the critics literally eating out of her hand, but was her food good enough for her to be crowned best home cook?

All will be revealed in the grand final on Friday, August 15.

Gita, who was born in Bradford, has been passionate about cooking since she was a child when she used to watch her Indian mother dry, grind, blend and store a whole array of herbs and spices in her special spice tins. It was a labour of love and through it Gita, who is single, found her life's vocation.

She uncovered forgotten garamasala recipes and traditions that had been best kept secrets handed down through generations. And while her food is predominantly Indian – she has visited her parents' place of birth five times on cooking trips – she does mix British and Indian ingredients to create contemporary dishes with a twist.

One such dish is chilli honey pistachio lamb chops, which she cooks on the show. It is considered by the judges as a sensational combination of flavours. "Gina's lamb chops are a revelation and the peppery carrots and spicy mashed potatoes were both first rate – one of the best dishes in the competition so far," says judge Toby Young of the Evening Standard.

Gita, who used to work for Bradford Council's social services department, says her aim is to create inspirational and healthy food, and to this end she always uses fresh ingredients combined with delicious herbs and spices. Most of the time she cooks from scratch without using a recipe, and while she does cook meat dishes, she is not a big meat eater.

One of her favourite shops is Food Therapy, Northgate, Halifax which used to sell organic pick and mix boxes, which she loved. She also shops at Sainsbury's in Halifax and is a member of Fitness First gym at Dean Clough, Halifax, and a supporter of the Halifax branch of the NSPCC.

Before being selected for the programme she had to cook a variety of dishes at home and was told she had been successful when James Martin turned up on her doorstep.

Gita takes part in the north east regional heats on the programme, which is aired the week commencing Monday, August 11. Contestants must try to convince the judges that their cooking can hold its own against restaurant food. As well as Toby Young, judges include Jay Raynor of The Observer, Charles Campion, author of The London Restaurant Guide and Kate Spicer, freelance food critic. Kate said: "Gita touched the cornerstones of food enjoyment and was close to the expression 'better than sex'."

Gita now runs her own website company offering cookery lessons, recipes, cooking and corporate events and cooking at people's homes for dinner parties. Her ambition is to bring out her own cookery books and open a cook shop and maybe a restaurant.