Despite the appeal of escaping daily cooking duties, Ms. Lawson enjoys the freedom and creativity of cooking on holiday, even with limited equipment. Ms. Lawson said she initially finds the unfamiliarity of holiday kitchens a challenge but soon feels "unencumbered and liberated." Ms. Lawson also discussed the struggle of packing for holidays, admitting she finds it harder to choose clothes than kitchen items. Ms. Lawson advised against taking ambitious cooking plans on holiday, saying it is more important to leave expectations behind. Ms Lawson read Modern Languages, edited the student magazine Isis, later saving it from financial trouble, and graduated in 1979.