What do you have for breakfast?
Most days, I start with a mug of black coffee. On Fridays or Saturdays, which are usually long days at work, I have a bacon brioche sarnie from Awesome Franks or Aidan’s Kitchen.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
A good curry from our local, Chakh Dhoom, which is just at the top of our street.
What would be your last meal and bottle of wine on Earth?
The wine would have to be Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne – an exquisite Champagne that brings back tremendous memories of our travels. I would have that alongside a full Middle Eastern mezze – my favourite style of food.
What’s in your home fridge?
We eat out a lot, so our fridge is full of vegetables to provide some balance. Other than that, it is heavy on yoghurt, kimchi, beetroot, ginger and loads of different condiments.
What’s your favourite food/wine book?
I’d go for any food book by Claudia Roden – from A New Book of Middle Eastern Cookery to Med: A Cookbook. For a wine book, I’d choose anything by Jancis Robinson – from Wine Grapes to The Oxford Companion to Wine. My favourite covering both is The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit, which is a great foundation for putting flavours together.
What’s your most important piece of kitchen kit?
When I cook at home, which is every evening we are in, I always use two things – a Sabatier knife and my marble cutting slab. I have had both for more than 30 years and they have travelled with me through all my kitchens.
What’s your most important piece of advice in the food and drink business?
Have a good sense of humour… only kidding! Be true to your values and vision – it helps when you are being buffered by headwinds. Employ different skillsets and personalities – it pays off when it comes to keeping the business fresh. Quality products do the talking for you. Collaboration is key. I used to teach about these principles, but I learned them at the coalface.
What would you be doing if you weren’t working in food and drink?
I guess I would be an academic. I worked as a political economist in universities and policy-based think tanks most of my life, which gave me a bird’s-eye view on some fascinating times in recent history. I also travelled widely and was lucky to meet incredible personalities. I did quite a lot of work around improving urban environments and regeneration and have very strong views on how we need to improve our high streets and cities.
If you only had £15 to spend on a meal, what would you buy?
I would buy a pickled pakora wrap from SnackWallah in The Grainger Market – at £6.50 it’s the best value lunch in Newcastle.
Who is your favourite chef/wine expert?
We have some magnificent chefs in this region, but if I can only pick one it would have to be Chet Sharma at Bibi in Mayfair. We first ate there four years ago and were blown away by his flavour combinations. My wine personality is Helen McGinn, who has done an outstanding job demystifying wine on Saturday Kitchen. I also have to mention Matt Tebbutt, a chef turned TV personality who brings joy to our Saturday mornings.
