What do you have for breakfast?
When I’m working, I tend to just have a flat white. If I eat before lunch, I’ll have mini Weetabix with choc chips in. If I had loads of time, I’d have poached eggs with garlicky mushrooms, beans and slice of brown toast.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Takeaways are our go-to guilty pleasure. We have the best staff dinners at work, but on a Sunday – our day off – we keep things really chilled and order from Acomb Tandoori. I love their chicken tikka shashlik, and the spicy chips.
What would be your last meal on earth?
My mum’s Christmas dinner with loads of pigs in blankets – and the whole family around a big table.
What’s in your home fridge?
It’s really embarrassing! There’s some long life milk and a couple of bottles of Champagne we’ve been holding onto. When we eat at home, we buy fresh ingredients, but we spend so much time at the restaurant that we don’t cook a lot at home.
What’s your favourite food book?
Any Noma book is a good place to start. I also buy [my husband] Cal every Cédric Grolet book when it comes out – they’re works of art.
What’s your most important piece of kitchen kit?
I’m desperate for an air fryer at home, but I’d say our coffee machine is the most essential thing in our kitchen. It’s not a big or expensive one, but I can do a bit of fancy latte art on it.
What’s your most important piece of advice in the food business?
It’s a hard industry and it’s not glamorous for the most part, so you need to have an amazing team around you. From there, take opportunities when they come up and don’t dwell on what you could have been if you’d stuck with what you had before.
What would you be doing if you weren’t working in food?
I’m a people person and love getting to know people, but I’d want to work with animals in a zoo. My dad always had the same dream, and he’s just retired and started volunteering at Pets’ Corner in Jesmond Dene – he’s the happiest I’ve ever seen him.
If you only had £15 to spend on a meal, what would you buy?
We’re loving flatbreads at the moment, so I’d get a braised lamb shoulder from the supermarket, a pomegranate and a tomato. I’d make a raita, and then I’d treat myself to some hummus if I had enough money left over.
Who is your favourite chef?
I’ll not say Cal, though his food is very good! I love Ophelia and think Nick Grieves is amazing. I also love Shaun Hurrell at Barrio Comida – his tacos are fantastic and he makes the best margaritas.
Pine, Vallum Farm, Military Road, East Wallhouses, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE18 0LL, tel 01434 671 202, www.restaurantpine.co.uk
