Happy Birthday Rich! Ever been to one of Rich’s classes and found yourself wondering, where does the man himself actually eat? What blows his taste buds away when someone else is doing the cooking? Well, we asked him exactly that…

Imagine you’ve just been handed the keys to your very own food truck – what’s it called, and what deliciousness are you serving up? ⁠
I’d call it The Lab because I could never cook the same thing twice. It wouldn’t have a set menu, just whatever I felt like experimenting with that day. If you’re after consistency, maybe don’t queue here. If you’re after something brilliant, take a chance. Original – we like it! 😂

What’s your wildest, most chaotic food combo that somehow works… and would probably make Gordon Ramsay gasp?
Soy Ice cream

We all have them – which dish secretly makes you side-eye other people ordering it?
Asking for anything ‘well done’ Consider yourselves warned 🚨

You’ve woken up with a hangover from the depths of hell – what magical meal or snack brings you back to life?
Honestly, hangovers are a rarity for me, I think I’ve genuinely felt hungover fewer than five times in my life but the last time it happened, only one thing worked – Mum’s bread (Diana’s Bread) with loads of butter – I ate the whole loaf

On your travels beyond the UK, what’s the meal you can’t stop thinking about? The one that made you go “wow, this is unforgettable”?
Som Tum, a proper papaya salad – I could eat that every single day and never get tired of it!

Back on home turf, what’s a memorable meal you’ve had in the UK? Bonus points if you tell us the restaurant and the dish – we’re secretly mapping out the ultimate foodie trail!
The Ledbury’s brown butter waffle with celeriac and Cornish gouda – Unforgettable 🙌

What is the best biscuit and don’t hold back, we want the full justification!
A Foxes Chocolatey Milk Round but I bite off both ends then use it as a straw to suck coffee through it

If you could only eat one type of cuisine for the rest of your life, what would it be, and why would it never get boring?
Italian… and not just because I married one. Very smart answer 🤌

⁠What’s the one item or condiment you reach for most in your kitchen – the unsung hero of all your cooking?
Liquid smoke

⁠Hard-hitting foodie question: Which supermarket is your ultimate favourite and what’s the one thing you absolutely can’t leave without?
I don’t really do supermarkets, I’d much rather go to a small deli or local shop

From The Lab to sucking coffee through a chocolate biscuit, one thing’s clear, Rich approaches everything with the same curiosity he brings to the kitchen – just don’t ask him to cook your steak well done! 🫠 Happy Birthday Rich! 🎂