Gareth Malone talks macaroni cheese, raw turkey and acid reflux
"I once served a roast turkey raw. That was not a great moment"
"I once served a roast turkey raw. That was not a great moment"
Choirmaster Gareth Malone, 42, lives in north London with his wife Becky, 37, and their children Esther, seven, and Gilbert, five
What’s your daily diet like?
I have a fast metabolism, so I’m constantly hungry; it’s always three meals and a bit of a graze as well.
Talk us through those meals…
If I’m filming, I’ll have porridge, maple syrup and some raisins to start the day. For lunch, I’ll grab a tuna sandwich. Then when the kids are in bed, dinner with my wife is our chance to catch up. Becky is very much the day-to-day cook; we’ll often have a vegetable stir-fry and rice. We’re verging on vegetarian during the week. It’s an ethical choice.
What kind of a cook are you?
When I was a teenager, my mum taught me how to roast a chicken, peel potatoes and cook carrots; standard survival stuff. I can now cook a sausage without killing myself! I’ll do the Sunday roast and I cooked at Christmas, too.
Biggest culinary disaster?
When I was at university, I had all my fellow students over for a turkey roast. I misread the instructions and cooked it for 25 minutes then served it next to raw. That was not a great moment.
First dish you ever cooked?
Macaroni cheese. I was eight and it was for my cub scouts cookery badge. I can still cook it from memory.
What dish reminds you of home?
My mum’s lemon layer pudding, made from lots of sugar, a bit of flour and lemons, is a taste of my childhood. When I was 10, I had pleurisy, which is an infection of the lining of the lung, and I barely ate for two whole weeks. I lost a lot of weight and from then on, I was always very slim. My mother constantly made delicious, tempting puddings to try to fatten me up!
Which chef do you most admire?
I really like Marcus Wareing – I’ve had some great meals at his restaurants. And Jamie Oliver – he’s a very motivated guy and I’ve always felt a bit of a kinship with him.
Do any foods affect your voice?
People say to avoid dairy, but I’ve never found that to be a problem. If I’m singing, I will avoid heavy, acidic food the night before because acid reflux can burn the vocal cords.
Do you have any food rituals?
I fuel up as much as I can before a gig because of the energy requirements of performing. As a student, I sang with a choral society and would lodge with a family for the holidays – they’d serve a tiny quiche between five people. I’m now never more than five metres away from a bag of nuts.
Gareth is touring the UK with a live show in May and June.