What was your first industry job?
Cooking for touring bands at the Roadhouse in Manchester. My first proper kitchen job was at Sharrow Bay in Ullswater.
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
Writing, for sure.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
Angela Hartnett. She is hugely talented, but also very down to earth and supportive of others. She’s ace.
What’s your pet hate in the kitchen?
Arrogance. It’s such a toxic trait. It upsets everyone, and it limits the kitchen’s potential, because if everyone is open to making mistakes and learning from them, you end up stuck.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
That I looked like a furious horse. Thanks, pal.
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…Produce-led, rooted in culinary heritage.
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
Probably Giles Coren at Aumbry. It was the only really bad one, and yet it really sticks in my mind.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Be prepared for it being intense and hard work, but if you love it, it’s worth sticking at. And if you don’t, do something else. It’s not worth slogging away at something unless it brings you some joy.
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
Good, heavy-based pans.
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
Sourdough Neapolitan pizza. I can’t eat gluten normally, so I’d eat loads for a last meal. It would have to be super-ripe tomato sauce, just-made mozzarella and gorgeous cured meats.
À la carte or tasting menu?
Tasting, or everything off the à la carte. I like to try as many dishes as possible.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
The French Laundry, nearly 20 years ago. It was a leaving gift from Heston at The Fat Duck (where McTague once worked). Three of us ate and we had a 20-course tasting menu, but we each had a different dish each time and a different wine. So it was really 60 dishes and 60 wines. It was absolutely magical: the food, the wine, the service, the setting. Unforgettable.
What’s your favourite fast food joint?
I’m not sure if this counts, as it’s pretty elevated, but Madre tacos is excellent – and fun. Me and the kids love it there.
MasterChef or Great British Menu?
I don’t get to watch either very often. Probably Great British Menu, because I was on it many moons ago.
What’s the most overrated food?
Burgers in brioche buns. Too soft, sweet and soggy.
Who would your dream dinner party guests be?
If it’s alive or dead: Anthony Bourdain, my dad, Angela Hartnett, Russell T Davies (I met him recently – what a wonderful man) – and the rest would have to be my dearest friends.
What’s your earliest food memory?
My first Mr Kipling’s French Fancies at a relative’s house. I must have been about three years old. I was obsessed with them from that point on.
Twitter or Instagram?
Instagram.
What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death?
I had an ectopic pregnancy about 10 years ago. They couldn’t see it on scans, so it went undetected until I was very unwell.
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
My house.
What’s your tipple of choice?
Wine, followed by martinis.
What’s your favourite food and drink pairing?
Fish and chips and Champagne. It’s my favourite – I have it on my birthday every year.
What do you consider to be your signature dish?
Probably Lancashire hot pot. It encapsulates everything I love – culinary heritage, modern cooking techniques, social history and beautiful local produce – and it’s also really satisfying to eat.