Rose Langbein

On a family holiday in Greece, the daughter of food writer Annabel Langbein opened her mother’s eyes to what a confident, creative cook she had become. So, mother and daughter decided to combine their respective gardento-table and sustainable cooking approaches to write A Free Range Life: Together, a cookbook that includes everything from vegetarian recipes to succulent burgers and fermented foods. What’s a favourite childhood food memory?

Sitting around the table on a Sunday night, Dad grilling a chicken on the fire and Mum preparing some delicious dish involving potatoes – we’re a big potato family – and fresh vegetables. How did student life change your attitude to food?

It made me more aware of food costs, and a meal’s nourishing value, which made me much more resourceful and creative as a cook. What’s your No 1 tip for preventing food waste?

Rather than thinking, “What am I going to have for dinner?” and buying all the things you need, create something with what’s at hand. Curries, soups, frittatas and stir-fries are great, and you can throw in an assortment of vegetables that might be past their best to make something delicious. Do you follow a special diet?

I stopped eating meat about five years ago. I spent three months living in a strict vegetarian household in India, and when I came home, I found my body couldn’t digest meat that well any more. What do you eat for breakfast?

Today, I had sourdough toast with avocado and mushrooms. I’ve just discovered my favourite pizza restaurant also makes really good bread. What about lunch?

I work at Dig Inn, a chain of fast, casual vegetable-focused restaurants in New York City and Boston, and as a perk, we get lunch free. Today, I had quinoa, beetroot, roasted cauliflower and kale. What’s a typical evening meal at home?

I make a soba miso bowl at least once a week with all the vegetables I can find. I love making curries and sneak in some chickpeas or lentils for protein. I also make a lot of “bowls” with a grain or legume, a starchy vegetable, a green vegetable, some leaves and a dressing. For example, I’ll have farro, roasted pumpkin, broccoli, baby spinach and a tahini dressing, or something like that.