Rachel on her family life

‘I grew up in Dublin with a sister, an Irish father and a mother from Iceland. I’ve always been very proud of my half-Icelandic and half-Irish heritage. I count myself fortunate in that it was a very happy home with lots of good food. While my father made great brown bread and the best poached eggs in town, it was my Mum who always cooked a delicious and nutritious meal for us all to eat at the end of the day. My favourites were the kinds of dishes that many people call comfort food – roast meats, stews and casseroles – for which there is rarely a traditional Irish recipe as every family has their own. Looking back

on it now, I am so appreciative of the fact that I got to sit down at the table to enjoy these meals with my family and catch up on what had happened during the day. It’s the one thing that my husband, Isaac, and I insist on now with our children – for me it’s one of the most important times of the day. I get such pleasure when I see my children enjoying really good food or watching seeds they’ve planted turn into crunchy carrots or cucumbers. I hope that they’ll get the opportunity to teach and inspire future generations, passing on the appreciation and joy that there is to be had from great food.’

It was a very happy home with lots of good food’